Hottest day of the year

Today at 4:47am the power went out in our neighborhood.  I heard a beep as our smoke detectors switched over to battery mode.  GRider says she heard a pop from somewhere outside.

This did not prove to be a significant problem for us for a couple of reasons even as the hottest day of the year began to ramp up to truly unbearable conditions.

First, today was my day this week with Norah.  I have to be there so her Mama can leave for work by 6:30.  I want to stop at Byerly's and get newspapers and something for lunch so I have to leave the house by 5:45.  I was planning to get up at 5am anyway.  Thirteen minutes early wasn't much of a problem.

The second reason was this thing.

Power in our house was out for maybe three seconds, probably more like two, long enough for the digital clock radio in the bedroom and the digital clock on the microwave to reset to flashing (but not long enough for the digital clock on the range to reset).  The smoke detectors beeped again as Generac turned on and power returned.  Generac requires no activity whatsoever by the user, it is automatic.  Electricity interruption trips a switch and this natural gas powered generator automatically begins producing 14KW of power, plenty enough to power the house including the AC (and the furnace during that other season of the year).

My wife got up to congratulate me on money well spent as I began microwaving my oatmeal for breakfast, microwaving being something not possible anywhere else on our side of the street.

Life proceeded without interruption.  I had breakfast, the garage door opener functioned and off I went to spend the hottest day of the year with Norah.

GRider reports that the power came back on after 4 and a half hours or so (she noticed because the generator shut down) only to immediately go back off (beep from the smoke detectors, pop from somewhere outside) causing the generator to go back on.

In all power in our neighborhood was off for slightly over 6 hours.  During that time power was off in our house for perhaps 4 seconds.

Money well spent.