Coping with storms.

[Wagger]

Posted this here as this is an emergency situation for some people and another serious storm is coming.

If you need emergecy power, find out the rating of your car alternator. Bolt a wire to the large terminal on it and another to the chassis. Use at least 100 amp stuff and double it if you  have a 200 amp alternator.

If your alternator is only 500 watts then you can only do lighting continously, but that is better than nowt. Even camping kettles are 800 watts, but this can be done off a separate battery not connected to the car.

If your alternator is 2kw:-

Obtain an inverter of between 1500 and 3000VA (Pure sinewave if possible, otherwise a good pseudo sine) and connect it to these wires observing the correct polarity.

Fit a fuse if there is not one in place to protect the cable. Most inverters will trip if overloaded.

Use a thick 13 amp extension lead (16 amp rated cable) as short as you need to reach, fully unwound  with just one 13 amp socket on it.

Start and run your car in a well ventilated area and where it will not annoy neighbours. (Offering hot drinks usually sorts that).

You can now boil a 1500watt kettle, run a toaster, camping hob or microwave oven from this one at a time.

Connect to the gas heating if you know how.

If you need lighting, fit a multi way extension lead,

A nice long set of LED Xmas lights would illuminate your path.

 

I know that Health and Safety will do their nut if I publish this, so just be careful and only do it if you feel confident enough to do it.

 

My son is already doing this in Scotland and has lost 20% of his 6 acres of trees. He has two log burners and friends are assisting clearance in return for logs.

In 1987, I was off power for 11 days only 12 miles South of Horsham.

The 1970's power strikes and three day week made plan all of this.

Stay safe all of you.

 

[Pete Lewis]

i still have some truck /caravan fluorescent tubes wired for emergency use left over from the happy days of power cuts and miners strikes of the 70s 

with LED sticks you can geta lot of light for much less current these days 

if i lived in the exposed parts of the UK i would have Genny in the shed ready for such nasties as back up

why are trees so close to power lines  ??? i know some was just poles down but trees , trains and power cables need to be well spaced out 

or is that too simple   

[Wagger]

21 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

i still have some truck /caravan fluorescent tubes wired for emergency use left over from the happy days of power cuts and miners strikes of the 70s 

with LED sticks you can geta lot of light for much less current these days 

if i lived in the exposed parts of the UK i would have Genny in the shed ready for such nasties as back up

why are trees so close to power lines  ??? i know some was just poles down but trees , trains and power cables need to be well spaced out 

or is that too simple   

Before de-nationalising, preventative maintenance was carried out on a regular basis. Trees were cleared, ivy was removed. The railway lines were patrolled. Vehicles were serviced wheter they need it or not. The post vans all shone. Such is progress eh?

I have seen ivy accross three phase lines iced up. Then it trips. Can't do it from a laptop or phone so it never gets done until it fails. That is where we are now.

[PeteH]

I live in an East York`s Village. We already get occasional outages. When we refurbed this Bungalow in 2010, I put in a centre off changeover switch (100amp rated) I can now run a limited supply from my Generator (2,2KVa) If the need arises. That and the Wood burner. In actual fact, the last time we just decamped to the Motor-home parked by the Garage, its batteries kept charged by solar panels.

Wagger, make a point though. Preventative maintenance is a thing of the past, now they just wait until it fails and then replace (mostly). 90% of power transmission weather issues could be solved by putting the cable underground. The idea was "floated" 40 years ago (or more) and abandoned on grounds of cost. Any one "rural" would be advised to have a backup, the load on the power system is only going to get worse.

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

24 minutes ago, Wagger said:

Before de-nationalising, preventative maintenance was carried out on a regular basis. Trees were cleared, ivy was removed. The railway lines were patrolled. Vehicles were serviced wheter they need it or not. The post vans all shone. Such is progress eh?

It all cost three times as much and took five times as long, too....

I must admit to becoming very lax in recent years; no camping gear any more, no gas stoves nor lanterns, hexamine stoves or self-heating meals. The place used to be full of them! I must restock for the next seriously rainy day before I do get caught out. At least I've got a huge log pile and a stove that I can heat things on.

 

[Wagger]

37 minutes ago, PeteH said:

I live in an East York`s Village. We already get occasional outages. When we refurbed this Bungalow in 2010, I put in a centre off changeover switch (100amp rated) I can now run a limited supply from my Generator (2,2KVa) If the need arises. That and the Wood burner. In actual fact, the last time we just decamped to the Motor-home parked by the Garage, its batteries kept charged by solar panels.

Wagger, make a point though. Preventative maintenance is a thing of the past, now they just wait until it fails and then replace (mostly). 90% of power transmission weather issues could be solved by putting the cable underground. The idea was "floated" 40 years ago (or more) and abandoned on grounds of cost. Any one "rural" would be advised to have a backup, the load on the power system is only going to get worse.

Pete

I do not really know what the 'Right' answer is Pete. I am not a fan of Nationalisation for all services. My 64 year old bruv lives on a nice landscaped retirement complex. All cables underground. Every time it rains moderately, the sub station floods. He has been off-line four times in the last year. 16 hours each time. It's only 12 miles in from the South Coast.

