Gasoline shortages

[62Blazer]

Regarding an EV versus gas powered vehicle, it will be interesting to hear all of the stories. I see pros and cons to each. So there are gas shortages and it takes hours in line to get gas, but you can get gas. If all the power is out it's great that you can hook up an EV to your house...but what do you do when the EV needs charged? And what do you do if you need to drive somewhere with the EV, and have to unplug it from the house? I know somebody said you can have solar power at your house, but do you know how much solar you would need to charge up an EV? Of course if you had that much solar power at your house you don't need an EV to power the house either.
On the other hand how much gas would a generator need to run solid for 3 days? Probably need 15 gallons a day for normal sized generator to run constantly?
I know you can buy a 5,000 watt generator for $500. Curious what it would cost to set up a solar system that had the equivalent output?

 

[huntergreen]

Regarding an EV versus gas powered vehicle, it will be interesting to hear all of the stories. I see pros and cons to each. So there are gas shortages and it takes hours in line to get gas, but you can get gas. If all the power is out it's great that you can hook up an EV to your house...but what do you do when the EV needs charged? And what do you do if you need to drive somewhere with the EV, and have to unplug it from the house? I know somebody said you can have solar power at your house, but do you know how much solar you would need to charge up an EV? Of course if you had that much solar power at your house you don't need an EV to power the house either.
On the other hand how much gas would a generator need to run solid for 3 days? Probably need 15 gallons a day for normal sized generator to run constantly?
I know you can buy a 5,000 watt generator for $500. Curious what it would cost to set up a solar system that had the equivalent output?

I wonder how much it cost to dispose of the batteries used in solar power and how long they last.

 

[Silver21Ram]

Is everyone involved in this thread a licensed electrician or electrical engineer?

 

[1911LVR]

Weird. The forums assured me that only EVs would have fuel issues during a natural disaster.

I keep 15g in jerry cans and rotate, personally.

I rotate 30 gallons each of diesel and gasoline.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Here in South Carolina (and North Carolina) we were not able to get gasoline or diesel for a week after Hurricane Helene due to power outages. I learned my lesson! Not going to be caught flat-footed again, by weather, political upheaval, or attacks on the electrical grid. I bought a cheap trailer at Harbor Freight, put three barrels on it with 12v pumps, and filled two with gas and one with diesel for my tractor. I will rotate the stock to stay fresh and use stabilizer.

Not to mention, we are raising chickens, gardens, have a big stock of food and medicine and generators and other necessities to protect ourselves, family, and neighbors.

 

[turkeybird56]

Pretty easy to store 15 - 20 gallons of extra fuel in the garage, shed, etc. Where does one store 40 - 50 KW of a extra charge for an EV?

I cannot reply to this as I would have the PC PO PO after me and end up in time out.

 

[turkeybird56]

There lies the problem. Too many people out there with zero common sense think they know everything and will inadvertently kill someone with their stupidity.

I stay old school. A 22kw genset feeding a 200 amp service entrance ATS, all running off a 500 gal propane tank. At 1.7 gph @ partial load (2.8 gph @ full load but usually only 60% or less). I'm good with that. And it won't self ignite when adding water during a flood.

Have same Genny setup but only a 250 G LP right now. later on, when feasible, will turn in rented tank to LP Company and buy a 500 G and have piped in.

 

[chri5k]

I cannot reply to this as I would have the PC PO PO after me and end up in time out.

You won’t.

 

[turkeybird56]

You won’t.

Oh no my comment would have been way beyond the 2024 Woke Agenda allowance table of organization. lol.

 

[RamDiver]

Is everyone involved in this thread a licensed electrician or electrical engineer?

I would say definitely not.

.

 

[slbenz600]

I am unsure which government agencies that have covinced people that the only way we will be able to drive is a total kick in the teeth. Jest give some small information, we currently have enough oil and gas in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, North and South Dakota's amoung others that can supply resoyurces for diesel gas powered veicles for a minimum 250 years. Lets go the other way, what do you think they are using to create power ?In each power station burns 20 train loads of coal perday. Lets look a building on electric battery,you need a semi with a pup a anker of sulfuric acid. Aftter mixing sullfuric acid snd the coal you can build on cell of thr battery, know the waste has to be disposed up. All the coal is hauled in diesel trucks, we transport the sullfuric acid is transported on rail. Amerrica had to completele mAKING DIESEI and acid and disposing in a desagnated storage phacity. Knoe you bilit on cell you have 11 more for one car. Make you thing that Lithiom - ion batteries makes a boom more water more fire dom't make a fiftry thoused. Elec vehicles cost the comsumer Fifty Thousand dollars plus having a machanic $15,000 to replace your batter

 

[Dusty]

Is everyone involved in this thread a licensed electrician or electrical engineer?

I'm not an engineer but I have an electrical background.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 121524 miles.

 

[EdGs]

Is everyone involved in this thread a licensed electrician or electrical engineer?

I would say definitely not.

.

I'm not an engineer but I have an electrical background.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 121524 miles.

