Generator Jenny

6/30/2012

Generator Jenny

Several years ago after a particularly hard winter and trying to explain to a small toddler why Elmo wasn't playing on the tv, why our meals were all cold and we slept together with our clothes on, we decided we had had enough.  Our utility company had lost its power (literally) with us for the last time.

Time and money was spent (more money than time) but eventually "Jenny" a full house generator was installed at the house.  I believe our installing a full house generator the size of a small car amused our friends and perhaps even our neighbors.  We installed Jenny because we were tired of sitting in the dark, in the cold or the heat unable to heat up any food or use the computer (horrors)!  We also had a justified medical reason for never losing power - our CPAP machines.   While Jeff's sleep apnea is now very mild thankfully and he could go without his machine if need be, I am unable to sleep without the CPAP and when the power goes out well - I don't get much sleep (at least not the healthy kind). The generator was installed and we felt like we had some power over the power (so to speak). Jenny would only have to work ONE time to get all of our thousands of dollars back at least in blissful satisfaction.  And we knew that one day (or night) Jenny's time would come.

Last night was that night.  At bedtime a very large, violent storm blew into the neighborhood.  One of those heavy winds that blows everything around or over kind of storms.  The power flickered once, twice and then black.  We waited the 30 second delay in the dark and then Jenny roared to life.  Power was on and life was good.  It was bedtime so we would have been going to bed when the power went off - but we were able to have a/c and I was able to sleep.  Jeff and I high fived each other - Jenny worked!  Jenny has a test run every Friday for 30 minutes or so and yet she hadn't really been put to the test until now.

I'm proud to say that Jenny performed flawlessly.  She "ran" the house for two hours and then she developed some kind of problem and shut down.   Luckily for us the power company restored our power at about the same time as Jenny was beginning to malfunction.  Are we disappointed?  Not for a second.  When we bought Jenny she was a lightly used generator and last night was our first time really putting her to the test.  She started up like she was supposed to and provided us with power, at least for a time.  So yes, we will have to call Rich (our generator man) when we return from vacation and ask him to give Jenny the once over to see what's wrong and get her up and running again.  But for now high fives to Jenny!

P