February prepping

Sorry my February prepping post is late, but we just went without electricity/heat for a week with the ice storm here in Oklahoma. This months adgenda for my family, after being without heat is an alternative heating source. We were able to get a friend who drove down to Texas to get us a ventless natural gas heater (5 days into the no power). Up for discussion is a generator and propane heater. Which right now there are none to be found.

and a few 20lb propane tanks. ............................

Mary, I read that cute message you deleted.

Tease... Long pause... awkwardness...

;)

I have thought long and hard about a generator. I have looked into the larger generator that takes over as soon as the electric goes off only about 5K - 6K. My problem with the small generators is you have to store gasoline...not something I want to do and then if times are really bad you will run out of gas and the generator is not doing any good.

The large generator I looked at runs off of natural gas that is piped in to the machine. Now the problem with that unit is that you have to "maintain" this unit. It runs a test run on it's own every week but you have to change gaskets and put oil into it on a regular basis. Heck I am not good on taking care of my car so this is just another worry.

If times get really bad can all the meat you have in the freezer...I purchased a pressure canner and have the jars and lids on hand. Eat ASAP the meat you can not can.   

Get a wood stove and stock pile wood not as scary as gasoline and a wood stove or insert will keep several rooms really warm. You can also cook in a wood stove...carefully but you can do it. I have a camp coffee maker and I do not need AC in Colorado nights cool down really well. I just do not see a need for a generator. IMHO

Mary I have read somewhere that natural gas has to be pumped down pipes and that the pumps battries will only last a few days without electricity, I don't know if this info appertains to the Uk only or affects other countries as well.

Penham, you peaked my interest and I went and got the answer I was looking for in relation to natural gas. Your gas kept coming through because they still had electricty to the compressor stations.

I guess I only want a generator if life goes to hell in a hand basket for several months or years. After reading this I would not depend on a natural gas generator and all it's expense of maintenance not to mention the initial expense of purchase. So here is what I found:

Compressor Stations

As mentioned, natural gas is highly pressurized as it travels through an interstate pipeline. To ensure that the natural gas flowing through any one pipeline remains pressurized, compression of this natural gas is required periodically along the pipe. This is accomplished by compressor stations, usually placed at 40 to 100 mile intervals along the pipeline. The natural gas enters the compressor station, where it is compressed by either a turbine, motor, or engine.


A Compressor Station
Source: Duke Energy Gas Transmission Canada
Turbine compressors gain their energy by using up a small proportion of the natural gas that they compress. The turbine itself serves to operate a centrifugal compressor, which contains a type of fan that compresses and pumps the natural gas through the pipeline. Some compressor stations are operated by using an electric motor to turn the same type of centrifugal compressor. This type of compression does not require the use of any of the natural gas from the pipe, however it does require a reliable source of electricity nearby. Reciprocating natural gas engines are also used to power some compressor stations. These engines resemble a very large automobile engine, and are powered by natural gas from the pipeline. The combustion of the gas powers pistons on the outside of the engine, which serves to compress the natural gas.


In addition to compressing natural gas, compressor stations also usually contain some type of liquid separator, much like the ones used to dehydrate natural gas during its processing. Usually, these separators consist of scrubbers and filters that capture any liquids or other undesirable particles from the natural gas in the pipeline. Although natural gas in pipelines is considered 'dry' gas, it is not uncommon for a certain amount of water and hydrocarbons to condense out of the gas stream while in transit. The liquid separators at compressor stations ensure that the natural gas in the pipeline is as pure as possible, and usually filters the gas prior to compression.


From what I gather from this is electricity is needed and if that really goes down then natural gas will not make it to my "house". I would consider a natural gas generator if every station had backup motors that used natural gas from the pipeline to compress and clean the gas that needed to be pumped to my "house".   

I now prep only for worst case scenario. I am slowly going to all #10 cans that will last years. I will always have enough can goods for several months but for long term preps I have gone to the #10 long term cans, so I do not have to worry about spoilage for several years.

Thank you for asking the generator question I finally got some answers.

Thanks for the info about the natural gas, Flumom. We have been considering a propane heater also. We can't do a wood burning stove, as it bothers my asthma/allergies, I wish we could, as that seems to be the easiest. Especially since we have access to alot of free wood around here.

Yes, we have natural gas heat, with forced air for our regular heating system.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(q1avdha03zje0t55dpqa0o3q)/productDetails.aspx?SKU=49956

The propane heaters do kind of scare me, the portable type like you would use for an emergency. I guess, because I am not really familiar with propane. I have a few friends that during the ice storm the only heat source they had was their propane fireplace/heater which is installed in the house. I know all the newer models of natural gas and propane heaters have the Oxygen Depletion Sensors and automatically turn off if there is a problem.