I'm not an electrician or an electrical engineer, but I slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night.......lol

All kidding aside, I hope everyone affected by the storms are doing ok and making progress on repairs.

 

[EdGs]

Here in South Carolina (and North Carolina) we were not able to get gasoline or diesel for a week after Hurricane Helene due to power outages. I learned my lesson! Not going to be caught flat-footed again, by weather, political upheaval, or attacks on the electrical grid. I bought a cheap trailer at Harbor Freight, put three barrels on it with 12v pumps, and filled two with gas and one with diesel for my tractor. I will rotate the stock to stay fresh and use stabilizer.

Not to mention, we are raising chickens, gardens, have a big stock of food and medicine and generators and other necessities to protect ourselves, family, and neighbors.

I did a boo-boo in not running my small genny for almost 1-1/2 years before I dug it out from my garage a few days before Milton hit.. Normally, we run the gennys at home and the in-laws every month for a few minutes.

I was worried mine wouldn't fire after sitting, and it had a nearly full gas tank (ethanol-free, thank God). Air filter was ok, I pulled the handle several times.........nothing.

SH*T!

But as I was cursing myself for being a fool and not checking my genny monthly, I realized that it might help just a little if I had the kill switch on the genny set to "ON".

Flipped the switch, pulled the handle, and she sputtered to life. Hallelujah!

The only advice I can give is, if you do store gas, make sure it is ethanol-free. I don't really know how stabilizer affects ethanol gas, but I know ethanol gas just sitting does gum up the works.

Also, male sure the kill switch on your genny is set to "on" BEFORE you try to start it.........lol

 

[ConqueringFools]

I am unsure which government agencies that have covinced people that the only way we will be able to drive is a total kick in the teeth. Jest give some small information, we currently have enough oil and gas in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, North and South Dakota's amoung others that can supply resoyurces for diesel gas powered veicles for a minimum 250 years. Lets go the other way, what do you think they are using to create power ?In each power station burns 20 train loads of coal perday. Lets look a building on electric battery,you need a semi with a pup a anker of sulfuric acid. Aftter mixing sullfuric acid snd the coal you can build on cell of thr battery, know the waste has to be disposed up. All the coal is hauled in diesel trucks, we transport the sullfuric acid is transported on rail. Amerrica had to completele mAKING DIESEI and acid and disposing in a desagnated storage phacity. Knoe you bilit on cell you have 11 more for one car. Make you thing that Lithiom - ion batteries makes a boom more water more fire dom't make a fiftry thoused. Elec vehicles cost the comsumer Fifty Thousand dollars plus having a machanic $15,000 to replace your batter

We have enough coal in the US to last well over 200 years too! IIRC 700 years or something crazy? I worked in the steel industry. You will NEVER run a f'ing electric arc furnace of a solar/wind grid. LOL........Americans still seem to be some of the dumbest people on Earth when it comes to basic energy requirements. All these idiots driving around in EVs, especially these suburbanites have no clue what kind of energy it takes to power heavy industry, agriculture etc. Sure it's one thing to drive a nice clean Tesla or Rivian to the grocery store. But how you gonna manufacture all that steel, plastic, aluminum. How you gonna mine all that lithium and heavy metals/rare earth elements? The world runs on diesel and the diesel engine still powers trains, trucks and ocean faring ships. Until the idiot charlatan Musk and his cohorts can replace the diesel engine EVs are a gimmick and an environmental disaster.

 

[RamDiver]

I did a boo-boo in not running my small genny for almost 1-1/2 years before I dug it out from my garage a few days before Milton hit.. Normally, we run the gennys at home and the in-laws every month for a few minutes.

I was worried mine wouldn't fire after sitting, and it had a nearly full gas tank (ethanol-free, thank God). Air filter was ok, I pulled the handle several times.........nothing.

SH*T!

But as I was cursing myself for being a fool and not checking my genny monthly, I realized that it might help just a little if I had the kill switch on the genny set to "ON".

Flipped the switch, pulled the handle, and she sputtered to life. Hallelujah!

The only advice I can give is, if you do store gas, make sure it is ethanol-free. I don't really know how stabilizer affects ethanol gas, but I know ethanol gas just sitting does gum up the works.

Also, male sure the kill switch on your genny is set to "on" BEFORE you try to start it.........lol

And, always shut off your generator by closing the fuel supply valve.

Otherwise, the float valve in the fuel bowl on the carb could jam, feeding volumes of gas into the intake and eventually the oil sump.

Finding ethanol-free gas up here is near impossible after our supreme leader deemed that all fuel will have corn. He's a climate alarmist!

I put fuel stabilizer in the jerry cans before filling them and never have starting grief.

A week ago yesterday, our hydro provider had a scheduled outage from 06:30-11:00 that lasted until 13:20.

I was up at 05:00, built a fire, ate breakfast, and surfed Ram Forum until about 08:30 before my laptop battery started to get too low. Time to generate.

I was extremely happy that my generator started on the first pull.

.

 

[EdGs]

And, always shut off your generator by closing the fuel supply valve.

