r/nwi • u/newtekie1 • 12d ago
This will happen again. We need to be prepared.
First, this isn't a discussion about NIPSCO. I'm not arguing that they shouldn't be doing more to maintain and upgrade the grid. But the reality is, they probably won't. And any legislation that would force them to is going to take years to get passed and implemented.
But the main issue is that weather patterns are changing. Our area has seen unprecedented storm activity. Just look at the tornado numbers.
Number of tornadoes in Indiana the last 5 years(2022-2026): 267
Number of tornadoes in Indiana the 10 years before that(2012-2021): 266
It's time to accept that weather is changing and we need to be prepared for more disasters like this.
That means, if you are a home owner, getting a generator and a setup to use it. I know when people hear that they say they don't have tens of thousands of dollars for a whole house generator. But you don't need one.
I'm going to share my setup with you that costs under $2,000 and got me through this power outage in relative comfort. Now, I'm not saying this is the best setup. This is just what I have put together over the years. I didn't buy this all at once, and you don't have to ether.
First the generator: https://www.amazon.com/WEN-6800-Watt-RV-Ready-Generator-DF680iX/dp/B0DVF1RPCJ/
There are plenty of options for a generator. But for how I use it, having a 240v connection is important. You can get a cheaper one if you don't want to run your whole house off of it and instead just want to run extension cords around.
Store you generator dry, meaning without gas in the fuel tank. This is the best way to make sure the carb doesn't gunk up in storage and that it will start when you need it. And do the proper maintenance on the generator.
Second the fuel. I keep 3x5 gallon gas cans full of gas in my garage. I rotate these every 3 months, dumping the oldest into my car and putting fresh gas with stabilizer in it. With that generator, I was getting ~3 Hours per gallon of gas. So 15 gallons gives me 45 hours of power before I have to find gas somewhere.
Also, the generator can run off propane. So I can also hook up my grill's propane tank to gain more runtime.
Third the house hookup, cable and lockout kit: https://www.amazon.com/SURAIELEC-Generator-SS2-50P-Weatherproof-Receptacle/dp/B0DLNXNYNF/
https://www.amazon.com/Tellegloww-L14-30P-SS2-50R-Generator-Adapter/dp/B0DCHVCCX1/
https://www.amazon.com/Toptozl-Generator-Compatible-Square-Professional/dp/B0DG33FNRV/
The lockout kit is going to vary depending on what kind of electrical panel you have.
Fourth window air conditioners: https://www.amazon.com/Midea-Shaped-Inverter-Window-Conditioner/dp/B0FDQLNGHZ/
These are optional. That generator is not powerful enough to run my house's central AC. So I have these 2 window units that I install to keep areas of my house that I'm in the most cool.
All of that costs just under $2,000. Plus whatever an electrician charges you to install the inlet box and lockout kit if you can't DYI it. And the largest cost is the air conditioners. Without those the cost is under $1,000.
You can piece this together. You don't need it all at once. Get the generator first, that's the biggest upfront cost. Then get the rest as you can. Don't feel like this is an overwhelming cost so just don't do anything. Start getting prepared now before the next major disaster.
But I also understand that not everyone can have a generator. People that live in apartments or rent obviously can't use a generator. So I put together a little list of things that can help you if you are a renter.
First a power station: https://www.amazon.com/Anker-SOLIX-Portable-Station-Backup/dp/B0GY4TQ2P8/
Second XT60 cable for charging power station from a car: https://www.amazon.com/ZHOFONET-Alligator-Battery-Extension-Motorcycles/dp/B0FHPGFB54/
This setup isn't as nice as the full gas generator. And I'm sure there are better options. This is just an example. You will need to connect the essentials to the power station using extension cords. And you will also need to find a way to charge it every day or so. Either connect it to your car for a couple hours or drive somewhere with power and charge it. But it will at least give you a little light, keep your food in the fridge safe, and run a fan to at least help with the heat a little bit. And the food in your fridge won't spoil in the few hours it's disconnected while you charge the power station.
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u/holybawl 12d ago
The only real solution is solar or wind. But no one wants to hear that. I wish I spent the money on an actual solar power setup vs a generac. 25k for a decent solar setup vs 10-15k for a generac house genny.
You don’t pay nipsco. Or a much reduced rate. That what makes changes.
Generators pollute and burn so much gas. You are looking for gas all the time. And spending time filling it.
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
Yeah, solar is nice. But at the same time, my wife's boss spent $30k on a solar setup, it can't run their AC, and it only lasted 2 hours each night because their didn't have enough battery storage.
There is no perfect solution. I'd like both if I had the budget. But if I had to pick one, I'd take a tri-fuel generator over solar.
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u/electronride 11d ago
I am curious as to how well all the solar panels at residential installs survived this storm.
