About a Quarter of Molokai Lost Power

[slip]

A truck hit a power pole and a quarter of the island was without power. We just got ours back after over 3 hours.

I had our Bluetti AC200MAX solar generator all plugged into everything in no time. Then I set up our cell booster and we were streaming TV in minutes.

We only used about 10% of our stored power in over 3 hours. We figured it wouldn't be an extended outage so we weren't conserving any power. We ran the TV and the refrigerator the whole time. We used the microwave a few times too.

This is the 4th time we have lost power for over 3 hours in the 7 months since we arrived. When we lose power it does take a while for it to come back on.

I did finally get a cart for it a few weeks ago. We don't have to move it really but it will be easier now and it makes it much easier to clean around.

My wife was skeptical about getting the system but she loves it now and says it was well worth it every time we have to use it.

 

[DaveNV]

So this gadget lives in your condo, and you just plug it in when needed? I presume you have to trip off the main breaker from the street? How does it plug in to control your entire condo? How expensive was it? I know you talked about this when you bought it, but I don't recall the specifics.

Inquiring minds (the curious kind) definitely want to know.

Dave

 

[slip]

So this gadget lives in your condo, and you just plug it in when needed? I presume you have to trip off the main breaker from the street? How does it plug in to control your entire condo? How expensive was it? I know you talked about this when you bought it, but I don't recall the specifics.

Inquiring minds (the curious kind) definitely want to know.

Dave

I never installed a transfer switch. With that I would be able to just plug this in and my condo would work just like normal.

Because I don't have many big power draw items, I decided to just run off of extension cords when I have to use it. I was able to set up cords and power strip around the one wall of the condo that has the most items plugged in (refrigerator, TV, WIFI). I can have items running of this in a minute. Then the only other things are the microwave, toaster , airfryer and coffee maker. I run one cord across the room for when we want to run any of that. They all just run a short time.

Most of our lights in the condo are lamps so I can just plug those in. For a few areas I have some rechargeable lights that run off a remote and can be recharged off this unit.

So I bought this unit on a pre-release for $4,500. It has a 2,200 watt inverter that can handle a 4,000 watt surge. They are more expensive now. I went with the larger batteries so I have 8.2kwh of storage. The batteries can be recharged 3,500 times and then the batteries will only lose 20% of there storage. That's almost 10 years of daily charging and discharging. So the batteries should last many years after that.

As soon as the power came back I plugged it in to charge it back up. It took about 2 hours. Now we're at 100% and we're ready for another outage.

They have come out with 2 larger models since I bought mine but this one fits my needs perfectly. If I were still in Wisconsin, I probably would have went with the new 5000 watt version.

You can get individual pieces to put together your own system probably for a little over half the cost but this is portable and just pug and play. It fit my needs perfectly.

So far we have lost power 4 times since we moved here and all were over 3 hour in duration. We're really happy to have it so far.
It really is easy peasy.

 

[DaveNV]

Thanks for the info. When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I had a gas-powered generator we used at my rural home. Power there would go off for no reason quite often, and stay off for hours, sometimes overnight, before coming back on with no explanation. It was infuriating. So I built into the system a way to cut off street power to the house, plug in the gas generator, fire it up, and run the house comfortably till the street power was again available. It was relatively efficient, for what it was, and when I did it (late 1980s.)

Now, here in Nevada, we're at the mercy of the power company. They generally are stable, but power does periodically go out for varied amounts of time. Last time was about eight hours, during a hot Summer day. We were unable to power up anything. We closed up the house as best we could, and left home for the day. By the time we got back, power had returned, and things were running fine. We decided we don't want to be at the mercy of the power company like that in the future, and we want a way to generate our own power. So that's why we're interested.

I can see I'll have to do some leg work to figure out our demand. I know certain things aren't critical, like the swimming pool filter or heater. But having household a/c would be. Certain circuits in the house aren't going to be needed, but the WiFi connection and TV power would probably be important. So I'll have to decide how best to do this.

The other option is to factor in the cost against converting our solar system to a battery storage system that would run the house if the grid power was unavailable. Failing that, a portable system like you have to run certain systems in the house would be worthwhile.

Fascinating project. Thanks for piquing my interest!

Dave

 

[slip]

Thanks for the info. When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I had a gas-powered generator we used at my rural home. Power there would go off for no reason quite often, and stay off for hours, sometimes overnight, before coming back on with no explanation. It was infuriating. So I built into the system a way to cut off street power to the house, plug in the gas generator, fire it up, and run the house comfortably till the street power was again available. It was relatively efficient, for what it was, and when I did it (late 1980s.)

