Hurricane Irma

[andrewas]

I am sorry to have to post a "luxury" problem in this thread so please bear with me.

My family have tickets to fly to Miami the 30th of September and return from Orlando on the 7th of October. We do not yet have any hotel booked. We booked our flights some months before Irma came along...

Question: Where in Florida would you recommend to look for a nice place to stay? Beach and not too far to drive to Orlando preferred.

I am looking for a place where the damages are less than other areas, where power is restored and roads are open (cleared of fallen trees etc..)

Hope for some answers...

André

 

[mkellock]

Does anyone in Florida have a Powerwall yet? Solar panels plus a Powerwall or two would not be adequate to keep central A/C on 24/7, but at least a homeowner faced with an extended outage would have a working refrigerator and the ability to power a modest amount of electric driving and/or run the A/C in the car. Of course, this presumes no wind or debris damage to the solar panels, and no flood damage to the Powerwall. It's a tough situation and our prayers are with those affected by Irma and Harvey.

I saw this article yesterday. I expect when we are finally in the later stages of recovery from this event that powerwall/solar is going to become a much researched topic in Florida.

During Irma’s Power Outages, Some Houses Kept The Lights On With Solar And Batteries

 

[Lawsteve]

I am sorry to have to post a "luxury" problem in this thread so please bear with me.

My family have tickets to fly to Miami the 30th of September and return from Orlando on the 7th of October. We do not yet have any hotel booked. We booked our flights some months before Irma came along...

Question: Where in Florida would you recommend to look for a nice place to stay? Beach and not too far to drive to Orlando preferred.

I am looking for a place where the damages are less than other areas, where power is restored and roads are open (cleared of fallen trees etc..)

Hope for some answers...

André

I would suggest the beaches near St Petersburg FL (Clearwater, reddington beach, treasure island, pass-a-grill beach, etc). 90 minutes from the Orlando airport amd 60 minutes from the Disney resorts. The beaches are very nice, and you are close to great restaurants and night life in St Petersburg and Tampa. While the storm came close to our area, we were on the west side and did not have major damage or flooding.

I will defer to other local members to suggest specific resorts, but I have stayed at the "Don Cesar" on St Pete beach. It is a very nice and very historic hotel.

 

[andrewas]

I would suggest the beaches near St Petersburg FL (Clearwater, reddington beach, treasure island, pass-a-grill beach, etc). 90 minutes from the Orlando airport amd 60 minutes from the Disney resorts. The beaches are very nice, and you are close to great restaurants and night life in St Petersburg and Tampa. While the storm came close to our area, we were on the west side and did not have major damage or flooding.

I will defer to other local members to suggest specific resorts, but I have stayed at the "Don Cesar" on St Pete beach. It is a very nice and very historic hotel.

Thanx Steve.

I was not aware that St Petersburg escaped the worst. I was following Irma via news here in Norway and had the impression that the Tampa Bay area would be very heavily flooded, but I guess that was estimates before Irma actually arrived - and then the hurricane did not get as close to Tampa as expected?

I will check the St. Pete area.

Still happy to received recommendations on both "where in Florida" in general and specific recommendations in the St. Pete area.

André

 

[kort677]

with all due respect to St. pete, logistically it may not be the best choice because of the fact that it is on the west coast. I would suggest someplace on the east coast from melbourne north to titusville. these places have nice beaches and offer easy access to MCO via fla 528.

 

[NigelM]

I am sorry to have to post a "luxury" problem in this thread so please bear with me.

My family have tickets to fly to Miami the 30th of September and return from Orlando on the 7th of October. We do not yet have any hotel booked. We booked our flights some months before Irma came along...

Question: Where in Florida would you recommend to look for a nice place to stay? Beach and not too far to drive to Orlando preferred.

I am looking for a place where the damages are less than other areas, where power is restored and roads are open (cleared of fallen trees etc..)

Hope for some answers...

André

East or West coast has plenty of places that will be up and running again very quickly. Sarasota County was declared a federal disaster zone but roads are already cleared, hotels are open and the city of Sarasota has gone from 90% without power to 33% already with the rest expected to be up and running within the week. Also Siesta Key Beach (ranked #1 in the US) is here and we're 1.5-1.75hrs from Orlando.

 

[NigelM]

On a different note, wanted to check with Florida locals on good charities that are helping with the hurricane relief efforts on the ground?! I know the likes of American Red Cross are simpler choices to contribute to but, would like to help (and get my and my wife's companies to match) smaller charities that don't get as much and which also have smaller admin overhead.

