Has anyone prepared for possible powercuts this winter?

Light - torch with failing batteries and a candle
food - dominos
heating - thermal underwear

So yes, extremely well prepared.

Failing everything else, fly somewhere else for a while :p
 
Sudden said:
Light - torch with failing batteries and a candle
food - dominos
heating - thermal underwear

So yes, extremely well prepared.

Failing everything else, fly somewhere else for a while :p
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Well if the power is out it is unlikely dominoes will be selling pizzas, so you'd best change that to doritos :D
 
Best make sure all the mobile devices are kept fully charged up.
Should be able to make it through a weekend with careful scheduling of mobile phone, laptop, tablet and 3ds battery usage.
 
I live on the outskirts of Stafford, and our power circuit is connected to the outer villages rather than Stafford itself. Therefore we get power cuts like there is no tomorrow, even in the summer. I recently invested in an Anker 13000mAh battery pack that can charge my Galaxy SII 6 times (tried and tested by myself) which is handy on the phone criteria. It has 1A and 2A standard sized USB-out, so will work with all phones that take USB, plus Sony PSP, tablets and anything really including USB torches, desk lamps, desk fans. Various different micro-USB adapters included for MP3 players etc, and you can charge the battery pack by computer USB.

My cooker's dual-fuel as well, so just use one of those ignition things with the long snout that generates a spark to get the hobs ignited... got ID'd when buying that O.o

Lots of candles.

Should really get a UPS next though.
 
No, they've been saying that for at least a decade.
Although i do have 2x20,000mah of batterys and two torches with batteries for hiking. So would keep my tablet/phone powered for a week or two.
 
Meh, I'll live.

Lived through the winter of discontent in 1974 or 1976 whichever year so will be fine with something as simple as this. Might make sure I have some batteries for a torch if I remember. But total non-story really and just something to soften us up for energy price rises.
 
Last time we had a power cut* a few months back I had torches out within about a minute of deciding it wasn't just a blip.

We're fairly well prepared at least for one that doesn't last too long with.

Multiple torches and lamps (erm two LED camera lights, 5 maglite minis, and about 4-6 headlight torches**) - I can lay my hands on at least one within 30 seconds. All with either enerloop type batteries in them, or Duracell's, with additional batteries handy in the same locations as two of the torches. There are also spare bulbs for the non led lights.

For heating if it comes to it, we've got a calor gas heater in the garage with an almost unused cylinder in it, and a spare.
We keep looking at a camping gas stove as well, but as we don't go camping it would likely never be used.

Note most of the above (including the gas heater) are because things like the torches are used for DIY or the garage, and I hate hunting around for torches so we keep one by the back door, a couple in the fuse cupboard (along with the batteries and bulbs), and in other locations around the house where they might prove handy.

One thing I am considering is a UPS for my PC, as whilst proper cuts are fairly rare still here, last winter it seemed we got a lot of blips where the lights would flicker for a fraction of a second, and several <15 second cuts (where I suspect a breaker tripped at the substation and had to wait to reset).


Re candles, pick up some tea light ones, and make sure you've got a couple of old ceramic plates.
They're not ideal (no candle is) for lighting because of the inherent fire risk if they get knocked/are left unattended, but tealight ones are small enough if you place them on a largish ceramic plate they can't spill over the sides, and low enough that they are pretty stable on such a plate. You can also often buy them in packs of 20-50 for a couple of pounds (I think Ikea sell scented ones 30 for £3).


[edit]
I forgot the electric drill, and ratchet with a 13mm socket - we've got a stairlift fitted and it's got a manual handle you can use at a pinch if the power is out which is basically a 13mm socket on a bar with a handle. The drill, or failing that the ratchet should let me get someone down without doing my wrists and hands in trying to use the emergency handle.

*Who knew that the town increasing in size massively over the last 5-10 years (something like a 20% increase in housing), would require more substations and a bigger main one.

**They were in the 99p shop - I bought one for each of the tool boxes, plus one for the car, and a couple for the house :)
 
Hades said:
Meh, I'll live.

Lived through the winter of discontent in 1974 or 1976 whichever year so will be fine with something as simple as this. Might make sure I have some batteries for a torch if I remember. But total non-story really and just something to soften us up for energy price rises.
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It's still unacceptable. That even in 2013 there's this discussion. Supposedly power shortages should not be happening in this modern day. That and the fact if this is true it proves this country hasn't learned a damned thing.
 
V F said:
It's still unacceptable. That even in 2013 there's this discussion. Supposedly power shortages should not be happening in this modern day. That and the fact if this is true it proves this country hasn't learned a damned thing.
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Don't fret - they'll run out of salt/grit for the roads after 2 days of snow too.
 
V F said:
It's still unacceptable. That even in 2013 there's this discussion. Supposedly power shortages should not be happening in this modern day. That and the fact if this is true it proves this country hasn't learned a damned thing.
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Different causes.

Environmentalism is the main cause today because it has reduced the level of control available. That makes the grid less robust even if on paper the total capacity is the same. You can easily and quickly vary fossil fuel power stations to match demand. You can't vary the wind and wind is the least bad "green" option in the UK with current technology(*).

Nuclear would work, but you hit both environmental and political issues with that and governments haven't been willing.

The UK will probably manage this year, but it's going to get worse unless the problem is addressed.

But hey, we can always buy more electricity from other countries. That'll be nice and cheap.

I'm not prepared for power cuts because I don't really expect them to happen. If they do start happening, I'll start preparing. I'm usually at work during peak, anyway.



* Wave and tidal is much better on paper, but it's not really viable with current technology because the sea does too much damage to the equipment, which makes the generating cost too high.
 
If the power goes out here it'll take Months to come back on as the bloody ****** will have had it away with all the cables by the time it comes back on. And if it happens in the cities then I'd imagine more than a little looting would soon start happening.
 
I live in Wales, so no electricity in my cave :P

I have a 7.5Kw generator in the garage and a 12Kw inverter in the van. As long as I can access fuel, Im ok. I also have started putting together a kit to run the generator on lpg.

I also have stocks of candles, ration packs and a few S10 respirators along with some nbc suits.
 
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