Given the closure of electricity generating capacity with nothing major coming on stream for years, I read that this year's capacity is very close to demand. And the risk of blackout is increasing - and looks likely to increase over the next 5-10 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33527967
tinyurl.com/nur8zn8
Given the above, I am considering buying a small generator as backup power to run some lights and possibly the freezer/fridge. No more than 1KW. (a full coverage means 5KW +, and BIG expense.)
Any ideas, suggestions, etc?
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Then comes the question of how best to connect it into your system, or whatever you want to power with it.
Simple case - you put it next to your freezer, and run a long extension lead from an adaptor and plug in anything else you want - lamp, TV etc.
But it would be nice to feed it into the house circuit so that you had the option of turning on anything you needed, within moderation of course.
It's tempting to think that if you switched off the master electricity switch, you could then just back-feed it into any socket. But I am told that is potentially dangerous, and probably illegal.
You need a proper change-over switch - more expense.
An electrician did try to explain to me why back-feeding was dangerous even with an isolated house, with it's own distribution transformer on a pole.
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>>>An electrician did try to explain to me why back-feeding was dangerous even with an isolated house, with it's own distribution transformer on a pole.
It's all about the possibility of back leakage into the external supplies and grid.... and so injuring someone working to repair the fault.
Years ago we'd do it with just the mains switch off but as Cliff says you need a pro fitted mains changeover switch fitted so it's mains or genny but never both.... don't backfeed any more.
We have a near identical genny to that one madf linked... bought used but as new from the estate of deceased for about £100 12yrs ago. Only run it most years for an hour or three but for that short period it's been invaluable.
For power cuts I run an extension lead into the house and directly power whatever we need. It's also been useful for taking in the back of the car to do the odd job away from the mains but still remaining able to use all my power tools.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 22 Oct 15 at 15:51
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Just a load of media hype
A few candles and a torch be a better investment if you are worried about powercuts A freezer will be fine for up to 6 hours at least you don't open it
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>> A freezer will be fine for up to 6 hours at least you don't
>> open it
>>
And if we have a Siberian winter and the power lines are down for a few weeks just take the freezer outside and leave it open. :)
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I like your thinking. ;-)
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I've bin thinking about getting a genny - for the last four years actually, as my water comes from a bore hole, so a power cut means no h20.
We've had a few power cuts in that time, but we're usually forewarned, so fill up the bath etc. and fortunately we have a gas (Propane) hob, and a new mighty meaty multi-fuel stove so we should be okay - for short periods.
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Just put an extra socket next to the freezer / TV and run it to a 16A connector outside the house. Connect that to the generator (caravan shops or a stage lighting place will sell the cables), and everyone's happy with minimal risk of electrocution.
Couple of points:
* Test your freezer on the generator first as they have high power factor and may stall as the compressor kicks in. Only an issue if you buy a dinky generator.
* Do not try to run your TV / PC on the generator unless it's via a UPS. Laptops plugged in to the charger will be fine though.
Don't underestimate how long a 12V lead acid battery will last. I have a small one in the loft with cables running to 1W LED bulbs dotted around the house, and it'll provide lighting for about 48 hours in the event of a power cut.
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Come the apocalypse, you lot will probably last all of a day longer than me, before the slavering, murderous mob armed with machetes arrive in their stolen pick-ups to nick your generator and shove your tender parts in their meat freezers.
For all situations south of that, I don't think it'll be too much trouble to live off the cold beans for a day or so with an extra jumper on and wait for Mr SSE to come and put the wires back up.
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>> Come the apocalypse, you lot will probably last all of a day longer than me, before the slavering, murderous mob
Heh heh... nasty minds think alike Alanović.
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That's why you need to be prepared- A cross bow and an anti- stab vest are musts I would say.
You can't just stop at a generator.
www.preppersshop.co.uk/
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My mother and step-father are fed via a pole transformer along with a handful of other houses. Very rare any power cut lasts 24 hours, but it can happen. I got them a Tilley lamp as emergency lighting. Looked after they are a good source of light (equivalent to a 75 watt incandescent) and can burn for over 4 hours on one fill of paraffin.
These days though, one can get LED lanterns for camping that will light for much longer on a set of batteries.
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>> Come the apocalypse, you lot will probably last all of a day longer than me,
>> before the slavering, murderous mob armed with machetes arrive in their stolen pick-ups to nick
>> your generator and shove your tender parts in their meat freezers.
Thats Reading for you, wouldn't happen in Windsor.
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Obviously you've never been down Vale Road in Dedworth after dark. Gimme the Oxford Rd in Reading any day, at least I can get a kebab there whilst im being dismembered.