I'm on the board of Catholic Charities here, we have less than 6% expenses and have scored top ratings on Charity Navigator for many years. We're running relief programs (were geared up in advance and are already open) in the poorest parts of the state right now and need donations for food, water and cleaning products in the first instance.....You can Donate here if you're so inclined.

 

[kort677]

I'm on the board of Catholic Charities here, we have less than 6% expenses and have scored top ratings on Charity Navigator for many years. We're running relief programs (were geared up in advance and are already open) in the poorest parts of the state right now and need donations for food, water and cleaning products in the first instance.....You can Donate here if you're so inclined.

this is a far more worthy place to send your money to help out those in need than the "name brand" charities

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

I'm on the board of Catholic Charities here, we have less than 6% expenses and have scored top ratings on Charity Navigator for many years. We're running relief programs (were geared up in advance and are already open) in the poorest parts of the state right now and need donations for food, water and cleaning products in the first instance.....You can Donate here if you're so inclined.

Thanks, Nigel. Will get on it.

 

[DiamondHands]

FPL offers net metering so the expense of a power wall system is hard to justify. Even so, you can power your entire house with powerwall. You just need several or more of them depending on your house size. I've priced it out for my house and it would take 4 power walls to provide entire house power at a cost of $22,700. Other than providing backup power, the power walls offer no other real benefit since we have net metering. You can get a whole house on demand backup generator for less than that.

I've been without power since Sunday 9am. My Honda EU6500 generator is quiet as can be and it runs either of my AC units (one at a time). I've also had it run my pool pump, cooktop range, and water heater. Only needed it for the water heater during the storm as my solar water heater wasn't heating water on account of no sunlight during the hurricane. Of course, the generator can only run one of those at a time but other than some minor power mgmt and refilling of the gas life if pretty much normal for me. Another benefit of having a Tesla is the NEMA 14/50 outlet is now my receptacle for the generator. Works like a dream.

No damage beyond some busted palm fronds.

I strongly recommend this generator for anyone wanting backup power. The new one has EFI and is 7000 watts. Especially if you have a NEMA 14/50 outlet. It's amazing. I haven't turned it off since 9am Sunday. Runs like a top. All of my neighbors have 7000-10000 watt cheap generators and none of them can get it to run their AC units. Honda is doing something right.

Thanks very much for posting this, as a Florida transplant all this is very new to me.

 

[Lawsteve]

with all due respect to St. pete, logistically it may not be the best choice because of the fact that it is on the west coast. I would suggest someplace on the east coast from melbourne north to titusville. these places have nice beaches and offer easy access to MCO via fla 528.

I didn't intend to start a debate re where is better, but only suggest some spots on my side of the state (and confirm that the damage over here was not as much as some of the sensationalist press would have others believe). Selection of coast is a very personal choice, as the beaches and communities, in my opinion, are quite different. If you want surfing / higher seas/ deep sea fishing closer to the coast, go east for sure. If you want more gentle waves, soft white sand (versus more dense brownish sand) go west. Beach access to larger cities / restaurants / nightlife (St Pete, Sarasota, Tampa) - go west. More of a beach bar / local rustic hang-outs / etc (Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, Titusville, Daytona) - go East. Of course this is purely my personal opinion and I know (and respect) that others will have different thoughts.

As long as the OP can confirm the storm damage was not too bad - and it does look like all of these communities will certainly be up and running by his arrival times), it boils down to a matter of personal taste.

From what I am seeing in the press, it appears that the FL Keys are to be avoided right now and might have the longest recovery time, but that is not based upon any firsthand knowledge.

OP - have a great time wherever you decide to go - its hard to go wrong with either coast.

 

[Racerx22b]

I am sorry to have to post a "luxury" problem in this thread so please bear with me.

My family have tickets to fly to Miami the 30th of September and return from Orlando on the 7th of October. We do not yet have any hotel booked. We booked our flights some months before Irma came along...

Question: Where in Florida would you recommend to look for a nice place to stay? Beach and not too far to drive to Orlando preferred.

I am looking for a place where the damages are less than other areas, where power is restored and roads are open (cleared of fallen trees etc..)

Hope for some answers...

