Author Topic: had a electric substation go down for 3 hours in are town...the games began (Read 964 times)

3006softpoint · « **on:** November 13, 2011, 03:57:22 AM »

A few weeks ago a sub station went down for some odd reason on a saturday morning......So no power for 3 hours....Street lights didn't work,the stores locked the doors banks closed,gas station closed..... The people were running around to theses establishments and they were all closed.....Seemed like everyone went to town because there lights were off at home.......Boy do we depend on electricity you can't get gas out of the ground without it..... Makes restless people without it.... Dale

magooch · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2011, 04:03:09 AM »

So right you are. We have advanced ourselves into very highly dependent creatures.

jackruff · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2011, 04:39:05 AM »

You are certainly right about our overdependence on electricity. I'm not sure where the information can be confirmed, but I've read that crime rates go down during power failures in big cities. The crooks can't see! Outdoor lighting is generally overrated, especially poor lighting that causes glare and harsh shadows.

Old Syko · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2011, 04:56:31 AM »

Quote from: magooch on November 13, 2011, 04:03:09 AM

So right you are. We have advanced ourselves into very highly dependent creatures.

I believe what you are saying with the exception of the "ourselves" part. Some of us, although very few, have still retained the ability to continue without all the niceties and could do well no matter what we had to do without. Don't get me wrong. I am a huge fan of all the conveniences but in the times where power has been out for days or snow has been 2 or 3 feet deep and everything and everyone else have literally shut down until someone else bales them out, the wife and I have merely adjusted and enjoyed what others have considered an extremely bad situation. Most times we humor ourselves by observing the plight of others and their lack of preparedness. Maybe finding pleasure in others discomfort isn't exactly right or moral but you can't teach those who will not learn.

powderman · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2011, 05:23:28 AM »

Power outages are inconvenient but no big deal. We are always prepared for such things. POWDERMAN.

hillbill · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2011, 05:58:08 AM »

i actually enjoy a nice power outage. especially in the winter.crank up the wood stove. get the lanterns out.maybe fire up the grill for sum deer steaks.curl up with a good book later. my idea of a good time actually. like camping but better!

ratdog · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2011, 02:03:48 PM »

i really get a kick out seeing how people react i sit in my lazy boy and i am lazy the kids freek out i start the old cole man lantern up grab a book or mag what ever sit back and watch pretty soon the nieghbors are knocking on the door asking how come your lights are on. after 1or two hours there on again. but i wouldn't like to see them out so long people freeze or get hurt in any way.i am prepared for a lot worse and for quite a while.

hillbill · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2011, 02:59:41 PM »

over the years we have been out of power for 5 to 7 days a few times.mostly during ice storms.we are pretty well set up for it.the whineing from those that are unprepared is almost intolerable.lately it happens every year or two.id think they would get the message?

mechanic · « **Reply #8 on:** November 13, 2011, 03:14:30 PM »

A hurricane killed the lights in our community a few years ago for 10 days. I wound up having to feed and house about half of my street. They had no spare food, no way to cook, and no light source. They stayed mad at the utility the whole time, like they could magically make all the fallen trees go away and the miles of wire fix itself.

Ben

Old Syko · « **Reply #9 on:** November 13, 2011, 03:46:34 PM »

When the power was out a couple years ago I fed some of the utility workers. Power was off about 3 days.

