What is your weather today?

[Ian]

Propane would suffice here in an above-ground tank, will just have to see what comes up. Diesel engines, especially the 3-cylinder Kubota units, are very reliable and have very low fuel system maintenance requirements. Basically change the fuel and filters every year and run them a couple times a year and they're good to go for decades.

A 10kw diesel Onan would be perfect for us, could even run the water heater with it.

 

[Winelover]

When I built this shack, buried 1000 gallon propane tank went in, nine years ago. Mainly, for the Generac genset. We lease a 90 gal electric water heater, but had a 40 gal gas/propane one installed for lengthy power outages. The thinking was to take some of the load off the 22KW generator. Hasn't had any water in it yet. Only other propane use is for the fireplace, cloths dryer, duel fuel range, and the BBQ. Heat is Geo-thermal, as long as I have power, I have heat. I'm not totally, dependent on the electric coop.

 

[Ole_270]

Out of the 4 cars/truck here, the only one to start this morning was the wifes old Corolla. I ran a cord out and hooked a small charger up to each one, but even at 75% charge they wouldn't turn over. Let it warm up to 3 degrees and walked the near half mile to my brothers and drug/carried his big charger/booster that we use on the big diesels home through the snow. My 06 Silverado started like it was 50 degrees out. Daughters full sized Mazda SUV started even easier. Way easier to start than those old Allis Chalmers diesels back in the 70's and 80's

 

[L Ross]

Out of the 4 cars/truck here, the only one to start this morning was the wifes old Corolla. I ran a cord out and hooked a small charger up to each one, but even at 75% charge they wouldn't turn over. Let it warm up to 3 degrees and walked the near half mile to my brothers and drug/carried his big charger/booster that we use on the big diesels home through the snow. My 06 Silverado started like it was 50 degrees out. Daughters full sized Mazda SUV started even easier. Way easier to start than those old Allis Chalmers diesels back in the 70's and 80's

No engine block heaters? I've had my tractor and truck plugged in for 16 days. I suppose my electric meter is spinning like a fan.

 

[Winelover]

Propane is more desirable because it burns cleaner than gasoline/diesel. Less maintenance. Natural gas would be the cat's meow but that ain't going to happen in my neck of the woods.

Had a Onan genset in the motorhome. Pretty good unit. I ran the hell out of it because we "dry camped" on the property we leased in Michigan. Besides the weekends, we camped, in place, for almost two continuous weeks of the firearm season. Needed the gen set to keep the batteries up to charge, in order to have heat. Used ceramic heaters, while the gen set was running, propane heat, when not. Leaned real fast that they have to be run under load, or else! If it got too hot in the RV, I would run the heater, outside.

Hauled water from the guy, next door, that leased me the 40 acres. Did that for almost twenty years.

 

[L Ross]

Holy Mackerel Bat Man! I went to vote at 9:00 am it was 2 below zero. I just walked out to the shed to grab my RCBS case sifter and it is like Summer out there. Sweat pants, sweat shirt, sleeves pushed above my elbows, no gloves, it's PLUS 20! What the heck? Is it over? I'm almost giddy, bright blue sky, sunshine that feels like sunshine.

 

[Ole_270]

No block heaters. These are all gas engines and I can count on my fingers how many times it's been below 10 degrees in the last decade.

 

[Hawk]

I don't mind the cold, it's the lack of electricity.
We have underground power and have never had an outage.
Mom has overhead lines and all it takes is one good branch and she's down.
I'm with Ian. This spring, gonna buy a big enough generator to power the furnace, refrigerator and freezer.
We have natural gas for the stove, oven and hot water heater.
Plus, we're in town. I don't think we could install a big built in generator. I'll have to check the codes.
The way things are going with energy in this country, this will start happening with regularity.

 

[smokeywolf]

I was amazed, our little 1-1/2 lane road got plowed yesterday. This is also the first time since we moved here that I've seen vehicles traveling at the 30 MPH posted speed limit, as opposed to the 50 to 60 that we usually see.

Took Tasha "the snow dog" out last night at about 0200. It was -5* and a bit breezy.

Took her out again about 10 AM. Very pleasant 15* and blindingly sunny.

That's our front gate behind her.

Don't love single digit temps, but still don't miss Calif. weather at all.

 

[Winelover]

When I lived in Detroit, we had ancient overhead electric lines. You could see the insulation hanging. We had less power outages than the newer suburbs, that had underground. Electric and water doesn't mix. Theirs's were prone to flooding, ours weren't.

 

[Winelover]

Just finished plowing the long drive, gravel and cement. Worked a little in the morning, stopped an hour for lunch, finished at 3PM.

Was around 2 degrees, when I started and 22 degrees when I finished. Sun was out all day, not a cloud in the sky.

Used my all black Polaris UTV, with mostly manual metal plow.



Started with a down jacket and a thin flannel shirt. Wasn't long before the gloves and jacket came off. No heat in the enclosed cab. Apparently, the engine throws off enough heat. Digital dash displays the engine temperature...........199 degrees, was operating temperature. Same as it runs in the Summer. Though, didn't hear the fan come on much, today.

Get to do it all over again, tomorrow. Forecasting, 1-3" overnight and another inch tomorrow, during the day.

 

[Winelover]

Forgot to mention. With the sun out, and a high of 22 degrees, cement was just wet. Gravel looked pretty good too. What a difference the sun makes.

 

[Rick]

Dang John . . . . Looks like ya plowed the garage roof too.

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

We got up to +5 today.

 

[Joshua]

It warmed up a bunch today, 48°F this afternoon. Almost all of the snow has melted. I rode my bike to work this morning. Had to avoid a few roads that still had snow on them. By this afternoon only a few shaded sidewalks still had plow snow on them.

Hope you guys warm up soon!

 

[fiver]

when it snows like this they schedule out the plows.
one day they plow north/south and the next day east/west,, seems like a good plan until you go to make a right/left hand turn on the inbetween times.
probably don't want to be driving your prius much this time of year, especially down on the drainage corners where the water holes are about 16"s deep.

 

[Glaciers]

Just a follow up on the Honda generators, we used to convert them to propane with a carb plate, can't remember who made them. But you could select propane or gas. Nice set up.

 

[Glaciers]

How much is bulk propane up there currently?

Passed a sign at the corner station on the way home today, $3.49 on the propane.

 

[Rick]

Passed a sign at the corner station on the way home today, $3.49 on the propane.

Yeah, that's pricey. We're at winter prices here and I'm expecting a delivery at $1.69.

 

[Glaciers]

Heating fuel was at $1.63 in November and now up to $2.05 for number 1 heating if you pick it up at the bulk plant. About $2.70 delivered. I have a 200 gallon tank in my Dodge for hauling. I need to go get it filled and top off the cabin, shop, and house. Then go fill it up and let sit till I need it as the price is just going up, with the current administration prices are just going to climb. Don't have problems with #1 until it gets about -64 below. The fuel companies tried selling JP4 an called it #1 but it starts to jell about mid negative 55 below.
Propane has always been high here so fuel is it. I wish the idiots in Juneau would get their collective act together and bring in natural gas. Gas to the north and south but no pipeline. They decided to truck it in. Ends up costing about the same as oil. Somebody's making money there. I mean in Juneau.