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CommieGIR posted:Size wise, a Generator is always going to be a better emergency power setup. Solar and Batteries is better for offsetting daily normal use. While this is the current narrative, be prepared for it to change with all the insane tech advances in solar and batteries. poo poo just check out carbon nanotube doped perovskite crystal lattice windows, for one. Imagine a window that lets visible lighr through and redirects IR waves (heat and solar cell fuel) to the outside edges where narrow solar cells eat it up. That is legit one of many current techs that isn't super expensive of a process either. Now imagine every window of a skyscraper like that. Adiabatic fucked around with this message at 18:21 on Sep 14, 2017 |
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Sep 14, 2017 18:17
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I cleaned the mirror with one kind and the counter and sink with another. Woosh, whipped my rear end.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:18
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slidebite posted:So question about generators... what's the benefit of a "inverter" type generator versus a cheaper plain type generator? Is it that the power/wave is much cleaner, stable and better for electronics? Yep, that's pretty much it.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:20
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slidebite posted:Mixing cleaners is typically not a good thing to do. Inverter Generators are more fuel efficient generally, because you have advanced power controls that can actually manage the fuel usage via motor by actual demand, versus a standard conventional generator that will just deliver constant output regardless of need. However, you can get standard generators with higher outputs than you can inverter generators. Adiabatic posted:While this is the current narrative, be prepared for it to change with all the insane tech advances in solar and batteries. I'm excited, but I'll also believe it when I see it. Lots of cool Solar developments, but I gotta see delivery first.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:20
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That's very true. I'm pretty hyped about tech advances in power but it does take a while to actually get it implemented on a large scale.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:24
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Adiabatic posted:That's very true. I'm pretty hyped about tech advances in power but it does take a while to actually get it implemented on a large scale. I'm just excited that STANDARD solar cells are dropping in price fast but getting better overall output. Means good things for my Robotics projects. I used to have to pay insane prices for good panels from Solarbotics
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Sep 14, 2017 18:25
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I mean poo poo just thinking about load balancing with decentralized smart inverters from small renewable sites, like we were talking about yesterday in slack, gives me a huge hard-on. It would require a temendous revamping of our current transmission center load balance management equations though, which are insane and probably the most math-intensive and difficult engineering already.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:26
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Adiabatic posted:I mean poo poo just thinking about load balancing with decentralized smart inverters from small renewable sites, like we were talking about yesterday in slack, gives me a huge hard-on. It would require a temendous revamping of our current transmission center load balance management equations though, which are insane and probably the most math-intensive and difficult engineering already. I know that there's an intense discussion about revamping substations to support such things, especially with Electric Car developments starting to take off.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:27
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Ok thanks for the generator info. I think I'll pick one up next sale I see at Costco.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:28
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CommieGIR posted:I know that there's an intense discussion about revamping substations to support such things, especially with Electric Car developments starting to take off. And then poo poo what about substation remote access cybersecurity concerns! That's what took down Ukraine and another one I can't recall. poo poo there's so much engineering to do I'm foaming at the mouth with all the opportunity!
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Sep 14, 2017 18:29
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slidebite posted:Ok thanks for the generator info. I think I'll pick one up next sale I see at Costco. Ssh no we're talking about the power grid now
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Sep 14, 2017 18:29
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Adiabatic posted:And then poo poo what about substation remote access cybersecurity concerns! That's what took down Ukraine and another one I can't recall. poo poo there's so much engineering to do I'm foaming at the mouth with all the opportunity! Separation for Monitoring only, and keep any actual remote access on a permanent VPN tunnel and permanent point to point encryption. The problem isn't remote access so much as poor network security practices on the cheap, and refusal to keep devices up to date.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:32
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Yeah they had enterprise email on the same machines as the remote control network right? Some gumpy dude fell for a phishing attack and they took over and loaded bad firmware through as many remote channels they could iirc
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Sep 14, 2017 18:35
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Running Windows XP didn't help the situation.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:37
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Adiabatic posted:Yeah they had enterprise email on the same machines as the remote control network right? Some gumpy dude fell for a phishing attack and they took over and loaded bad firmware through as many remote channels they could iirc This is why you VLAN and segregate workstations from servers/architecture. Anybody needing to get to mission critical systems should have to VPN internally. cursedshitbox posted:Running Windows XP didn't help the situation. And yet Windows Server 2003 lives on in many, many corporate networks. But its less about the age of the OS, more that they were never properly audited and locked down. This is unsurprising as most companies do not keep a living inventory of active systems/os/servers/etc and they live on as ticking timebombs on the network.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:44
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The whole Operational Technology mindset of "if it works leave it the gently caress alone", combined with the ~2-4 weeks of outage per year you can actually touch anything mission critical, makes just keeping things up-to-date a huge endeavor in the industrial sector.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:49
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Adiabatic posted:The whole Operational Technology mindset of "if it works leave it the gently caress alone", combined with the ~2-4 weeks of outage per year you can actually touch anything mission critical, makes just keeping things up-to-date a huge endeavor in the industrial sector. That's more a matter of companies needing to recognized High Availability and Disaster Recovery planning as more essential rather than cost items that should be avoided and only considered when it impacts the bottom line.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:50
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Holy poo poo tell that to all industrial plant directors ever please.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:51
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Thankfully they're starting to get really scared about all these cyberattacks on OT recently. Anyone want a cybersecurity job?
