Generator

[Yorkshire Andy]

If you plan on running if any phone charging / laptop/ router you need a generator with a auto voltage regulator (avr)

Also be aware you can only legally store 2x 10l metal cans of petrol

Do you have a decent reliable car? And somewhere close to the house you can secure it?

My plan is front end on axle stands and wheel s in the house with locking wheel nut wound into the hub to stop anyone fetching their own wheels then use my 1kw pure sine wave inverter connected to the battery

The car will tick over for hours and is much quieter than a generator

Obviously there's a trade off between using the cars fuel but in a bad snow storm and no power the car won't be useable

I also plan on letting the neighbours charge their phones to keep them sweet

[Yorkshire Andy]

Double post

[Hoipoloi]

Also be aware you can only legally store 2x 10l metal cans of petrol

You can store up to 30 litres of petrol at home or at non-workplace premises without informing your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority (PEA).

If you wish to store more than 30 litres of petrol and up to a maximum of 275 litres of petrol at your home or premises you need to follow the legal requirements for doing this http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/fuel-storage

[ForgeCorvus]

Also be aware you can only legally store 2x 10l metal cans of petrol

You can store up to 30 litres of petrol at home or at non-workplace premises without informing your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority (PEA).

If you wish to store more than 30 litres of petrol and up to a maximum of 275 litres of petrol at your home or premises you need to follow the legal requirements for doing this http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/fuel-storage

What Hoi didn't point out is that the regulations changed on October 1st.

You used to be able to store 2X 5 litre in plastic and 2x10 litre in metal
If I'm reading it right, you can now have upto 30 litres total stored in any mix of containers you like.
As long as all plastic containers are 10 litres or less, all metal containers are 20 litres or less and your dismountable fuel tank is 30 litres or less.

If you're OK with jumping through some hoops you can store 275 litres using the same container sizes..... Result!

[poppypiesdad]

Also be aware you can only legally store 2x 10l metal cans of petrol

You can store up to 30 litres of petrol at home or at non-workplace premises without informing your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority (PEA).

If you wish to store more than 30 litres of petrol and up to a maximum of 275 litres of petrol at your home or premises you need to follow the legal requirements for doing this http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/fuel-storage

What Hoi didn't point out is that the regulations changed on October 1st.

You used to be able to store 2X 5 litre in plastic and 2x10 litre in metal
If I'm reading it right, you can now have upto 30 litres total stored in any mix of containers you like.
As long as all plastic containers are 10 litres or less, all metal containers are 20 litres or less and your dismountable fuel tank is 30 litres or less.

If you're OK with jumping through some hoops you can store 275 litres using the same container sizes..... Result!

Interesting enough it does say it in the article .
Wonder if your insurance company would agree if you let them know about it ?
Or would they cover you or weight your premium?

J

[Hoipoloi]

To be honest, I don't store any more than 5 litres of petrol and that is in a metal jerry can (Machine Mart) for use in a small generator (again Machine Mart) when 'wilding' with the caravan. I don't consider the generator to be of any use in prepping.
I did use it for a few hours while re-wiring and renovating the kitchen (it powered 2x freezers and a plaster stirer while the mains electric was off). Problem is, petrol just doesn't last that long unless you have a petrol vehicle and can rotate your stock at least every 6 months.

Diesel on the other hand will last for a good few years, is less volatile and as far as I can find out, doesn't have the same limitations on quantity stored as for petrol.

[Decaff]

You could always store petrol in an old car no longer used, declared SORN and just fill up the tank? Then its stored in a safe, legal way and if civered over as a "project" no one is the wiser.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Didn't know it had changed and can now be stored in 20 l jerry cans wonder how many petrol station staff have had up to date training on this as I had a debate about filling a 10l can a few years ago

[grenfell]

Noticed it did state that to store between 30 and 275 litres then it is ( and always has been it seems) a legal requirement to inform in writing the local Petroleum Enforcement Authority of such stores giving names , addresses and so on with the resultant OPSEC problems many worry about. It doesn't say anything about it in the link but I would assume that there may be visits to inspect if the storage facilities are suitable and I would also assume the PEA could refuse such storage if they deem those facilities to be inappropriate or potentially dangerous ?
As Poppypiesdad says there is the insurance angle , they would need informing and will probably charge you for that .
Personally I like decaff's solution . An old car , or perhaps better still a van , so perhaps 60 -80 litres in that another 30 in the garage in cans and then the fuel tank of the vehicle that's on the road so perhaps another 60-80 giving around 150 litres ?

[preparedsurrey]

Sorry I really don't get the store it in the tank of a vehicle idea, aside from the difficultly of rotating it regularly you've then got another old vehicle to draw attraction from the metal fairies to your location. By using common sense it shouldn't be much of a problem to store 3 or 4 jerry cans of fuel sensibly which is only the amount you are going to get in most modernish fuel tanks anyway. If you are thinking about buying an old van and sticking 2 or 3 205l drums in the back be aware it will look fully laden and may draw more of the wrong kind of attention.