One of my preparations for Year 2000 was to purchase a four stroke gasoline electrical generator. There was no guarantee that there would be no electric power interruptions at the start of the year 2000 and I wanted a reliable power supply, just to be ready. The generator I chose was a reliable four stroke Honda engine. The generator had a large gas tank so it could run on one tank for about four hours depending on how heavy the electrical load I was using.
Buying the generator was only the first step to ensuring a reliable power supply, however, as generators need fuel. I needed to acquire an adequate supply of gasoline and oil to run it for as long as required. I went to a oil company bulk plant and purchased three 45 gallon drums one by one over the span of a few weeks. Every few days I filled up 4 - 5 gallon jerry cans full of gasoline, at various gas stations in the area. When storing gasoline for a period of time it is a good idea to ad a gasoline stabilization chemical to keep the gas from breaking down. An oil company or hardware store should be able to tell you, where to buy such a chemical.
I had the generator, the fuel, and the oil to run it. What was left to do was to have the power supply wired to my home electrical system. I obtained an estimate from a local electrician. It was not going to be cheap. One of the parts, a switching box, cost $500.00. It would switch between the hydro electricity line and my generator cable. I dug a ditch from my generator shack to the house. The cable would be buried in the ground.
The electrician came and made the changes to the wiring. The way it worked was, I would switch over to the generator cable. Then I would start the generator. When it was running up to speed making adequate household power, I would plug in the cable to the generator's output plug. That was it. The house had its own power supply.
There was maintenance to do on the generator, since it was brand new. Every new engine needs its oil changed when breaking it in. After the first few hours of running, the dirty oil, full of metal bits from the break-in time, needs to be drained. This was not difficult to do. Just unscrew a bolt and let the oil drain into a shallow container. Once the dirty oil was removed, and the drain bolt tightened in place, clean fresh oil was poured into the oil reservoir.
Even though nothing serious occurred in my area during Y2K, there have been a few power outages, throughout the years and it has been handy to have a back up power supply. Once each month I start up the generator and run it, plugged into an electric heater. I let it run for about 5 minutes. The electric heater is providing the electrical load, needed to safely run the generator. The generator could be electrically damaged if run with nothing using the power it produces. Using this system has ensured trouble free use of this power supply for over seven years.
A higher voltage
Electrical power in France?and more generally in Europe?comes out of the electrical sockets at 230-240 volts. Voltage in America is 110 volts. If your electric shaver is not rated to operate at between 110 and 240 volts, it will burn quickly when you plug it into a French socket.
Before you bring your electric shaver or CD player with you, verify which voltage they support. If they are equipped with transformers ?small devices which convert a 110-volt current into a 9- or 12-volt current, also called converters? check the voltage characteristics of the transformers. The voltage band should be clearly stated on their labels. If the labels state ?110 Volts?, that's not enough. You will burn both the converter and the appliance when plugging them into a power socket overseas.
Pack only appliances operating at between 110 and 240 volts, or at 9-12 volts when (and only when) they use transformers rated to accept the European 230-240 volts.
Transformers designed for laptop computers are typically rated to operate with 100-240 volt current. Check yours beforehand. If it is only rated for 110 volts, go to the nearest Radio Shack store with your laptop, and buy a suitable multi-voltage transformer.
Check the battery charger of your digital camera and cell phone too. Some battery chargers can operate at 240 volts, some cannot. Read the labels on your charger and on the transformer that may come with it.
Plug differences
The electrodes (terminals) on a US plug are flat. The electrodes on a French plug are cylindrical. French wall outlets only accept these cylindrical plugs.
This means you won't be able to plug your flat American plug into a regular French outlet.
Buy yourself a cheap adaptor. They come in various shapes and forms. The more sophisticated allow you to plug your devices anywhere in the world.
You should be able to find inexpensive ones at your local hardware store. Call before you drive there, not all stores carry these items. You can also find travel adaptors at the airport.
Adaptors are not transformers
Adaptors are simple devices which allow your US-model plug to be connected to a French or European-model outlet.
Converters and transformers modify the characteristics of the current which powers your appliance.
Do not mistake one for the other. The converter is heavier because there is a metal coil in it. The adaptor is usually light because it's all plastic with bits of metal.
Sometimes, converters also double as adaptors ? in which case the shape of the male terminals will match the shape of the socket female terminals.
Hairdryers
Hairdryers usually suck in a large amount of power. If yours does not operate at between 110 and 240 volts, you will have to buy a bulky transformer.
I advise you not to pack this appliance, but simply call the hotel to check whether they provide blow-dryers in the rooms.
(Special thanks to Vincent Ramelli for his help with this article)
Both Michael Russell & Phil Chavanne are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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