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Sep 14, 2017 18:52
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Adiabatic posted:Holy poo poo tell that to all industrial plant directors ever please. This is why I'm a consultant: I can say the bad poo poo that pisses off managers and when they say "No" I just walk away until something bad happens and they call me, and I remind them that I discussed a solution that would've prevented this, and we can implement it ASAP. My biggest moneymakers are Virtualization, Security, Disaster Recovery Planning, and High Availability implementation.
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Sep 14, 2017 18:53
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Ughhhh Christ. Trying to get my propshaft retubed, it's 2.25" and something like .065" thick. Guys doing it for me got some tube in, but it's .125" wall thickness, and their supplier doesn't have anything thinner. So I have a look myself, and manage to find some .080" from somewhere. .065" just isn't on the table it seems, but .080" should be a standard size. Which I can only find at one place anywhere relatively nearby. Ok, £35 a metre, whatever, I only need a short bit, I'll go collect it. Noooo, that price on the website is "wrong", it's £80 a metre.  It's loving CDS tube, that's ridiculous, and that's more than the cost to have it delivered per the website with their eyewatering minimum deliver cost and the tax. Fine, I'll order it online and see if it goes through. It's a one-off purchase, I'll live with the gouging.Get a phone call couple of hours later, bet they're going to tell me the price isn't valid. Nope, they're going to tell me they don't have it in stock, haven't for ages, and won't do so any time soon. Woooo. But they can sell me some .105" for the same price. Ughhhh. Run the numbers, the .105" would be about 800g heavier than the .080". The .125" would be another 700g on top of that. Told the guys to use the .125" they have. I'll live with the weight increase, it probably won't hurt all that much, and it's not worth what would end up being £70 to save 700g. At least this one shouldn't bend...
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Sep 14, 2017 19:00
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Hi, my dayjob is doing engine R&D for a place that does generators. Inverters will have a better 60hz signal (this will vary up and down with regulator generators based on engine RPM) and the right voltage (will vary up and down with regulator generators based on load) and yeah, be more efficient and often smaller for a given size. The ones in a plastic box are probably less reliable than the open frame ones, heating being what it is.
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Sep 14, 2017 19:13
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 Haven't been able to sleep in 2 days now, except for a 2 hour nap yesterday. Worked my rear end off last night until nearly 4am, felt good aside from a pounding headache. Felt horrific once the sun started coming up - couldn't think, my normal tinnitus was screaming at me instead of being annoying, kept forgetting where I set poo poo down (I lost my car keys.. while holding them). Got lost inside the grocery store I always go to. Went to the ER... doc basically said "all I have to do is look at that massive lump on your forehead to know you have a concussion, but let's go through the checklist". And yeah... definitely a concussion. He didn't feel it was bad enough to shove me into a CT scan, but did tell me it's going to take a few weeks for me to feel normal again.  I got a script for Zofran out of it (that poo poo's hella expensive without insurance.. $3 with insurance) to help with the puking.Making it more fun, the police have called a couple of times today. I've missed the call both times, but I'm not clear headed enough to talk to them today anyway. I'd rather not talk to them at all (especially if they're trying to pin something on me, as ex-roomie is a pretty compulsive liar), but it'll have to happen eventually. Either myself or through a lawyer. Darchangel posted:Additional note: you've got a P71, so the ECU should be calibrated for extended idling without damage, not that it would really hurt any modern cars. I've slept for 6+ hours in my car with the ac on (... when the ac worked). Also with the heat on. Car gave no fucks. Gas gauge barely moved. Enourmo posted:Apparently just the 10 buildings on the back road of my complex are on a different line, and require a replacement fuse instead of flipping a substation breaker or whatever. So since it needs a replacement part, I can probably expect power back around.... oh, February maybe? (They say by Sunday but it's a long 4 days) FWIW, at least around here, power companies overestimate repair times. They'd much rather get it back on a lot sooner instead of missing the "should be on by" time/date and having their phones blow up. Should be a part they have on hand or can get from a neighboring utility if it's just a fuse, but there's always the logistics of getting it there. Rhyno posted:I cleaned the mirror with one kind and the counter and sink with another. Woosh, whipped my rear end. I've done that. Saw that little puff of smoke and hauled the gently caress out of there, opening every window on the way out. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 19:49 on Sep 14, 2017 |
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Sep 14, 2017 19:36
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CommieGIR posted:Size wise, a Generator is always going to be a better emergency power setup. Solar and Batteries is better for offsetting daily normal use.
