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Hurricane Beryl and Mep 803

Triton

Active member
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Location
Houston, Texas
Just did 4 days with power outage from the hurricane and my 803 did perfect, best thing I ever did was installing an EasyStart on my A/C unit, it brought the starting amps for the A/C down to 26 amps.
The 803 used about 3/4 gallon an hour I ran everything including the well, I didn't use the dryer or the water heater. Next im going to change the oil and filters and great ready for the next one.

My fuel gauge did peg all the way to empty so I'm going to have to trouble shoot that, I'm thinking maybe a ground issue. Using the 803 was cheaper than going to a hotel and many around here had no power anyway!
 

WWRD99

Well-known member
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York Pa
Just did 4 days with power outage from the hurricane and my 803 did perfect, best thing I ever did was installing an EasyStart on my A/C unit, it brought the starting amps for the A/C down to 26 amps. The 803 used about 3/4 gallon an hour I ran everything including the well, I didn't use the dryer or the water heater. Next im going to change the oil and filters and great ready for the next one. My fuel gauge did peg all the way to empty so I'm going to have to trouble shoot that, I'm thinking maybe a ground issue. Using the 803 was cheaper than going to a hotel and many around here had no power anyway!
I've been watching the over a million people without power still this morning. I'm glad you have a well and could stay cool and ok during the outage. I'm confused with the hurricane that hit the coast at a level 1 did that much damage for so many. I don't understand texas power companies and how that grid is setup. I got an easy start for my ac too. It runs it no problem.
Can you get red diesel down there? In pa it's just red dye heating oil. I assume farmers have access to it...how much do you have stored? 4 days wouldn't be that much fuel load.
As far as the dryer just use low heat...it doesn't use much in that setting...the hot water heater I'd turn the temp down to 110 or so...don't need super hot water in that circumstance.

The 803 would handle it fine. What spares do you have just in case? I like info from someone that's gone through a power outage like this.

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Toolslinger

Active member
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119
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Location
PA
With an 803, I wouldn't think you'd have an issue with hot water. My 802 will handle the 5500 watt water heater, and pump at the same time plus the odd lighting loads. AC of course would be a priority, but you could cycle in the hot water heater now and again if desired I imagine.

WWRD99 - Sandy wasn't even Cat 1 and it kicked the crap out of us in NJ and NY. The category is really only about wind. The amount of water involved, and the width of the storm can do plenty of damage. Once everything is soaked, even the lower winds can start pushing things over...
 

NVAM998

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Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Virginia
We were on the beach in NJ for Sandy. 40 KW natural gas Generac ran for weeks until we got power. I now have a farm in Virginia and the 803 is intriguing but I need something uber reliable for cattle waterer pumps and not a project. Since it would be mainly for well pumps I've also thought about solar chargers and batteries with inverters. Having a screaming generator running for intermittent use on a well seems like overkill. I'm putting a data logger on the well to see how much it runs over the course of a week. Typical running current is 18 Amps with 36 A at startup, Looking at soft start modules too. And I have multiple wells on different meters. Thinking of an 803 or similar on a trailer and move it around to will cisterns etc as needed.
 

Mullaney

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Charlotte NC
We were on the beach in NJ for Sandy. 40 KW natural gas Generac ran for weeks until we got power. I now have a farm in Virginia and the 803 is intriguing but I need something uber reliable for cattle waterer pumps and not a project. Since it would be mainly for well pumps I've also thought about solar chargers and batteries with inverters. Having a screaming generator running for intermittent use on a well seems like overkill. I'm putting a data logger on the well to see how much it runs over the course of a week. Typical running current is 18 Amps with 36 A at startup, Looking at soft start modules too. And I have multiple wells on different meters. Thinking of an 803 or similar on a trailer and move it around to will cisterns etc as needed.
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Yeah well... Having multiple wells is a good thing. That way if one of your generators goes down - you have another way to move water. Might be worthwhile to have a water buffalo if you have something to drag it... In case one of the wells go down.
 

NVAM998

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Virginia
.
Yeah well... Having multiple wells is a good thing. That way if one of your generators goes down - you have another way to move water. Might be worthwhile to have a water buffalo if you have something to drag it... In case one of the wells go down.
I've thought about the water buffalo but damn those things are heavy and we're pretty hilly.

We don't have natural gas but I do have a 500 gal diesel tank for tractors etc so diesel fueled gen is ideal. I seem to remember the army had some kind of mini turbine generator years ago that would burn pretty much anything. I assume they are $$$$$
 

WWRD99

Well-known member
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Location
York Pa
With an 803, I wouldn't think you'd have an issue with hot water. My 802 will handle the 5500 watt water heater, and pump at the same time plus the odd lighting loads. AC of course would be a priority, but you could cycle in the hot water heater now and again if desired I imagine.

WWRD99 - Sandy wasn't even Cat 1 and it kicked the crap out of us in NJ and NY. The category is really only about wind. The amount of water involved, and the width of the storm can do plenty of damage. Once everything is soaked, even the lower winds can start pushing things over...
I remember sandy well...I don't live far from the beach. I'm not sure I can compare an area that is in the hurricane belt vs. new jersey that hadn't been hit by a hurricane in 100 years. The damage to the new jersey coast will obviously be obliterated vs a city in the hurricane belt should not, in theory, get a week long power outage. It should be more prepared, or at least hardened. Hence the attempt to understand how the texas power grid is setup as a week of cold weather shut them down.

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