Electricity

[Wayne Lomman]

Wikipedia: I know everything!
Google: I have everything!
Facebook: I know everyone!
Internet: Without me, you are nothing!
Electricity: Yep. Keep talking...

Cheers!

[Frederick Skelly]

So true.

[Nick Decker]

Excellent!

[Paul F Franklin]

LOL...reminds me of the old joke about the stomach, the heart, the brain, and the rectum......

[Jerome Stanek]

LOL...reminds me of the old joke about the stomach, the heart, the brain, and the rectum......

I almost posted that one

[Keith Outten]

Electricity is the best bargain of any consumer services or products for that matter. Only a very small percentage of people understand how expensive it is to generate and distribute electrical power. Add to the reasonable costs to purchase power the fact that it touches almost every aspect of our lives every single day and very few services would exist without electric power.

For the record I use to work in the power plant construction trades and later on in life I worked for Virginia Electric and Power Company. I can tell you that in Virginia the power company tells the Governor what to do, if he disagrees he faces the ultimate fist in his face.

[Jim Koepke]

Add to the reasonable costs to purchase power the fact that it touches almost every aspect of our lives every single day and very few services would exist without electric power.

This is especially true in rural areas. My water comes from a well with an electric pump. We do not have gas service in our home. This means the cooking and heating have to be electric or wood.

Then there is all of the other stuff that wouldn't work if it weren't for the magic of electrons coursing through wires.

jtk

[Kev Williams]

Some of the most entertaining reading I've ever done is trying to locate some actual code info, and reading how licensed electricians simply will not agree on anything.

Google 'code for romex in conduit', which btw is as vague as "if you don't know what's wrong I'm not telling you!" from an angry wife...

Then read what the experts have to say...

It's why I just try figure out the basics and then do it myself

[Mark Blatter]

Electricity is the best bargain of any consumer services or products for that matter. Only a very small percentage of people understand how expensive it is to generate and distribute electrical power. Add to the reasonable costs to purchase power the fact that it touches almost every aspect of our lives every single day and very few services would exist without electric power.

There is a term for living without electricity. It is called the Stone Age.

I read a book a few years back called One Second After about life after an EMP. Nothing worked, no cooling or heating, no cars (almost) computers, etc. Just like living in 1800.

[Wayne Lomman]

Jim, I live in a rural area at the very end of the power line. We use electricity for everything we can but water heating is electric, cooking is gas and space heating is firewood so we don't get caught by unreliable supply in one energy source. Cheers

[Frederick Skelly]

There is a term for living without electricity. It is called the Stone Age.

I read a book a few years back called One Second After about life after an EMP. Nothing worked, no cooling or heating, no cars (almost) computers, etc. Just like living in 1800.

I read that book. It scared the devil out of me because it is SO plausible. There's a sequel now too and it's a tad far-fetched but still thought provoking.

[Mark Blatter]

I read that book. It scared the devil out of me because it is SO plausible. There's a sequel now too and it's a tad far-fetched but still thought provoking.

I didn't know there was a sequel. I will have to get it and read it. Like you, One Second After was, and is, scary. As pointed out in this thread, our lives are almost 100% dependent on electricity. Without it we are simply toast. The skills and knowledge derived from 100 of years is long gone and most simply cannot survive without it. The other concern is the earth getting hit with an event like the 1859 solar storm, or even more powerful. Back into the dark ages we go.

[John K Jordan]

I read a book a few years back called One Second After about life after an EMP. Nothing worked, no cooling or heating, no cars (almost) computers, etc. Just like living in 1800.

A big solar flare could also be bad. Look up the Carrington Event in 1879. The only wired infrastructure at the time was the telegraph system there were disruptions, shocks and fires. http://www.history.com/news/a-perfec...rrington-event
One today would probably take out wired communication, satellites, cell phones, perhaps some power distribution.

There was a big one in 2014 that just missed the Earth.

JKJ

[Leo Graywacz]

Electricity is the best bargain of any consumer services or products for that matter. Only a very small percentage of people understand how expensive it is to generate and distribute electrical power. Add to the reasonable costs to purchase power the fact that it touches almost every aspect of our lives every single day and very few services would exist without electric power.

For the record I use to work in the power plant construction trades and later on in life I worked for Virginia Electric and Power Company. I can tell you that in Virginia the power company tells the Governor what to do, if he disagrees he faces the ultimate fist in his face.

Residential electricity is a bargain. Commercial electricity on the other hand is a rip off.

[Keith Outten]

I purchased a couple solar panels a few months ago intending to dabble a bit and learn more about the technology. I hope to be able at some point to have a solar system that would be able to take care of the bare necessities like my well pump, refrigeration and a few lights. I have a wood stove in the house that we only use during power outages but no options for heating in my shop yet.

I have two of the 250 gallon tanks that I will be setting up to capture rain water from my barn roof to water my garden. I expect they could be used for an alternate source of water if I had no other option.