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Post by feralferret on Oct 27, 2023 18:35:38 GMT -6
"Ethanol damages the rubber in gaskets (and diaphragms in 2 cycle) unless they've been formulated to handle the ethanol or they're made of a non-rubber product. The concern is mainly small engines (mowers, blowers, generators) unlees you're driving a much older vehicle."
Nearly all of my gas in cans goes into small engines. I learned the diaphragms in 2 cycle lesson the hard way about eight years ago. I only get the ethanol free for the 2 cycle gas/oil equipment I have. I add stabilizer to the other, but not the 2 cycle mix. Both of my cans for that are only one gallon so it doesn't sit for all that long before being used.
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Post by papaof2 on Oct 27, 2023 20:26:08 GMT -6
From experience (someone "helping" me clear the equipment shed so I could clean it with a blower), the four 5 gallon cans of treated gas were placed in jumbled order with the oldest can LAST (they are dated when filled and StaBil added) so it was two years before I got to that can. It had been treated with StaBil and the can sealed tightly so the 4 cycle equipment ran fine, as did the 2 cycle with freshly oiled 2-year-old gas. Not a deliberate attempt to check the preservative value of Stabil but still an excellent test with winter temps being in the 20's (occasionally lower) and the summer temps sometimes topping 95. It's a good point in planning for how long the fuel might last in a you-can't-buy-any-more situation.
Wonder if I could work out a deal with the nearest small gas station to hook my 5kW gen up to power however many of their dozen pumps it could run (plus the credit card's satellite system) in exchange for gas? Maybe a gallon for me for every 10 gallons pumped? I might need to put a 55 gallon drum in the back of the truck to be able to bring home my "pay" if the power was off over a large area for a week or more ;-) I do have enough StaBil and Pri-G to treat more than that much gas.
With the inverter gen running 6 or so hours per gallon at our typical power-is-off loads, 55 gallons would translate to a lot of days with limited power. I would need to build the sound control enclosure I have parts for: 3/4" plywood, 3 1/2" fiberglass insulation for sound deadening, fan for cooling, maybe some locking casters so I could move it ;-) That probably should be limited to maybe 3 hours / day (maybe 2 hours morning and evening?) running the gen which I could say is "Just keeping the fridge cool". Fridge, freezer and central heat in winter because 3 - 4 hours would recharge the battery bank if we stay close to "cabin in the woods with a fridge" power use. If there's ENOUGH sun, we might not be running the gen at all. The better half and I could get 1100 watts of solar on the roof of the equipment shed (maximum height is 11 feet) but I'd need to dig a trench for some 3/4" black irrigation pipe to waterproof the wiring from those solar panels to the house (maybe remove all but one or two tines from the little 2 cycle tiller?) That's bordering on enough solar power if we empty the big fridge and the freezer into our bodies and then use the 4.4 cu ft fridge in the basement as the primary food cooling appliance. I could get that fridge up the steps from the basement using a 400lb-rated folding "luggage cart" and a block and tackle without killing my back (4-to-1 advantage) or I could mount one of the 2500lb Harbor Freight winches to a 2x4 screwed to the studs of the wall at the top of the stairs and use one of the high current LiFePO4 batteries for power. That winch has a 5% duty cycle at full load (2500lb) but the fridge plus cart is maybe 75lb. 75/2500 = 0.03 or 3% of 2500lb so I could run it at that load for as long as needed to get it up 16 steps and the pull is at an angle so not "lifting" the full weight of the fridge (says the shadetree engineer ;-)
Yes, I have written plans for a lot of scenarios - helps to plan around the houses and families I've known when I put a story together. Not everyone will have detailed "How do I move the little fridge?" plans or a record of how much power the little fridge uses versus the French-door, bottom freezer, water and ice dispenser equipped, 28 cu ft fridge/freezer. (Measured by a KillAWatt for six weeks: big fridge uses 2027WH/day (summer) and little fridge uses 306WH/day). Winter power for big fridge is 1573WH/day and the little fridge uses comparatively less or about 238WH/day. See the difference that makes in total power needed?)
I have plans for a microprocessor controlled high water alarm to detect when the drain at the bottom of the outside steps to the basement of a house clogs and can flood the basement - especially in the fall when the drain receives lots of leaves and it takes less than an inch of rain to overflow the little sump there. The folks there weren't happy the first time the alarm (pulsing SonAlert) woke them at 3AM but they were happy not to have the basement flooded and another $2000 repair needed (they'd asked me if there was any solution after the first time it happened). Yes, it was VERY loud - alarm mounted in the basement near the door and they slept on the second floor so it needed to be loud and annoying to ensure they were awakened.
Can't do much right now (as he types with one hand and he pauses to move the ice pack on and off the injured hand) but my mind only needs the pain to be controlled in order to work ;-) Did the Rx pain meds a couple hours ago so I'm good for a while...
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Post by feralferret on Oct 27, 2023 20:41:14 GMT -6
Sounds familiar except my cans are at the front of the shed. All are treated, date labeled, and oldest toward the door. Since the floor is dirt, they sit an a 1/3 size pallet to keep them from getting muddy on the bottom when the rain runs under the door.
