Power Outages Suck!!!

[Jer-oh-me]

Bleh, the town I live in just had an outage for about an hour, so it made me wonder what do you all do when the power goes out?

I'm on my Wii, which lends itself poorly to long posts.

[Mao]

I had one earlier this evening as well.  I just grabbed a candle and sat back listening to the rain.  Oh and I drew a bit.

[Darkmoon]

I'm on my Wii, which lends itself poorly to long posts.

Seriously want to make a phallic joke...

[Jairus]

I'm on my Wii, which lends itself poorly to long posts.

Seriously want to make a phallic joke...

Darkmoon, you must resist!

Hm... we've had some mini ones, but I've got two that immediately spring to mind. The first was last winter, when we had a big storm and power got knocked out for three days: I ended up staying with my parents for the weekend. As a result of that event, I know have candles, extra flashlights, an actual lighter, and know to skedaddle once it starts to get late. And it was a bad storm: wind, rain, the works. I saw a semi on the highway while I was driving to get some supplies: the trailer was at a ninety-degree angle to the cab. The frame it was sitting on had been completely bent. A little sobering, and convinced me to slow down about five-ten miles.

The second one was a month or two ago, and was weird especially because it wasn't a total power outage: we had some power, but not much. So like turning on a faucet all the way and only getting a trickle as opposed to a stream. Eventually, when PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) went out to check what was wrong: a squirrel managed to land himself in such a position that he electrocuted himself, which was causing the disturbance.

So, there's my most memorable stories of power outages.

[superluser]

I've got candles and a wind-up flashlight, so that's pretty much it.

(By the way, has anyone else noticed the site yo-yoing today?)

[Jer-oh-me]

I'm on my Wii, which lends itself poorly to long posts.

Seriously want to make a phallic joke...

Darkmoon, you must resist!

Hm… we've had some mini ones, but I've got two that immediately spring to mind. The first was last winter, when we had a big storm and power got knocked out for three days: I ended up staying with my parents for the weekend. As a result of that event, I know have candles, extra flashlights, an actual lighter, and know to skedaddle once it starts to get late. And it was a bad storm: wind, rain, the works. I saw a semi on the highway while I was driving to get some supplies: the trailer was at a ninety-degree angle to the cab. The frame it was sitting on had been completely bent. A little sobering, and convinced me to slow down about five-ten miles.

The second one was a month or two ago, and was weird especially because it wasn't a total power outage: we had some power, but not much. So like turning on a faucet all the way and only getting a trickle as opposed to a stream. Eventually, when PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) went out to check what was wrong: a squirrel managed to land himself in such a position that he electrocuted himself, which was causing the disturbance.

So, there's my most memorable stories of power outages.

Aww, poor squirrel.

Yeah, jack-knifed semis are certainly a thing to put the fear of god into you. A few years back when I lived in Michigan a November gail decided to jump the banks of the Great Lakes and tore the Detroit metro area to shreds, we lost power for about a week.

I've heard tell that PG&E isn't especially known for reliability.

[VSMIT]

I actually haven't had any serious power outages in the past 10 years.  Someone must like keeping their job.

(By the way, has anyone else noticed the site yo-yoing today?)

Yes.

[Janus Whitefurr]

Boardgames or similar situations by candlelight. Last time must've been a year or three ago when my sister was still here, the power went out so we busted out the dicecup and notepads, and started playing Yahtzee by candlelight. I won two dollars off my mother that evening.

[Eibborn]

Assuming it's too late in the day to go outside, I:

Roleplay online
Read
Check my friend's journals
Play video games
Get chores done
...

...What will I do? Candles aren't allowed in my dorm. I am going to just sit there in the dark. Unless it's a truly awesome storm outside, in which case I will run around like crazy.

[Jairus]

Assuming it's too late in the day to go outside, I:

Roleplay online
Read
Check my friend's journals
Play video games
Get chores done
...