Otherwise, the float valve in the fuel bowl on the carb could jam, feeding volumes of gas into the intake and eventually the oil sump.

Finding ethanol-free gas up here is near impossible after our supreme leader deemed that all fuel will have corn. He's a climate alarmist!

I put fuel stabilizer in the jerry cans before filling them and never have starting grief.

A week ago yesterday, our hydro provider had a scheduled outage from 06:30-11:00 that lasted until 13:20.

I was up at 05:00, built a fire, ate breakfast, and surfed Ram Forum until about 08:30 before my laptop battery started to get too low. Time to generate.

I was extremely happy that my generator started on the first pull.

.

I always close the fuel valve and let it run out.

I dont have alot of experience with stabilizer, but haven't had a problem with the ethanol-free gas after periods of inactivity. Same with the in-laws gennys. They have the same gas in them from the days after Hurricane Ian went through here in SWFL.

I will be running mine again here shortly, just to keep up.

Now, in prep for Milton, I did get a few cans of 10% ethanol gas on the morning before the storm, because the station I stopped at still had gas, but doesn't sell ethanol-free. So, I will use that up in the Ram here shortly, then refill with ethanol-free.

 

[RamDiver]

I always close the fuel valve and let it run out.

You might be surprised at how many users don't know about closing the fuel supply valve.

I dont have alot of experience with stabilizer, but haven't had a problem with the ethanol-free gas after periods of inactivity. Same with the in-laws gennys. They have the same gas in them from the days after Hurricane Ian went through here in SWFL.

We were able to get 91 & 93 octane without ethanol at a few select suppliers but that's history now.

I always use premium fuel in my small engines but my SOP is to always use fuel stabilizer. Now with ethanol in all our fuel, I'd say it's more important.

I will be running mine again here shortly, just to keep up.

Now, in prep for Milton, I did get a few cans of 10% ethanol gas on the morning before the storm, because the station I stopped at still had gas, but doesn't sell ethanol-free. So, I will use that up in the Ram here shortly, then refill with ethanol-free.

I try to start my generator for a 20-minute run at least once every month or two. Now, if I could only get around to changing the oil.

.

 

[09SilverRam]

You might be surprised at how many users don't know about closing the fuel supply valve.




We were able to get 91 & 93 octane without ethanol at a few select suppliers but that's history now.

I always use premium fuel in my small engines but my SOP is to always use fuel stabilizer. Now with ethanol in all our fuel, I'd say it's more important.




I try to start my generator for a 20-minute run at least once every month or two. Now, if I could only get around to changing the oil.

.

Or small engines that just don't have a fuel cut off.

I run my small inverter generator off of propane, haven't had to put gas in it yet. I have enough propane to run about 2.5 days.

 

[09SilverRam]

We have enough coal in the US to last well over 200 years too! IIRC 700 years or something crazy? I worked in the steel industry. You will NEVER run a f'ing electric arc furnace of a solar/wind grid. LOL........Americans still seem to be some of the dumbest people on Earth when it comes to basic energy requirements. All these idiots driving around in EVs, especially these suburbanites have no clue what kind of energy it takes to power heavy industry, agriculture etc. Sure it's one thing to drive a nice clean Tesla or Rivian to the grocery store. But how you gonna manufacture all that steel, plastic, aluminum. How you gonna mine all that lithium and heavy metals/rare earth elements? The world runs on diesel and the diesel engine still powers trains, trucks and ocean faring ships. Until the idiot charlatan Musk and his cohorts can replace the diesel engine EVs are a gimmick and an environmental disaster.

Coal is only 16% of the electricity production in the US currently, down from 51% in 2001.

Over the last 20 years Texas has gone from 37% coal to 14% coal while increasing the overall generation by 47%. 40% of the electricity in Texas comes from non-carbon sources (Wind, Solar, Nuclear) and they seem to know something about heavy industry and agriculture in Texas.

TVA is about half the size of ERCOT but is 55% non-carbon sources (42% Nuclear) and about 18% coal.

Almost all providers ramping down coal for two reasons. One is emissions, but another that isn't talked about as much is the liability of the toxic coal ash byproducts created by coal plants. It creates a liability for the provider to store and dispose of that other options, like natural gas, don't. It can be recycled but has to be stored and transported and is pretty hazardous stuff (and the volume is much higher per gigawatt generated than say spent nuclear fuel rods) and most of the time ends up in special lined landfills.

Coal plants take days to start up and shut down, they also don't offer grid providers any flexibility vs natural gas which can bring reserve capacity online quickly. Texas is doing a good job of pairing natural gas with wind and solar, TVA uses hydro for a lot of it's on-demand generation that Texas is using natural gas for. Both run baseline natural gas combined cycle plants, but Texas also gets about 8% of its power from Natrual Gas peaker plants where TVA just flicks on a couple of more hydro turbines.

I thought it was interesting EVRAZ Steel Mill on Colorado (which started making rails for the railroads in 1881) is now 100% solar powered, and NUCOR has a solar facility in the works in Texas.