Greetings from Frozen Oklahoma, and a question about genset diesel thirst

[Christyhicks]

So, hello everyone. . .yes, we're frozen in, without power at both shops and our home (two different utility companies, same results), so I've got a pertinent question:

About how many gallons per hour of diesel should our 10 KW diesel genny suck down?  Yes, we found yet another use for the bus. . . it's currently powering our main shop and office, ha ha.  We've got the barest of essentials, heat, power via many extension cords, and phones, and after two days of not working, we figured we'd better at least run some skeleton crews. 

Anyway, we've been running the office on TempBus's genny for going on our fifth day now, so Larry invested in a transfer tank and pump for hauling diesel, figuring that we've got to be running low in the bus tank soon.  I figure that more than a couple of guys here have figured out how much their unit consumes, so if you don't mind, throw some numbers our way.

Then, if you've got any money to loan us. . . we're running three generators to keep the various places from freezing up. . . five days and counting already. . . I'm thinking that my fuel bill is going to be a tad bit high before they get us back up and online with the power companies, ha ha.  Christy

[Utahclaimjumper]

Christi, our perkins diesel 12.5KW unit uses 1.1 gal. per hour, be sure to load it up to capacity to get your moneys worth.>>>Dan

[captain ron]

I guess if we talk about you you'll resurface.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Christy,

Sorry about the mess your in. Look at the bright side,,, It could be worse!

My 12.5 onan burns right about 1 gal. an hour.. Of course that will depend what the load is your pulling too.

What can I do to help you and Larry?

Let me know
Nick-

[Hartley]

My Kubota/Onan 10 kw ran for 1 1/2 months and averaged 3/4 gal per hour
pulling near capacity. Less ( quart an hour ) with lighter loads at times.

The Bus tank was full when I pulled in (140 gallons ) and I transferred fuel
2 times @ 80 to 100 gallons.

I may have shut it down a couple of times for a few hours to do maintenance
but it ran pretty much full time.

You probably can run home heating fuel #2 with a good filter if it is any cheaper.

Dave...

[ChuckMC9]

Christy, I didn't know how bad it was there until today when I read an email on another site from someone who is also there.

You are very fortunate to have the bus with backup power! In the 'preparedness' reading I've been doing lately it's so obvious how completely and absolutely unprepared most folks are for something like you're going through. At least you still have water.

Well, best care to you and Larry in these trying times.

-Chuck

[Christyhicks]

I guess if we talk about you you'll resurface.

Oh, Oh   did I miss something?  hahaha, sorry, I miss everyone so much, but contrary to what's happening in other parts of the country, we're still buried up to our ears in new construction. . .course, we're short-handed, so our perception of the situation is likely a bit fuzzy,  ,  but between too many hours of work and the fact that Larry and I had to do our own kitchen remodel  since all the good trim carpenters around here are still too busy, well, basically I have no life. . .no time for fun. . .no time for relaxation. . . you know what they say. . ."no rest for the wicked! "

What can I do to help you and Larry?

hmmmmm, well, other than convincing a few good hvac installers or plumbers to head to Oklahoma. . . I guess you could pray that the utility companies will have mercy on us and get at least either our office OR our home back up and going, ha ha.  Right now, I'm sitting in my office, the only light is what comes through the window, extension cords are stretched across my desk, behind my desk, etc., powering the essentials. . .heater, lights and computers in Margie's office, the router, a couple of phones, AND the coffee pot. . . you know, "The essentials!"  Margie says she feels like she's at a photo shoot, as I have a big Halogen light "spot-lighting" her work area. . .keeps her warm at the same time, ha ha. Anyway, thanks for thinking of us. . hopefully this storm will be nicer to you guys!

At least you still have water.

Well, Chuck, the bad news is that we are on a well out here, ha ha.  In fact, today I went out to the parking lot, and dumped water out of a big storage tub, into my pail, carried it in and flushed the toilet with it  .  I feel like I live in "The Little House on the Prairie" or something!