Now, here in Nevada, we're at the mercy of the power company. They generally are stable, but power does periodically go out for varied amounts of time. Last time was about eight hours, during a hot Summer day. We were unable to power up anything. We closed up the house as best we could, and left home for the day. By the time we got back, power had returned, and things were running fine. We decided we don't want to be at the mercy of the power company like that in the future, and we want a way to generate our own power. So that's why we're interested.

I can see I'll have to do some leg work to figure out our demand. I know certain things aren't critical, like the swimming pool filter or heater. But having household a/c would be. Certain circuits in the house aren't going to be needed, but the WiFi connection and TV power would probably be important. So I'll have to decide how best to do this.

The other option is to factor in the cost against converting our solar system to a battery storage system that would run the house if the grid power was unavailable. Failing that, a portable system like you have to run certain systems in the house would be worthwhile.

Fascinating project. Thanks for piquing my interest!

Dave

For where you live, A/C is a must have so I would go with adding battery storage to your current system. To run a central A/C unit you need 240v. You can do that with two 3,000 or 5,000 watt systems like mine. So that's double the cost. The only other benefit with the system like mine is that it is portable. My top unit is 60 pounds so I can take that almost anywhere and have electricity. But I don't know how much you would use that? I have yet to move mine but this size unit was perfect for me.

There are so many options out there your head is going to be spinning. Stick with the major manufacturers and you'll find something that will be best for you.

 

[DaveNV]

For where you live, A/C is a must have so I would go with adding battery storage to your current system. To run a central A/C unit you need 240v. You can do that with two 3,000 or 5,000 watt systems like mine. So that's double the cost. The only other benefit with the system like mine is that it is portable. My top unit is 60 pounds so I can take that almost anywhere and have electricity. But I don't know how much you would use that? I have yet to move mine but this size unit was perfect for me.

There are so many options out there your head is going to be spinning. Stick with the major manufacturers and you'll find something that will be best for you.

Found this YouTube video

that compares the top portable versions like you have. (I think yours is the one they recommend.) I watched about half of this, but see we need to find a more robust solution than a portable. But I like the idea of something that recharges using solar, which we have an abundance of here.

We just rolled over the one year mark of having solar installed on our roof. We generated just a smidge less than 20mWh for the year. (19.8+, actually) date to date for the first year. They promised us about 16mWh on install, so we're well ahead of the game. I'm very pleased. But now I want to see how much further we can press the issue, and come up with a solar generator type option for when the power goes out.

(Side note: I'm using solar for other things around here too. Our landscaping lights are mostly all solar powered. And I installed three Ring security cameras to document activity along the sides and back of the house, including around the pool area. Those cameras have internal batteries, but I attached solar panels to them to keep the batteries recharged. Zero maintenance for me, and I'm happy with the performance.)

Since I live in the desert where it's sunny nearly every day, I want use as much alternative (solar) energy as I can.

Dave

 

[slip]

Found this YouTube video

that compares the top portable versions like you have. (I think yours is the one they recommend.) I watched about half of this, but see we need to find a more robust solution than a portable. But I like the idea of something that recharges using solar, which we have an abundance of here.

We just rolled over the one year mark of having solar installed on our roof. We generated just a smidge less than 20mWh for the year. (19.8+, actually) date to date for the first year. They promised us about 16mWh on install, so we're well ahead of the game. I'm very pleased. But now I want to see how much further we can press the issue, and come up with a solar generator type option for when the power goes out.

(Side note: I'm using solar for other things around here too. Our landscaping lights are mostly all solar powered. And I installed three Ring security cameras to document activity along the sides and back of the house, including around the pool area. Those cameras have internal batteries, but I attached solar panels to them to keep the batteries recharged. Zero maintenance for me, and I'm happy with the performance.)

Since I live in the desert where it's sunny nearly every day, I want use as much alternative (solar) energy as I can.

Dave

Yep, I watched tons of videos and the two main manufacturers on the cutting edge for portable solar generators are Ecoflow and Bluetti right now.

Check with your installer on how the Nevada power companies work. Many people are adding battery storage and then running their house off the batteries during high peak cost times.

This will all be based on your consumption of course. We only use about 100kwh's a month. That's not much. I wouldn't be surprised if your using 3 to 4 times or more than me.

Because these new batteries last through so many chargings and dischargings now, running off the batteries when power is expensive will save some money. The other big benefit is powering your house during any power outage.

