Hi RJ, yes you are lucky to have faired so well. I know everyone here is glad you did.
We all thought DGater would get the brunt of it and then it changed so fast.
I know our weather people are very good today with the complex radar systems, but it just goes to show they still cant predict the future. Mother nature has its own ideas.
I went through a no power situation myself except being in upper east TN, it was from a heavy snow. Talk about cold!
After that I also bought a 5000watt generator. Its enough to power the lights and heat a couple of rooms. The bigger things like stoves, water heaters, can be used but only one at a time. I recomend about 8000 to 10,000watts. That would be enough to run your Fridge and A/C plus some lights. Also, get one with a 5gal fuel tank and wheels. These things are heavy.
I had a large piece of household wire (most extension cords cant handle alot) with two male 220v plugs made and plug mine into the dryer outlet. That way it powers both sides of the fuse box and 110v fuses work on both sides so you can have power anywhere in the house. With breaker boxes where a 220V switch is on one side, this may not work. This saves alot of cost of a switchover box but you must ALWAYS pull the "main" whenever the wire is connected so the power workers dont get juiced down the street, and pull all your fuses or breakers exept what the gen. can handle at one time.
I do recomend having a trained electrician do it. I did but he made me promise not to tell as code requires a switch over box so the "main" and gen. are seperated always. Switch overs are just so much more money. This way is very safe as long as you BE SURE the "main" is pulled. I even put warning notes on my wire and gen. as a reminder.
Oh well, I know this is not a generator forum but like carrying a gun, its following the good ole scout motto of "Be Prepared". Hope this helps anyone who may need a generator...
Gunner930
