Potential UK power failure

Homes and Retreats
Yorkshire Andy
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Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

billy56 wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 6:03 pm
Only seeing this now, I would be using it in the same way, running the heating and hot water etc.
But I would be able to charge my batteries, power banks as well and then run the inverter for TV, Internet etc to be used at night time.
I had the money at the time to do this, or I would probably have blew it on some other reckless idea!
So it works for me and because it is diesel at a pinch you could use heating oil (with a suitable lubricant) which is easily acquired! :lol:
Got the generator at the right price it's unleaded so are our cars..... (100l ish there in a pinch)

I've also got a high ampage battery charger for rapid leisure battery charging for my leisure batteries and a 300w and 1kw pure sine wave inverters plus solar charger

With mine been a 5kva it wouldn't wince running the washing machine ;)
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Bosworth
Posts: 266
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:03 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by Bosworth »

What do folk recommend for a generator? Both our cars are now hybrid petrol so we have car tanks plus the legal max(ish) or stored spare petrol.

My challenge is that we live in London therefore QUIET!!! is critical. Reviews are a bit patchy on which generator is best from that perspective. On the plus side, petrol generators are typically quieter so recent changes make that easier...

Counsel welcomed...
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peejay
Posts: 523
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:48 pm
Location: Midlands, UK

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by peejay »

The last place I worked at had some noisy machinery outside, relatively close to offices. They had some specific sound proofing "blankets" strung up around them which took out a good bit of the (very loud) noise so I imagine having some of it carefully draped around a genny should help a lot.

Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the manufacturer.
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8733
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Bosworth wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 10:46 pm What do folk recommend for a generator? Both our cars are now hybrid petrol so we have car tanks plus the legal max(ish) or stored spare petrol.

My challenge is that we live in London therefore QUIET!!! is critical. Reviews are a bit patchy on which generator is best from that perspective. On the plus side, petrol generators are typically quieter so recent changes make that easier...

Counsel welcomed...
Honda eu10i (1kw)
Or the eu20i (2kw)

Can be had for reasonable money scour the selling pages on Facebook especially those relating to motor homes and caravans
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
jansman
Posts: 13622
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by jansman »

Yorkshire Andy wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 3:02 pm
Bosworth wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 10:46 pm What do folk recommend for a generator? Both our cars are now hybrid petrol so we have car tanks plus the legal max(ish) or stored spare petrol.

My challenge is that we live in London therefore QUIET!!! is critical. Reviews are a bit patchy on which generator is best from that perspective. On the plus side, petrol generators are typically quieter so recent changes make that easier...

Counsel welcomed...
Honda eu10i (1kw)
Or the eu20i (2kw)

Can be had for reasonable money scour the selling pages on Facebook especially those relating to motor homes and caravans
I’ll second the Honda.
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.
jansman
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Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by jansman »

I will add to that, if I may. If you live in a built up area , ANY generator will have a noise signature. When the power is off, a community is surprisingly quiet, and your gennie * could* draw attention like flies to sh*t!

Up until a couple of years ago, I had a 6kva site hobbies ( Honda). It would ( as Yorkshire Andy said) run a washing machine- but it was damned noisy! The little Honda suitcase jobs are a lot quieter though- but not silent- and are limited to what they will power, as they have a smaller output.

For what it’s worth, I got rid of my gennie for two reasons: 1, too noisy. 2, fuel storage would never be adequate or legal.

So now, I have solar battery chargers, solar power pack which we can use for emergency lighting and powering devices, battery fm radio,Anker power banks. We also heat with solid fuel. But that’s me. Only you know what you need.
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.
billy56
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:49 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by billy56 »

When mine is running you can just about hear it from the front of the house no louder that a car ticking over the other side of the road!
I have it in the boiler house with an extendable exhaust and fans so it's there's no real noise and I've talked to the closest neighbors and no body knows its running :mrgreen:
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diamond lil
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Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:42 pm
Location: Scotland.

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by diamond lil »

I'd second the sneaky approach. Coal fire for heating & hot water and solar power for as much as you can get out of it.
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hobo
Posts: 2502
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:27 pm
Location: Beside the seaside, North Yorkshire

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by hobo »

jansman wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 4:03 pm So now, I have solar battery chargers, solar power pack which we can use for emergency lighting and powering devices, battery fm radio,Anker power banks. We also heat with solid fuel. But that’s me. Only you know what you need.
I’ll third this! 😀
jansman
Posts: 13622
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: Potential UK power failure

Post by jansman »

billy56 wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 4:21 pm When mine is running you can just about hear it from the front of the house no louder that a car ticking over the other side of the road!
I have it in the boiler house with an extendable exhaust and fans so it's there's no real noise and I've talked to the closest neighbors and no body knows its running :mrgreen:
That’s good.
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.