As for the preventative maintenance, how many drivers under 40 walk round their car and check for flats or even missing wheels? It's becoming the age of the brain dead.

[Wagger]

45 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

It all cost three times as much and took five times as long, too....

I must admit to becoming very lax in recent years; no camping gear any more, no gas stoves nor lanterns, hexamine stoves or self-heating meals. The place used to be full of them! I must restock for the next seriously rainy day before I do get caught out. At least I've got a huge log pile and a stove that I can heat things on.

 

You are right of course. That was the cost of high employment. I sat on my ass occasionally too. Usually made a tool or some bit of gear. 

[Pete Lewis]

would anyone like to  imagine the transport chaos when all cars are electric and there is a week of power outage !!!!

Pete

 

[DVD3500]

1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

would anyone like to  imagine the transport chaos when all cars are electric and there is a week of power outage !!!!

Pete

 

Seriously I can't see this being a realistic scenario. If something has happened that is so bad that you don't have power for a week you probably need help from some other emergency service otherwise you won't  be going anywhere.

If the weather is bad you probably shouldn't go out. Any EV with even a small charge is likely to be able to get to a point where it can recharge (albeit slowly). That generator someone mentioned would even work. True, it is not "green" electricity but it is electricity.

When was the last time you you refined gasoline or diesel at home?

People can actually use the battery in the car to power their house. It is already being done.

In fact, if you think things even further, in an ideal world houses would have batteries so that a power outage of a day or so would not bother them at all. If you live in an area prone to power outages this could be looked into as a way around the problem.

In a recent flood here in Germany EVs were able to get through areas better because of the added weight and because they are more water-proofed. Most ICE cars die if the batteries get submerged.

It's the same kind of comment I hear about people in traffic jams that run out of power. It almost never happens because even with headlights, wipers and heater on (which rarely happens) you have a clear gauge of the situation and you can get off the road in time. In dry, mild weather which is the case 80% of the time an EV is sipping a few watts from its batteries.

Could it happen? Of course. But so could getting hit be lightning or winning the lottery... The big difference is here a human has control of the situation.

 

 

[PeteH]

45 minutes ago, DVD3500 said:

Seriously I can't see this being a realistic scenario. If something has happened that is so bad that you don't have power for a week you probably need help from some other emergency service otherwise you won't  be going anywhere.

That`s the whole point here, the people affected in the North East and Scotland have been without power for a full week and a few are still not back on (with more gales predicted too). With the electric "out" your Gas Boiler won`t run. So either way NO HEAT. BUT "we" are being "encouraged" to go wholly electric!.

Back in 2005, I spent 9 hours in a Truck in a traffic jam, M1 was closed both ways. The only thing that moved where the emergency services up and down the "Hard Shoulder". Eventually they did get the traffic moving again. But shifting 4 Conquerer Tanks and their transporter(s) from all 6 lanes, was a major event. On a "Smart Motorway" it could be even worse. I had the use of a "Night Heater" and could "pee" up against the wheel, and a black bin liner (SAS Style) if required. Pity all the ladies in cars!.

One thing About Diesel is you CAN store it. I have "gas" in my garage, because I have a generator. I also do have a wood burner, and a pile of logs too.

 Going all "green electric" is In my view a recipe for disaster, and definitely not happening here any time soon.

Pete

[Wagger]

Obviously, you are resourceful guys. Others will not be quite so able.

My son has a second hand generator, 4kVA. It was not working properly, but he fixed it after remote consultation with me. Just some duff old capacitors. It puts out 217v at 16 amps and used 12 litres of fuel in 24 hrs. The previous owner of the house left loads of old oil of dubious origin. Son mixed it with 5% two stroke oil and it is still going.

He has oil heating. Gas company wanted £4k to install a boiler and a Million Quid to lay a pipeline. No gas within 20 miles.

In time of emergency, anything goes. The remote car and inverter is used in the greenhouse which is 400 metres from the house in a walled garden. It saved us laying a cable. Overhead via the trees, good job we did not eh.

Batten down the hatches!

[Colin Lindsay]

3 hours ago, Wagger said:

Obviously, you are resourceful guys. Others will not be quite so able.

I think as per my earlier post, that we have become woefully unprepared for things, and sadly optimistic that it'll either never happen or else someone will come to our rescue. Think back a few years to blankets in the car, shovels, ropes, spare petrol can, water, torch (especially with the red flashing dome), a map and jump leads. Now people go out in their pyjamas without even a coat let alone a jack. Even our houses always had candles in a cupboard somewhere - real ones, not just a soya-based smell -  and a paraffin or gas stove salted away for emergencies. 

I really am feeling for those without power for so long; I know the community rallies round but the novelty wears off even for the emergency workers and volunteers so here's hoping to a speedy return to normality. At least it's prompted me to get up and stock up a few things.

[DVD3500]

Heating oil and diesel are essentially the same. If all else fails you can use it to keep things going. There are oil heaters that can also use bio-fuels...