...What will I do? Candles aren't allowed in my dorm. I am going to just sit there in the dark. Unless it's a truly awesome storm outside, in which case I will run around like crazy.

You have just summed up basically every problem I have with power outages. That... and basically all of my friends are online. So, add in the fact that a power outage means I'm basically cut off from everyone, and it is not a pretty picture. Though I did end up going to bed at about nine o'clock during that one big outage last winter. And it got a little cold. In short, power outages are nasty.

I've heard tell that PG&E isn't especially known for reliability.

Eh, a few minor complaints, but nothing major from my end. Basically every problem I've had with them has been solved pretty damn quickly. The big one was a little out fo their control, but my apartment had power back in three days. I don't even know what they had to do, but it was a lot of work, and it was pouring rain and windy as hell outside. No real complaints from me.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I don't get huge power outages. Living in London does that - people tend to fix the problems quicker, because there's more people to complain and/or whine at them, or something.

I do have a UPS, but that's for the gateway. Other than that, my laptop is running out of battery. And, well... I'm quite happy to read a book. Or go to bed with my wife... *cough*

[Kipiru]

We are used to getting power outages in Bulgaria, but thankfully not long ones. Last one was during an awesome lightning storm, so I spent the time on the balcony looking at the lightning bolts crashing around us( our house has the most extreme outlook on lightnings hitting the nearby grounding rods and lone trees out into the fields)

[Damaris]

The forum server was getting an upgrade today- that's why we had the downtime.

As far as dorm outages, you're actually the lucky one, because they have emergency lights   We would always go hang out near them and gossip until the power came back on.

The few times I've lost power, I've been able to do things like sleep or read to keep myself occupied, which is nice.  Although it is a little sad how much I jones for the internet on those days.

[Mao]

It was funny watching my housemate settle in to do her homework at her laptop when the power outtage occurred.  It was even more amusing explaining to her that since the power was out, the modem and router were dead.. meaning no internet for her.. meaning she can't do her homework.  Of course as soon as the power came back on her interest in doing homework faded away as the attractions of the wii/ps3/many other consoles overwhelms her need to do homework.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

The forum server was getting an upgrade today- that's why we had the downtime.

Ah. It's nice of them to keep losing my email, so I don't get notified of these things...

... mind you, they never seem to notify anyone anyway. Oh, well...

[Ryudo Lee]

We get power outtages due to hurricanes, which last for days on end.  I just make sure that prior to the storm hitting, my DS, PSP, phones, and laptop are all well charged.  I've got Sprint Mobile Broadband so even with the power out, I've still got at least mediocre internet access.  I've gotta make it last though.  With Gustav, we lost power for four days.  It took three days for the power company to realize we didn't have power in our area.  Luckily though, we've got a generator now, so all is well again, and we're ready for the next one.

[Lysander]

Come to think of it the last power outage I experienced was about 2 years ago... That was brought about due to too much snow in October bringing down countless trees upon power lines. Many people had their power gone for a couple weeks. During that a few people and I helped out all night at some Red Cross facility. I knew a cable guy who gave an interesting statistic for situations like that: when people loose all utilities the usual priority list is as follows: Water, power, internet, cable, and then food.

Usually when the power goes out we might play the occasional board game, or I'd play Gameboy or take the dogs for a walk.   

[Jer-oh-me]

I don't get huge power outages. Living in London does that - people tend to fix the problems quicker, because there's more people to complain and/or whine at them, or something.

I do have a UPS, but that's for the gateway. Other than that, my laptop is running out of battery. And, well... I'm quite happy to read a book. Or go to bed with my wife... *cough*

Beaverton's no small hamlet Llearch, though it's also no metropolis either, I don't know if Portland proper experienced an outage, I doubt it, for the same reason you said that London doesn't get them bad.

As to your power starved activities, I can't say that I'd do anything different. Though, I don't have a wife yet.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

OTOH, I don't think I had a power outage of more than a few minutes in ten years of living in NZ, so...

