Great AAR and well done sir.

Originally Posted By: Blast
1. Let myself get really wet while getting generator set up.


The best way to get warm is to stay warm.

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2. Had forgotten the proper steps to start generator.


I have an inexpensive home laminator purchased from Costco. I used it to protect the Generator Operation Checklist I wrote and attached to our generator. This makes the generator operable by Mrs. Magnet or the Offspring.

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4. Get spare pull rope for starting generator, just in case.


My generator has a section in the manual describing how to start it with a cordless drill.

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5. Dig out 12vdc battery-to-MacBook power cables.
6. Get 12vdc power cable for WiFi router
7. Get 12vdc power cable for fiber optic modem.


This is a very good idea. You can also use a relatively inexpensive UPS to provide power stability for your network equipment. It's low draw and if sized correctly you can get a day or more out of it. Since this gear is sensitive to power fluctuations I have mine in place to keep my internet working if our power "bumps" more than an hours-long outage.

Also, keep in mind that any use of a transformer reduces efficiency. If you take 12VDC power and use an inverter to bring it up to 120VAC, then plug your Mac power brick into that, you'll use significantly more watt-hours transforming the power than you might have to. Going direct from 12VDC to 20VDC (which is what my Mac uses, be sure to know the right voltage for your machine!) is going to be a far more efficient use of your limited power budget.

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8. Make styrofoam block for running power cord through the window
16. Buy hose clamps and flexible hose big enough to slide over broken pipes. No pipes actually broke.


Really good ideas, these had not occurred to me. You can also use PVC pipe couplings for this.