Stress Test

[jansman]

I’ve put this under Equipment,’cos it’s about equipment

So,after our daughters visited yesterday,and we discussed all the inflation,fuel etc.etc. we decided to spend the evening in the Summerhouse with a glass or two of lemonade. The lighting up there is solar powered ,with battery LED touch lights too. We discussed the energy et. and Mrs J. Said,” we have all the gear,let’s use it for real”. So there and then ,we turned the telly off ,I read a book and The Duchess did her knitting,whilst I put some music on via the battery radio. Later on we came down the garden with our torches ( lighting all turned off) ,and we went to bed.The house has emergency LED battery lighting in place,so no problem there. Just to be authentic,Mrs J charged her phone with a power bank.

This morning ,I set up one of the bistro stoves ,the Trangia and outside the Kelly Kettle. First thing was boiled water in the Kelly Kettle. 3.5 minutes and there was boiling water,which I tipped into a flask,for washing up.

The kettle was on on the Trangia ( which doubles as a teapot too) ,so the most important life - saver was TEA! easy - peasy. Then I got a fry up going on the bistro gas stove.

Now, if we have power rationing during Winter ,it’s reckoned it may be three hours at a time, so fridge and freezer will hold ok ,so I got bacon,black pudding,mushrooms and hash browns out and got frying. Tinned tomatoes heating through on the Trangia ,some bread and butter and another brew. Bingo!

If it was Winter,we would simply light one of the stoves for heating ,which is how we do it anyway.

We had good hot water for washing up , and I boiled some more into the flask ( s) for tea later,and so I could have a shave. Right now, Mrs J has suggested we have passed with flying colours, so she’s gone for a shower!

All in all,it was a simple test of kit ,and my flask has enough for my tea up until lunchtime/ beer o’clock. We feel quite happy that if the lights go off,we can deal easily and happily with life’s basic needs.

[Frnc]

I've only used a Trangia a couple of times. Flames were shooting out the side, was in the porch of my tent! After that I moved further away obviously. I only got it because I was at Download and the don't allow gas. That was a mini Trangia.
I also have a full size Trangia with gas attachment, two gas stoves (one Soto, one generic), and three wood burners. All are backpacking size/weight. I have tested solid fuel but it was very slow and the fuel stinks so I'm not a fan of that. I've never tried the wood stoves, but it's not rocket science. I lit many fires in the scouts.

[Kiwififer]

I’ve put this under Equipment,’cos it’s about equipment

So,after our daughters visited yesterday,and we discussed all the inflation,fuel etc.etc. we decided to spend the evening in the Summerhouse with a glass or two of lemonade. The lighting up there is solar powered ,with battery LED touch lights too. We discussed the energy et. and Mrs J. Said,” we have all the gear,let’s use it for real”. So there and then ,we turned the telly off ,I read a book and The Duchess did her knitting,whilst I put some music on via the battery radio. Later on we came down the garden with our torches ( lighting all turned off) ,and we went to bed.The house has emergency LED battery lighting in place,so no problem there. Just to be authentic,Mrs J charged her phone with a power bank.

This morning ,I set up one of the bistro stoves ,the Trangia and outside the Kelly Kettle. First thing was boiled water in the Kelly Kettle. 3.5 minutes and there was boiling water,which I tipped into a flask,for washing up.

The kettle was on on the Trangia ( which doubles as a teapot too) ,so the most important life - saver was TEA! easy - peasy. Then I got a fry up going on the bistro gas stove.

Now, if we have power rationing during Winter ,it’s reckoned it may be three hours at a time, so fridge and freezer will hold ok ,so I got bacon,black pudding,mushrooms and hash browns out and got frying. Tinned tomatoes heating through on the Trangia ,some bread and butter and another brew. Bingo!

If it was Winter,we would simply light one of the stoves for heating ,which is how we do it anyway.

We had good hot water for washing up , and I boiled some more into the flask ( s) for tea later,and so I could have a shave. Right now, Mrs J has suggested we have passed with flying colours, so she’s gone for a shower!

All in all,it was a simple test of kit ,and my flask has enough for my tea up until lunchtime/ beer o’clock. We feel quite happy that if the lights go off,we can deal easily and happily with life’s basic needs.

That is a fantastic idea. My wife would never agree to it but it’s given me an idea to do something similar for myself when I get a weekend off.

[Yorkshire Andy]

and Mrs J. Said,” we have all the gear,let’s use it for real”. Then I got a fry up going on the bistro gas stove.

I got bacon,black pudding,mushrooms and hash browns out and got frying. Tinned tomatoes heating through on the Trangia ,some bread and butter and another brew. Bingo!

I, so she’s gone for a shower!

So in woman's logic she won ... She got a lay in whilst you prepped and cooked a full English and a nice warm shower in peace whilst you put the stoves and stuff away should have turned the boiler off for a authentic off grid shower then go fishing before she comes down stairs


It's well worth testing kit out before you need it as frnc points out discovering that the cooker blasts flames out the side either due to design or overfilling for example is easier to deal with without the extra stresses of shtf

I over filled out bio ethanol heater a few years ago it made for an interesting time I was happy to let it burn itself out Mrs a not so.... A quick poof of CO2 did the business (worth noting that ethanol / meths doesn't go out very well with AFFF (foam) the alcohol breaks the foam down chemically

[Frnc]

It's well worth testing kit out before you need it as frnc points out discovering that the cooker blasts flames out the side either due to design or overfilling for example is easier to deal with without the extra stresses of shtf

I'm used to gas, which burns very powerfully in a confined jet, so a slight breeze has little effect except it takes longer to heat up. I've cooked in a tent porch hundreds of times. But the Trangia has a weaker flame that's hard to see, and small gusts of air were pushing it out sideways, maybe a foot or more. I think they can burn quite well in the right conditions, once they warm up. But they need to be shielded and well away from anything flammable. I've seen people testing meths burners indoors, but on a good sized work bench or something. Obviously they don't get any wind.