Solar panels for your house

[Johnny P]

A small inverter generator works wonders in power outages, plus safer source of power for sensitive electric devices and more economical to use.

[Major Tom]

Another thought. You might want to check with your home insurance guy about possible storm damage, is it covered? Here in the Mid section of the U.S, we get a lot of high wind and tornados. Trees and large tree branches are a common sight lying around people's property. Most insurance companies are slow or even won't cover damage to shingled roofs.

[Vern Humphrey]

I used to have a 1.5 Kw generator for my freezer. I upgraded to a 7.5 Kw, and then to a 48 KW propane backup generator which goes on automatically when power fails. I really don't even notice power failures anymore -- except when I step out on the porch and hear the generator running -- or when I check the propane level.

[dryheat]

Everytime one of these threads comes up I think, I really need to look into this. It's just whistling in the dark not to be prepared. I've been lucky. We've (east valley) had a half dozen failures this summer and they only lasted minutes.

[Vern Humphrey]

Everytime one of these threads comes up I think, I really need to look into this. It's just whistling in the dark not to be prepared. I've been lucky. We've (east valley) had a half dozen failures this summer and they only lasted minutes.

When I built my house, I knew about ice storms and power outages in the Ozarks. I put in a fully-finished basement with a wood-burning stove, and the wife and I would move down there when the power went out. One year (early Feb 2008 to early Feb 2009) we spent a total of 30 days and nights living in the basement.

[Major Tom]

To heck with Chinese solar panels! I vote for a whole house propane generator!

[jjrothWA]

My cousin husband run a farm entity in Medina County, Ohio.

He bought into the solar panels for his farm and HASN'T made the saving projected. Also, every tax filing he submits the paperwork for the FEDERAL ta credit and ot get rejected and he has to make a complete new filing before he get the yearly credit.

You know that the War Department opened the Ravenna Arsenal at the start of WWII, because the records of the Weather Bureau, up to that time indicated that the NE Ohio location, was rated a eighty-five percent [85%] of being under CLOUDS!

[Vern Humphrey]

To heck with Chinese solar panels! I vote for a whole house propane generator!

That's what I've got -- 48Kw. It isn't cheaper than drawing power from the grid (which, of course, I still do) but when there's a two-week long power failure, it's a life saver.

[Art]

That's what I've got -- 48Kw. It isn't cheaper than drawing power from the grid (which, of course, I still do) but when there's a two-week long power failure, it's a life saver.

Yup, no gas runs. Seven days after hurricane Ike I had to make a gas run. almost 60 miles to an open station (why you top off the tank before a storm.) LOL, then a few hours after I came back the power was back on.

[Allen]

Yup, no gas runs. Seven days after hurricane Ike I had to make a gas run. almost 60 miles to an open station (why you top off the tank before a storm.) LOL, then a few hours after I came back the power was back on.

I've done that a few times myself. At least the gas doesn't go to waste. There's always something to put it in.