The initial outlay is always the biggest obstacle. It may be many years before you get payback and it may not be worth it but you will always have the peace of mind to be prepared for an outage. It can be hard to but a dollar value on that.

Check out Will Prowse on YouTube he will have more reviews of options that will fit more for your situation. He's one of the main solar gurus on YouTube. I think he lives in Nevada too. Here's one example.

Keep looking and you'll find a couple of options. Then you'll just have to decide if the expense is worth it.

 

[lynne]

Found this YouTube video

that compares the top portable versions like you have. (I think yours is the one they recommend.) I watched about half of this, but see we need to find a more robust solution than a portable. But I like the idea of something that recharges using solar, which we have an abundance of here.

We just rolled over the one year mark of having solar installed on our roof. We generated just a smidge less than 20mWh for the year. (19.8+, actually) date to date for the first year. They promised us about 16mWh on install, so we're well ahead of the game. I'm very pleased. But now I want to see how much further we can press the issue, and come up with a solar generator type option for when the power goes
(Side note: I'm using solar for other things around here too. Our landscaping lights are mostly all solar powered. And I installed three Ring security cameras to document activity along the sides and back of the house, including around the pool area. Those cameras have internal batteries, but I attached solar panels to them to keep the batteries recharged. Zero maintenance for me, and I'm happy with the performance.)

Since I live in the desert where it's sunny nearly every day, I want use as much alternative (solar) energy as I can.

Dave

Aloha Dave,

We are in the same situation here in Hawaii. Our solar is net metered into the electric company and when the power goes out, HELCO shuts off all solar systems connected to them as a safety precaution. After numerous power outages this summer, we are installing a Tesla Powerwall that will switch on automatically when HELCO shuts down the power. We are in the process of the fnal approvals with the county and HELCO and are hoping to get it installed by the end of the year. We will qualify for a 26% federal rebate on the battery backup. It is not inexpensive, but it will take care of everything in the house with the exception of appliances that have a large power draw like dryers, dishwashers and our pool pump. These items can be run during the daytime when the power will come directly from our solar panels which will also trickle charge the battery.

We have a transfer switch that we installed when we built the house, but it was a pain to bring out the gas powered generator which was very noisy and required constant maintenance to keep it operating.

I am not advocating Tesla as the solution for everyone, but it is the only battery backup that has been approved by our local electric company and works with our Enphase microinverters.

Lynn

 

[slip]

Aloha Dave,

We are in the same situation here in Hawaii. Our solar is net metered into the electric company and when the power goes out, HELCO shuts off all solar systems connected to them as a safety precaution. After numerous power outages this summer, we are installing a Tesla Powerwall that will switch on automatically when HELCO shuts down the power. We are in the process of the fnal approvals with the county and HELCO and are hoping to get it installed by the end of the year. We will qualify for a 26% federal rebate on the battery backup. It is not inexpensive, but it will take care of everything in the house with the exception of appliances that have a large power draw like dryers, dishwashers and our pool pump. These items can be run during the daytime when the power will come directly from our solar panels which will also trickle charge the battery.

We have a transfer switch that we installed when we built the house, but it was a pain to bring out the gas powered generator which was very noisy and required constant maintenance to keep it operating.

I am not advocating Tesla as the solution for everyone, but it is the only battery backup that has been approved by our local electric company and works with our Enphase microinverters.

Lynn

Tesla Powerwalls have a good reputation and have been around for years now. They are definitely an option. Just about any solution will be expensive so every one has to decide If it's worth it for themselves.

When we lived in town in Wisconsin, I would never have considered a year of these systems. We rarely lost power and when we did it would only be for a few minutes. It was like that for the 20 years we lived there.

When we moved to a rural subdivision we would have 4 to 6 long outages a year and I would have definitely bought one of these systems but they weren't around back then.
This market is changing very fast and the systems keep getting bigger, better and cheaper.

 

[DaveNV]

Yep, I watched tons of videos and the two main manufacturers on the cutting edge for portable solar generators are Ecoflow and Bluetti right now.

Check with your installer on how the Nevada power companies work. Many people are adding battery storage and then running their house off the batteries during high peak cost times.

This will all be based on your consumption of course. We only use about 100kwh's a month. That's not much. I wouldn't be surprised if your using 3 to 4 times or more than me.

Because these new batteries last through so many chargings and dischargings now, running off the batteries when power is expensive will save some money. The other big benefit is powering your house during any power outage.