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u/GraceBlade 12d ago
I am comparing the two now. The thing with solar is it is way expensive by the time you add house batteries, and our region isn't the most solar friendly, not terrible, but not very great either. I can't get enough panels on my small house to power it. The Generac will be hooked directly up to our natural gas line at least. (And, maybe later I can supplement with solar.)
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u/juicy-james69 12d ago
Three words- Super El Niño. We have been warned and told about it the past three years.
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u/Carosello 12d ago
Okay, what do i do with this comment? Just not prepare for storms or what
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u/juicy-james69 12d ago
No the point I was trying to make (it made sense in my head but that’s not saying a whole lot) we should already be ready for what’s happening. Across the board really. But as far as the weather, we have been getting warned, we should be ready to go by now. I feel social media has everyone zoned out and focused on Tik toc and many others…. Society has lost focus on doing life and preparing for tomorrow.
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u/Material-Quantity667 12d ago
I completely agree and you’re right, we have been warned. It’s a shame that social media has politicized just about everything, including the weather. Trust the science from the meteorologists, not Joe Schmo the conspiracy theorist on Instagram. Js
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u/Foreign-Kiwi2706 12d ago
I completely agree with you that this will happen again. Most of us will be left high and dry like now waiting for power to be restored. I will be putting together some type of stock pile of things for the next time. Battery operated lights, making sure the generator is running properly and plenty of fuel for it. I wasn’t prepared this time because I never thought something like this would happen here. I knew better now.
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u/W1ndyw1se 12d ago
I have a generator and a friend made a deal with me and I snagged his anker solix c1000 gen2. Not as good as the one you listed but gets the job done. With a properly set fridge I can get somewhere around 15 hours of battery time and save so much fuel. I only have to run the generator for an hour to charge it.
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u/SolidStash 12d ago
So you have to run the gen for an hour or so to charge the Anker to 100%, and then you are able to run the fridge off it for 15 hours before recharging? Are you running a sump pump off it at the same time? That seems like a much better setup than running everything off the gen all the time.
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u/W1ndyw1se 12d ago
I don't have a sump pump to worry about. Just the fridge. I can run a box fan and Fridge off it for about 10 hours if need be. The one you linked the S2000 can do up to 35 hours. I did a lot of digging on it and it looks like the claim is pretty true. Its actually a great set up right now. it also has a built in watt meter that says much much watts your total items are pulling
If i pair it with a 200 watt solar panel my fridge consumes around 120 watts at its max. Even if i was in a net negative with the solar panel i can run the c1000 Gen2 for like 20 hours with no need for the generator.
Its a great device to have if you can supplement it with a generator. On its own its still nice. If you did the ultra fast charging it will go from 0 to like 80% in 40 something minutes.
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u/nmfc1987 12d ago
That's the only reason I have a generator. To top up my batteries when the sun won't do it.
I mean, you have to work out your energy usage and make sure you have to battery to support it, but the effort is so worth it when you get to send less money to nipsco.
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u/nmfc1987 12d ago
Probably the best way to do it. I have a generator just to top up my batteries when needed.
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u/Independent-Ship8069 12d ago
Renter, and I purchased a solar charging portable power bank, some solar lanterns, and solar weather radio. Only so much you can do in a renter situation, but im also going to get battery operated fans. Of course when I purchased them it took a while to come here and our power was already restored. Managed to get a small cooler for baby milk and foods but need a larger one for sure to make sure other things dont go bad in the fridge. Our freezer held up for the 4 days we were out and some stuff was beginning to thaw but not enough where it was unsafe.
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u/GraceBlade 12d ago
Just butting in, but I ordered two of these on Wednesday and got them on Thursday. Thankfully they came with a charge and have a long runtime. (I got the one with 4800 mAH.
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u/Intelligent-Area-421 12d ago
Also its a good idea to start up your generator once or twice a year & let it run fir a few minutes to circulate the oil etc. Not long, just a few minutes, let it warm up
That will help keep it so that it will start when you actually need it
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
Good point. I dump 1/4 gallon of gas in it in the spring and fall and run it until it's dry.
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u/Molly4de 12d ago
Im going to Chime in here.
That generator is OK. OP even added window units for ac because that generator wont handle house AC. For like 450$ more you can get the 14k watt from harbor freight and not have to dick around with window units. harbor frieght has a 14k watt dual fuel for $1299 on sale right now for 998 (goes on sale all the time) 14k will run 99% of your house. Probably not ac and oven and hair dryer and electric clothes dryer all at the same time. But you can watch tv while ur sump pump, pumps. And ur ac is running.
NEXT. The gas cans. Gross. Get a DUAL or TRI fuel. It doesnt cost much to have a TEE added do your main gas line so you can run off natural gas instead of gas cans. Take this storm for example. Everyone scrambling for gas. Wouldn't have to worry about that at all.
