Ridin the storm out....

[AApple]

....with a portable generator! Not gunna be left powerless and freezin again Oncor! Mama & I been threatening to buy a gen since we had that freeze back in Feb that left most of the state without power. That threat turned onto action this past week, as we bought a gennie for the house. Should be plenty big enough to run what we need to in the event we ever loose power again. 7500 watt 120/220 set up, 'lectric start, gasoline(only) powered. Played with it a lil bit this weekend just to make sure it ran, and worked. Have plans to test the limits this coming weekend and see just how much crap it WILL run...lol

 

[mcgovern61]

Good move!

 

[GTC@MSAC]

Didn't you know? Commiefornia Proposition 65? That Device is known to Commiefornia to cause cancer, global warming, forest fires, drought, and the apocalypse! Everywhere else it generates electricity when the power goes out, but what do we know? Lol!

 

[AApple]

Well then....I guess it's a good thing I don't live in Calli....

 

[saganaga]

Didn't you know? Commiefornia Proposition 65? That Device is known to Commiefornia to cause cancer, global warming, forest fires, drought, and the apocalypse! Everywhere else it generates electricity when the power goes out, but what do we know? Lol!

That's a great example of a law creating a perverse incentive. The law sounds good in theory - have manufacturers tell people if a product is known to cause cancer.

So there's a big penalty if you don't label a carcinogen in California.

But there's no penalty if you label everything you make as a carcinogen, even if it is unlikely to be so.

So what do manufacturers do? Just label everything. It's safer that way.

 

[GTC@MSAC]

Actually, now their insane Governor has declared all gasoline operated things to be outlawed, except cars. This includes everything from weed eaters to home electricity generators. I believe he is lashing out for the attempted recall of his position of power, recently.

 

[Denver]

Got a kit to run mine on natural gas, it will still run on gasoline if need be.
Most of the time though, you still have natural gas, when the electric power is out.

 

[GTC@MSAC]

Got a kit to run mine on natural gas, it will still run on gasoline if need be.
Most of the time though, you still have natural gas, when the electric power is out.

Ooooo! I do have N.Gas heat here at the shop. I don't know if I can convert my Coleman Model 4000 to run on it or not...hmmmm!

 

[Denver]

You can run about any of them on pipe gas.
Harder to start, with the recoil, start like a chainsaw.
Prime (choke) it till it fires, then it will start.
The electric start is a real plus, jump start it off of the car, till i get a battery

 

[saganaga]

Actually, now their insane Governor has declared all gasoline operated things to be outlawed, except cars. This includes everything from weed eaters to home electricity generators. I believe he is lashing out for the attempted recall of his position of power, recently.

Had my blinders on. It's easy to assume that how you live is how all people live.

I was going to say that electric lawn equipment is great, but I'm in an old neighborhood where lawns are small, and current battery tech is more than enough for these lawns.

But it's a base issue - probably the gov's base is made up of people like me, and aren't made up of people with larger lawns. Which means that half the people end up making laws that annoy the other half.

I really wish we'd have more interaction with people who live different lives than the way we live. I think that would solve a lot of our problems.

(And I'll get off my soap box now)

 

[GTC@MSAC]

I agree 100%. Most everyone I know just wants to go about their business and be left alone. Looks like there is an ever growing number of people who aren't satisfied leaving it at that, politicians especially. Making trouble where none exists, especially trying to make it look like a legit occupation, doesn't sit well with reasonable folks. There's more than one storm coming that's gonna need "ridin' out", lol!

P.S. Virginians just voted to "weather the storm" with a new Republican Governor, and a few others, so we'll see how it plays out.

 

[Denver]

Divide and conquer, make us dependent upon them.
To sell us just about everything that's needed to survive.
Food, water, electric, pipe & pump gas, the list goes on.
Then there's the service industry, how many of us do for themselves, or know how to anymore????????
Self reliance is fast becoming a thing of the past.
That left us when the farm was sold, & we moved to the city, to be close to our factory job.
Its too hard, too dirty, no tools, no heat, too cold, too hot, no time.
Or i'm just too busy, sitting on my but, watching TV
Add another to the long list of ways, that lead us toward failure in our lives.

 

[AApple]

Jeeeze guys.....not everything has to turn political.....

 

[GTC@MSAC]

Lol, well I try to ignore politics as much as possible in my life, but here lately they seem to be finding more ways to butt in where they are not needed nor wanted. At least we can share a hobby that keeps us productively uninvolved with the other nonsense going on around us, for the most part. Forgive me if my contributions steered this thread into unpleasant territory. I'd much rather be riding don't-cha know, but the recent drop in temps isn't going well with my recent increase in age, lol!

 

[AZgl1800]

Had my blinders on. It's easy to assume that how you live is how all people live.

I was going to say that electric lawn equipment is great, but I'm in an old neighborhood where lawns are small, and current battery tech is more than enough for these lawns.

I will help steer things off the Political track.
Back in August, I was in a Liquidation store and bought one of the Ryobi 40V electric lawn mowers at $20 ea., my son did also. ( no battery )

Mine has been doing okay for "small areas" of about 60x100 feet of grass.

my son's machine quit soon after I left for home. ( he lives in Georgia )

The battery/charger is about $160 bux, so it is not a cheap investment.
Upside, the battery can be used as a Cellphone charger for extended vacation periods


Mine still works, I reserve it for cutting the Berm out front next to the road.