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Sep 14, 2017 19:38
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mekilljoydammit posted:Hi, my dayjob is doing engine R&D for a place that does generators. So should I return the 1700 watt Ryobi plastic box generator I just got for $500 and get a better one? What are the best portables for the money? I thought about a Honda but $$$$
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Sep 14, 2017 19:46
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For those of us who like space: Cassini has begun its dive towards Saturn, Loss of Signal will be 7:55AM EST tommorrow: https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/saturn-tour/where-is-cassini-now/
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Sep 14, 2017 19:46
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mekilljoydammit posted:Hi, my dayjob is doing engine R&D for a place that does generators. Um HI! So all other things being equal, what is the best fuel type to go with, if natural gas is not an option, in the 20kw range? Main concerns are run-time on average size installed fuel tank, and cost of the fuel itself. Generator will not auto-switch at every outage, but will be controlled to maximize fuel. Generator can be installed away from the residence, space and noise are not high concerns.
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Sep 14, 2017 19:57
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Yu-Gi-Ho! posted:FWIW, at least around here, power companies overestimate repair times. They'd much rather get it back on a lot sooner instead of missing the "should be on by" time/date and having their phones blow up. My worry is that if they're prioritizing getting south FL back up and running, they might be sending all their local stocks down there, meaning up here would have to wait on shipments from out of state. All I know for sure is that despite seeming like a simple fix I've yet to see any repair crews anywhere around the complex.
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Sep 14, 2017 19:59
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Applebees Appetizer posted:So should I return the 1700 watt Ryobi plastic box generator I just got for $500 and get a better one? We have one of the Ryobi ones in for comparison testing, and it seems relatively decent. If you're using any of these things a lot, locking more heat in vs letting heat out is going to accelerate failure... depends on what you're going for? A job site, I'd go open frame, camping or RV trailer park the plastic cased ones will be quieter. I'd rather not say where I work because I bitch about my job sometimes but one of the nicer 2kw plasticey ones we've had in is the Generac iq2000, the Ryobi ones seem decent, and the Champion ones that they sell at Costco and the like are pretty OK. Honda's the benchmark for durability but let's be realistic most people won't be putting 500 hours on a little portable generator, and barring some issue that'd be covered by warranty they should all last that with moderate care (like, not running it out of oil) angryrobots posted:Um HI! All the consumer grade home standby generators are setup to run on NG or propane, period, so unless you're rigging something there's your answer. Propane's going to be more storable than gasoline and makes about the same power, but can have starting issues when cold. 20kw starts to get to serious territory where you start looking at diesel - but that gets to be in the "industrial backup" class rather than "consumer home standby" stuff, if you get my drift and I'm going to be honest and say that the company I'm at isn't in that scale of the market.
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Sep 14, 2017 20:10
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Well, it looks like, from May next year, cars over 40 years old won't need an MOT (annual safety inspection) in the UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...dworthiness.pdf There seems likely to be a "not substantially modified" clause to this. Guess we'll have to see what shakes out with the actual legislation.
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Sep 14, 2017 20:34
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Oh, the other cool thing about the blackout? The complex's one and only trash compactor is on the side with no power. Currently it's piled so high, even my 6'5" self would have to toss bags up onto it. I dunno if they can even empty it without power.
