That's it - definitely time for a generator

[Adrian C]

Then I'd go for a bottle of vodka and a tall glass.

Power cut?

Waht poower kut????/......

[Dave Liquorice]

Remember that all the shops and food places may well be without power as well and thus shut. So you can't rely on nipping out for a take away...

I must admit faffing about with a 2kVA generator for just a couple of hours struck me as rather too much effort. A "little stinky" 750W two stroke for a few table lights and the telly I could understand.

I don't hoik the generator out until I've phoned the DNO and found out how long the power is likely to be off. If it's only going to be a couple of hours and it's daylight I won't bother.

Unknown or >5hrs it probably will come out but the last thing after getting out and setting up the other back ups like the cooker and lights. If it was the middle of winter with -5C and a gale outside it would probably shift up the priority a bit to power the CH as this place gets cold quite quickly under those conditions. The freezers will stay frozen for >>5hrs with no problem.

[Dave Liquorice]

Aye, I don't know what the load is for the heated screens on my motor (the front is split with each half fused at 45A) but at idle when you switch it on the engine note changes but the revs stay still. But the a 2.5l diesel has loads of torque at idle and the anti stall system means no need to use the go pedal at all when parking or in stop/go traffic just select the gear for the speed you want, though it's not keen on 4th and 5th with any hint of a up hill.

[Dave Liquorice]

Oh it probably will but according to some reports 2 of Longannets sets where offline for long term maintenace, trouble is the same report also said that there were another two units also down for mainteance. Lonngannet only has 4 units...

I'm looking forward to reading the report from National Grid to Ofgem, to get rid of the fud. I really hope it is made public.

[Dave Liquorice]

Cue Mr Plowman.

Well you could use a hob set up for natural (mains) gas on propane or butance but you would need to change the jets and adjust it first. Much easier to buy a gas camping hob. B-)

Gas lights put out the same amount of light as about and 80W incandescent bulb flat out, that is more than 60W but not as much as 100W. They are noisey at that level but wind 'em down to lower levels and they produce very little noise and probably still produce more light than a non-pressure oil lamp.

That depends on the "paraffin" you use. I agree lamp oil won't smell or it may even have a pleasant perfume but use heating oil, greenhouse paraffin, Esso Blue or Pink Paraffin and it going to be a different story. B-)

Not even sure you can still get Esso Blue or Pink Paraffin now, just Parsene stuff for greenhouse heaters at silly prices in garden centers. Not as silly as the price for lamp oil though.

site.

[Toby]

Not overly, but I have put it in a box with forced air flow, and a duct out from one of the fans on the alternator, so with the lid partially closed, and the postion is its sited (to refect the noise up) it is not too noisy, I could leave it running at night without bothering us or the neighbours.

Toby...

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember [e-mail] (Andrew Gabriel) saying something like:

Oh, right. So all the alternator manuals I've read don't really need to bother explaining that the speed to test them at is...x? That's fine then.

Why don't you drop a note to the designers, and let them know they're wrong?

[Andrew Gabriel]

I didn't make any comment about testing alternators. If you don't understand something the manufacturers say, I suggest you contact them yourself.

[Mark]

You can still get them

is also worth a look We have a few of them just for their decorative appeal, but handy if/when the lights go out

-

[geoff]

In message , Dave Liquorice writes

Yeah, I don't mind being without a bit of elektrikery if I know there will be an outage, but when it happens in the evening and you're a lazy couch potato, it would be nice to be able to watch that program you were looking forward to watching

BTW Meow - this outage took the town centre out as well

[The Medway Handyman]

They aren't bright enough to find Wotfod...

[geoff]

In message , The Medway Handyman writes

Prolly got on the wrong train ]

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember [e-mail] (Andrew Gabriel) saying something like:

So, you're actually saying it would be perfectly all right to draw maximum rated current from an alternator which is being driven by an idling engine?

[Andrew Gabriel]

I never said that anywhere. Actually, I even stated that didn't work. (The phrasing of your question demonstrates a lack of understanding how the alternator and battery work as a pair.)

[Doctor Drivel]

Maxie, A 3kW genny - maybe one with wheels that can be hung on the wall too, then you can use it for other tasks as well as backup. Always leave it on the wall plugged in and ready. It plugs into the home supply, by using a throw-over switch that cuts out the mains supply - the mains & genny cannot be on at the same time. It then only supplies essential circuits: fridge/freezer, boiler, lights, TV, etc. This will need the plug, throw-over switch and an extra CU with essential circuits on it.

[Doctor Drivel]

Maxie, A 3kW genny - maybe one with wheels that can be hung on the wall too, then you can use it for other tasks as well as backup. Always leave it on the wall plugged in and ready. It plugs into the home supply, by using a throw-over switch that cuts out the mains supply - the mains & genny cannot be on at the same time. It then only supplies essential circuits: fridge/freezer, boiler, lights, TV, etc. This will need the plug, throw-over switch and an extra CU with essential circuits on it.

[geoff]

In message , Doctor Drivel writes

NURSE

HE'S ESCAPED AGAIN

[Doctor Drivel]

Maxie, do you need the bedpan?

Maxie, who has escaped? Has someone pinched your genny? Pinched the bedpan? Maxie, get it sorted! Yes. Maxie sorted indeed.