PROPANE GOOD, GASOLINE BAD

Last year I decided that if I made it through one of the inevitable tropical depressions without losing power that I would do something about it...like make the investment for a generator.

But as you can see, there is a recognizable difference with this generator, it's propane powered.
Gasoline has its advantages, it's cheap readily available and I've usually got some on hand for my boat.
Big disadvantage is: it goes off...that's right, it doesn't work after a certain length of time...like a few months of sitting in the Florida heat.
So, that being said, there is a real advantage to propane in that it never goes off, the refilling station is even closer than the nearest gas station and it will sit happily and safely in that large gray tank for years...until it's finally ready.
I got the tank on Craigs list. Oh yeah, before I forget to tell you...check the expiry date on the collar of the tank! They won't fill them for you if they have expired.
In any case, got the tank roped it fast to the boat trailer...you do not want a tank coming off the trailer...and took it to the filling station. Roughly speaking, about three days worth of electrical power in there.

Another really good feature is that you can use this tank for several purposes...the connector easily comes off and the tank can be used to fire the bar-b-que or even the lawn mower...well yes, I even have a propane powered lawn mower. It also refills the little tank for the antique stove inside.
The whole idea, is not to be 'off the grid' entirely. No, it's more like being able to survive with a reasonable degree of comfort with the grid no longer functional. Here, it's almost a yearly occurrence, that a tropical storm will cut the power. Usually only for a few hours but occasionally for days at a time. That's when the generator and its non-degradable fuel source comes in handy.
Oddly enough, it's Claudia, in Ohio, who has had need for this more than me! Poor girl is at the end of the repair line, so that every power outage from trees knocking down power lines she's always the last back up and running.
But there is an even better solution and when she gets here we're going to work on it. "Solar" First for hot water. How obvious can you get? You can burn yourself from water in a hose that's been left out in the sun. So first thing is a solar hot water heater. But photovoltaic(PV) is on the agenda as well. The house is situated on a north south axis so PV collectors would be just perfect on the porch and house roof.
The big draw card for Claudia...spreadsheets and data collection to the bone this girl...is that along with a weather station it's all recordable, collectable and therefore comparable.
In a word. "Shareable"
I'm building a pc from parts from parts for the first time. I not sure but I think it most likely will be re-purposed into a 'server'. That's right, a year or two from now and you might be able to look all this up on line real time and just see for yourself what a 'soft survivalist' can do.
Wish us luck!