[Chris A]

12 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Think back a few years to blankets in the car, shovels, ropes, spare petrol can, water, torch

Until I stopped working I put the garden spade in the boot, along with wellies, as a matter of course for winter. Now I just stay in until the weather gets better 😁

[Chris A]

Just now, Chris A said:

I just stay in until the weather gets better 😁

Should have added I've just booked blood tests tomorrow morning at 08:30 so I'll have to go out even if it's raining ☔

[Wagger]

The time to go electric is when most houses have solar panels and big batteries. Quite how 'Green' that really ever will become I have no idea. I have postponed my pending installation until I know if any government assistance will apply.

Watch out if you use heating oil as diesel. It may not lubricate your pump, Perkins Landy does not need it.

Add 2 to 5% lubricating oil, it will not damage anything.

Your supplier may wonder why you are using so much. The tax on it was less. Stay within the law. Everything is monitored now.

[NonMember]

1 hour ago, DVD3500 said:

Heating oil and diesel are essentially the same.

Not really. Heating oil is kerosene with not many additives. It is, however, almost exactly the same as jet engine fuel.

[PeteH]

28 minutes ago, Wagger said:

Watch out if you use heating oil as diesel. It may not lubricate your pump, Perkins Landy does not need it.

The last Heating oil (kerosene actually) I got was dyed RED. Same as agricultural fuel. Probably just as well, as the R-V 6.3L V8 Diesel, would have run on it, and at 10 to 12mpg. The temptation would be huge!.

They are currently predicting high winds again down this (East) coast from Midday (again). 40+mph which is Gale Force 8, with Gusts exceeding that. Bit breezy then?.

Pete

[Wagger]

Like the last storm, it may be a non event here. However, the channel is a bit of a Tornado alley. It rains seaweed in Worthing. Used to deliver free fish too before stock was depleted.

Farms with LPG tanks were offered take-off for LPG vehicles some time ago. That was really tempting as the tax margin was huge. However, a neighbouring farmhouse exploded one morning whilst the farmer was milking. (Luckily for him). When the boiler fired up it ignited a slow leak. He will never touch it now, even in bottles. Closed his campsite as a result.

[DVD3500]

The dye in heating oil is so it gives off a colored smoke if put into a diesel car.

I would not recommend swapping either for any long periods but when I bought our house the oil tank only had 200-300 liters in it so we topped it up with some diesel a friend had from a tractor that was beyond repair and the heating oil from people who had converted to wood pellets for almost 1000 liters.

Then I paid a heating oil company to dump another 1500 liters heating oil on top.  Ran fine until the furnace was replaced 3 months later.

We also had the tank cleaned out. It had over 40 liters of sludge (maybe from my escapades with the diesel etc)... since then though the chimney sweep that has to test is always surprised at how clean it is for a nearly 15 year-old system.

It won't last forever and by then there will likely be no heating oil any more. Still, the solar heating for tap water helps. Even today it kept the water at about 45°C. We run the heater though twice a day to get it up to 65°C to kill any baddies... in the summer they whole oil system is completely off... We can't use that much hot water!

 

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, NonMember said:

Not really. Heating oil is kerosene with not many additives. It is, however, almost exactly the same as jet engine fuel.

That must be why it sometimes seems as though my boiler is about to take off....

However: first tree of the day down. Not huge, and missed the garage but I'm going to have to clear it away later....

 

 

[Wagger]

1 hour ago, DVD3500 said:

The dye in heating oil is so it gives off a colored smoke if put into a diesel car.

I would not recommend swapping either for any long periods but when I bought our house the oil tank only had 200-300 liters in it so we topped it up with some diesel a friend had from a tractor that was beyond repair and the heating oil from people who had converted to wood pellets for almost 1000 liters.

Then I paid a heating oil company to dump another 1500 liters heating oil on top.  Ran fine until the furnace was replaced 3 months later.

We also had the tank cleaned out. It had over 40 liters of sludge (maybe from my escapades with the diesel etc)... since then though the chimney sweep that has to test is always surprised at how clean it is for a nearly 15 year-old system.

It won't last forever and by then there will likely be no heating oil any more. Still, the solar heating for tap water helps. Even today it kept the water at about 45°C. We run the heater though twice a day to get it up to 65°C to kill any baddies... in the summer they whole oil system is completely off... We can't use that much hot water!

 

Pity that you cannot dig a big hole and line it with thick isulation. May get almost to Xmas if you could store the heat that way. In the uk. hot water solar seems to be forgotten.

[PeteH]

Guy in our village, lived for many years in Spain, the house he rented, was built onto the hillside caves. He reckoned that summer or winter, the temperature was always between +/- 5deg F of 65degF regardless of the outside temperature.

Pete

[Chris A]

8 minutes ago, PeteH said:

He reckoned that summer or winter, the temperature was always between +/- 5deg F of 65degF regardless of the outside temperature.

Yes that does seem to be the case with them

[DVD3500]

3 hours ago, Wagger said:

Pity that you cannot dig a big hole and line it with thick isulation. May get almost to Xmas if you could store the heat that way. In the uk. hot water solar seems to be forgotten.

I did do that. It's called an insulated water tank. 400 liters with 15 cm of insulation.