Potential UK power failure

Homes and Retreats
HomeHardener
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 11:06 pm
Location: Essex

Potential UK power failure

Post by HomeHardener »

I’m sure off grid energy is something that’s been touched on here before, but an attached article had me thinking... what would I do if we had even a small blackout of say, 12 hours.

I have about 6 power banks I keep charged which would power my phone and vape. I have two battery lanterns with spare battery’s and a few torches around the house.

But if the power outage was to last longer, who here is running a solar or wind setup?
I’m thinking to get a £200 solar jobbie for the shed roof, with controller and leisure battery as a just incase?

Thoughts and advice welcome!

Link - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... risis.html

Edit - my hob is gas powered so I’d still be able to prepare food. I also have no means of heating the house other than the central heating and I have a 6 month old and a mrs that’s always cold haha!
@Homehardening_uk
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8735
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Big blackout happened last summer...

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-a ... wer-outage


Fortunately we are heading for some Warner weather this weekend but never say never

I've got 60w of solar panels on my outbuilding and a 110ah leisure battery and a box of 12v chargers and kit... I've got a pure sine wave inverter but it's not exactly energy efficient....

http://www.uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/view ... 38&t=11070


As for heating the upright calor heaters are ok but in your case you'll need a fire guard for little fingers and a battery co alarm wouldn't go amiss

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-2KW-CALOR- ... Swjq9bpLtm

You can often get calor bottles in normal times off Facebook selling sites for less than the deposit price of a bottle and refills from calor agents....

Or local independent gas suppliers are often cheaper than calor but not as universally exchangeable ....

Or get the Mrs a wool blanket and a fleecy pair of PJ's for the little one ...
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
User avatar
scoobie
Posts: 1698
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:38 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by scoobie »

I have a 4kw solar system on my house, which generates far more than we use (20kwh per day last week on bright days); so not too much of an issue for us, especially now we're coming into more daylight hours. I would like a battery bank to keep us going for a few days completely independently of the grid; but they're thousands and no chance of getting one fitted right now :lol:
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail - Benjamin Franklin
User avatar
peejay
Posts: 523
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:48 pm
Location: Midlands, UK

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by peejay »

scoobie wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:48 am I have a 4kw solar system on my house, which generates far more than we use (20kwh per day last week on bright days); so not too much of an issue for us, especially now we're coming into more daylight hours. I would like a battery bank to keep us going for a few days completely independently of the grid; but they're thousands and no chance of getting one fitted right now :lol:
Ironically a lot of solar installations actually shut down if the property loses connection to the mains! Primarily to stop an owners panels sending a jolt to an electrician working down the line somewhere.

I'm still considering getting some solar installed but if I were to do so it would be configured such that I'd retain power during a blackout.

I think the disconnections apply to anyone with theirs set to use FIT etc.?
User avatar
scoobie
Posts: 1698
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:38 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by scoobie »

peejay wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 12:02 pm
Ironically a lot of solar installations actually shut down if the property loses connection to the mains! Primarily to stop an owners panels sending a jolt to an electrician working down the line somewhere.

I'm still considering getting some solar installed but if I were to do so it would be configured such that I'd retain power during a blackout.

I think the disconnections apply to anyone with theirs set to use FIT etc.?
That's a good point actually. I will need to look into a power transfer switch, and an alternative way of powering the inverter...
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail - Benjamin Franklin
grenfell
Posts: 3952
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by grenfell »

On a more simple approach and probably a good idea even if one does have solar panels or generators is something we used to do in the seventies when there were more power cuts than we get nowadays. My parents had a chest freezer and it was kept full and empty space filled with bottles of water to act as a cold store should the power go off. Additionally my parents kept an old duvet ( or eiderdown as we called them then) and blankets and when the power went out they would wrap the freezer up .
HomeHardener
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 11:06 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by HomeHardener »

Yorkshire Andy wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:05 am Big blackout happened last summer...

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-a ... wer-outage


Fortunately we are heading for some Warner weather this weekend but never say never

I've got 60w of solar panels on my outbuilding and a 110ah leisure battery and a box of 12v chargers and kit... I've got a pure sine wave inverter but it's not exactly energy efficient....

http://www.uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/view ... 38&t=11070


As for heating the upright calor heaters are ok but in your case you'll need a fire guard for little fingers and a battery co alarm wouldn't go amiss

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-2KW-CALOR- ... Swjq9bpLtm

You can often get calor bottles in normal times off Facebook selling sites for less than the deposit price of a bottle and refills from calor agents....

Or local independent gas suppliers are often cheaper than calor but not as universally exchangeable ....

Or get the Mrs a wool blanket and a fleecy pair of PJ's for the little one ...
To be fair, the weather doesn’t exactly setting the heating to full, I was thinking of a more year round prep for heating as oppose to right now.
I’ve got two bottles of calor, one for the bbq and one spare.

My house is a new build and it actually came with the plans/blueprints for a solar panel instal in the roof, I’d just need to get it quoted, haven’t got a clue what sort of price it would be.
As mentioned in later posts my issue with paying for the solar installation is that if the grid does off, so do the panels and their ability to power the house. So almost pointless for a off grid scenario. Albeit it’s better for the environment and saves on energy costs
@Homehardening_uk
HomeHardener
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 11:06 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by HomeHardener »

I was thinking along the lines of

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECO-WORTHY-Pan ... lar&sr=8-3

Would just need to buy a leisure battery
@Homehardening_uk
HomeHardener
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 11:06 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by HomeHardener »

grenfell wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 5:06 pm On a more simple approach and probably a good idea even if one does have solar panels or generators is something we used to do in the seventies when there were more power cuts than we get nowadays. My parents had a chest freezer and it was kept full and empty space filled with bottles of water to act as a cold store should the power go off. Additionally my parents kept an old duvet ( or eiderdown as we called them then) and blankets and when the power went out they would wrap the freezer up .
A great idea but I don’t have the space for an additional freezer and if I did, I think the world went mad for freezers recently so quite hard to find one that isn’t top of the range
@Homehardening_uk
jansman
Posts: 13623
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by jansman »

Another freezer is a great idea. Just need grub to put in it! 😂😂😂
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.