Hmmm.....perhaps I'll invest in some LED lights too.
I can't imagine that we will be subjected to 70s style blackouts (god forbid!) but I think that given the very tight margins on spare capacity this year, and the winter outlook being so unsettled, we could be in for some type of power disruption at some point.
Winter Blackouts
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preppingsu
Re: Winter Blackouts
That's a good question. I will use the camping stove to heat water in a kettle then fill some flasks. This will do for hot drinks, any cooking (rice etc) and then what's left will use for washing up etc.Fozzie wrote:
What's everyone's preferred methods of heating water with no electricity?
We do have a chiminea which we have used once. I'm thinking I could put a big pot on the top and allow the water to warm up for washing etc.
Re: Winter Blackouts
Hi All,
Can I suggest one thing that can be used for both potential blackouts, and long term prepping;
Couple of caravan batteries and a pure sine inverter.... if you are feeling flush you can even get a 2000w (4000w Peak) inverter for a couple of hundred quid which would power lights, and at a push a kettle etc.... always good for an emergency
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360551732856? ... 258wt_1399
This is one of them I've had my eye on for a while, but have never been able to justify it....
Can I suggest one thing that can be used for both potential blackouts, and long term prepping;
Couple of caravan batteries and a pure sine inverter.... if you are feeling flush you can even get a 2000w (4000w Peak) inverter for a couple of hundred quid which would power lights, and at a push a kettle etc.... always good for an emergency
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360551732856? ... 258wt_1399
This is one of them I've had my eye on for a while, but have never been able to justify it....
Area 6 bordering to area 8
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
Re: Winter Blackouts
farnet wrote:Hi All,
Can I suggest one thing that can be used for both potential blackouts, and long term prepping;
Couple of caravan batteries and a pure sine inverter.... if you are feeling flush you can even get a 2000w (4000w Peak) inverter for a couple of hundred quid which would power lights, and at a push a kettle etc.... always good for an emergency
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360551732856? ... 258wt_1399
This is one of them I've had my eye on for a while, but have never been able to justify it....
Running a kettle off one of those would be a very fast way to deplete the batteries.
Bearing in mind most electronics have transformers to take the 230V AC into a much lower figure in DC. You might find it more efficient to find a power supply that can take a 12 volt DC input and turn it into5-20 Volts DC. This could power a radio, laptop charger, etc - as long as you marry up the inputs and outputs right
I would suggest a couple solar panels in addition to your little setup above, that way you can charge the batteries up during the day and use the stored power in the batteries at night, unless you meant for the setup to be charged up by mains when supply returned (I might have misunderstood
)Re: Winter Blackouts
Lol that's a fair point Fozzie.
I was using it as an example of what you could potentially use is for.... I did (many years ago) jerry rig my wifes hairdryer to a caravan battery via a Server UPS as the controller, just because the power had gone out and she needed to dry her hair......
It's amazing how you can adapt in a situation.
I was using it as an example of what you could potentially use is for.... I did (many years ago) jerry rig my wifes hairdryer to a caravan battery via a Server UPS as the controller, just because the power had gone out and she needed to dry her hair......
It's amazing how you can adapt in a situation.
Area 6 bordering to area 8
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
Re: Winter Blackouts
I've been planning for this eventuality exactly! And now I'm just tying up loose ends.
The main things I've prepared for is being without power for short periods of time, like what happened in the 70's. So keeping warm in winter, keeping basic communications functional and having easy to cook food was priority.
*Solar! I've got my 30w solar panel that will keep some of my 4w flood lamps on, broadband router, and laptop charged (at least for a little while each day), I've got some smaller panels for charging phones, batteries and some other small gadgets.
*Kelly Kettle! I'm surprised no one has mentioned this already. I've got quite a lot of wood stored in the shed and the Kelly Kettle will heat our water for drinks, soups and boiling things in general, hot water bottles too. It will also cook our food - no need for a gas cooker!
*Blankets! I need more really, but those cosy fleece blankets are good for snuggling up with a hot cuppa hot chocolate on a cold dark night.
*Candles! I've got a stock of 9 hour dinner candles. For light mostly, but they're endlessly useful. I've got a shed load of strike anywhere matches too, as well as some nice LED (CREE) torches.
*Board games! Granted, I'd like more. But I've got a chess and drafts set, monopoly, cards of course and risk. You'll regret not having some of these if you've got kids.
