TWO hurricanes hit Louisiana, track moved west, or it would have been really BAD...

[slepr1]

I was fortunate to have found a Generac 18KW at a local Home Depot about 2 weeks after Katrina, and installed it myself where we used to live.
I want to get a whole house generator for the house we have now, but it hasn't happened yet.
I have gotten by with a 7KW portable generator. It has a 220 outlet so I can run my water pump and the 110 outlets handle refrigerator and freezer duties.
My last Generac had a breaker panel, so only the circuits I selected were powered. The one I get for this house is going to run everything. I'm looking at Kohler or Cummins brand this time.
Kohler
https://www.norwall.com/products/Ko...or-with-200-Amp-SE-Rated-ATS-20RESCL-200SELS/
Cummins
https://www.norwall.com/products/Cu...mp-SE-Rated-Automatic-Transfer-Switch-RS20AC/

I'd love to get one of those. Got quoted $14K (20 KW) installed plus taxes. Damn why so much to install?

 

[biomedtechguy]

I'd love to get one of those. Got quoted $14K (20 KW) installed plus taxes. Damn why so much to install?

I was fortunate to be able to T into my natural gas main feed after the meter, which was co-located by the electrical panel.
Electricians can charge good money because mistakes can be deadly and they have to be licensed. They earn their pay.
In 2005, the Generac I bought at Home Depot was around $3,800 if I recall correctly, maybe a little less, but definitely in the $3K range. Having the circuit breaker panel and then choosing which circuits to tie into the main panel certainly worked, but it's a LOT nicer (and more expensive, need a higher Kw rating) to have the automatic transfer switch.
If anyone backfeeds a generator into your electrical panel (NOT recommended) make sure you cut power before the power company comes out or you may electrocute or kill a lineman.

 

[1967coronet]

My Grandson is stationed at Panama City.
They are going to Langley Va. for a spell so the US gov thinks its coming.

 

[Budnicks]

Stay safe & try to stay dry my Gulf Coast friends



disclaimer;
don't take my next statements out of context, just making comments
please, no ill will meant, I wish al of you the best
a great reason to buy/own land above the flood plains
or regular flood water levels you'd think
especially in those low lying areas, the stuff happens almost yearly
or biannually even, having to deal with that stuff almost every year
or 5+ times a decade
Homeowners Insurance must be astronomical

hopefully the benefits of living there,
dealing with that **** (occasionally or frequently)
outway all the negatives
like lots of rain, floods & hurricanes or the tropical storms annually

Don't take my comments wrong...
I can totally relate, in a way too
I'm a stubborn SOB too
I live in fire country, but we haven't had a fire here
in the 15+ years, I've owned here
or from the people that lived here said; 'never/ever'
"Knock on Wood"
we have had them all around US,
the Rim fire was a really bad one

I hope I didn't just jinx US

then there's the state political leadership nonsense, the past 20 years
but I was born & raised here
that **** is not Calif. I know, I try to fight it
It's really hard to think of or to leave everything you've owned
& worked for, your home, family etc.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Don't take my comments wrong...
I can totally relate, in a way too
I'm a stubborn SOB too
I live in fire country

I was thinking maybe Cali could take some of the excess water I'm about to get inundated with...
Just saw the updated forecast map an boy has it gotten a LOT WORSE for me.
Now it looks like BOTH storms are going to hit close to the Mississippi River/New Orleans but just to the west, so I am DEFINITELY going to have a flooded yard.
The Roadrunner is safe, up on a rack in a shop by the Mississippi River which is actually high ground. Making room in the attached garage (about 5 some feet above ground level). Gotta move a bunch of stuff, but that beats having to move it in a foot of water.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I'm at the tip of the blue arrow.
The problem is the counterclockwise rotation of the winds is going to push water into the Lake from the Gulf, and I'm on the north shore where the water is trying to go. Add low pressure which "lifts" the water, and then add rain which drains from north of me into the Lake I live north of...
No good!

 

[biomedtechguy]

Well not looking any better this morning.
Moving stuff around in the attached elevated garage to make room. Anything at ground level is going to probably see 2 feet of water, unpredictable, but definitely going to flood.
Gasoline for generator, too much to do to list. Hopefully my water pump motor doesn't go underwater.

 

[BDF6]

Yes please. Send us all the rain you want. Don't need the wind though.
Stay safe out there!

 

[YY1]

That sucks, man.

...but I know how it is.


Looks like it might be time off load that boat. You might need it.

 

[biomedtechguy]

That sucks, man. I know how it is.
Looks like it might be time off load that boat. You might need it.

Off load that boat...I'm wondering if you have seen all the crap on my fishing boat under the carport in the picture. I need to get the outboard motor hydraulic tilt mechanism fixed or replaced and haven't done it yet. Roadrunner is a cash vacuum with all the stuff I'm doing with it.
Sad when a man's fishing boat gets loaded with non fishing crap.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Looks like the track for Laura has moved further west. That helps a little for low pressure and wind speed, but the biggest problem I'm facing that I can say for sure is 2 hurricanes/tropical storms are passing to my west, Marco may be a direct hit, and between both of them the wind is going to be pushing water in my direction for FIVE DAYS. NO GOOD!
(Blub Blub Blub...)
Laura also has gone UP in strength from a Cat 1 to a Cat 2 hurricane at landfall. Katrina was a 3 IIRC when it made landfall, but was higher than that just before, and was freaking HUGE. 22 FEET of water surge on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. If you don't know what that's like, imagine a 22 foot tall bulldozer with unlimited power.