Larry did get a big diesel generator running Monday for a few hours. . . we pulled it down to the house, disconnected the wires at a junction box and fed the entire house.  It was enough to allow me to fill a bathtub with water, take showers, and vacuum and mop the entire house.  We were relaxing on the couch at about 9:00 p.m. when all of a sudden, the lights went dim and bingo, we're back in the dark again . 

Of course, knowing generators, AND, knowing that this was the first time this old thing had been run since the ice ages (wait, aren't those now?. . . let me rephrase that. . . "since the beginning of time"), well, anyway, I didn't trust it, and we had left the extension cords running from the motorhome to the house.  It was pretty simple to trot out to the motorhome, hit the genny switch, and plug in the essentials again.  This time, I REFUSE to push the TV back in place. . . it can stay pulled out from the wall until we get REAL power again!

Anyway, thanks everyone for the replies, the well wishes, and yes, I agree, we can complain, but we really can't complain.  We've got heat, we've got some lights, we have very limited internet access, and other than a lot of broken tree limbs, we have next to no damage on any of our structures or vehicles, so by and large, this is simply a somewhat expensive inconvenience.  The best everyone can do for me, is pray that Larry figures out what is wrong with the big monster generator so I can take another shower soon   Christy Hicks

[Dreamscape]

Hey Christy,

Glad to hear you guys are doing OK except for a few minor inconveniences, like showers, running water, electricity etc. etc.. Bake some brownies in Temp Bus, that will warm up you guys! 

Stay warm and safe, hopefully everything will be back to normal soon for ya'll.

Paul

[ChuckMC9]

and vacuum and mop the entire house.

With all THAT going on, the best thing you can think of to do is VACUUM THE HOUSE?!

Oh, dear. We need to talk. Heck, you might as well do something really worthwhile, like, say, um, clean the grout or something?

LOL

[FloridaCliff]

Christy,

As soon as I saw on the news the freezing in Oklahoma we were thinking about you two.

Glad to hear you all are coping as best you can, stay warmmmmmmmm!

As a show of solidarity, I am going to wear long pants instead of shorts when I go over and visit NCBob tonight.  

Cliff

[Dallas]

*Oklahoma!

OOOOOOOOOOOK-lahoma!,

Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain!

And the Blazing Heat,

Would sure feel sweet,

When the Ice comes right behind the Rain!


OOOOOOOOOOOK-lahoma!,

Every night my honey lamb and I,

Sittin' here and freeze,

And share a sneeze,

While our frozen fingers make us cry!


We know we are here not apart,

And the Generator wouldn't start!

And when we Say:

Yuck! oh, why do I stay?

We're only waitin'

For Springtime in Oklahoma!

Then In Oklahoma, We'll Be-

O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A  ---- Oklahoma! OK!


* Sung to the Tune, "Oklahoma"

[Ncbob]

Christy and Larry,  he did it! Cliff actually wore long pants when he came over tonight to help my install Jackie's new Microwave/convection oven in the bus. And just so neither of you get too cold tonight I'm going to add to the spirit of solidarity and wear my flannel PJ's to bed tonight.

Now how's that for BusNut camaraderie?

Best to both...you'll be just fine.  If it gets too tough...you could always fly out here to Arcadia for a couple of days..... You'd be most welcome......

Jackie & NCbob

[bubbaqgal]

Dallas has been singing his new song allllllll night long.  So far it has been a loooonnnngggg night. 

[Christyhicks]

THIS is why I miss everyone so much!  You guys are a hoot. . . Cat, you have my sympathies,  but you have to admit, Dallas did a good job at it, didn't he!

Bob and Cliff. . .well, it's a good thing I know you guys well enough to know when I'm being teased, but you know what they say. . .payback sucks!  ha ha 

Paul. . .hahaha. . . .I never did get around to telling that story on here. . one of these days, I'll have to break down and do so,  . 

Chuck, let me explain. . . there ARE things to do when you don't have power. . .to, um, pass the time, but let me explain a little. . .you see, we lost power at the office/shop here first, so we started TempBus's genny and ran extension cords. . .meaning we tromped through ice and sleet back and forth between Larry's shop and the office building, running cords, deciding what gets power, I even yanked the "fancy dancy" touch pad thermostat my son had put on the office geo unit, and found a crappy old temp heat stat so I could "temporary in" the gas furnace. . .ripped all the wires off the various relays he had inside that furnace that ran various dampers/stats/the geo portion. . . he's going to LOVE me when he sees the mess of wires hanging loose ha ha. 

