Preparing for the blackouts

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 15 Oct 2008, 08:33

another reason why I'm more relaxed this year is that we have the stove, plenty of wood,

Yes, it's great when you get a truly independent source of heat installed.

You suddenly feel protected against power cuts, strikes etc.

Pip Tiddlepip · Post by **Pip Tiddlepip** » 15 Oct 2008, 11:40

EDF are about to start digging up half of my area to upgrade the electricity network in 5 days' time. As accidents will happen I have gone paranoia-overboard and we now have the following in case of blackout:

2 head torches
3 small torches and one big one
1 LED camping lamp
1 hurricane lamp with 5 litres of paraffin and 1m wick
Wind-up radio
5 bajillion candles

So I'd say we should get through quite comfortably.

At the grand old age of nearly 39, I am old enough - just - to remember the power cuts of the 70s, though not quite old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent. So the spirit of the blitz is alive and well in our house

Erik · Post by **Erik** » 01 Nov 2008, 00:58

So much for die-off! Look what goes and happens if you don't prepare properly for blackouts:
Winter blackout results in Dutch baby boom

Just goes to show how creative we are at coming up with things to do in the dark.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 02 Nov 2008, 16:45

Hmm yes stock up on some "precautions"!

energy-village · Post by **energy-village** » 02 Nov 2008, 17:56

Pip Tiddlepip wrote: . . . . At the grand old age of nearly 39, I am old enough - just - to remember the power cuts of the 70s, though not quite old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent. So the spirit of the blitz is alive and well in our house

A good list - a wind-up radio makes a lot of sense! But how can you be old enough to remember the power cuts (presumably those c.1973) but not remember the Winter of Discontent? (78-79).

I have a large Edwardian oil lamp, with two large wicks. Very heavy, hard to knock-over. It was used by my family during the power cuts in the 70s and is surprisingly effective in lighting up a whole room. Bit hefty to move about though.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 02 Nov 2008, 19:53

Pip would have been about 4, an impresionable age with regard to lights going out, but about 10 when the utterly dull political events of the 'Winter of Discontent' took place.

careful_eugene · Post by **careful_eugene** » 03 Nov 2008, 10:05

energycity wrote:
Pip Tiddlepip wrote: . . . . At the grand old age of nearly 39, I am old enough - just - to remember the power cuts of the 70s, though not quite old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent. So the spirit of the blitz is alive and well in our house
A good list - a wind-up radio makes a lot of sense! But how can you be old enough to remember the power cuts (presumably those c.1973) but not remember the Winter of Discontent? (78-79).

I'm 41 and can remember being upset that the lights were off as I went to bed iduring the powercuts in 1973, but can't recall any winter of discontent. The only discontent I would have felt is if there had been no snow, it's funny how your attitude changes as you get older.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 03 Nov 2008, 11:05

The powercuts were real but the 'winter of discontent' was something dreamt up by the Tory press.

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 03 Nov 2008, 14:10

I borrowed our school's physics lab stash of accumulators in 1973.

Our house was therefore well lighted with car headlamp bulbs, controlled by chunky open knife switches.

You couldn't move without tripping over an accumulator or three!

Post by **adam2** » 03 Nov 2008, 14:48

Vortex wrote:I borrowed our school's physics lab stash of accumulators in 1973.

Our house was therefore well lighted with car headlamp bulbs, controlled by chunky open knife switches.

You couldn't move without tripping over an accumulator or three!

I equiped my parents home with a 72 volt standby supply, from 6 vehicle batteries in series.
This strange voltage was chosen for several reasons, its the lowest voltage that will work a flourescent tube, 12 and 24 volt bulbs were in short supply, but 70 volt ones readily available, and I wanted to power Christmas lights which were already 70 volt.

I would not however recomend such a non-standard voltage now !

A family friend who was a retired engineer, had a much more impressive system that used 252 volts DC.

Pip Tiddlepip · Post by **Pip Tiddlepip** » 05 Nov 2008, 11:40

I beg your pardon ladies and gentlemen, I had my events mixed up. I meant that I was too young to remember the powercuts of 1973-4, but was old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent in 1978-9. I remember coming home from school to lots of candles, mum cooking on a camp stove in the kitchen, and dad rigging up the portable black and white TV to a car battery (he was an electronic engineer so presumably he knew what he was doing). So we had an advantage in that we did have telly during the power cuts - that's when the TV companies weren't on strike (remember "Normal Service Will Be Resumed As Soon As Possible", anyone?)

I remember thinking of the power cuts as something quite jolly really, as we got to use candles and eat baked beans on toast cooked on the camp stove. I doubt I would see it that way now!

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 05 Nov 2008, 11:54

No, no, you've got muddled up. The powercuts were at the earlier date. The 'winter of discontent' did not turn the lights off - it was more about a few dustbins not getting emptied on time.

Pip Tiddlepip · Post by **Pip Tiddlepip** » 05 Nov 2008, 14:10

Having done some research, it sounds as if I have got muddled up. Funny how your memory can play tricks on you. I must have only been about 5 when the lights went out, yet I could have sworn I was a few years older.

Strangely, I only remember power cuts at home, i.e. coming home from school to candles etc. I don't remember there ever being power cuts at my primary school. Was there a reason for this? Were there only cuts during the day? I wonder if anyone can shed any light (pun intended)

Post by **adam2** » 05 Nov 2008, 14:18

Pip Tiddlepip wrote:Having done some research, it sounds as if I have got muddled up. Funny how your memory can play tricks on you. I must have only been about 5 when the lights went out, yet I could have sworn I was a few years older.

Strangely, I only remember power cuts at home, i.e. coming home from school to candles etc. I don't remember there ever being power cuts at my primary school. Was there a reason for this? Were there only cuts during the day? I wonder if anyone can shed any light (pun intended)

Primary schools were certainly not exempt from power cuts, though in daylight hours, in a tradditional school, power cuts were probably not very noticable.
They might have closed the school for rota cuts, though I doubt it.

Rota cuts were in three hour blocks, with no cuts normally expected after 21-00 or before 06-00.
Cuts were on a six day rota, excluding Sundays.

Post by **adam2** » 06 Oct 2012, 19:59

Time to revive this old thread.
Apart from the odd random breakdown, not much happened in previous years, but the risk of regular or rota power cuts does seem to be increasing in the next few years.

Most of us are probably well prepared, but it is allways well to review preperations and stocks of supplies to ensure that they remain servicable and in line with changing needs.