André

Did you want to spend time in Miami? I see you are flying into Miami... Just wondering. There are plenty of high end hotels to choose from in Miami Beach. By Sept 30th things should be relatively back to normal in that area. Our power company is promising all power restored for east coast by this Sunday and West Coast by Sept 22nd (except where mass destruction/flooding occurred). Seems optimistic but that still gives you a week of cushion.

If you want the best of hotels and be on/near the beach you will need to pick Palm Beach or Miami. I would normally also include Naples but they got pretty hammered by the storm so I'd stay away. Palm Beach is about 2.5hrs from Orlando so it's not exactly close. I'd be skeptical of properties in Tampa/St Pete. Maybe call ahead to check on their status before booking. You'll need to do some research to find a luxury hotel there.

If you'd rather stay in Orlando The Four Seasons on Disney property is amazing and you are not too far of a drive to Daytona Beach. They have multiple pools and have plenty to do on property and you are right at Disney (assuming that is what you want). It will certainly be in good condition post Irma. Daytona Beach does not offer luxury hotels but you can drive your car on the beach so that is pretty cool.

 

[NigelM]

Thanks very much for posting this, as a Florida transplant all this is very new to me.

I have friends who bought generators last week but didn't think about wiring adjustments to power their well pump (many of us have well water down here) - Result was lights on in the house and refrigerator ok but no running water, no flushing toilets and no showers.

Also, following #Irma's rainfall many pools over-flowed as pool pumps weren't wired in to generator panels. FL is dead flat so there's usually no gravity feed to lower pool water levels. Many have pools close to their house so there's risk of flooded terraces and water ingress to the home.

If you going to install anything think through all eventual needs.

 

[MikeQ]

I have this generator (EU7000is) and it got us through the storm. I ran a suicide cord into the dryer plug and pulled the main breaker on the house. Ran my entire house minus the water heater. I suspect I could have run the water heater too if I just did some manual load balancing and turned off the AC and other high draw items long enough to heat some water.

It's very quit as well. Others in the neighborhood had cheaper models that were running wide open and could be heard across the entire neighborhood. Another positive is the fuel efficiency. I was getting almost 24 hours of electricity on 5 gallons of gas.

I've got an electrician coming out tomorrow to give me a quote on a transfer switch. The suicide cord works fine but I'd rather not have a 40' coord coming through a window and across the house. Worked in a pinch though. I bought some 8 gauge wire and the proper ends and made my own cable. It was the only option I had with so little time left.

BTW, we have power back an this offer still stands for anyone needed a charge:

Impromptu Charging Network for Irma?



QUOTE="Racerx22b, post: 2304848, member: 30154"]FPL offers net metering so the expense of a power wall system is hard to justify. Even so, you can power your entire house with powerwall. You just need several or more of them depending on your house size. I've priced it out for my house and it would take 4 power walls to provide entire house power at a cost of $22,700. Other than providing backup power, the power walls offer no other real benefit since we have net metering. You can get a whole house on demand backup generator for less than that.

I've been without power since Sunday 9am. My Honda EU6500 generator is quiet as can be and it runs either of my AC units (one at a time). I've also had it run my pool pump, cooktop range, and water heater. Only needed it for the water heater during the storm as my solar water heater wasn't heating water on account of no sunlight during the hurricane. Of course, the generator can only run one of those at a time but other than some minor power mgmt and refilling of the gas life if pretty much normal for me. Another benefit of having a Tesla is the NEMA 14/50 outlet is now my receptacle for the generator. Works like a dream.

No damage beyond some busted palm fronds.

I strongly recommend this generator for anyone wanting backup power. The new one has EFI and is 7000 watts. Especially if you have a NEMA 14/50 outlet. It's amazing. I haven't turned it off since 9am Sunday. Runs like a top. All of my neighbors have 7000-10000 watt cheap generators and none of them can get it to run their AC units. Honda is doing something right.

[/QUOTE]

 

[K-MTG]

I have this generator (EU7000is) and it got us through the storm. I ran a suicide cord into the dryer plug and pulled the main breaker on the house. Ran my entire house minus the water heater. I suspect I could have run the water heater too if I just did some manual load balancing and turned off the AC and other high draw items long enough to heat some water.

It's very quit as well. Others in the neighborhood had cheaper models that were running wide open and could be heard across the entire neighborhood. Another positive is the fuel efficiency. I was getting almost 24 hours of electricity on 5 gallons of gas.