I've seen plans for a simpler version (no microprocessor) of the water alarm that uses a sonalert.
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Post by techsar on Oct 27, 2023 21:31:05 GMT -6
That might be a problem...all of the gas pumps I have seen are 220v, and 5kw gensets that are 220-capable are rather uncommon. Of course, if you have a heavy enough transformer, but then you only have 2500 watts on each leg...minus losses ...and one station used 3-phase motors... --------------------------------------- As far as a run from the solar panels to the house - if it is any substantial distance you'll have some serious voltage drop. it would be better to put the inverter and battery in the shed and run a 10 or 12 gauge line for the 120 output. Just thinkin' out loud...
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Post by papaof2 on Oct 27, 2023 23:14:09 GMT -6
Older 5KW Generac, producing split 240 so easy enough to provide 240V to a load. Three phase is something I'd have to investigate. If it only ran two pumps, that would be two pumps more than they had before ;-)
Wiring from the solar panels would be 10 gauge pairs, probably a max of 10-12 amps/pair (THHN 90C 10 gauge is actually rated for 40 amps) and the run from the shed to the controllers is well within 5% loss distance (yet another spreadsheet I put together ;-)
At 250 watts or less per run, they should just fall under the control wiring class and not require permits or electrician for that installation (pushing the interpretation just a bit, maybe, but that is how the NEC is written and I know that most solar panels do NOT produce their nameplate power at this location). I'd rather not have the inverter out in "bug country" or the have the potential of igniting gasoline fumes in that shed with a contactor turning on the inverter. The solar wiring would come down under the edge of the roof (place for a waterproof breaker panel), then go into the 3/4" pipe that would run along the outside edge of the shed's corner and then the pipe would be underground to the house. With the panel configurations each producing 30-35 volts, I can live with the losses because I'm not voiding the warranty on the new-this-year $$,$$$ roof on the house.
It's currently (good word for electrical things ;-) waiting for me to have a mostly functional back and two functional hands (possibility of hand surgery when the better half finishes her PT) and the better half to have two functional hands (wrist surgery a couple months ago). And it might wait a long time on my back - I'm in year 3 of MRI, injections, surgery, injections and more injections. The current continuous release pain patch plus hydrocodone/acetaminophen for things the patch can't control are the best combination we've found yet. I'll probably never run (or walk) a marathon but I'm much better than 2 years ago - I can walk to the truck and I can drive.
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Post by techsar on Oct 28, 2023 18:56:18 GMT -6
Somebody else making an old man cry now Sorry, but Sam's just dropped to $2.70/gal
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Post by papaof2 on Oct 28, 2023 20:25:40 GMT -6
unl $3.09, diesel $4.09 costco unl $2.85
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Post by gipsy on Oct 28, 2023 22:16:47 GMT -6
Somebody else making an old man cry now Sorry, but Sam's just dropped to $2.70/gal You do know that might be cruel and unusual punishment , or worse justifiable homicide if this keeps up.
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Post by gipsy on Oct 29, 2023 15:15:13 GMT -6
Well r at 3.30 in some places but d 4.30
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Post by feralferret on Oct 29, 2023 20:43:48 GMT -6
Regular $3.049 and diesel $4.299 here today
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Post by gipsy on Nov 2, 2023 8:37:57 GMT -6
Reg 3.09 costco, 3,33 others, D still 4.19
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Post by gipsy on Nov 12, 2023 17:32:21 GMT -6
R 3.46 D 4.40
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 13, 2023 10:29:14 GMT -6
unl $2.97, diesel $3.99
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Post by techsar on Nov 13, 2023 10:55:10 GMT -6
Up to $2.75 reg...$4.05 diesel
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Post by gipsy on Nov 17, 2023 21:51:55 GMT -6
Costco 3.20 other 3.40 d 4.40
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 18, 2023 1:48:40 GMT -6
unl $2.95, diesel $3.95 costco unl $2.64
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Post by feralferret on Nov 18, 2023 2:09:05 GMT -6
Regular $2.799 Friday.
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Post by gipsy on Nov 21, 2023 11:09:22 GMT -6
Today 3.20 and 4.20
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 21, 2023 11:13:09 GMT -6
unl $2.94/$2.95 diesel $3.89/$3.95 costco unl $2.64
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 24, 2023 18:53:51 GMT -6
unl $2.93, diesel $3.89 costco $2.64
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Post by feralferret on Nov 24, 2023 19:46:12 GMT -6
Unleaded $2.699 when I filled up today. I got it for $1.919 with my grocery points.
Diesel was $3.999 at several places. One place near the interstate highway was $4.599 for their diesel. That seems to be commonplace around here. The non truck stops near the highway are much higher on their diesel than the ones away from the highway.
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Post by gipsy on Nov 24, 2023 22:13:41 GMT -6
Stop rubbing it in now
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Post by gipsy on Nov 27, 2023 12:19:35 GMT -6
R 3.10 d 4.10
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 27, 2023 15:27:34 GMT -6
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Post by gipsy on Nov 27, 2023 17:22:43 GMT -6
I worked part-time at a station and remember it at .15
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