Posted on: Tuesday, September 2, 2003
Blackout veteran: Prepare for next time
By Mike Wendland
Knight Ridder News Service
DETROIT — Tech things I learned during the Great Blackout of 2003, from the easiest to the most challenging:
• Keep a supply of fresh batteries on hand. I had semi-fresh D cells. But by night two of the blackout, they were fading. I dug out an old camper light that runs on AA cells, and soon exhausted that supply, too. • Have matches for candles easily accessible. We rummaged around drawers and finally found some.
• Have a battery-powered radio. We had an old boom box in the basement. It runs on D cells. It didn't run long. I'm investing in one of those all-in-one units like the $89 Jeep TV-AM/FM Radio Flashlight, sold by Bass Pro Shops (www.basspro-shops.com).
• Get TiVo. I've already heard from one gloating friend who said that he still had an enormous menu of television programming to choose from when the power came back on, thanks to the recording capabilities of TiVo (www.tivo.com). Me? I missed all my favorites on HGTV.
• Get a DC power adaptor for my laptop. My laptop had about a 3-hour charge. It was enough to get me online, file some stories and do some research. But I'm buying a power adaptor that will let me charge it from my car battery. One source is Lind Electronics (www.lindelectronics.com). They offer power solutions especially made for most Apple and Windows PC models, though they can be costly (over $100). A cheaper solution: Buy a DC power inverter from one of the big discount stores or auto supply shops (typically $30 to $50). • Seriously consider getting a generator. I'd love to have a solar power station for my house. But those start at around $25,000 (see, for instance, www.utilityfree.com). A permanently installed power generator that runs on propane or natural gas and can take care of an entire home starts at around $3,500 (at, for example, www.coloradostandby.com). DTE Energy sells and installs whole-house generators, too (www.dtetech.com). You can get a portable generator that runs on a tank of gasoline starting at around $700 from most hardware or do-it-yourself centers.
• Make sure to have surge suppressors on all home appliances. Power surges that typically spike through the line when electricity is restored can fry appliances if they're not protected or unplugged. A good power strip with a surge suppressor costs under $20. That will protect televisions, stereos, computers and major electronic appliances. It's still wise to unplug the refrigerator from the wall. • Use a UPS power supply for computer gear. An uninterruptible power supply is a must for computers and monitors. When the power fails, they switch your computer to emergency battery backup power, keeping it running for several minutes so you can save whatever you were working on and then properly shut down your system. Higher-end models (around $100 or so) also offer surge suppression protection. Better UPS systems also have plugs for a computer, monitor and printer. A good source is APC (www.apcc.com).
Those lessons will certainly minimize the tech effects of the next blackout. But the biggest lesson I learned from this power failure was how spoiled I am — and how I have blithely taken for granted reliable electrical power.
