The Big Freeze

[twinfin]

Looks like a good part of the country is in for days of really cold temperatures. While temps here on the west coast are looking rather typical, it will be interesting to keep an eye on the rest of the country for potential lessons learned. I’ve lived through a couple extreme cold events over my life in California so know the drill; cover outdoor faucets, stock extra wood for the wood stove, cover sensitive plants etc. But I’m probably not prepared for sub zero temps!

Valuable insights could come from any expats now living in effected regions. It would be interesting to hear their stories as things unfold. The 2021 freezer event in Texas was good case study.

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[user120312]

Totally bizarre, being that it's sunny and near 60 day after day here at the normally rain-soaked Oregon beach.

However, I was just checking the temps in MSP tonight, what with all the protests there, and it's...
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So, say a big freeze is coming like is expected this weekend in parts of the country not normally hit, what to do?

I noticed reports today of empty store shelves and runs on fuel stations so there's that.

Other than a few specific redundancy setups for anti-freezing, mainly water, it would be pretty much normal here. The redundancies would be battery backups for the battery backups for the heat tapes that have been long installed and used each winter on the exposed water system, with draining it and going on backup water as another redundancy.

I've got supplies and fuel to last months and backup shelter for backup shelter if trees come down in an ice storm. Still, anything can happen.

I'd expect no power and no outside communications except radio (mobile and fixed base) so would prepare for a solitary existence and living like in the 1700's for awhile.

[Duck Killer]

Something we have found while on hunting trips is propane stops working when it is too cold.

As for the ranch we keep extra emergency dry wood at the house covered. We will also keep some wood that is somewhat wet or not fully dried to burn over night. The wet wood will burn slowly like a cigar and last all night. It is too wet to start a fire but once hot coals are in the fireplace it will burn anything. It is usually dead tree just cut. It also helps keep a fire going without having to start another fire.

Also sometimes during the day you need to keep the house somewhat warm but you don’t want to overheat the house. My large fireplace can put out way too much heat and burn through too much wood. We will get several feet of snow in a few hours without warning so being prepared is essential.

[twinfin]

Good observation about propane. The colder the propane becomes, the less capacity to deliver a specific amount of BTU’s per hour. Also, the less volume of propane in the tank, the less capacity to generate propane vapor. I had to consider that issue when I was setting up my propane backup generator for my off-grid power system.

To get around the issue of low BTU production in freezing weather, I set my system up to where I have three, 100# propane bottles on a manifold. By this method, each bottle only has to contribute 1/3 the total propane demand of the generator. According to the charts I consulted, this method will provide the amount of propane vapor required by the generator even in the coldest temps ever recorded for my area and all the way down to nearly empty.

This is where a buried propane tank comes in handy. The earth itself will keep a buried tank warmer than an above ground tank.

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Edited to add this chart demonstrating BTU production based on temperature and volume. You just have to figure out the BTU demand of whatever device you want to run then calculate from there.

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[Duck Killer]

I really like how you did your propane tanks. I use propane insta hot water heaters. Instead of having one water heater i have one for each place using hot water. One for the kitchen, laundry room and each bathroom. That way they can be adjusted for each use and it uses very little propane and water since it is right there. Plus if one goes down there is back ups.

We were using buddy heaters off of a 5 gallon propane when we were having problems. It was like 5 degrees during the day.

The only thing I don’t like about your set up is how heavy those tanks are when full.

[Duck Killer]

Does anyone have any experience with a diesel heater. I used one on Alaska and it was pretty cool. But it wasn’t my cabin so my experience was limited. I always have a bunch of diesel on hand.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

The only heat source I have is a wood burning stove. When I lived where it would get into -20 F temperatures this time of year, while the house had base boards, the only heat source I utilized was a wood burning stove. If worked correctly and with a little acclimatization, you'd be surprised how well you handle objectively 'cold' temperatures with a wood burning stove. Remember, wood tends to heat you, at least, 3 times... When you cut it, when you stack it, and when you burn it.

This is the problem when cold fronts travel into regions which typically don't see such events. Individuals don't have the acclimatization to handle it physiologically or psychologically. They are, in a word, 'unprepared.' Even if they have access to a heating source, they don't necessarily use it effectively. That's without even getting into whether they can even afford it in the first place.

