Oh, more than a blip.

We held out for the evening on generator power.  Then around midnight there were flickering lights, a loud tapping sound, and thick black smoke.  Power was not restored until about 5:30pm (US Eastern time) today.  I managed to keep the food from spoiling by plugging the refrigerator into the inverter outlet on my truck.

Sleeping Beauty (our Aurora AGI6500 diesel generator) has given us her last kilowatt.  She's 14 years old and was bought for a different time and place, when we lived in an oil-heated house and could freely exchange fuel between the generator and the furnace.  Today, her recoil starter is gone, her battery is shot, and after throwing a rod the oil sump is now filled with shrapnel.

So I think we're going to pass on trying expensive repairs for a generator that can't even supply our hot water heater at the current house.  Perhaps in the fall I will get a 50 amp propane generator set.

Ya tossing rods = gone in this day and age, not worth the cost.   Mine runs on 'gas', propane, LP.  But same issue, its a 4 cycle piston and prone to blowing up if it gets in a bad mood. Lost a mower like that a couple of years ago, broke something and lost all compression ( i didn't open it to look. not worth it ). Its how i ended up with a kobalt electric. it was actually slightly cheaper than gas. About 1/2 the weight, and i figured less maintenance, so it won.

I have always wanted to build a Tesla turbine generator, runs off 'combustible stuff' to heat water and run the steam thru it.  Mechanically it would work of course as its proven technology, but not sure if it would be 'enough' unless it was huge and unmanageable. 

That only applies to the federal law from what I can tell. BTW my first post was clearly a joke.

Sat Jul 04 2026 07:11:28 EDT from Nurb432

According to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, that law is unconstitutional. And it applies to several states. ( due to the district nature ) as long as its for personal use.  Soon it goes to SCOTUS for nationwide.

Fri Jul 03 2026 19:28:38 EDT from SouthernComputerGeek

 

 

I have called a revenuer. Enjoy jail.

 

 

Sorry, you know me and humor, I often don't get it. I have to 'think' it thru to recognize it and often times i miss the intent so i don't 'think it thru'.  Humor requires normal emotions. which i don't have, and have to fake it often.

Mon Jul 06 2026 14:11:09 EDT from SouthernComputerGeek

That only applies to the federal law from what I can tell. BTW my first post was clearly a joke.