25 replies to this topic

[sonikk4]

I think us oldies will be ok it will just feel like our early years. What are the poor under 40s going to do when there phones lose their charge that will warm my heart when it does, they might have to talk to each other directly!!!
When is it ever a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket.!!!

 

Thats why i have the equivilant of a old fashioned Tilley Lamp (Coleman petrol fueled type for sea fishing) that bad boy as well as providing light will also heat up food. Sod the phone, as long as i can have a brew and a bite to eat the rest will play out. Plus the wifey has numerous backup powerpacks for whatever may need them. Not much cop though if your Phone provider has no power.

[Steam]

Yesterdays events in Spain highlighted the vulnerability of modern energy grids going down and the major disruption to everyday life, whether failure is due to reliance on net-zero renewable energy, cyber attacks or a technical failure. This and other events, such as the recent Heathrow Airport power outage are putting a spotlight on critical infrastructures such as the electricity grid and how much we now rely on it now for almost everything. Many other essential services are of course also severely impacted, internet, mobile phone masts, telecommunications, transport, rail services and airports all closed. Chaos on the roads with traffic lights out of service, EV chargers and diesel/petrol pumps off. No banking, ATM's or card payment services also cause most shops to close, leaving only some small shops able to deal with those people who still have any real cash in their pocket....

Based on what we saw happening in Spain, Portugal and parts of Southern France yesterday after just one day of power outages, what if anything have you done to prepare for something similar happening and maybe for a longer period of time? This is what the UK government website advises for some very basic things to always be prepared with, like a battery powered radio, torches, etc.
Power Cuts:-
https://prepare.camp...rds/power-cuts/

Do any Mini Forum members maybe own or have advice/recommendations on small portable generators such as those sold by Machine Mart in UK for use as backup power during such an event? I guess there may be quite an increase in sales of them after yesterday!

Machine Mart Generators:-
https://www.machinem...k/c/generators/

I will preface this post by saying I am an electrical professional and although I usually refrain from giving advice on general forums for various reasons, I have some experience regarding this sittuation.
There are a number of things to think about with regard to generators. What you think you will need to run on a generator is well worth investigating. If the power is out for only a few hours then a generator may not be needed or even useful. Sure, when camping you would use one to recharge batteries, both large and small and for other uses but at home your need may outweigh the investment. Other considerations are the quality of the genertors power output and how much your appliances need to operate.
15 years ago we had a major flood here. We were luckier than some as we had a few days notice as the flood waters advanced towards us at a slow pace. As there was a real posibility of the major substation being inundated I purchased a 15 kva petrol generator as we are dependant on power for water pumps, sewerage etc being somewhat isolted. As it turned out we did not need the generator after all but 2 years later a major storm ripped through and our power was out for the best part of 5 days. That generator paid for itself keeping frezzers and fridges going and running pumps and so on.
However we found that despite being quite large the gen set was only just big enough for our needs and even with smart judicial use we still went through over 150 litres of fuel for the 5 days.
So it really is a matter of relativity as to whether it is worth the outlay for a gen set depending on your needs. If the power is out here for a only a few hours then I dont even bother with the generator.

[Steam]

There are lots of other comsiderations as well. You will want the generator outdoors but most of tour power needs will be indoors so extension leads, power boards etc will be needed amd it is not until you start using them that you realise just how many and how long they need to be. Going through doorways and windows etc may present other problems. Even if your gen set is big enough to run essential services, hot water systems, ovens and cooktops and heaters and AC units etc are usually hard wired.
And in the event of a major outage you probably won't be able to get any fuel anyway.
I smile at the irony of the sales pitch "Buy our generators for when that major power outage strikes". It sounds great if you say it quickly enough, reality is another thing altogether.

[68+86auto]

Most generators are not fitted with EN links and RCDs. They are only designed to run one class 1 appliance safely. When people run multiple appliances and extension leads, there becomes a safety risk. The average person doesn't understand any of this.

During a recent cyclone, people were hospitalised due to running generators indoors. You'd think it would be obvious not to.

[68+86auto]

People need to re-evaluate what is really necessary. Aircon etc isn't a requirement (I've never lived with it). I can live with very little power usage as I often do.

Last week I was at my off-grid location. Looking at the solar data from then, 320Wh a day was what three people used. That runs lights, a water pump, a radio as well as phone charging. All of that is run from an approx 100ah 12v battery and 180w of solar. I do have a second similar system running a fridge but people need to realise that a fridge is a luxury, not a necessity.

[Steam]

My fridge is a necessity because that's where I keep the Beer.

[sonikk4]

I think here in the uk we have been too sheltered from power outages, brown outs etc so a lot of people will go straight into panic mode.

 

There is a someone i follow on Youtube Rainman Ray who is a self employed mechanic and he would run through his prep work for the many Hurricanes etc that hit Florida. He has a decent generator that will run most essentials for keeping the home going but also his truck which he has converted to also help backup any power needs as well. Massive diesel tank in the truck bed, upgraded alternators (yup two) as they tend to loose power for days on end and not hours. Different mindset, different outlook.

 

I also have stashed in the garage a one burner camping stove with spare gas cannisters if needed but thats about as far as it goes. The freezers as long as you leave them closed will last at least 12 hours before they start to defrost. After that, well it will be what it will be.

[PoolGuy]

I’m not really concerned about power outages to be honest. A couple of days without power would be a slight inconvenience, nothing more. 

[Gaz66]

If there's any prolonged outage then it's party time as the fridge and freezer contents will need scoffing 👍

[stuart bowes]

well our current human form has survived best part of 300,000 years without electricity, which is what, 300 years old even going right back to the start where it was mostly pretty useless

 

I think it's probably possible to survive without it (with some additional consideration to help the elderly and in need obvs)

 

same argument I made with the missus when we were having kids, everyone was banging on about 'all the difficulties' and 'all the stuff you need to buy' etc...  if it was that hard the human race would have died out by now.  some cultures they still just wander off behind a tree, have the kid and carry on with their day.  (it wasn't a popular argument)

 

I do tend to be a pretty straight forward practical person without a lot of emotion about stuff lol

Edited by stuart bowes, 30 April 2025 - 09:51 AM.

[68+86auto]

There was a minor cyclone near where I am recently. The area around me however wasn't hit. That didn't stop many people going to the government requesting compensation for various reasons such as losing the contents of their fridge. The same people probably panic bought everything they could to stock their fridges.

People bought up every generator that could be found. It was funny seeing all the new unused generators for sale the next day on marketplace as most people didn't lose power at all. I have plenty of generators lying around but didn't buy any fuel or stock up on supplies.