Anyone else having problems with their electricity?

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

Holy Moly this all sounds complicated. You mean it doesn't just go on by itself, when the electricity goes out. .

There are good standby generators that do just that. They are usually fed by natural gas or propane. The transfer switch will sense the lack of power from the main feed, kick on the generator and switch power from the main to the generator. Takes very little time.

If you loose power a lot, this may be the way to go. For us, it is down a couple times a year, and usually for a few hours or less. A smaller manual generator will work fine for our needs.

[M. Henley Class President Find all posts View Profile Close M. Henley]

Trouble Now ?!

If you think you have trouble now, just wait until the long-term coal contracts of your electric power generation plants expire.

The two top grades of coal used for electrical generation have gone up by 93% and 64% respectively in the last year alone. China and Germany are buying our coal now, and the price just keeps going up.

Most electrical generation companies purchase long-term coal contracts, but when these expire look for rates to go up astronomically.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Holy Moly this all sounds complicated. You mean it doesn't just go on by itself, when the electricity goes out. .

You can also do it simpler than I described.

Step 1: turn on generator.
Step 2. connect desired appliances to generator using extension cords.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

OK, I get it....I think we were looking at the kind that go on automatically when you lose electricity. The other types sound fine also. Guess it just depends on how often you lose your power.

There are good standby generators that do just that. They are usually fed by natural gas or propane. The transfer switch will sense the lack of power from the main feed, kick on the generator and switch power from the main to the generator. Takes very little time.

If you loose power a lot, this may be the way to go. For us, it is down a couple times a year, and usually for a few hours or less. A smaller manual generator will work fine for our needs.

You can also do it simpler than I described.

Step 1: turn on generator.
Step 2. connect desired appliances to generator using extension cords.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

I made a 12-gauge, double male outlet extension cord that I use to connect one of the outlets on the generator with a wall outlet on the kitchen circuit (20-amp wiring). Before energizing the house this way, I turn off the main electric service into the house, and deactivate all 220-volt services. When utility power is restored I turn off the generator, restore the main service and reenergize the 220-volt services.

Steve, that is the plan that I will be using. I have a sub panel in the garage. I would use it to bring power into the main panel. Like you said, kill power to the main panel and shut of the switches of the circuits you will not be feeding. Fire up the generator, flip the panel switch in the garage and power the circuits of the house.

Note to anyone thinking about connecting a standby generator in this way. Killing power at the main panel or service feed into the house is critical!!!! Killing the main service isolates the generator from the electric utility grid. If you don't kill the main service you will energize your neighbors houses. There will likely be an extreme load on your generator as your neighbors' lights and appliances start to power up. If there are any downed power lines in your neighborhood your generator will now energize those downed lines. Finally, your generator and house electrical system could be damaged when utility power is restored and your generator starts operating against utility power.

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

I am totally SHOCKED !

By all of this electricity talk!

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

If you think you have trouble now, just wait until the long-term coal contracts of your electric power generation plants expire.

The two top grades of coal used for electrical generation have gone up by 93% and 64% respectively in the last year alone. China and Germany are buying our coal now, and the price just keeps going up.

Most electrical generation companies purchase long-term coal contracts, but when these expire look for rates to go up astronomically.

Mr Henley,

This is quite disturbing!

What can we do if anything to stop this trend? Build more Nuclear power plants?

I really thought coal was safe from these price fluctuations, since the US has well over 100 years of coal reserves. So I have been told?

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Mr Henley,

This is quite disturbing!

What can we do if anything to stop this trend? Build more Nuclear power plants?

I really thought coal was safe from these price fluctuations, since the US has well over 100 years of coal reserves. So I have been told?

The amount of coal reserves is irrelevant.

Energy users don't buy coal; they buy energy. They can get that energy from gas, oil, coal, wind, geothermal, or whatever.

The price that is paid for a fuel is established by what the current market price is for energy, in $/MMBtu (or whatever other units meet your fancy) adjusted by whatever additional costs are associated with using that fuel (such as operating required pollution control equipment).

When the market price for energy, in $/MMBtu increases, the prices of all fuels adjust accordingly. coal included

The effect of having large coal reserves is that as the price goes up, coal becomes more economically attractive, more of it is produced, and the prices of other fuels adjust accordingly. But there will never be a huge price differential, where it is cheaper to buy and burn coal than to buy other fuels. And for time horizons extending beyond five years or so, the overall prices of fuels in $$/MMBtu (as combusted) will equalize (except in markets where the government interferes and requires utilities to buy more expensive energy even though cheaper sources are available).

[M. Henley Class President Find all posts View Profile Close M. Henley]

What Steve said...

Additionally, when the "carbon-capture" regulations go into effect the consumer will have to pay for storing the CO-2 produced in the burning of coal. That should just about double your rates.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Steve

The amount of coal reserves is irrelevant.

Energy users don't buy coal; they buy energy. They can get that energy from gas, oil, coal, wind, geothermal, or whatever.

I didn't know that. Geez that's depressing.

M Henely

Additionally, when the "carbon-capture" regulations go into effect the consumer will have to pay for storing the CO-2 produced in the burning of coal. That should just about double your rates.

Thank you, for the lesson, as well. If I wasn't totally depressed a minute ago, I sure am now.