Simply put, raiding store shelves leading up to an 'event' isn't effective 'problem solving;' i.e., if you wait until the last minute, you've waited too long. Likewise, if you don't know how to use what you have, simply 'buying' something won't make you 'safe.' Even in the -20 F temperature era, I could get through a winter burning not quite 2 cords and was never truly cold. Meanwhile, I would watch with some amusement when living in Texas where lifetime residents would reach for sweaters and stoke the fires when temperatures would drop 'all the way' down to... 70 degrees.

Of course, the reverse was also true, where I'd 'struggle' when the temperature and the humidity jumped to the 90's and above. Thus, to me, it's not so much the technology you use; but, the physiological/psychological mindset you create.

[user120312]

Does anyone have any experience with a diesel heater. I used one on Alaska and it was pretty cool. But it wasn’t my cabin so my experience was limited. I always have a bunch of diesel on hand.

I used a torpedo diesel heater in the shop for many years. However, that was a well-ventilated space with a high ceiling. No experience with those designed for interior use.

My backup in a power loss is maintaining body heat and a wood cooking fire, with the truck and its heater and 40 gallons of diesel on-board as a backup for that. However, it's been super rare for temps to fall below the high 20's; even below freezing is pretty rare. Tonight is pretty cold and it's currently 33 here, headed for 30. That's about as cold as it's been this winter, mainly because it's clear, and has been clear and sunny for a few weeks now, crazy rare here.

One cold prep I worked out in the summer was independent solar and charge controllers for the current seven starting batteries on the property, so vehicles can be cold-started effectively. If an ice storm was forecast, I'd also plug in the truck block heater and run it until the power went out.

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

We have plenty of wood. Cooking heating. The problem is cooling in summer time.

[Fjold]

Well most of the snow is finally gone, just the piles where I put it cleaning the walkways and driveway and of course the shaded spots in the woods.

[user120312]

After a relatively warm and sunny January and early February, looks like rain and cold have returned, albeit a bit late. Best chance for snow is Mon-Weds depending on how cold the air turns out to be. Winds with the incoming storms are unusually light so no likely power outages from wind, but it does make for good snow chances. Haven't had a good snow above the beach since 2017.

Unless things pick up today, it's set to be another dead holiday weekend, and Valentine's Day. Really odd. Usually the beach/dunes is bustling right now.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

The Weather Channel (among others) are indicating that it's supposed to be 'the coldest storm of the season.'

California Flood Threat, Feet Of Sierra Snow, Relief For Record Low West Snowpack Arrives Next Week

California will see its coldest storm of the season beginning Sunday with feet of Sierra snow, some flooding rain, but also much-needed replenishment to a western snowpack that is record low for this time of year from the Pacific Northwest to the Southern Rockies...

California's snowpack will also see a major boost. Feet of Sierra snow and some heavy snow in the Southern California mountains is likely next week. Travel in this higher terrain will become increasingly challenging, if not impossible, at times.

Despite the travel challenge, this boost in Sierra snowpack is needed, as it's currently running only about 55% of average for this time of the year, according to the California Department of Water Resources...

As my Grandfather used to say... The whole State is gonna dry up and blow away, again, if we don't get more. However, I'd just as soon it were spread out over the whole winter than waiting to the last minute and leaving us hoping we get 'enough.'

[user120312]

While more snow is good for the CA state's water users, cold temps can put a strain on the grid and that broken penstock at Bullards Bar in the Yuba River watershed took out 340 megawatts of generation in a few minutes a couple days ago. Fortunately, lake level is manageable and the main spillway can handle the extra 3500 cfs now shut off to the powerhouse without a problem. I bet that'll be down for a year or more. Fortunately no one was killed but five employees had to be helicoptered out due to the deluge taking out the road.

Reminded me of that time when the Helms Project spit out a penstock and tossed a big Cat bulldozer and a bunch of debris into Wishon. The good old days. Stay warm!

[jarhead714]

Pretty late in the year but I guess that means skiing until probably late July.

[user120312]

Near freezing right now and I noted the pitch of the rain on the roof and awnings changed. Sounds like we're getting a mix of snow and rain right now. There's a freeze warning for tomorrow and Wednesday. Finally some winter