I've got an electrician coming out tomorrow to give me a quote on a transfer switch. The suicide cord works fine but I'd rather not have a 40' coord coming through a window and across the house. Worked in a pinch though. I bought some 8 gauge wire and the proper ends and made my own cable. It was the only option I had with so little time left.

BTW, we have power back an this offer still stands for anyone needed a charge:

Impromptu Charging Network for Irma?



QUOTE="Racerx22b, post: 2304848, member: 30154"]FPL offers net metering so the expense of a power wall system is hard to justify. Even so, you can power your entire house with powerwall. You just need several or more of them depending on your house size. I've priced it out for my house and it would take 4 power walls to provide entire house power at a cost of $22,700. Other than providing backup power, the power walls offer no other real benefit since we have net metering. You can get a whole house on demand backup generator for less than that.

I've been without power since Sunday 9am. My Honda EU6500 generator is quiet as can be and it runs either of my AC units (one at a time). I've also had it run my pool pump, cooktop range, and water heater. Only needed it for the water heater during the storm as my solar water heater wasn't heating water on account of no sunlight during the hurricane. Of course, the generator can only run one of those at a time but other than some minor power mgmt and refilling of the gas life if pretty much normal for me. Another benefit of having a Tesla is the NEMA 14/50 outlet is now my receptacle for the generator. Works like a dream.

No damage beyond some busted palm fronds.

I strongly recommend this generator for anyone wanting backup power. The new one has EFI and is 7000 watts. Especially if you have a NEMA 14/50 outlet. It's amazing. I haven't turned it off since 9am Sunday. Runs like a top. All of my neighbors have 7000-10000 watt cheap generators and none of them can get it to run their AC units. Honda is doing something right.

[/QUOTE]

That's an interesting setup, do you also have a solar PV system?

 

[MikeQ]

That's an interesting setup, do you also have a solar PV system?

Unfortunately, no. We have a lot of trees and the house is in shade a good portion of the day.

 

[e-FTW]

Looks like from the posts here, most Superchargers were running by Tuesday and/or Wednesday. Feels pretty good to me, and at least on-par with gas stations (right?).
Folks driving Tesla could have started coming back as early as they would have wanted I guess. Save for going to the Keys I guess.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Looks like from the posts here, most Superchargers were running by Tuesday and/or Wednesday. Feels pretty good to me, and at least on-par with gas stations (right?).
Folks driving Tesla could have started coming back as early as they would have wanted I guess. Save for going to the Keys I guess.

All but two of the 19 Florida Superchargers are up. Just Fort Myers and Marathon are down.

US 1 is the only road with access to the Keys. While it is open to first responders, etc. authorities have barricaded it at milepost 75 even to residents wishing to return to assess the damage. The Marathon Supercharger is about 24 miles past the barricade and is inaccessible to Tesla repair crews.

Larry

 

[Btrflyl8e]

Fortunately we have a generator to power the AC so no sleeping in the car here. We were without mains for 3 days but got power back last night. Fingers crossed that you get back on the grid soon!

Still no power. I bought a new air bed at target and I'm gonna sleep GREAT in the car tonight. My bf even decided to try getting in here with me, and he was surprised that it feels roomy with the glass roof. I could see his wheels turning about or next road trip.

I returned to work today, and was in a weird place mentally. I didn't like it at all and didn't know why. I was looking forward to seeing my employees in person to really see they are safe, so what was it? I finally figured out it was almost like survivor's guilt since my bf was left here all day dealing with the heat while he minded the generator. When I got home, I found him in a pretty dark mood as well, ready to give up and leave. Power is expected to come back on tomorrow. The aquarium temp had been rising and with no ice to be had anywhere our rotating of ice packs was at a pace that the freezer and physics couldn't keep up with it. For whatever reason, the chiller just wouldn't run while on the generator but it was still plugged in. I made him take a break and we drove all over looking for a window ac unit but couldn't find one. We ate and came back and I loaded the refugium with fresh ice packs from the freezer. Out of nowhere, the chiller kicked on finally! We only had one casualty, a hawkfish, who was mean anyway.

We're both in MUCH better moods now. Guess I'll have to work from home tomorrow...

 

[Cyclone]

I bought a new air bed at target and I'm gonna sleep GREAT in the car tonight. My bf even decided to try getting in here with me, and he was surprised that it feels roomy with the glass roof. I could see his wheels turning about or next road trip.

No!!! If you sleep in the car on the next trip, you won't get to stay here and I won't get to eat your cooking!

Sorry to hear about the casualty