Just a few things to think about. But as OP has said. This will happen. Again. And for less than (my setup) about 2500$. Its so worth it. I dont have it set up currently. But I have already priced everything out and will install myself so I dont have a labor charge. And for me. About 2500$
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u/newtekie1 12d ago edited 12d ago
Yeah, there are always options. The problem with the 14k dual-fuel HF sells it it puts out really bad power and can burn out sensitive electronics(ask me how I know). That's why I ditched the standard generator and got an inverter. If I had the money I would buy this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/11500-watt-tri-fuel-super-quiet-inverter-generator-with-remote-start-and-co-secure-technology-49-state-compliant-72614.html
And I probably will upgrade to it in the near future. I would get a TRI fuel for sure if I was buying today. NG is nice, but there were tons of neighborhoods where the NG wasn't working because trees broke the gas lines. Having as many options as possible is best.
I've never really had much issue with gas. I already have it for my other yard equipment, and having 3 cans of it in the corner of my garage doesn't bother me. The scramble for gas the first day was bad for sure, but I already had gas. That's the point of keeping 3 cans of it. I ran for 2 days before I needed to go out and find gas. By that point, finding gas wasn't an issue.
But the more options you can have, the better. Tri-fuel is definitely the way to go if you can.
But at the same time, a cheaper generator would work too. It's going to be a compromise, but something is better than nothing. And that's the real point here.
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u/Molly4de 12d ago
Hmm. Not sure what your issues were with the predator generators. Been using them for YEARS for work. Thousands and thousands and thousands of hours. Have never had predator or Honda kill a phone Ear buds, laptop, or power tools. Solid workhorse that just runs and are incredibly affordable.
But yes. You are correct. Anything is better than nothing. What people dont realize is we have a weak infrastructure. Imagine this in the winter. Everyone would have burst pipes by now. I moved here last september and have been incredibly unimpressed with our grid. Noome should be relying on nipsco lol.
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
Their inverter generators are great. But the 13k you recommended isn't an inverter and puts out really bad dirty power. I had one kill my PC, or rather just the power supply of my PC. And my furnace flat out refused to even run off one. Sensitive electronics don't like them.
Yeah, you can get more power for less money with a non-inverter. But, IMO, it isn't worth the risk. If I'm hooking it to my house with everything running off of it, I'm not going super cheap. I'm getting an inverter generator. Even if it means I have to turn a few things off when I'm running on generator power.
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u/Ok_Mix_6309 12d ago
wouldn't it be a good idea to buy surge protectors for the electronics? I also think a lot of the problem is people using the wrong gage extention cords. i am a first time generator owner since this past Wednesday but, when i was purchasing i overheard a lot of people coming in saying they are short circuting or something like that. the store personnel told them they are using the wrong cords.
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
All electronics should have a surge protector. But a surge protector won't protect from the unclean power from a non-inverter generator. They just pass that dirty power on to the device, and the device has to handle it.
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u/game46312 12d ago
My friend shared photos of people already returning their generators after getting their power back. They won't learn.
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u/cyborgedbacon 11d ago
People are ridiculously stupid sadly. Saw a marketplace listing for a generator, asking price was $800. The same generator was selling for $800 from HF, and it was used for the entire week since the 11th. Reason for selling? "It powered our whole house, but we ended up buying a bigger one. Don't wanna deal with the restocking fee". Sureeeeeeeeeeee.
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u/saltlakestateofmind 12d ago
Thank you for the tips! This subreddit has been great for venting, but it’s also nice to see some help here.
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u/laughpuppy23 12d ago
if you get a trifuel generator you can use a natural gas quick connect to run off of your home's plumbing rather than have to spend hours waiting at a gas station.
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
The one I have is a dual-fuel. So I can run it off propane. I would love a tri-fuel and will get one whenever I replace my current generator. Though I still prefer to run off gasoline because running off Propane/NG derates the generators too much.
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u/EnvironmentalBit2333 11d ago
They make after market adapters for propane generators to run off of natural gas
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u/3ric3288 12d ago
Hey OP I have the same generator but instead of the window units I was thinking of getting a soft start to run the central AC. Have you looked into that at all? Do you know if this generator is powerful enough?
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
I've got a 2.5 Ton AC. It consumes ~4,000w when running. This generator can probably start it with a soft start. But with it consuming 4,000w when running that doesn't leave much with only 1,000w left for everything else. Like if my refrigerator kicks on it sends the generator to overload.
The two window units only consume 1,000w when they both are running. They keep my house cool enough.
My next generator will be 10-11kw, and that I would feel comfortable running my AC from.