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Sep 14, 2017 20:36
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Generator chat finally got me to go look at the output of mine with my newest toys. Champion 75531i 2800/3100 watts  The Fluke is in peak min/max mode but it also agreed with the scope on everything else it can measure e: this has a ~750w work light connected to it just to give it some load. Looks like 127v is right at the top but within spec.  I barely know what half that poo poo means but oscilloscopes are cool as gently caress Mains for reference   I went with an inverter because everything I want to plug into it (except the sump pump) has a computer in it and might not tolerate dirty power. I've read a few posts of people complaining that if they plugged their UPS into the conventional generator the UPS would just alarm and disconnect itself from the generator. Galler fucked around with this message at 21:38 on Sep 14, 2017 |
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Sep 14, 2017 21:16
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Yeah, the voltage will tend to be a skosche high unloaded; I'm not a EE so I couldn't say why. The pure generators can get really weird though if the governing is set wrong, and in the end there's a lot of electrical signal stuff that gets determined by a drat spring opposing governor weights acting on the throttle. I love me some Flukes. Kinda wish I could justify an 87 for personal use, though I do have one of the lesser ones.
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Sep 14, 2017 21:28
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I sort of want a generator, and my wife told me to buy one, but the power just doesn't seem to go out here. The longest outage was 30 minutes. I also can't decide between a PTO generator for the tractor (~30 pto hp) or a whole home propane powered unit either. We generally have at least 100 gallons in the propane tank but if it goes out during the winter that poo poo goes quick. The generator would probably down a half gallon to a gallon an hour and the furnace uses a gallon/hr. With the tractor, the fuel situation is slightly worse, I keep maybe 10 gallons in the garage and 5 in the tractor, but the burn rate would be much lower per hour, and the power unit large enough to run the heat pump/water heater/dryer. It would also have the advantage of being portable. Cost of the unit and wiring would be about the same either way.
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Sep 14, 2017 21:44
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mekilljoydammit posted:I love me some Flukes. Kinda wish I could justify an 87 for personal use, though I do have one of the lesser ones. Same. Used 87V's at previous job religiously, when I became a contractor I settled on the 115 for my needs.
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Sep 14, 2017 22:01
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If I planned on living here more than another year or two I would install a standby generator and just keep the portable one to help out friends or something. Having a generator and transfer switch that can take care of itself would be pretty nice when traveling or otherwise being away. Granted I think we've only lost power for more than an hour like twice in the past 5 years but both times it was >24 hours and could have been problematic if I was away. I ordered the generator (everything within 50 miles or so was sold out) at like hour 20 of the last outage during an ice storm as I watched the temperature in the house drop further and further. Fortunately I finished the water powered backup sump pump install during the outage literally minutes before the sump pit would have overflowed.
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Sep 14, 2017 22:09
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rdb posted:I sort of want a generator, and my wife told me to buy one, but the power just doesn't seem to go out here. The longest outage was 30 minutes. Seems that investing in a pile of jerrycans would be the cheapest and most effective solution.
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Sep 14, 2017 22:16
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I should just convert my TDI into a generator. Problem solved
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Sep 14, 2017 22:19
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Solar chat: how many cells can be wired together in series? Can a person just have a stupid long row of them or do they have to be x by x? Also, I imagine there's some efficiency loss? My son has been wanting to play with solar stuff lately and I think a fun project would be buying some cells/tabbing wire and doing a DIY thing for fun.
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Sep 14, 2017 22:53
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mekilljoydammit posted:We have one of the Ryobi ones in for comparison testing, and it seems relatively decent. If you're using any of these things a lot, locking more heat in vs letting heat out is going to accelerate failure... depends on what you're going for? A job site, I'd go open frame, camping or RV trailer park the plastic cased ones will be quieter. Ok thanks, I'll just go ahead and hold on to it then. It has a huge removable panel on one side of it to access the oil fill and spark plug, I could always just leave it off to help keep it cool. It's just for when the power goes out to power my fridge and stand alone freezer. I got lucky and didn't lose power during the hurricane this time, but from the looks of it, during an outage it could be running for up to a week straight. CommieGIR posted:I should just convert my TDI into a generator. Problem solved That's actually a cool idea, do it! And post about it of course. Applebees Appetizer fucked around with this message at 23:05 on Sep 14, 2017 |
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Sep 14, 2017 22:56
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