We moved to rural central Maine from Portland 20 years ago, so we could raise our young son in a quieter setting. And we’ve never regretted it.
It’s a small town of several thousand, right out of the pages of Yankee Magazine. Artists, farmers, retirees and young families sprinkle the population, contributing to the vibrancy and spirit of community here.
But there is an aspect of this town, like many small towns across Maine, that detracts from its Yankee charm. Power outages. And lots of ‘em.
When a coworker of mine at the time learned that I was moving to her town 20 years ago, one of the first things she said to me was “welcome to the town of brownouts!” Odd thing to say I thought then. But just for a moment.
Nothing could penetrate the pink cloud of excitement I was floating in, as I fantasized about our life in the country. I chose to ignore it. In retrospect, I think she felt sorry for me because the reality was much worse than occasional brownouts.
After we moved in, we immediately began to detect subtle signs. The clocks blinking, momentary power interruptions that made you question whether you had imagined it. The brownouts were not sufficient to shut everything off, but just enough to get your attention.
The full-blown power outages began about a month or so after our move. In the beginning, they might last several hours and occur just once a month.
But now, 20 years on, power outages occur an average of 1-2 times per month and for significant periods of time. The outages can range anywhere from one to two hours or even up to 8-10 hours in length. I can’t and won’t speak to the cause.
I can only suggest a remedy that has proven life-transforming.
In the beginning, we enjoyed the outages. We invested in candles, a wood stove and battery-operated lanterns. We played games, told stories and roamed the house with candles pretending to be early settlers.
Flash forward 20 years, and the language! When the fun ceased, we invested in a portable generator that could power the entire house. It ran on the same type of small propane tanks that fuel outdoor grills and the like.
The only catch was that it was stored outside and darn it if the power cut out frequently at 2 or 3 in the morning, in sleeting snow, on the blackest of nights. Attaching the tank to the generator and the generator to the power outlet required several steps, usually with a flashlight tucked into the crook of my neck.
To add to the fun, the propane tanks were sometimes faulty, which added a few more steps, usually in the dead of night, in the rain or snow. Also, the tanks were only good for about four hours, which required a switch-out. Again. Usually in the dark of night. In the rain. And snow.
When the family began to play possum during these nighttime outages, I knew we needed a change if we were to remain together.
Enter the automatic generator. We had been putting it off due to the cost. But we needed one now, or much more than the power would be lost. We purchased it several months ago and it has transformed our lives.
Now, when the power blinks on and off, telltale signs that the generator will be automatically starting, my wife and I lean back in our chairs, gaze lovingly at one another and wait for the miracle to occur. Within a minute, the generator powers on. When the power has been restored, the generator automatically turns itself off.
So, if you are considering getting one, here are a few tips on how we accomplished it. Take a breath and don’t let the cost deter you.
Start early.
The supply chain is slow and it took a bit longer than expected for our generator to arrive. Give yourself at least a six-month lead time to call contractors. We called several who gave us much higher estimates for the exact same generator.
Make sure you ask if hooking up the generator to the propane lines and tanks is included in the estimate or whether you will have to arrange and pay for this separately.
Taking this time will also help you sort out financing. There are obviously different ways of financing, such as home equity loans for example. But we found a unique method.
We secured most of the financing through an unnamed, large box store. This box store offers financing deals from time to time whereby you can make a purchase and delay full payment for 2 years, making just minimum payments in the interim.
The only proviso is that you need to pay the balance in full at the end of the two years or incur the full accrued interest payments, in addition to the principal. Great deal.
We’ve financed other large purchases this way and it’s worked out fabulously.
My genius wife was able to find a contractor with the size generator we wanted with an arrangement with this box store for the installation. The box store would provide payment to the contractor, and we would pay the box store. With the bulk of the financing in place, we could manage payments for the remaining work and plan for the larger expense in 2 years’ time.
Along the way, we learned that the contractor we hired to install the generator would not be handling the hookup of the generator to the propane line and tanks. We found an independent propane technician and arranged for him to arrive the same day as the contractor. It cost us $850. We were told this could cost more, largely dependent on how far away the generator is from the house.
And finally, we needed to have tanks to hold a large amount of propane. In our case, we needed enough for our regular consumption and to power a long outage without the risk of running out.
We have a kitchen range and clothes dryer that operate on propane. Our propane supplier provided us with two 120-gallon tanks. While the tanks were supplied at no charge, the cost to fill the tanks amounted to about $1,200.
In total, our new generator cost us a little more than $10,000, including the propane hookup and propane gas. Economical in this market.
When we have people over now, we often take them to the back of the house to gaze at our European vacation, aka the generator. Foregoing a vacation this year has been well worth it, as on a dark night, we’re able to sigh, roll over and go back to sleep to the sounds of our new generator powering on. What bliss.
Jan Begert is a freelance writer who lives in a log home on a few acres in midcoast Maine with her wife, son and golden retriever, Finn.