The initial outlay is always the biggest obstacle. It may be many years before you get payback and it may not be worth it but you will always have the peace of mind to be prepared for an outage. It can be hard to but a dollar value on that.

Check out Will Prowse on YouTube he will have more reviews of options that will fit more for your situation. He's one of the main solar gurus on YouTube. I think he lives in Nevada too. Here's one example.

Keep looking and you'll find a couple of options. Then you'll just have to decide if the expense is worth it.

Thanks, Jeff. I'm researching, for sure.

Our power here doesn't have peak hour pricing. It's a flat rate based on usage, and prices are fairly low. Based on a month's billing, the first 500kWh are charged at 6.72 cents per kWh. The usage from 501kWh to 2000kWh are charged at 8.72 cents per kWh. And anything from 2001kWh on up is charged at 10.72 cents per kWh. The time of day the charge occurred doesn't matter. So it's not so much about the cost as it is having no electricity if the power goes out. I'm less concerned about the cost as I am having no power when it's over 100 degrees outside.

I saw one video by Will Prowse, but will pursue more by him. He seemed very knowledgable.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Aloha Dave,

We are in the same situation here in Hawaii. Our solar is net metered into the electric company and when the power goes out, HELCO shuts off all solar systems connected to them as a safety precaution. After numerous power outages this summer, we are installing a Tesla Powerwall that will switch on automatically when HELCO shuts down the power. We are in the process of the fnal approvals with the county and HELCO and are hoping to get it installed by the end of the year. We will qualify for a 26% federal rebate on the battery backup. It is not inexpensive, but it will take care of everything in the house with the exception of appliances that have a large power draw like dryers, dishwashers and our pool pump. These items can be run during the daytime when the power will come directly from our solar panels which will also trickle charge the battery.

We have a transfer switch that we installed when we built the house, but it was a pain to bring out the gas powered generator which was very noisy and required constant maintenance to keep it operating.

I am not advocating Tesla as the solution for everyone, but it is the only battery backup that has been approved by our local electric company and works with our Enphase microinverters.

Lynn

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for the info. You're pretty much right where we are, in terms of our system and options. The Tesla battery wall is likely what we'll go with, (or something similar) if we get to that point. We also have a solar system with Enphase micro inverters, and net metering with the local power company. I'll have to research the powering-down the solar systems during a power failure - not sure how that would work. If power is down, isn't the solar system down as well? Either way, I'd want to have the system operate the house as well as possible with minimal interference from me.

I appreciate the info. My research continues!

Dave

 

[slip]

Thanks, Jeff. I'm researching, for sure.

Our power here doesn't have peak hour pricing. It's a flat rate based on usage, and prices are fairly low. Based on a month's billing, the first 500kWh are charged at 6.72 cents per kWh. The usage from 501kWh to 2000kWh are charged at 8.72 cents per kWh. And anything from 2001 on up is charged at 10.72 cents per kWh. The time of day the charge occurred doesn't matter. So it's not so much about the cost as it is having no electricity if the power goes out. I'm less concerned about the cost as I am having no power when it's over 100 degrees outside.

I saw one video by Will Prowse, but will pursue more by him. He seemed very knowledgable.

Dave

It's amazing how every state is different. It's great to have those cheap electricity rates but that's what makes the paybacks on solar tough. Especially with a storage battery system.

There's a system out there that will work. It will all depend on the price.

 

[DaveNV]

It's amazing how every state is different. It's great to have those cheap electricity rates but that's what makes the paybacks on solar tough. Especially with a storage battery system.

There's a system out there that will work. It will all depend on the price.

I agree. And I figure the best ROI will be when we sell. The next owner will score big, because this stuff they want will be in this house, and it'll have a proven track record of successful management. But we'll also get our invested money back in profit on the house. The improvements we've made are huge demand items here. A pool and solar are two major things people want here. Add in the 100 other things we've done to this house, and it's a win-win all around.

Dave

 

[pedro47]

To slip and DaveNV, thanks for sharing this very informative information.

 

[triangulum33]

I had our Bluetti AC200MAX solar generator all plugged into everything in no time. Then I set up our cell booster and we were streaming TV in minutes.

We have the same unit with four 200W solar panels to run our fridge and essentials during power outages in NorCal. We take it camping too.

 

[DaveNV]

We have the same unit with four 200W solar panels to run our fridge and essentials during power outages in NorCal. We take it camping too.