 

[RebelRider]

Looks like the track for Laura has moved further west. That helps a little for low pressure and wind speed, but the biggest problem I'm facing that I can say for sure is 2 hurricanes/tropical storms are passing to my west, Marco may be a direct hit, and between both of them the wind is going to be pushing water in my direction for FIVE DAYS. NO GOOD!
(Blub Blub Blub...)
Laura also has gone UP in strength from a Cat 1 to a Cat 2 hurricane at landfall. Katrina was a 3 IIRC when it made landfall, but was higher than that just before, and was freaking HUGE. 22 FEET of water surge on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. If you don't know what that's like, imagine a 22 foot tall bulldozer with unlimited power.

I’m slightly east of Beaumont, so Laura may get us. After Rita, Ike, Harvey and Imelda, I’m not sure this area will be able to rebound again.

 

[Budnicks]

yeah the double punch doesn't help the gulf coast people

hope you guys fair well, best of luck

Mother Nature is a cruel BITCH at times

stay safe Bio buddy,
glad the RR is up out of the water, safely too

we had a thunderstorm last evening, it freaken' poured
for a couple of 3-4 hrs
I was surprised to wake up to smoke from the valley fires this morning
we are in a little valley here, ridges another 1500' on 3 sides
locks/socks the smoke in, until the inversion/valley breeze come up
I saw Modesto area was supposed to get rain today too
some of it may trickle over up the hills to US

they need it bad in the north valley by the bay
but anywhere we get rain it's good
as long as it isn't like the winter floods, down in the lowlands

**** we put up with to live the good life

 

[biomedtechguy]

**** we put up with to live the good life

Yeah man, in our own different yet similar ways...
A couple of factors that made this place attractive is the pool, so even though she had major joint problems, our old Chocolate Lab Cocoa could still enjoy one of her favorite things, swimming! Even on her last day, we took her in the boat and let her swim in the big bayou by a sandy beach near the Lake. All easy to get to because of the bayou we live on. That's the same reason why storms are such a real problem. No flood protection levees here, at all!
Anyway it looks like we have been saved from what was looking like the relatively WORST case scenario 48 hours ago to the reality of zero rain all day today so the "left jab" of Marco is more like a love tap.
Even Laura looks like it's going to hit at the Louisiana/Texas state line, so while being on the north east quadrant is usually the worst place other than a direct hit, it's a lot better than it was.
Thanks to all for prayers, well wishes and replies!

 

[Budnicks]

hope all is well in Biomed land

stay safe buddy

looks like a bad one, maybe like Katrina
hope it doesn't hit the densely populated areas
category 4 already last I saw 155+mph sustained winds
the outer SE skirts of it to hit near NOLA area
The eye to go over the border between LA & TX
going to make landfall for the eye tonight
20 foot sea/tidal storm surges
"not survivable", they say

Galveston & parts of SE Texas is going to get pummelled

lots of states to get a shitload of rain
& other possible weather events, results of this storm/hurricane

 

[biomedtechguy]

hope all is well in Biomed land...stay safe buddy looks like a bad one, maybe like Katrina
category 4 already last I saw 155+mph sustained winds the outer SE skirts of it to hit near NOLA area The eye to go over the border between LA & TX going to make landfall for the eye tonight20 foot sea/tidal storm surges
"not survivable", they say Galveston & parts of SE Texas is going to get pummelled lots of states to get a shitload of rain & other possible weather events, results of this storm/hurricane

Thanks Budnicks
I have seen since early yesterday that we, especially in "BioMed land", REALLY caught a break! This time we "prepared" by moving anything we didn't want to get wet off the ground and yard. For Cristobal, I took a "wait and see" position, and wound up doing a "RED ALERT" drill at 3:45 AM, getting my Roadrunner out of the flooded ground level garage and up on the driveway ramp, along with our other 2 vehicles, as high up the ramp as we could.
I had stuff on the floor of the detached garage too, but most of that was ok, and I put it up on shelves or up in the attached garage. Lost a oxygen concentrator, a few other things, but not too bad and only the wheels of the Roadrunner got wet, but WOW it was unnerving!!
This was my brain when I woke up to a flood for Cristobal:

When Marco came through, I've seen worse weather on summer days when a front moved through. Pensacola got hammered by Marco, even though they were well east of the eye.
I pray God protect and strengthen the people around Lake Charles and Cameron LA. Cameron is on the Gulf, on the edge of nowhere, and was where I jumped on my first boat to work as a deck hand. They are going to get it, bad...
I'm thankful though that Laura didn't take the track I posted, because at this level of power, my house may have flooded.
Katrina was a 4 or 5 but really covered a big area, and rapidly weakened to a 3 on landfall. Laura wasn't being affected by the land of Cuba and it should have been, THAT was a big indication that Laura was going to be really bad once it turned into the Gulf. They had been saying it would strengthen to a 3, but it's been a 4 for a while, and it's getting stronger. I will say it's going to be stronger than Katrina when it hits.
For anyone affected by Laura, be safe, do what you can to protect yourself. It's a BAD one.

 

[BLK 68 R/T]

Stay safe down there!! Hope it doesn’t get as bad as it sounds.

 

[Bb70charger500]

You all be safe hurricane s 4+ are no joke !
We joke about them living in FL . But we are used to it !
You need to send your car to FL let me know I'll make room !

 

[biomedtechguy]

Even though I started this thread, when my "little chunk of dirt" was in the bull's eye of BOTH storms, the only real threat I'm facing now may be a tornado. Now granted, that would be no bueno, it's the people who are around the Louisiana Texas border, especially on the Louisiana side because that's the strongest side of a hurricane, who have life threatening weather heading their way.
Laura is a POWERFUL Cat 4, but I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't hit CAT FIVE level by landfall. The trend is bad too, because it's building strength as it approaches land, so it's going to "have a lot of momentum" when it hits.

 

[68Moparmaniac]

Time to dust off the Pirogues and hunker down my Cajun friend, be safe.