Battery powered home equipment, for me, is a Godsend.... no more gas powered carbs that gunk up over the winter.
Just yesterday, I used my Snapper pole saw to cut down a half dozen small trees, and cut off broken branches that were hanging down after a storm.

I like that Battery powered stuff just needs a charge, and push a button and it goes. So far, I have invested in:
Hedge Trimmer - Lowes brand, works great
Snapper Pole Saw
Weed Eater - Lowes brand, works great
Ryobi 10" chain saw ( 18V One+ tool ) I love Ryobi 18V tools
Ryobi 40V lawnmower ( not a great tool, too fragile )
Ryobi brand tools:

* hand held air compressor ( will pump up to about 60 psi )​

*1/2 inch Impact Driver, great for lug nuts on car wheels​

*1/2 inch brushless Drill Motor ( quick change locking drill bits )​

*a sheet rock right angle cutting tool, it quit after 1 use ​

 

[saganaga]

I will help steer things off the Political track.
Back in August, I was in a Liquidation store and bought one of the Ryobi 40V electric lawn mowers at $20 ea., my son did also. ( no battery )

Mine has been doing okay for "small areas" of about 60x100 feet of grass.

my son's machine quit soon after I left for home. ( he lives in Georgia )

The battery/charger is about $160 bux, so it is not a cheap investment.
Upside, the battery can be used as a Cellphone charger for extended vacation periods


Mine still works, I reserve it for cutting the Berm out front next to the road.

Battery powered home equipment, for me, is a Godsend.... no more gas powered carbs that gunk up over the winter.
Just yesterday, I used my Snapper pole saw to cut down a half dozen small trees, and cut off broken branches that were hanging down after a storm.

I like that Battery powered stuff just needs a charge, and push a button and it goes. So far, I have invested in:
Hedge Trimmer - Lowes brand, works great
Snapper Pole Saw
Weed Eater - Lowes brand, works great
Ryobi 10" chain saw ( 18V One+ tool ) I love Ryobi 18V tools
Ryobi 40V lawnmower ( not a great tool, too fragile )
Ryobi brand tools:

* hand held air compressor ( will pump up to about 60 psi )​

*1/2 inch Impact Driver, great for lug nuts on car wheels​

*1/2 inch brushless Drill Motor ( quick change locking drill bits )​

*a sheet rock right angle cutting tool, it quit after 1 use ​

Agreed about the carbs. They'll sit for about six months in Minnesota, and they are small enough and cheap enough that they love to develop problems. In addition, these days, internal-combustion small engine lawn equipment seem to be a race to the bottom in terms of quality and the ability to get replacement parts.

I really do like the Ryobi string trimmer we have - it's not the One+ line, but a different line. Does seem to do our yard without a trouble on one battery pack. Ryobi in general seems to be decent enough for home use, and their warranty department is pretty good.

I did use our electric lawnmower today (a no-name brand that the neighbors were giving away), because our grass is still growing due to the unseasonably warm weather. The only thing I've noticed is that the electric mowers are less forgiving of dull blades and tall grass, but lawnmower blades should be kept sharp anyways. With a sharp blade, it does fine even with an overgrown lawn.

For saws, I use them so infrequently that I just use hand tools for yardwork, and plug-in tools for the rest. I may end up picking up a cheap air impact wrench though - with our compressor/air tank, it'll probably be portable enough for my use, and I won't have to muck around with batteries going dead the few times each year I use it.

I'll happily admit I'm lazy - I'm looking for the tool that requires the least amount of my time and energy to use and maintain. I don't think I used my pole saw once this year, but it'll work just fine when I fetch it from the rafters of the garage next time I need it. I'm not an arborist or a lawncare worker, so what I have works for me.

 

[Denver]

Battery powered stuff has its place in yard equipment for small city lots.
Have been clearing the overgrown areas of my yard, about half of my half acre lot.
That was let go for over 40 years, good sized trees, various way oversized bushes.
Stihl, & Husqvarna chainsaws, weed eaters, one with a blade, leaf blowers.
A hand held, & backpack, all with powerful two stroke gasoline engines.
Will do the job all day long, with a quick gas & oil refill.
Drain the gas if your not going to be using it for a while, & ALWAYS USE HIGH TEST GAS.
You should have very few carb issues if you do this

 

[saganaga]

Battery powered stuff has its place in yard equipment for small city lots.
Have been clearing the overgrown areas of my yard, about half of my half acre lot.
That was let go for over 40 years, good sized trees, various way oversized bushes.
Stihl, & Husqvarna chainsaws, weed eaters, one with a blade, leaf blowers.
A hand held, & backpack, all with powerful two stroke gasoline engines.
Will do the job all day long, with a quick gas & oil refill.
Drain the gas if your not going to be using it for a while, & ALWAYS USE HIGH TEST GAS.
You should have very few carb issues if you do this

For small brush and small trees, I cannot praise weed wrenches highly enough.

 

[GTC@MSAC]

Test ran my Coleman 4000 generator today, too. Has a pipe and muffler off a CB160, does that count as a Honda hybrid?

 

[AZgl1800]

I kinda fibbed on the Weed Eater, didn't mention the voltas, it is a Lowes 40V Kobalt,
it runs long enough for me to get tired, recharges in about 1 hour

That generator has Honda Exhaust pipe, close enough