Renderotica

After PG&E burned down a few towns last year, they decide to cut power to 800,000 people this year... so that means I won't be Daz'ing for a few days.

Yay California-style democratic-capitalism.

Lol, they shut it down because of the high winds and will restore it when it dies down. If its anything like Billings Mon-fucking-tana, the power will never be turned back on. I hate the wind here.

Nope, they will ban Solar Panels next stating they are made with cancer causing materials which will make them illegal in good ole CA.

The sole reason for the shut down is that they lost their bid with the Supreme court this summer to bill customers the fees to repair lines from a major fire 2-3 years ago,  The Supreme court said NO and so now the Power outages will be a major thing to cope with every time the wind blows

What gets me is companies usually take out insurance for things like this  But I was told that if they had won the suit  each customer would have had to fork over some $2000 spread out over 2-3 years so that would have been about $15 a month added to bill.  even if your were not a client out in the boonies.

As to solar  there has been some sort of talk that our local company would charge a one time exit fee of $100  to switch to solar but the initial cost of Solar for a home like mine is about $15 K  but here is the rub most of the solar companies are also roofers so if your roof has 15 years left on it like mine.  They say OK our Solar panels are good for 25 years but your roof is not  why not do both for an additional $5K  so Now I am up to $20K  and as for the batteries,  they do not sell them to you you have to lease them as some $89 a month.. so when you weigh in the cost and that fact that I'm 70 and may never see the full value of an investment,  I will stay with my electric company and pay $179 to $250 a month depending on the season..  It's a bitch but I wish solar had been invented like 20 years ago as I might have gone for it.

But really I can't see utilities griping so much as if you are not using as much current as yur panels put out,  you are pumping power back to the companies as you meter turns backwards

Minor solution...  There is a company called GOAL ZERO that makes huge lithium batteries that can last for 12+ hours and can be recharged via small collaspable solar panels in about 10 hours  I have the Yetti 1000 that I keep charged up for emergency shuts downs.  The front panel has 2 110 outlets. 4 USB outlets plus another ou let I cannot fathom what it is used for  but anyway I can power my Power recliners, CPAP machine, Fans and a TV or laptop if I wanted to with a meter in the front that tells me how much power is left in the Lithium cell.

My battery cost $1K   Yeti 1000 (Special Unit Built for Costco) and if I went with the solar panels that's about $200 more  They were designed for campers but in an emergency They come in quite handy  I also have a smaller unit in the garage that I use for my Solar water heater system That one is made by duracell and it will last for 6 hrs

https://www.goalzero.com/?msclkid=379e02d5c9931e7ab5355f7541c6a625&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=802%3A%20Text%20-%20Brand%20-%20Restructure&utm_term=goal%20zero&utm_content=Goal%20Zero

 

 Regards  Shado

The problem with Solar is this... most are hooked to the grid, and when the grid is down, you are down. You need an isolated solar power system to stay up.

That battery system with solar? That can definitely work.

Solar shit on your roof, connected to the grid? Worthless in an emergency.

...

PG&E sucks. Californians suck. There's a lot of reasons why this blackout happened, and as backwards as PG&E is, the state has plenty to do with their failures as well. (Hello CPUC.)

I like Texas, but my work is here. It's also very, very humid down there. And tornados instead of earthquakes.

A lot of Californians in Austin, also. :-\

Never posted in this forum so I better make it a good one.....

If you live north of Oklahoma City, your solar panel will never pay for itself. It will start breaking down and it will be a write-off before you get your money's worth.


You really want to consider getting out while the getting is good, otherwise you might never be able to -

All those pricey urban meccas could become crime-ridden ghost towns. How could such a reversal occur? Everyone who lives outside protected enclaves will reach a point where the "urban lifestyle" is no longer worth the sacrifices and costs. Once enough of the top 10% leave, the food/beverage service industry implodes. Service employees are renters, paying sky-high rents that unemployment can't cover. Vacant apartments pile up. As the exodus gathers momentum, all the reasons people clung so rabidly to urban meccas decay. Local government jacks up fees, tickets, permits and taxes, accelerating the exodus. That's how pricey urban meccas turn into ghost towns inhabited by those who can't leave and those living on public services.

And if you do make it to Texas, PLEASE don't vote to make it more like California.
You left for a reason, didn't you?

When one comes through a vast pass that overlooks the palm desert area of California ( aka Palm Springs ) ,  if it is your first visit you are overwhelmed by the massive three bladed wind turbines that generate current to the area.  row upon row and as far as the eye can see, it is an awesome site even if they do spoil the overall view ..   Our country needs alternative energy and if it prospers in other parts of the nation so much the better.BTW  we also have wind  turbines just east of San Francisco catching the sea breezes and spinning at top speed.

I would hate to think that we laid back, quiche eating, wine sipping Californians would want to spread our influence where it is not wanted. Yes we do ban assault weapons and we allow planned Parenthood to thrive and we do sell pot for recreational use But we do love our sun and beaches and do our best to stop smog emissions so we can try to breath somewhat clean air ..  Unless you live in Los Angeles  hard to do anything about air quality there..

However, our  Utilities companies are greedy SOB's and stick it to us anyway they can As I said earlier,  they did not maintain their lines,  the high winds blew them down and started fires and they want the Californians to pay for not keeping their lines maintained properly.  As I also said  You should have insurance to cover these things as shit happens ..so stop thinking about your shareholders making huge profits and attend to your power grids in a sensable manner

Regards  Shadoman

 

 

nothing against the 2nd amendment..  as I used to hunt when I lived in Michigan  but we used Bow and arrows as it was more sporting .  But one does not need an assault rifle to Hunt game it would be like fishing in a lake and throwing a grenade in the water to catch the fish the explosion will bring up..  I have my old shot gun and some .22 cal Remmingtons along with a Ruger p-38 9-mm and the spouse's .357 magnum  so if anyone wants to tangle with us they will get a warm reception..

Not to mention if things ever got tough  I can make my own ammo for my hand guns and my rounds pack some punch if you catch my drift

I will admit that I had a thing for my M-16  when I was in Vietnam  but my true love ws the m-69 grenade launcher but those days are long gone and the need for weapons that rip and tear when they strike the body are overkill in the wrong hands

regards  Shadoman