Last edited by: Alanović on Thu 22 Oct 15 at 18:40
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What do you mean Power Shortage? - they have so much windpower they are closing down a 2,400Mw Coal Station Power Station that I can see from my window - about 3/4 miles away.
Hunterston Nuclear will close in the near future as will Torness in 10-15 years - we don't need them with all this green power being available..
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Wind power is so reliable they have 100% backup from conventional power..iirc
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Come the apocalypse, the first place I'm going is B&Q to loot their entire stock of solar panels. And if they haven't got any, I'll nick them from next door's roof and retreat at maximum speed to my parent's place in deepest darkest Devon.
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Good idea except the invertor needs mains power so you can't use solar panels without mains unless you have some expensive gadgetry.
It's a bit annoying really, as I have panels.
I also have hours of telly recorded on my TiVo (Virgin). But if the interweb goes down I can't watch it cos it needs a connection, even to watch recordings...
Last edited by: smokie on Thu 22 Oct 15 at 20:47
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Come the apocalypse I'll be cranking out my stills to produce wood gas/petroleum to run my car, and medicinal whisky.
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Um, I ass-umed the apocalypse meant the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation, or would Jockland be independent of that?
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"or would Jockland be independent of that?"
No, Revelation pretty much specifically describes Glasgow:
"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur."
Revelation 21.8
:-)
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>> lake of burning sulfur."
Sulphur surely?
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Sulfur - American Standard Version
if you prefer the King James
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and w****mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone..
Brimstone is so much more evocative.
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>>"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur."
Nah - that's Westminster.
Glasgow is more Old Testament Sodom & Gomorrah era methinks
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I have a small genny...£40 new some years ago. Not needed it yet, I suppose I could do with renewing the petrol and cleaning the plug some time.
I'd just plug the caravan mains into it and move in. Everything is 12v and gas apart from 4 X 13 amp sockets which the genny will easily deal with....only the telly and the kettle really and the telly runs off 12v DC as well as 230 AC anyway.
The neighbours will have their noses pressed against the windows trying to watch Corrie !
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>> at least I can get a kebab there
F
R
O
And I mean, right off.
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I've got a wind up torch. Enough for me.
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I've got a car with an alternator and battery, it will charge most things including my jump starter battery pack gadget.
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I would keep the money in my pocket. If there is a prolonged period of outage, then where are you going to get the petrol from? Filling station pumps will be inoperative without power, unless of course you can travel to one in a different neighbourhood. There are limits on how much you can store on a residential property, when I last looked I think it is a maximum of 20 litres in official metal cans, ten in plastic.
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When I first lived in the depths of West Wales ( Narberth in 1993) power cuts were a regular PITA. With this in mind, not long after I moved back in 2003 I bought a cheap Chinese 2.8 KW generator at a show; cost me £100 and came with a free sack trolley.
The sack trolley gets used pretty much every week, if not by me then by one of my neighbours borrowing it. I've used the generator three times in ten years; once when the power did go off for a few hours after a fire at the local sub-station, once the day after my house fire in 2012 to light up the remains of me garage, and once when my long extension lead packed up and I neded to cut the hedge. The last one was more trouble than it was worth.
We have two wood-burners, and cook with LPG gas. If the power does go off for a few hours the only real inconvenience is to Mrs HM who cannot watch telly. I shall either go to the pub or open a bottle or two at home, and read my Kindle.
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My concern would be that half the country would miss its brain-rotting rubbish on the telly.
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>
>> I last looked I think it is a maximum of 20 litres in official metal
>> cans, ten in plastic.
>>
www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/petrol-storage-club-association.htm
"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, which are:
You should notify your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority in writing, giving your name and address as the occupier of the storage place or the address where the petrol is stored."
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Well I eventually bought a 2KVA generator from Gumtree £15.One owner from new, but not run for years. Blocked and screwed up carb. New one and it runs fine. Oil change and runs electric fire OK.
www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/11975069/Power-plant-breakdowns-force-National-Grid-to-issue-alert.html
Last edited by: madf on Thu 5 Nov 15 at 06:47
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Wise move mad f. Having read that article + the comments which followed it, I really should think about getting one of these: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lister-Generator-/151870882913
And maybe consider joining these: www.ukpreppersguide.co.uk/
^_^
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Must admit to having had a bug-out bag for years.
Usually dip into it for camping and fishing excursions, and top it up when I see silly prices online for quality outdoors gear.
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A bug-out bag, Lyg? You're already in Scotland. There's nowhere else to go. Just sit, watch the pretty mushroom, and melt.
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>>Just sit, watch the pretty mushroom, and melt.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtotpiSL700
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Home electricity generator - power cuts. - devonite