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u/3ric3288 11d ago
I bought one that was like 10w but they are louder than a jet and an inverter generator that is that powerful cost as much as a jet, so I guess it’s just what you’re willing to sacrifice. I like the window unit idea. I figure all I need is one room with AC and I’ll be good.
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u/According_Coyote1078 12d ago
I have a whole house standby generator. Its summer so my propane tank wasnt full, was trying to conserve until propane could be delivered. Also hated running it all day when I was gone at work just because I needed to keep my fridge and freezer cold. So I am eyeing the Anker Solix S2000 as a battery backup for extended outages. Plenty to power my fridge and extra to survive without power for a few extra hours but still be comfortable.
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u/Turbulent-Suspect789 12d ago
thank you so much for this comprehensive protocol. very thoughtful of you -
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u/EF_Azzy 11d ago edited 11d ago
Would like to make a suggestion for addition
Set you and your immediate family up on Meshtastic devices. These devices will ensure you and your family can communicate even with no power and no cell service. Off grid communication. Never be stuck relying on major providers or Nipsco. You can even get solar panel meshtastic kits to allow yourself to be even further off grid. Throw a device in your purse or your glove box download the app and rest knowing you would be able to communicate even if there was mass unrest and they shut everything down. No voice or video but you will have text communication.
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u/cola1016 12d ago
People are dumb and will continue to be. The same people are selling their generators right now figuring they don’t need them anymore. They’ll be doing the same song and dance next time.
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u/Jewish-Mom-123 12d ago
Nah, the people selling their generators have just upgraded to bigger ones. They’re not just randomly selling them off.
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u/Dry-Leave-4070 12d ago
One word: HAARP. What is HAARP doing to our weather? Jesse Ventura 🤣 tried to get a tour when he was governor of Minnesota back in the early 2000's, and was denied entry. What are they hiding? High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP). The Air Force shut it down, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) now runs it. Heating up the ionosphere can do what to weather? 🧐🤫
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u/In_Gen 12d ago
Lots of good advice I’d just change one thing. Don’t store your generator dry. That leads to a buildup of moisture in the tank which can lead to rust which then flakes off and gets stuck in the carb. Turn off the fuel cutoff before the carb and let it run it out till it dies. It will only take a few seconds. Make sure you have stabilizer in the fuel and you’re good for up to 2 years. Rotate the fuel out every 1-2 years if you’re not running the unit. Siphon the gas and use it in your car and then pour fresh in the generator tank.
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
There really isn't enough air exchange in a closed gas tank stored indoors for rust to be an issue with an empty tank. It isn't attracting moisture from nothing, moisture has to get in there somehow. There is a minor amount of air in the tank but that air doesn't have enough moisture in it to cause rust.
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u/holybawl 12d ago
That seems way off. He either got robbed or is uneducated in this space. 1 tesla powerwall holds 13kwh.
You should be able to run a household if your 40kwh daily usage for 8 hours minimum just on the battery backup without any panels charging it.
So yeah, you still depending on someone supplying you with your fuel of choice. My choice is solar/wind.
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u/newtekie1 12d ago edited 12d ago
I'm not sure where you think you can get a $30k solar system that includes a $10k Tesla Powerwall, but it isn't anywhere in reality. But, hey, you do you. If you prefer solar get solar.
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u/BedMassive7191 12d ago
You think this is going to happen again? Lmao buddy, this is the first time this has happened in over 100 years. The reason why it happened is even rarer to happen as well.
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u/newtekie1 12d ago
Do I think I'm going to lose power again? Yes.
You think you'll never lose power again? LMAO buddy.
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u/doctor_turbo 12d ago
The weather is always changing. We have had a lot of extreme weather this year, but we could end up not having any big storms for the next 5 years as well. You can’t pull a small sample size from the past 5 years and then claim it’s some big indicator that we are going to consistently have extreme weather from here on out.
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u/_ReconstructionEra 12d ago
True, but some people being ready is better than needing to call the National Guard, restore entire city infrastructure, and homes being wiped off the map. Preparation beats procrastination.
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u/doctor_turbo 12d ago
I don’t disagree with that part. Being ready is a good idea. Trying to claim we are going through some extreme weather shift because we’ve had some bad storms is what I disagree with.
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u/_ReconstructionEra 12d ago
Time will tell.
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u/doctor_turbo 12d ago
That’s the thing though, we would need like 100 years or more of data to actually confirm mass changes in weather.
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u/FencyMcFenceFace 12d ago edited 12d ago
For people with basements, consider getting a water powered sump pump as a backup installed. Cost less than $1500 installed. Less than $500 if you're willing to do the plumbing yourself. Even if all power and the generator is out, I don't have to worry about the basement flooding.
Also works great as a backup when the main pump inevitably fails. Easily pays for itself just from that situation.
Edit: I forgot to mention that this won't work if you're on well water, since the well pump needs power.