Quote from: BobLawblaw on Today at 06:56:10 PM

Quote from: Karartma1 on Today at 06:30:38 PM

Quote from: BobLawblaw on Today at 06:14:37 PM

Stay warm and safe, friends.

Is this really you, Bob? Grin

Faced with the prospect of freezing to death, you become pretty fucking cheery when the heat comes back on.

Long version:
(feel free to skip to the end)

We got power outages after heavy snowfall and/or storms (or much snow followed by rain) over here, about two times per winter. Normally they last 6-10 hours, because we're in an area where quite many households per square mile are supplied, at least for countryside measures, so these come first when the powerlines are repaired.
This winter we had a power outage lasting for two and a half day (!), because one of the two largest 380 Kilovolt lines ripped apart, which sends a shockwave between the neighboring poles to the left and right. They had to cut away and rebuild almost three quarter miles of power lines. Luckily, we live across the main street, which is the border of the two power supply zones. It were a good 10 hours without power, no hassle. We all got energy efficient houses, they keep the warmth inside a little longer, as long as you keep the doors and windows closed.

Now, three years ago, we had power outage number two. No more than six hours BUT when the energy supply company switched the line on and off repeatedly, our heating system died (geothermal heat pump) and the support guy needed two days to get to us. A brilliant guy, he already pre-ordered the needed parts, or else we eould have to wait another 2 weekdays for the repair. Temperatures were just around freezing. Temperature went down a good 9 degrees inside, so we slept in sleeping bags with our clothes on.

So far so good, last summer the heating fucked off because a lightning hit near our house and killed the electronics through the outside temperature sensor. SARS-CoV-2 made the service companies half as quick and the brilliant guy already left for a better job. Now it took seven days (over the weekend) for the tech to show up, with nothing but his toolbox Roll Eyes

He needed almost two hours to know what to do and which parts to order. A VERY talkative dude, with little skill. He knew a shitload about cars, as i was forced to find out. It was friday again, so he showed up four days later with the parts and repaired the system SLOW AF.
I never seen a tech working this slow before.
If we suffer a defect in winter, we're fucked. We would have to move out for a while or freeze to death.

That's why my plans after taking profit near the peak of this cycle includes an autonomous photovoltaic power supply for the house., maybe coupled with wind energy.

Short version:
I can really feel you, bro Grin