I have done exactly the same thing. We were without power Dec 26th for 7
hours-sure came in handy
> In telling you that I have rigged up my house electrical so the Onan can
> power essentials, I feel a bit like the fellow who buys a new car, and then
> feels he should justify his action to his wife/others. I'm hoping as
> everyone else that Y2K doesn't bring any problems. But we do have tornados
> and ice storms here in Okla that sometimes wipe out the electricity for a
> period of time. OK, so maybe I'm a little Y2K apprehensive. Here's what I've
> done.
>
> I already had 50 amps in a box out by my GMC where I plug it in while home.
> Today we put the circuits that run the furnace (gas with elec fan blower),
> refrigerator, freezer, microwave, and a few lights on the same buss as the
> line to the GMC. Now in case of a power failure, here's the sequence.
> 1. Throw the main switch from the incoming power line so that if it comes on
> unexpectedly, it won't fry the Onan and more.
> 2. Start the Onan
> 3. Plug a special cord about 6 ft long into the Onan outlet on the GMC and
> in to the 120 outlet mounted on the fence nearby.
> 4. We now have electricity to keep warm, run refrigeratrion and the
> microwave.
> Since we have an electric range and ovens which are 230, we can't run them
> from the Onan. So the old trusty Coleman from by gone days has been made
> ready to use in cooking if necessary. And yes, I'll use it in a well
> ventilated and safe area.
>
> Quite frankly my primary reason for doing this is not to hedge against
> immediate concerns, but to be ready for a natural disaster that can easilly
> occur in this part of the country. The GMC always has a full tank of gas
> when parked. It's anyone's guess how long the Onan would run on that.
> Obviously it wouldn't be run continously.
> Then I have an "Arkansas Gas Credit Card" (siphon) to fall back on if I need
> more gas. (Two cars with full tanks) Since I'm from Arkansas originally I
> have a license to poke fun at myself !
>
> Just thought I'd share this with you in case someone might be thinking about
> using their Onan for emergency house power.
> Justin
hours-sure came in handy
> In telling you that I have rigged up my house electrical so the Onan can
> power essentials, I feel a bit like the fellow who buys a new car, and then
> feels he should justify his action to his wife/others. I'm hoping as
> everyone else that Y2K doesn't bring any problems. But we do have tornados
> and ice storms here in Okla that sometimes wipe out the electricity for a
> period of time. OK, so maybe I'm a little Y2K apprehensive. Here's what I've
> done.
>
> I already had 50 amps in a box out by my GMC where I plug it in while home.
> Today we put the circuits that run the furnace (gas with elec fan blower),
> refrigerator, freezer, microwave, and a few lights on the same buss as the
> line to the GMC. Now in case of a power failure, here's the sequence.
> 1. Throw the main switch from the incoming power line so that if it comes on
> unexpectedly, it won't fry the Onan and more.
> 2. Start the Onan
> 3. Plug a special cord about 6 ft long into the Onan outlet on the GMC and
> in to the 120 outlet mounted on the fence nearby.
> 4. We now have electricity to keep warm, run refrigeratrion and the
> microwave.
> Since we have an electric range and ovens which are 230, we can't run them
> from the Onan. So the old trusty Coleman from by gone days has been made
> ready to use in cooking if necessary. And yes, I'll use it in a well
> ventilated and safe area.
>
> Quite frankly my primary reason for doing this is not to hedge against
> immediate concerns, but to be ready for a natural disaster that can easilly
> occur in this part of the country. The GMC always has a full tank of gas
> when parked. It's anyone's guess how long the Onan would run on that.
> Obviously it wouldn't be run continously.
> Then I have an "Arkansas Gas Credit Card" (siphon) to fall back on if I need
> more gas. (Two cars with full tanks) Since I'm from Arkansas originally I
> have a license to poke fun at myself !
>
> Just thought I'd share this with you in case someone might be thinking about
> using their Onan for emergency house power.
> Justin