I like that you can use solar to recharge the unit. Trying to figure out how we can implement this here. We have great exposure for solar, just need to figure out how much equipment we'd need to make things practical. Decisions, decisions...

Dave

 

[slip]

We have the same unit with four 200W solar panels to run our fridge and essentials during power outages in NorCal. We take it camping too.

I have three 200 watt panels.
The unit is really nice when you can take advantage of the portability also, like you are doing.

 

[lynne]

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for the info. You're pretty much right where we are, in terms of our system and options. The Tesla battery wall is likely what we'll go with, (or something similar) if we get to that point. We also have a solar system with Enphase micro inverters, and net metering with the local power company. I'll have to research the powering-down the solar systems during a power failure - not sure how that would work. If power is down, isn't the solar system down as well? Either way, I'd want to have the system operate the house as well as possible with minimal interference from me.

I appreciate the info. My research continues!

Dave

For those on net metering solar, the powerwall battery backup is connected to your electric panel. We are currntly in the permitting stage with the electric company, the county has approved the request. When there is an outage, the switch to battery is automatic. I am not well versed in how all of this happens but our friends in California have this system (also Enphase microinverters) and they say it works seemlessly when thier electric company disconnects their power (and solar) from the grid during an outage. Enphase also has a battery backup but it is almost twice the cost of the tesla battery.

 

[DaveNV]

For those on net metering solar, the powerwall battery backup is connected to your electric panel. We are currntly in the permitting stage with the electric company, the county has approved the request. When there is an outage, the switch to battery is automatic. I am not well versed in how all of this happens but our friends in California have this system (also Enphase microinverters) and they say it works seemlessly when thier electric company disconnects their power (and solar) from the grid during an outage. Enphase also has a battery backup but it is almost twice the cost of the tesla battery.

I can see I'll need to speak with our solar installation company. They're pretty responsive, so this will be educational. Thanks for the info!

Dave

 

[Tamaradarann]

A truck hit a power pole and a quarter of the island was without power. We just got ours back after over 3 hours.

I had our Bluetti AC200MAX solar generator all plugged into everything in no time. Then I set up our cell booster and we were streaming TV in minutes.

We only used about 10% of our stored power in over 3 hours. We figured it wouldn't be an extended outage so we weren't conserving any power. We ran the TV and the refrigerator the whole time. We used the microwave a few times too.

This is the 4th time we have lost power for over 3 hours in the 7 months since we arrived. When we lose power it does take a while for it to come back on.

I did finally get a cart for it a few weeks ago. We don't have to move it really but it will be easier now and it makes it much easier to clean around.

My wife was skeptical about getting the system but she loves it now and says it was well worth it every time we have to use it.

View attachment 67175View attachment 67177View attachment 67178View attachment 67179

That is great that you have the backup power, particularly since you have so many power outages in your area. We did have a short, a couple of hours, outage here in Waikiki a few months back. HECO was on top of it right away.

 

[slip]

That is great that you have the backup power, particularly since you have so many power outages in your area. We did have a short, a couple of hours, outage here in Waikiki a few months back. HECO was on top of it right away.

We only lost power twice in the 3 years we lived in Waikiki. One time it was about 5 minutes and the other was a couple hours. We were out grocery shopping and came back to no power. I made the mistake of walking up the stairs with some groceries, 3rd floor to the 26th floor. No fun. I waited up in the apartment while my wife waited in the car. The power came on about 10 minutes after I finally made it up to the apartment.

My wife came up a few minutes later when the elevators came back on. I told her I wouldn't do that again.

 

[DaveNV]

We only lost power twice in the 3 years we lived in Waikiki. One time it was about 5 minutes and the other was a couple hours. We were out grocery shopping and came back to no power. I made the mistake of walking up the stairs with some groceries, 3rd floor to the 26th floor. No fun. I waited up in the apartment while my wife waited in the car. The power came on about 10 minutes after I finally made it up to the apartment.

My wife came up a few minutes later when the elevators came back on. I told her I wouldn't do that again.

There is something to be said for living in a low-rise building.

Dave

 

[slip]

There is something to be said for living in a low-rise building.

Dave

That was the only time I regretted li ung on the 26th floor. I should have just waited. My wife still reminds me of that once in a while when we get in an elevator.

 

[DaveNV]

That was the only time I regretted li ung on the 26th floor. I should have just waited. My wife still reminds me of that once in a while when we get in an elevator.

I'm sure the views were great. That side of Waikiki has a great views up toward Makiki.

Dave

 

[slip]

We did live the views.