# Be prepared for power blackouts



## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

If the National Grid is having to use emergency powers to reduce consumption now what's it going to be like if we have a cold spell?

Glad my van's got a solar panel and topped up batteries because I can see myself moving into that when the lights go out!

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/04/national-grid-issues-urgent-call-for-extra-power


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Will use the genny for the house


tony


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

GEMMY said:


> Will use the genny for the house
> 
> tony


Me too, I have my2 kw Honda sitting waiting and leads already prepared.>
I tested a couple of years ago, what I could run


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Getting excited are we?

"National Grid is asking the UK power industry to provide more electricity later on Wednesday.

However, it says that there is *no risk of electricity supplies being disrupted.*

National Grid has issued a Notification of Inadequate System Margin (NISM) as a result of multiple energy plant breakdowns."

Peter


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Get Our candles out, 

Light the open log fire, which will be lit anyway in winter

Cook on the gas BBQ, with the chiminea it it's really cold 

What's not to like??

Aldra


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

peribro said:


> If the National Grid is having to use emergency powers to reduce consumption now what's it going to be like if we have a cold spell?
> 
> Glad my van's got a solar panel and topped up batteries because I can see myself moving into that when the lights go out!
> 
> http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/04/national-grid-issues-urgent-call-for-extra-power


Actually this situation has always existed at least in modern times so this statement is just being misconstrued and overblown.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I very much doubt it will happen, but I do remember the three day week with power cuts, and we did run the showroom by Honda Generators>
One point. If anybody does use a geny, they must be aware of back feeding into the grid, or using the geny and the power coming back on.
The system must be isolated!


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Grath said:


> I very much doubt it will happen, but I do remember the three day week with power cuts, and we did run the showroom by Honda Generators>
> One point. If anybody does use a geny, they must be aware of back feeding into the grid, or using the geny and the power coming back on.
> The system must be isolated!


No problem Graham, when I built the house I had sparky install a 'switchover' switch which isolates the grid and allows me to connect directly to the mains

tony


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I've got fork handles just in case.

Pete


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

peejay said:


> I've got fork handles just in case.
> 
> Pete


You mean Four Candles >


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

Four candles won't keep you warm. However, if you burn a load of fork handles.................


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## alexblack13 (Feb 10, 2013)

Up here we use our Bialladin pressure lamps which give great light and good heat too and are surprisingly frugal on the paraffin ...

i love it when the lights go out and our Moho is a short walk away..

Alex B ...


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Before black-outs there would be brown-outs as the voltage can be cut, it is nominally 240VAC + 6% or -10% - this means that the voltage can be cut without much notification to 216VAC - at which point some appliances have to run harder to do the same thing, so may get hotter.

If it is reduced below that then there is the potential for damage - hence why "rolling blackouts" were introduced....

BUT such a potential shortage of generating power is not uncommon - they are merely asking for more to be made available which is easily done, if necessary power can be brought over from France via rather large cable under the channel..... that system already exists ad has been used often...

Dave


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

BrianJP said:


> Actually this situation has always existed at least in modern times so this statement is just being misconstrued and overblown.


The sub-headline says "Company uses last resort emergency powers for first time.." Now if this was the Daily Mail then I wouldn't believe it but it's the Guardian so I'll attach a bit more credibility to it.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

peribro said:


> The sub-headline says "Company uses last resort emergency powers for first time.." Now if this was the Daily Mail then I wouldn't believe it but it's the Guardian so I'll attach a bit more credibility to it.


Which immediately pushed their purchase price of power by 40x :surprise:
tony


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Wood burner. Gas hob, Candles all at the ready


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Hope the Missus don't get pregnant again!


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

tugboat said:


> Four candles won't keep you warm. However, if you burn a load of fork handles.................


If you do that you had better have some O's handy in case it gets out of hand. :wink2:


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

spykal said:


> If you do that you had better have some O's handy in case it gets out of hand. :wink2:


Y...


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Been out of the birth control loop for a while, but that must be a new one!

PS In Africa "load shedding" is a way of life and we dont have gas on tap, but at least we're not struggling to keep warm. Rather the opposite! Commerce and industry suffer though!


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