Half a mile back the road on the same feed line it was out either 7 or 8 days. It pays to know which side your bread is buttered on and doesn't hurt to know how to toast it with the power off either.

powderman · « **Reply #10 on:** November 13, 2011, 03:58:46 PM »

When the kids were small we used to turn out the lights, no radio, tv, etc, for several hours. We'd light candles, oil lamps, coleman lantern, sit around the table and play cards or board games. I wanted them to better appreciate what they had.
We've had several outages here up to 7-8 days so we are prepared for such things.
When we lived in Lou 30 years ago it seemed that we'd lose power everytime a dog peed on the sidewalk. After the storm I'd hand out candles to the neighbors. Next storm it would be the same ones still not prepared. Ahhhhh, city folks. It was quite a long block and other than us there was only one other that had candles, lamps, and flashlites. POWDERMAN.

oldandslow · « **Reply #11 on:** November 14, 2011, 02:39:51 AM »

Anyone that thinks being without power is bad should try being on the end that is trying to get it restored. When I was young and tough and still really dumb I worked several years as a lineman in the electrical industry. This was when bucket truckes were just beginning to make an apperance and 90% of the work was done climbing with hooks and a toolbelt. All of my crew's work was on hooks as we didn't have a truck. It's a tough way to make a living even when the weather is nice and you are young and strong.

I went thru one really tough ice storm. Miles and miles of wire on the ground and hundreds of poles down. Power was out in some places for over a month. The wire was frozen in the snow and we had to walk along and rip it loose by hand. We moved into a little town that had been out of power for about a week while we rebuilt the curcuit to the town. People were really happy to see us. Someone was bringing us hot coffee or cookies constantly. It might have been fattening if we hadn't been working so hard.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #12 on:** November 14, 2011, 04:55:12 AM »

Wood stove with a large flat top, candles, lanterns. Not many problems if the power goes out, just a few days of inconvenience is all. 500 gals of water in reserve if the pump doesn't work, just have ti dip it out of the tank. I should can more, but I prefer freezing meat than canning it. I really should get a gen set but have had the loooong outages in cold weather so far and refrigeration was a walk to the garage.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #13 on:** November 14, 2011, 08:43:59 AM »

About every three years ( avg.) we lose elec. for a week or more. The last time was 13 days . We have had 14 days and another 13 day outage. We are ready. Oil lamps , flash lites , grill and gas stove. We have a gen. and a welding machine gen set. But it gets old quick !

BBF · « **Reply #14 on:** November 14, 2011, 09:12:03 AM »

What gets old real real quick is when you can't flush the toilet next comes the freezer melting and somewhere on the list is the pita of not having internet

ToadHill · « **Reply #15 on:** November 14, 2011, 01:19:44 PM »

Had a early snow storm a few years ago and all the trees still were full of leaves resulting in many downed power lines. Some areas were out of power for over a week. One of the home center stores in town was open all during the outage.

The associates met customers at the door with a flashlight and asked what they were looking for, then went with them to get it. The cashiers actually used a pencil and paper to calculate tax and they made change without any electronic assistance. One interesting fact, all the cashiers were over 50, and could actually add and subtract.

powderman · « **Reply #16 on:** November 14, 2011, 02:23:51 PM »

One interesting fact, all the cashiers were over 50, and could actually add and subtract.

HEH, that goes without being said. Last bad ice storm here there were folks out of power for several months. Can't say enough good about those crews that worked 24-7 restoring normalcy for thousands of us in KY and Ind. Thanks OLDANDSLOW. POWDERMAN.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #17 on:** November 15, 2011, 01:35:50 AM »

last 13 days with out juice cost over 200 dollars in fuel cost.

magooch · « **Reply #18 on:** November 15, 2011, 02:57:28 AM »

Around these parts if we go without power for 13 minutes, life begins to break down. After an hour, people are beginning to contemplate suicide. The commissioners raised our rates and a lynch mob formed. Last I heard, they're still looking for a couple of the commissioners.

hillbill · « **Reply #19 on:** November 20, 2011, 02:39:53 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on November 15, 2011, 01:35:50 AM

last 13 days with out juice cost over 200 dollars in fuel cost.

shootall, how is that?i can run my generator 2 hrs a day and keep the fridge and freezers up and have time for showers.are yu trying to keep the juice on 24 hrs a day?

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #20 on:** November 21, 2011, 01:29:21 AM »

Thats what I do run 24 hours a day. Freezer , ref and water pump. Change oil every 24 hours.