preparedness - lighting

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 Feb 2014, 13:06

This has been discussed before - but time and technology move on: we need to keep up-to-date.

As fuel gets scarcer and more expensive, we face more blackouts. And not-unconnected extreme weather events double the possibility.

A decent low-voltage lighting circuit using home-generated power is a good solution but the expense and disruption plus the knowledge required may not be attractive. I'd like contributors to recommend other options that they have experience of.

There are some great battery-operated lamps around but of course they cannot be charged during the blackout and most solar battery chargers are very slow to charge. Nonetheless, what battery lamps - and batteries - can be recommended? (You might realise I'm not keen on throwaway batteries).

Also, what other options are out there? For instance, I know little about pressure lamps.

I have a couple of neighbours who are looking for up-to-date and trustworthy advice and I need to upgrade my emergency lighting.

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 13 Feb 2014, 13:16

My emergency lighting consists of a very large stock of candles for indoor use and hurricane lamps for outside use. I also have fire extinguishers dotted about the place

Not a sophisticated plan, but then I am not sophisticated. Keeping it simple.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 Feb 2014, 14:22

Heh. One of the problems highlighted in the programme Blackout was the increase in house fires.

What's your hurricane lamps? Can you give a link to a source?

Post by **adam2** » 13 Feb 2014, 14:36

A permantly installed system has a lot to commend it.
Unless you fear a long term or TEOTWAWKI situation, then the power does not have to be home produced. Charging from grid power is simpler, but of course no good in the long term.

Some years ago I posted details of a basic 12 volt lighting system, these are as relevant today as when posted.
Lamps have improved a bit since then, and use of 3 watt LED lamps would give a longer run time.

An installation of 10 lamps, each 3 watt LED, but with only 5 lamps lit on average at the same time would be an average load of 1.25 amps.
A typical deep cycle leisure battery could supply that for about 60 hours.
That is 10 days at 6 hours a night.

If something portable is desired, then almost any large battery torch or lantern with a good qaulity retrofit LED bulb is worth considering.
6 D cells would run a 1 watt bulb for at least 100 hours.
6 AA cells would run the same bulb for about 12 hours.

In another post I gave instructions on how to make a light that used 6 D cells in a holder, connected to the lamp with a length of flex, such that the heavy battery could be placed at low level whilst the bulb was hung up.
With alkaline cells and a good qaulity multi voltage LED retrofit bulb, that would give at least 100 hours light.

3 D cells and a good qaulity white LED will give a minimal light for THOUSANDS of hours, or several years of night time use.

And of course there is allways candles as a last resort.
A few thousand candles would last DECADES of careful use.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 Feb 2014, 14:58

There are people who have ditched the landline only to find either their provider has been hit by power cuts or their own phone batteries have died (or both). One fellah said he drove off to a hotel which had a standby generator and recharged his phone there. Ah, life's tough, innit?

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 Feb 2014, 15:01

Adam2, thanks again - always reliable.

I'm hoping to get a few recommendations for specific decent quality lamps available in these islands, plus thoughts on lamps other than electrical. It's hard to recommend 'rigging up' a low voltage system to (say) elderly neighbours.

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 13 Feb 2014, 15:38

emordnilap wrote:Heh. One of the problems highlighted in the programme Blackout was the increase in house fires.

What's your hurricane lamps? Can you give a link to a source?

It was several years ago that I bought them plus a load of spare bits (the ebay stuff often doesn't offer spares), pretty sure this was the place:

http://www.hurricanelamps.co.uk/

Regarding landlines, it's a good idea to get one of the older style phones that don't require plugging into an electrical socket as they don't rely on mains power to operate.

fuzzy · Post by **fuzzy** » 13 Feb 2014, 17:13

I have some tea light holders in metal and glass lantern styles. You can walk around carrying them without blowing out or fire risk. You can then stock up on budget tea lights for emergencies. Used to be Lidl, but I don't have one near.

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 13 Feb 2014, 17:38

fuzzy wrote:I have some tea light holders in metal and glass lantern styles. You can walk around carrying them without blowing out or fire risk. You can then stock up on budget tea lights for emergencies. Used to be Lidl, but I don't have one near.

Tea lights are made of palm oil, best avoided if possible.

Post by **clv101** » 13 Feb 2014, 18:08

adam2 wrote:Some years ago I posted details of a basic 12 volt lighting system, these are as relevant today as when posted.
Lamps have improved a bit since then, and use of 3 watt LED lamps would give a longer run time.

An installation of 10 lamps, each 3 watt LED, but with only 5 lamps lit on average at the same time would be an average load of 1.25 amps.
A typical deep cycle leisure battery could supply that for about 60 hours.
That is 10 days at 6 hours a night.

I am looking to build a 12 volt lighting system for an outbuilding. Running from a PV-charged 12v battery supply. I'm thinking of using several 5W LED MR16 GU5.3 'bulbs'.

Can anyone recommend a decent bulb available on eBay at the moment?

Post by **adam2** » 13 Feb 2014, 18:09

This thread gives details of a very basic emergency lighting system

http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/vie ... hp?t=21449

Not perhaps what an elderly neighbour would install themselves, but perhaps someone could help them ?

Comments or enquiries about it might be better added to the linked to thread.

Post by **adam2** » 13 Feb 2014, 18:15

This thread is about a larger and more innvolved system, but still well within most peoples DIY capabilities.

http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/vie ... php?t=8246

Some years old, but the principles remain the same.
Comments or enquiries about such a system might be better added to the thread that I linked to.

Post by **adam2** » 13 Feb 2014, 18:22

clv101 wrote:
adam2 wrote:Some years ago I posted details of a basic 12 volt lighting system, these are as relevant today as when posted.
Lamps have improved a bit since then, and use of 3 watt LED lamps would give a longer run time.

An installation of 10 lamps, each 3 watt LED, but with only 5 lamps lit on average at the same time would be an average load of 1.25 amps.
A typical deep cycle leisure battery could supply that for about 60 hours.
That is 10 days at 6 hours a night.
I am looking to build a 12 volt lighting system for an outbuilding. Running from a PV-charged 12v battery supply. I'm thinking of using several 5W LED MR16 GU5.3 'bulbs'.

Can anyone recommend a decent bulb available on eBay at the moment?

I have some spare 12 volt MR16 LED lamps, will send details by PM.
These have a fairly directional beam and might not be ideal for general lighting though.

This supplier
http://www.onsolar.co.uk/
Have some excellent 3 watt lamps for general area lighting, and a number of other useful products.

featherstick · Post by **featherstick** » 13 Feb 2014, 21:34

We have battery torches, candles, and 3 Aladdin 23 parafin lamps which give very good, almost too bright light. Of course they need consumables, are prone to breaking, and are a fire risk, but they are very bright.

Post by **adam2** » 14 Feb 2014, 09:04

The Alladin lamps are expensive, fiddly, and fragile, but do give a very impressive light and are less liable to smell than a conventional yellow flame oil lamp.
An Alladin lamp or a Tilley lamp are the only readily available non electric lights that permit of comfortable reading. (that is sitting down and reading for pleasure as distinct from reading instructions in an emergency)

Historical note Alladin lamps have been described as an invention that RETARDED overall progress. It is said that they were such an improved oil lamp that they set rural electrification back for many years.