I have had one or two over here, which is a bit sad, but seriously, folks, no power? You can live without the internet.

... and you lot know how much time I spend here, so I speak with authority. ;-]

[Ryudo Lee]

I have had one or two over here, which is a bit sad, but seriously, folks, no power? You can live without the internet.

Not me.  I have to keep my electronic tether to the guv'ment live.  It's a job requirement.

[Jer-oh-me]

I have had one or two over here, which is a bit sad, but seriously, folks, no power? You can live without the internet.

Not me.  I have to keep my electronic tether to the guv'ment live.  It's a job requirement.

Wow I guess outages must really be a bother for you, legally allowed to elaborate? I'm curious as always but respect classification.

[RobbieThe1st]

Personally, we tend to have a power outage at least once a year - If the snowfall is heavy, it knocks some tree-branches into power lines, knocking out the power. It is generally fixed within the day, so no big deal.

When power is out, it isn't that bad - I have a UPS which I can run my main computer on for a few minutes(enough to shut down if it happens while I am running it), and our modem + my laptop for a longish while - I also keep an extra charged set of batteries for the UPS, doubling my on time(Note however that when running my desktop, the issue I run into is the UPS overheating and shutting down, and not the batteries being fully discharged - I checked with a multimeter the last time this happened).

Other than that, I have a 400W inverter I can hook up if I need lights(I can also power the modem + my laptop off it), and always keep a LED flashlight on me.

Really, aside from the fact that I can't(yet) run my nice main computer with the power out for more than a couple of minutes, it doesn't change all that much for me.


Other than that... Lets see.

Our home heat is propane, so no worries there(although we are using a RV furnace for most of the heat, so when the car battery hooked up to it runs out[with no charger to keep it charged], no more forced-air heating)

Stove is propane, no worries there, although it does have an electric automatic spark system, so we would have to light it using matches. Same with the oven.

Water heater is propane(an instant hot water, RV type), but it requires a little bit of DC to operate, although not much.

Fridge however would be a problem. We have one that is a propane/electricity one, which would work fine, but we have a second that is electric only, so after a while, that might be a problem.

Lights wise, everything is fluorescent(CFL or otherwise), so as long as we plug in an inverter and have a spare battery... no worries what so ever.

We however do not have a generator - However, if the outage lasts too long, we can simply charge up a battery or two when my mom goes into work using the alternator in the truck(>100A rated, so plenty of spare capacity).

The more that I think about it, the more it seems that I am far more prepared than most - I thought everyone would have a decent backup system.
I guess its just happened more to us.


-RobbieThe1st

[Jer-oh-me]

Robbie, do you write responses to the hypothetical situations column in MAKE magazine? If you don't I think you should seems, to me, like you'd be good at it. That also gives me an idea for a game.

[Ryudo Lee]

I have had one or two over here, which is a bit sad, but seriously, folks, no power? You can live without the internet.

Not me.  I have to keep my electronic tether to the guv'ment live.  It's a job requirement.

Wow I guess outages must really be a bother for you, legally allowed to elaborate? I'm curious as always but respect classification.

Well I'm an IT contractor, so the guv'ment is the customer of the company I work for.  I have a BlackBerry and an internet email address which are constantly used to keep in touch.  So when big bad hurricane <name> comes around and screws with our power grid, the customer needs to be assured that I'm still available, especially the moment the storm passes.  This was the case with Gustav.  As soon as the building manager came back to check on the building, I was there turning on servers.

[Vidar]

A few years ago I had a small power outage. It lasted only a few hours, and was more of a nuisance than a problem. I just did the dishes, and by the time I was done power was back.
Just one of the advantages to living in a civilised country. 

[gh0st]

the biggest outage i've experienced would have to be when a fuse in a transformer near my house died, it happened in the morning and couldn't be fixed until after dark, lucky for me the sky was clear, school was just let out for the year and ultimately i had fun playing with emergency candles all day.

though i was happy when i could return to my pale skin inducing adventures