Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Monsoon season is here and came in last night with a bang, literally. Thunder and lightning and rain galore. Took the dog out so she could pee on the front porch (it's concrete and hoses down easily) and not have to get in the weather. She is a tiny thing and scared to death of lightning. I was looking west of my house and happened to be watching when a lighting bolt hit a power transformer on a pole a block west of my house. Saw the bolt then the flash blinded me for a split second and I saw the transformer explode and then the pole caught fire. Every light for blocks went out. Things I learned: Solar power doesn't work when there's no sun in the sky. An $18.00 filet minion that has only been cooking for three minutes doesn't freeze and reheat well. It tasted alright but was about as chewy as an off-road tire. A six pound dog can dump about two gallons of pee when frightened. Your spare batteries will almost surely be dead after five years. I got by with two flashlights, but my electric lanterns didn't work. Four air freshening candles don't put out much light and stink like hell if they aren't all the same scent. They now reside in the trash. Reading, even a good book, isn't easy with these conditions and my tired old eyes. The power company brought a portable transformer on a flat bed and hooked it up down the block a ways, and had the lights back on in three hours. They were removing the pole by 6:00 am and putting up a new transformer as of 10:00. Should be done by noon. Those guys don't get paid enough to work in that kind of weather. My town is ready for monsoons, but failed miserably in the last big snow storm. (Worst one since 1958 according to the local paper.) And how was your evening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Having lived in hurricane areas for half a century I tend to keep lots of auxiliary power items around. Seeing as how we now live at 7’000 feet in sagebrush territory and lightning is rare as chicken lips, this is probably meteorologistical paranoia. Hurricane oil lamps work well and are a kitschy decorating accent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Standing at garage entrance when the mother of all bolts struck in front of me. I still see spots and the blast echo is still ringing. Decided I didn't need to step out to my pickup after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorelei Longshot, SASS #44256 Life Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Whole house generators are wonderful in these situations. After living through Hurricane Alicia for a week without power less than a week after a C-section, I swore that if I ever moved and could afford one, I would have one. When through Hurricane Harvey in 2017, but only lost power for 30 minutes while a couple of weeks ago, the power company was working and the power was out over 4 hours. Generator came on less than 15 seconds after the power went off. Summer in Houston/Gulf Coast area without a/c is a killer. We're expecting 100 or more temps for 3 days this week. I couldn't live without a/c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Kit Cool Gun Garth Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 @Forty Rod SASS 3935, I gave you a on your post as opposed to giving you a as it may have been misinterpreted. So I am giving you a big For your analysis of what you learned. That was hilarious stuff. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 I think what Marshal is trying to say is...is...well...I am not sure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 My run in with lightning, about 100 yds from my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Go to the 99 cent store and get some of those “Catholic Candles”. At least that is what I call them. They are fairly large unscented white candles in a glass jar type thing. They last like 48 hours or more. Clear with white wax works best. And you can heat soup on 4 of them. Store them standing upright because the wax is soft and will melt in a hot garage. Guess how I know? Get a crank / solar radio and a crank solar lantern. Cool stuff. Emergency NOAA Weather Crank Solar Powered Portable Radio with 2000mAh Battery Power for Cell Phone, Bright Flashlight and SOS Alarm for Household Emergency and Outdoor Survival https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MCQWS44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MHvBDbTNCEZWF Energizer Weatheready 3-LED Carabineer Rechargeable Crank Light, Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MFK7BS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1KvBDb9WB5TQ5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Never use candles unless they are in a protected container. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 LED lights will last longer on batteries, than any dang candle-Safer too....... OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 I've lived in Tampa Bay FL, the "Lightning Capitol of the US" for 50+ years. Been through some close ones. You can tell they're close because all your hair stands up on your body and the flash/boom are at the same time...even has a smell that I can't describe. When the flash and the boom are about 5 seconds apart, I go inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulp, SASS#28319 Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 The U-haul truck I was driving one night was struck by lightning. All I knew is it was very close. My wife was following me in our car, she said the truck was completely wrapped in arcs. Scared her badly, but she finally decided I was OK since I didn’t run off the road and into a ditch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 14 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said: I've lived in Tampa Bay FL, the "Lightning Capitol of the US" for 50+ years. Been through some close ones. You can tell they're close because all your hair stands up on your body and the flash/boom are at the same time...even has a smell that I can't describe. When the flash and the boom are about 5 seconds apart, I go inside. Smells like ozone. This one that hit last night was just about 100 yards away and they were coming so close together that my hair never got a chance to lay back down. I don't think a generator is my future. We don't get that many power outages and I already have a battery emergency supply on order. Uses four 24 volt batteries and recharges from my house solar panels. Supposed to be good for about ten hours and is mostly going to be used to keep my fridge from getting too warm. Maybe I'll hook up one wall circuit so I can run a small fan to cool things down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 7 hours ago, Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L said: My run in with lightning, about 100 yds from my house. Oh h**l, that happened 20’ from my house years ago. IIRC, I just threw my shorts in the trash. Cost $1200 to bring that oak tree down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 It's far enough away I'm just gonna let nature take it's course and have some more firewood and maybe take some of it to the saw mill and make a bench out of it. I have some old wagon wheels I was looking for a purpose for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 I was walking through a maintenance yard carrying a 5 gal can of gas. As 8 walked within about 5 feet o& a 250 foot antenna tower my hair stood up. By the time 5he holt hit the tower I was a good 75 feet away. I think the gas can hadn’t even hit the ground yet. it sheared of the top 10 feet of the tower and it came down like an arrow, I’m bedding itself in the ground pretty much where I had been walking. I have many lightning stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MizPete Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 My Dad was LEO when I was born; his partner was my Uncle Jimmy (Stewart. for real). Yard rolling got to be an epidemic when I was in High School, to the point the police were running kids in for it. When my Mama discovered the stash of (stolen) TP under my bed, she instituted the mantra: Don't (embarass your father) Call Me From Jail. I raised my family accordingly: Don't Call Me From Jail. Then Petey goes off with a friend to race little toy airplanes. Couldn't wait to call me: Guess where we are! Their car had been struck by lightning & the local cops offered them an empty cell until the electrics in the car had been repaired. When he called, I had something to share, but I found I could not compete with struck by lightning. Soooo not surprised with that duo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawhorse Kid Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 Well lets see, I watched the 2 mountains across the street ( 1 mile or so ) disappear in the dust....So, yes is was a really good storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 On 9/2/2019 at 10:38 AM, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: The power company brought a portable transformer on a flat bed and hooked it up down the block a ways, and had the lights back on in three hours. They were removing the pole by 6:00 am and putting up a new transformer as of 10:00. Should be done by noon. Those guys don't get paid enough to work in that kind of weather. I used to be involved in a lineman training program at Highlands College in Butte - these guys and wildland firefighters are a special breed of super-humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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