Then, we lost power at the shop two miles away, where my mom lives when in town.  Out we go, to mud through the yard, getting her genny running, stringing cords, etc.  We make a pit stop on the way to get Larry's dad's generator started for him and stretch his cords out, making sure they are hooked up properly and safely. 

We finally get out to the shop, beat the ice off of her coach doors so that we can access the genny, and then try to scrounge up cords.  Did I mention that Larry's shop out there has no windows?  Did I mention that it is packed and cluttered to the max?  Don't EVEN get me started! 

Since she has a 240v gas package unit, I went back to the shop at our place, scrouged through the storage trucks to find gas fittings and tools, went back out to her place, laid on her kitchen floor and ran a gas line out from under her cabinet to hook up a free-standing ventless gas heater (did I say I don't trust generators?)  So, by now I'm cold, wet, muddy, AND I've got pipe dope on my hands.  No wait, it gets better!

Next our power at the house goes out.  You would think that sensible people would prepare for stuff like this, maybe pull the motorhome into the driveway and get it ready "just in case". . .well, yeah, maybe SENSIBLE people do, but not us!  Of course, the yards too muddy to move it AFTER the storm hits, so that's an extra 150' of cord, doubled, to run a couple of cords from it to the house. 

The key is to make sure that you've spent all the daylight hours getting everyone else powered up, so that when your own power goes out, you're working in the DARK wet mud.  Yep, more mud, wet feet, wrestling stiff, cold cords. . .yeah, we're having a good time!  Oh, the hill. . . the cords had to go down the hill to the back door.  Did I mention that the hill is steep and ice covered?  I WAS smart though, I tied the cords off at the motorhome, so that I could rappel down that hill using the cords as ropes!   I run one in the back door, and toss the other one up to Larry, who has risked life and limb to edge his way down our long, open deck (no safety railing). 

Eventually we get cords strung around inside the, powering the necessities. . but you can imagine what our floors looked like after we were done with the day!  We were exhausted, and we had no water!  Of course, we did have flashlights for the various rooms with no lights, but do you know how many times I got up and took off down the hall only to remember . . .crap, need to go back and get a flashlight!  We have a lot of automatic lights in our house, which turn the lights on when you enter a room, and occasionally, they have a bit of a delay, so like idiots, we'd try to enter a room, then stand there for a second waiting for the light to turn itself on, only to realize how dumb THAT was!   You also find yourself holding the flashlight in one hand, and still flipping the light switch with the other! 

Anyway, to make this "too long" story short, when Larry got that big genny running and we were able to power our main box, . . . man, we practically fell to our knees in thanks when we heard that rush of water hit the lines.  We raced each other to the bathroom to take a shower, and THEN, with lights on throughout the house, I got a good look at the floors.  By then, I had spent almost two whole days cold, wet, muddy, and exhausted, and I was SICK of dirt!  I was clean, and I'll be damned if I wasn't going to walk on clean carpets, scrubbed floors, and we even changed the sheets on the bed so we'd be sleeping on clean sheets!  The only screwup, was I didn't turn my heated mattress pad on right away, thinking I'd wait till about 9:00 p.m. to do so.  Crapola, the big genny quit about 8:50!  ha ha  Oh well, I will say that the house was warm and Larry was warmer! 

Well, sorry this was so long. . .gotta hand over the computer to Larry for a few minutes, as with the internet down (wireless tower got crunched by a tree. . .gee, what a surprise!), we're sharing my aircard.  Gosh I miss you guys!  Christy

[Hartley]

Dallas has been singing his new song allllllll night long.  So far it has been a loooonnnngggg night. 

Tell Dallas he needs to write one for this weekend.. Hope you got heat and thermal underware.....

I got a 100 lb LP tank hooked to my furnace in the bus... I think we are gonna need it!..
I figure we will lose power at some point so I have diesel fuel on standby....
Guess I will have to put long pants back on again too.....