Lessons from a 100 hour power outage

[Nurseandy]

So, our powers back on after 100hours & four nights. Good test of the preps and pleased to say things went very well. Thought I'd share our experience & observations. Firstly, we're a family of two adults & three teenagers, all in good health other than some mild asthma in wife & 2 children.
We live in a semi isolated rural location at 1000ft elevation, private gravity fed water supply so no issue with water supply. House is heated with a wood burner with supplementary electric heaters & electric cooker.
Weather was of course windy then snow & freezing temps.

We didn't notice too much difference in keeping warm, a bit more in the bedrooms would've been nice but not a biggy. Water as mentioned wasn't an issue. Cooking was done on two trangias & a gas camping stove, worked well.
Light was provided by combination of UCO candle lanterns & torches.
There was no mobile signal for first couple of days. We had an analogue phone but it got dropped on day one and stopped working.
4G mobile signal was restored after a couple of days.

Things I've learnt -
The trangias were brilliant but the simple camping gas stove was really handy, particularly for that first brew in the morning.

I used an old car battery to recharge USB torches/phones/tablets but my solar panel couldn't recharge it sufficiently on the short overcast winter days. After three days we were using the cars to recharge USB devices.

We had two head torches but a head torch each would've been nice.

You can never have enough chocolate

Think that's it really, overall it was actually a pretty enjoyable few days. No internet & lots of boards games/charades/who am I?/wine & chocolate. Only thing missing was the zombie hordes

[Yorkshire Andy]

So, our powers back on after 100hours & four nights. Good test of the preps and pleased to say things went very well. Thought I'd share our experience & observations. Firstly, we're a family of two adults & three teenagers, all in good health other than some mild asthma in wife & 2 children.
We live in a semi isolated rural location at 1000ft elevation, private gravity fed water supply so no issue with water supply. House is heated with a wood burner with supplementary electric heaters & electric cooker.
Weather was of course windy then snow & freezing temps.

We didn't notice too much difference in keeping warm, a bit more in the bedrooms would've been nice but not a biggy. Water as mentioned wasn't an issue. Cooking was done on two trangias & a gas camping stove, worked well.
Light was provided by combination of UCO candle lanterns & torches.
There was no mobile signal for first couple of days. We had an analogue phone but it got dropped on day one and stopped working.
4G mobile signal was restored after a couple of days.

Things I've learnt -
The trangias were brilliant but the simple camping gas stove was really handy, particularly for that first brew in the morning.

I used an old car battery to recharge USB torches/phones/tablets but my solar panel couldn't recharge it sufficiently on the short overcast winter days. After three days we were using the cars to recharge USB devices.

We had two head torches but a head torch each would've been nice.

You can never have enough chocolate

Think that's it really, overall it was actually a pretty enjoyable few days. No internet & lots of boards games/charades/who am I?/wine & chocolate. Only thing missing was the zombie hordes

Glad your all ok and come out the other side unscathed



If you haven't already get some decent 25mm² jump leads it's a rough way of banging some charge into your emergency car battery clip to the car and run the engine for half an hour or so the alternator should soon bang some charge in whilst your charging other kit from the fag lighter ...

Clip positive to positive

Negative on your slave battery and a clean chassis bolt ,/ engine on your car ... Remove that last connection first then let the car tick over another 10 mins to top the starter battery up before turning off..

You'll find it puts in between 20a to 100a depending on the car

I like the trangia especially if it's cold butane gas doesn't like the cold

The most basic old style 5mm white led head torches are ideal in the house not too bright and they last ages on decent AAA /AA cells unlike the modern ultra bright cob lamps which are getting increasingly power hungry

[Yorkshire Andy]

Oh I was going to recommend a small budget generator I got a 850w 2 stroke jobbie which has a 8a 12v battery charger i paid about £35 for it in Aldi a few years back identical units are currently £120 ISH minimum

Need to dig it out strip and service it seeing the price of them I could clean it up and turn a profit but it's much quieter than my big site generator

[pseudonym]

And that is why we prep..... how many others would of forgotten about what they went through and not asked for those items for Christmas presents>

[GillyBee]

I think you can safely say your power outage preps have been fully tested. Well done for coping so well -and with teens in the house. A good life lesson for them which they will never forget.
Note to self: Increase wine and chocolate stocks....

[jansman]

So, our powers back on after 100hours & four nights. Good test of the preps and pleased to say things went very well. Thought I'd share our experience & observations. Firstly, we're a family of two adults & three teenagers, all in good health other than some mild asthma in wife & 2 children.
We live in a semi isolated rural location at 1000ft elevation, private gravity fed water supply so no issue with water supply. House is heated with a wood burner with supplementary electric heaters & electric cooker.
Weather was of course windy then snow & freezing temps.

We didn't notice too much difference in keeping warm, a bit more in the bedrooms would've been nice but not a biggy. Water as mentioned wasn't an issue. Cooking was done on two trangias & a gas camping stove, worked well.
Light was provided by combination of UCO candle lanterns & torches.
There was no mobile signal for first couple of days. We had an analogue phone but it got dropped on day one and stopped working.
4G mobile signal was restored after a couple of days.

Things I've learnt -
The trangias were brilliant but the simple camping gas stove was really handy, particularly for that first brew in the morning.

I used an old car battery to recharge USB torches/phones/tablets but my solar panel couldn't recharge it sufficiently on the short overcast winter days. After three days we were using the cars to recharge USB devices.

We had two head torches but a head torch each would've been nice.

You can never have enough chocolate

Think that's it really, overall it was actually a pretty enjoyable few days. No internet & lots of boards games/charades/who am I?/wine & chocolate. Only thing missing was the zombie hordes

Thanks for sharing that. I am glad you and your family are well. You mentioned the UCO candle lanterns. You obviously rate them after this?

[Smudge]

You can never have enough chocolate

I love this.... noted will head to lidl and top up tomorrow.

[Medusa]

Glad that you are all well and safe and survived the power outage. Ive had one of the UCO candle lanterns on my wish list for a while now and might have to treat myself if Santa doesn't come up with the goods.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Glad that you are all well and safe and survived the power outage. Ive had one of the UCO candle lanterns on my wish list for a while now and might have to treat myself if Santa doesn't come up with the goods.

Keep your eyes open in Lidl they get lanterns in this time of year which will take the humble 3 or 8 hour tea lights some of the bigger uco ones use a specific candle that can be a bit pricey
Think last year they were 2 for a fiver just before Christmas

The green one is getting tatty it's started to blow it's paint off not bad though for about 4 years living in the steam and damp of the bathroom

[Nurseandy]

Thanks all for the positive responses.
UCO candle lanterns are (in my opinion) excellent. I've three single ones and the triple candle lantern. I go camping every week year round and always take at least one with me. The candles are expensive ~£6 for three but they do burn for the nine hours as advertised and are pretty windproof (in the lantern obviously). Incredibly I've never broken the glass yet!