*Food and drinks! - always keep stocked up. I've got tins and bottles everywhere. The freezers shouldn't need electricity for a week or so as long as they're kept shut, but if I need to get things out during any blackout my 100ah battery and inverter should have enough charge from the solar panel to get it down to temperature quite quickly.
*Radio! I've said it before and I'll say it again - Degan DE13. I've got three of them now. Brilliant.
Other than that I've got a full tank of diesel in the car (and petrol in the bike), plus I've still got all my emergency kit in case I would need to evacuate. Storing water might be overkill since most of Britain is a giant puddle, I've I'm sure I could fashion a collector from all the buckets and stuff should there be a problem with that.
I'll be reading up on more ideas from you's lot.
The main things I've prepared for is being without power for short periods of time, like what happened in the 70's. So keeping warm in winter, keeping basic communications functional and having easy to cook food was priority.
*Solar! I've got my 30w solar panel that will keep some of my 4w flood lamps on, broadband router, and laptop charged (at least for a little while each day), I've got some smaller panels for charging phones, batteries and some other small gadgets.
*Kelly Kettle! I'm surprised no one has mentioned this already. I've got quite a lot of wood stored in the shed and the Kelly Kettle will heat our water for drinks, soups and boiling things in general, hot water bottles too. It will also cook our food - no need for a gas cooker!
*Blankets! I need more really, but those cosy fleece blankets are good for snuggling up with a hot cuppa hot chocolate on a cold dark night.
*Candles! I've got a stock of 9 hour dinner candles. For light mostly, but they're endlessly useful. I've got a shed load of strike anywhere matches too, as well as some nice LED (CREE) torches.
*Board games! Granted, I'd like more. But I've got a chess and drafts set, monopoly, cards of course and risk. You'll regret not having some of these if you've got kids.
*Food and drinks! - always keep stocked up. I've got tins and bottles everywhere. The freezers shouldn't need electricity for a week or so as long as they're kept shut, but if I need to get things out during any blackout my 100ah battery and inverter should have enough charge from the solar panel to get it down to temperature quite quickly.
*Radio! I've said it before and I'll say it again - Degan DE13. I've got three of them now. Brilliant.
Other than that I've got a full tank of diesel in the car (and petrol in the bike), plus I've still got all my emergency kit in case I would need to evacuate. Storing water might be overkill since most of Britain is a giant puddle, I've I'm sure I could fashion a collector from all the buckets and stuff should there be a problem with that.
I'll be reading up on more ideas from you's lot.
I love motorcycles like a fat guy loves cake. I also love cake.
Re: Winter Blackouts
Sorry Fozzie,
Missed your bottom question....
Hadn't got that far yet, but I do plan to have a couple of large solar panels on my shed eventually, which will drip feed them.
When I worked in the Electricity industry years ago I came across a couple of people that basically had a solution where they kept about 4x100A batteries charged and had an invertor wired directly to the houses consumer unit so when the power went out they could flip a switch and the batteries would act as a surrogate supply for the entire building. so you could then use your gas / oil central heating, the microwave for cooking and some lights as well as other low power devices. according to them it worked perfectly and as they were living on a spur the power would go out quite regularily and this solution solved the issue of power to the central heating etc. in the winter.
Missed your bottom question....
Hadn't got that far yet, but I do plan to have a couple of large solar panels on my shed eventually, which will drip feed them.
When I worked in the Electricity industry years ago I came across a couple of people that basically had a solution where they kept about 4x100A batteries charged and had an invertor wired directly to the houses consumer unit so when the power went out they could flip a switch and the batteries would act as a surrogate supply for the entire building. so you could then use your gas / oil central heating, the microwave for cooking and some lights as well as other low power devices. according to them it worked perfectly and as they were living on a spur the power would go out quite regularily and this solution solved the issue of power to the central heating etc. in the winter.
Area 6 bordering to area 8
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
Re: Winter Blackouts
dangerman.... kely kettle... nice idea...thumbs up here..
Area 6 bordering to area 8
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
'Time is a poison - too much of it and you die'
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poppypiesdad
- Posts: 1379
- Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:48 pm
- Location: Area 11
Re: Winter Blackouts
Perhaps include a filter for the water?
Be Prepared.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Plan like its the last loaf on the shop shelves.
Plan like its the last beer in the fridge.
Re: Winter Blackouts
Ooh, we do love our Kelly kettle! Of of our best buys ever, that! 