Uh-oh...Thursday morning forecast bumped snow totals to 14"-22". Better go get more crackers.

This sounds like basically the same weather we've been having almost every day since the end of November. Yesterday was a nice day...it actually warmed up enough to melt the crap off the roads for a bit, and then it all froze again overnight. I think the "storm" is going to mostly miss us to the south, though, so we'll probably just get a little colder and continue our daily dose of lake effect.

At least if we got 12" of snowfall county highway would deem it necessarily to actually go out and scrape it off the roads. I had to drive through 18" drifts this morning on my way in to work, and county night shift was already dealing with a few morons in the ditch...you'd think natural selection would have weeded out all the non-driving idiots by this point in the season but somehow they manage to persist.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Since we have a pumped septic system, an extended power outage means pooping in a bucket. Not fun.

I need to find an alternative.

Ideas?

Same here. Our pump is on a backup battery that the previous owner installed. I expect it is wholly inadequate for the current required, but the idea is good.

I am evaluating generator options for us, and a primary reason is the sewer pump. Secondary is food refrigeration in the summer, and heat in the winter.

There are battery systems that will supply a lot of power and could do the job for up to a day, including some lighting, a coffee machine, and the microwave. They run $1k-$2k. There will be cheaper versions that would do just the sewer pump for days, but I haven't researched those.

The downside is recharging the unit, as well as the cost. Solar is an expensive add-on that may not be sufficient.

A gas or propane powered generator can power all the necessary items in the house, but makes some noise and requires fuel. Running it all the time just for the fridge and a few lights, and the occasional flush is not optimal.

So the elegant but pricey solution is a substantial battery system which you recharge 2x per day with a small gas generator.

Right now I am leaning towards a medium battery that can be moved around to power emergency items as needed. Fridge, sewer pump, furnace. The furnace requires a power cord be installed rather than hardwired as it is now. Then I will add a gas powered generator in the 2200-3000W range to power the house and recharge the battery, where the battery can be used overnight for just the fridge and furnace.

If you go down this rabbit hole, look at inverter generators. The power is clean, so it won't damage electronics (furnace and other appliance computer boards, desktop computer, tv, etc). They are a bit more expensive than non-inverters. You can attach any generator to your circuit breaker box, with a couple of options. Then to use the generator you turn off the main breakers to the house, and flip on the breakers for the generator. If you're just powering the sewer pump, you don't need an inverter generator.

Boo, it looks like the models continue to push north. Originally 18-24 inches, now they're not real sure if we're going to get anything at all.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
Uh-oh...Thursday morning forecast bumped snow totals to 14"-22". Better go get more crackers.

Where are you seeing that? I'm in Berks County and keep seeing 6-10 inches.

The trained doom sayers are predicting 18-23" here for Sunday and early Monday. I'll go out on a limb and guess 10-12". Looks like whatever we do get will remain because the highs predicted Tuesday through Saturday are in the teens with lows at night from the single digits to -10.

I live on a single lane dirt/gravel road so understandably it's very low priority for getting plowed, it won't be before Wednesday or Thursday and that's if there's no drifting on the main roads.

I'm fairly well stocked for food but I'll run in today (Thursday) for milk, fresh vegetables and fruit (grocery stores will be mobbed tomorrow and Saturday). Ridgeline's filled and the gas and diesel cans for the SXS, generator, and tractor are filled. I'll top up the back porch with firewood tomorrow.

My daughter lives in northern VA where they're now estimating 21-26", I can't imagine the mess there. There'll be SUV's hung up all over the place and the vehicles parked on the streets will be plowed in.

I'd rather have snow than the heavy ice predicted farther south!

Frankie is on it

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
Then I will add a gas powered generator in the 2200-3000W range to power the house and recharge the battery, where the battery can be used overnight for just the fridge and furnace.

A generator that size won’t run 240 volt devices and may struggle to get a 120 volt pump running.

We are now predicted to get up to an inch of ice.

A fucking INCH of ice.

I hate snow.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
We are now predicted to get up to an inch of ice.

A fucking INCH of ice.

Supposedly, 32 by 2300 Saturday night, back above freezing by 1300 Sunday, back to freezing by 0200 Monday and not above freezing until Noon Tuesday

Problem with ice is Tree Damage, problem with tree damage is they fall on important things, power lines, cars, houses Rather have snow no doubt. Sure prefer snow to ice no doubt.

These things make the case for having solar and power walls installed.

Y'all did get your hand held 2-way radios for backup, right?

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...935/m/5830063605/p/1

Remember Snowmageddon, y’all in the ATL!

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Problem with ice is Tree Damage, problem with tree damage is they fall on important things, power lines, cars, houses Rather have snow no doubt. Sure prefer snow to ice no doubt.

Snow can certainly do the same to trees and power lines. Not the light, powdery stuff when it's very cold, but heavy wet snow that falls around freezing and sticks to trees bringing down limbs, collapsing roofs, metal buildings, carports, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by MRMATT:
I hate snow.

Better than ice.

I'm not prepared for a roof collapse
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The roofs in the Great White North have thicker decking than those down South,so I guess it is a possiblity. Many folks up North get on the roof with a snow shovel to prevent collapse.

Here in Michigan, some people even get up on their roof with a gas-powered snow thrower! It's fast, just don't lose your balance and fall!

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
Then I will add a gas powered generator in the 2200-3000W range to power the house and recharge the battery, where the battery can be used overnight for just the fridge and furnace.

A generator that size won’t run 240 volt devices and may struggle to get a 120 volt pump running.

Thanks for the input. The sewer pump is 1/2 hp, so the startup current may be a problem. It isn't easy to find the information on the internet to really nail this down..

I am liking the Honda generators for quality and for quiet, but they don't make a 240v inverter. So between that and the unanswered questions on the pump I can't move forward yet.

They do make battery backed up submersible sump pumps with their own battery. That may be the answer but it would be a big $ answer.

The cold will be tough on the power grid, adding ice on it not going to help.

Hope the storm misses you guys.

Reuters:
"Peak demand has the potential to exceed 130,000 MW for seven straight days next week, a winter streak that PJM has never experienced," the grid operator said on Thursday in a cautionary alert.
"Depending on temperatures, PJM could set a new all-time winter peak load on Jan. 27. And that cold could extend into early February, so PJM is taking additional precautions with its generation and transmission owners to prepare."
PJM serves 67 million people in 13 states and Washington, D.C. It has been struggling to keep up with booming demand from the proliferation of Big Tech's power-hungry data centers needed for the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence.

https://www.reuters.com/busine...r-demand-2026-01-22/

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
I am liking the Honda generators for quality and for quiet, but they don't make a 240v inverter. So between that and the unanswered questions on the pump I can't move forward yet.

The Honda EU7000 is an inverter generator that does 240 volts, but it’s pricey.

A 1/2hp pump probably needs about 13 amps to start, so 1,560 watts at 120 volts. The smaller Hondas will do that.