Getting ready for Hurricane Irma

We're as ready as we can get. Except I still need to put that aluminum ladder in the garage.

 

Latest tracks put it dead on to you, STAY SAFE!

 

Thanks. I just found out that we are now in a mandatory evacuation area. We were already planning to go farther inland in the morning anyway. And the ladder is stowed now. I just want to bring down the TV antenna and the long pipe it's on so it doesn't break and cause damage. Hope to be able to do that in the morning.

 

and mow the lawn before you leave.

but in all seriousness, my prayers are with you brother.

 

LOL!! I actually considered that. I had time, but was too pooped after all the other stuff. We'll see, when we get back home, if the lawn blew away.

Interesting side note. The storm is goiing right where I expected back when they were assuring us that the bermuda high would get out of the way and steer it up the east coast. Weather forecasts are really scary looking with winds around here over 100 mph. But, Dark Sky and Weather Nerd, my most reliable weather apps don't look nearly as dire. Gotta love, though, how it calls 7 mph "dangerously windy."

 

Im going to ride it out in my prius top tent... should be OK in Spring Hill... only 90 mph

 

Funny, I actually did that and go caught by the first of rain bands of Harvey. It was mainly nervous energy but it was also too high and I knew it would be very hard to deal with after all the heavy rains receded.

 

Good Luck guys!
Don't forget to check back in when you can....

 

I hope everyone in the path of the hurricane is safe!

As for the inverter, I've been shopping for one myself. I am only considering pure sine wave inverters, so the price for a 3KW unit is pretty high for those. Prius is protected at 120A or so at the 12V battery (most likely to protect the DC-DC converter that charges it), so I would not try to pull more than 100A out of it. If you ever connect the inverter, put a 100A fuse on the input positive. That will provide just shy of 1.5KW and a bunch of things can run off that. A typical fridge, some lights, an oil burner for the oil heater, etc.

As for generators, Harbor Freight has a 3.5KW inverter unit for $700 and $7 shipping. These things should be good for 3KW, I would think. They still lack the 240V hookup, so forget your 240V appliances (well pumps) unless you get a step-up transformer (another can of worms).

Brigs and Straton also markets a 6.5KW inverter generator for $1,200, which is a pretty good price. That has a 240V/120V split phase connection that can just be plugged into house panel (through a transfer switch I hope) and serve most of the needs during a power outage.

I love the Prius and it would be awesome to use it as a generator, but it is just not quite up for the job. I think a smallish 2KW inverter generator can do a better job, cost less than an inverter (look at Champion 2KW stackables. You can find them used for $350 or so).

 

being near Tampa I have my 2 generators ready, the prius full of gas and a 3500 watt inverter ready to go...... now I just hope the roof stays on the house... I wonder if its too late to buy insurance.. might be moving into the prius full time if things go bottoms up overnight

 

Buying it now should be no problem, if you can find an open office.

But the 30-day (or more?) waiting period before it provides coverage might be a real bummer at your end.

(Earthquake insurance has this waiting period, so I'd expect other specific natural events to have similar restrictions.)

 

Are you saying that you have NO insurance on your house ??
Yes it's probably too late......but there will be more big storms later.

 

sorry to hear it. i can't believe amazon didn't sent out an emergency drone.

 

yep, no home insurance... so the power is out, the wind is beating my roof to death and I doubt it will survive, according to the forecast its going to be about 12 hours of this.. not looking good

 

bummer man, thoughts and prayers with you!

 

So, @Beachbummm, how goes it?

Interesting. I've had good experiences with UPS but USPS is consistently late by 1 day to 2 weeks for me.

We stayed with friends in Wesley Chapel. Had some brisk winds. No trees down here. Lost power for about an hour yesterday afternoon. It was actually a bit of a dud right here,for which I am grateful. We'll head home this morning and see what's up there.

 

as bad as the mess is in some area's, looks like you folks dodged a bullet.

 

power went out at 8 30 last night, shortly after that we lost internet spectrum,and cell phone access (metro pcsucks), came back on around 11am..
lost 80 feet of fence and have some wet spots on the roof.. but after 12 hours of pounding wind and rain I think I got off lucky, sure a cat 4 would have ripped the roof off

 

Glad the peeps are OK.

Roofs are easier to fix.....