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How long could you last without Electricity?

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moorfield
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How long could you last without Electricity?

#522210

Postby moorfield » August 13th, 2022, 10:51 pm

Ok so I'm not sure where to put this, so given this place has a high "clickfall" I thought I'd start here...


A lengthy power cut at Moorfield Towers overnight yesterday evening into this morning, and the rolling background news of impending energy doom, has got me thinking:

How long could you last without Electricity at home ?


Yes, you read that right, seriously: How long could you last without Electricity at home ?

Here's what I think would happen to most of us at home when the power clicks off, and the decisions that need to start being made etc.):

All devices off immediately, obviously:
TV (how much do you need that, really?) - Still got plenty of books, pens, paper, board games. etc to keep us occupied. Don't watch a lot of it anyway.
PC's/Internet - A bit of a bugger, obviously. Especially for Les Ados (but see happy family board games above). But we know a few free wifi spots around and about within short walk/cycle which we can still use to do the really essential stuff - email, banking, and of course LF. (assuming phones can be recharged see Office below.)
Phones - also a bugger. But who actually makes phone calls these days? Depending on charge, they may last another 12 hours or so. Enough to notify the important people of your predicament.

Water:
Well that's still there, so taps work, toilets flush etc. Albeit cold, since boilers off.

Gas:
Still there too, but need matches to light the hob for cooking stuff.

Heating (winter):
Lots of logs in the garage, got a log burner. And can use car to acquire more logs (see below).

Fridges/Freezers:
Perishable stuff to be eaten within 1-2 days. Not a huge loss, and most of us shop for fresh stuff on a weekly basis anyway (see Car below). Lots of non perishable stuff still in the cupboards which in extremis perfectly fine to be eaten cold. Pasta is good (see Water/Gas above). And remember can still pop down to the local shop/pub for fresh nutrition.

Car:
Well that's fine, one can still get out and about to do stuff etc. and pay for refuelling it.

Hygiene:
Well clothes will have to last a little longer, and can be washed by hand cold or with low warm temperature water.
Teeth can still be done. Cold showers can still be had, or at least faces and hands washed.

Work:
Well not a problem for those still going to office. Where all devices can be recharged.

Lights:
A bugger in winter, obviously. Back to 18th century technology - candles.



So how long? I reckon we could do a week. Have I started A Thing, or does this exist on Tik Tok already? What does Greta think?

Mike4
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522213

Postby Mike4 » August 13th, 2022, 11:13 pm

[quote="moorfield"]Ok so I'm not sure where to put this, so given this place has a high "clickfall" I thought I'd start here...


A lengthy power cut at Moorfield Towers overnight yesterday evening into this morning, and the rolling background news of impending energy doom, has got me thinking:

How long could you last without Electricity at home ?


In my case, indefinitely.

Provided I can still get diesel, I'd just move back onto my boat where I generate my own electricity.

:)

Itsallaguess
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522214

Postby Itsallaguess » August 13th, 2022, 11:15 pm

moorfield wrote:
What does Greta think?


Greta's been kinda quiet lately...

Do you think that's a coincidence?

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Mike4
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522216

Postby Mike4 » August 13th, 2022, 11:26 pm

Itsallaguess wrote:
moorfield wrote:
What does Greta think?


Greta's been kinda quiet lately...

Do you think that's a coincidence?

Cheers,

Itsallaguess



I think she's getting bored with shouting into a vacuum. No echo, nothing coming back.....

kiloran
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522219

Postby kiloran » August 13th, 2022, 11:33 pm

I think I could last quite a while..... my drinks cabinet is not mains-powered.
On the other hand, with no TV or internet, I might have to talk to my wife :lol:

--kiloran

scotview
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522222

Postby scotview » August 13th, 2022, 11:41 pm

moorfield wrote:
How long could you last without Electricity at home ?


Yes, you read that right, seriously: How long could you last without Electricity at home ?



Once we install our 20kWh home battery, I recon a month with the gas central heating boiler ticking over in December/January.

In desperation, if I found a way for the BEV, 48kWh battery to trickle to the home battery, then 2 or 3 months.

UncleEbenezer
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522234

Postby UncleEbenezer » August 14th, 2022, 1:10 am

You're assuming a rather benign scenario where it's available in nearby places open to you.

So really all rather replaceable. Example:
Well clothes will have to last a little longer,

Or slum it and take them to your local launderette. My clothes tend to last a little longer when travelling away from home, but only so long as the smell doesn't offend.

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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522319

Postby Rhyd6 » August 14th, 2022, 12:18 pm

Probably forever, we've still got the Esse multi fuel cooker/water heater. Our own electricity system which I admit at the moment only gives us electricity for lights but we're working on it, means at least we can see our way around, although we still have plenty of candles and oil lamps. Food not a problem though I do admit that after a while we might get fed up to the back teeth of meals containing rice and spaghetti. As far as clean clothes are concered I still have the old wash house which contains copper boiler, dolly tub and mangle. If I'm honest no different to the way my grandparents and parents lived. I certainly wouldn't miss the tele or radio, plenty of books, games and jigsaws. The thing I would miss the most would be TLF.
The one thing that would worry me is that family, who I love dearly might descend in their droves as most of them rely on electricity for everything.

R6

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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522327

Postby AF62 » August 14th, 2022, 12:51 pm

moorfield wrote:Yes, you read that right, seriously: How long could you last without Electricity at home ?


At home, or in the local area.

Following the 87 storm the town I was living in then was without electricity for about five days.

At home it was ok as we had a gas hob and gas fire, but neighbours with neither were pretty stuck for cooking. We had camping lights, so again that wasn’t an issue for us, but again was a problem for neighbours.

It was more the wider aspect in the town that was the problem. Shops struggling to open (obviously no chilled or frozen food) as the electronic tills didn’t work, some pubs opened but others that relied on electricity to pump beer couldn’t, some takeaways opened if they cooked on gas but those using electricity couldn’t.

The biggest issue (although good at the time) was the office was closed as all the computer kit was dead, and in addition the building had been designed with few windows and those were smoked glass letting in little light.

So for a week, fine. Longer, nope.

simsqu
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522329

Postby simsqu » August 14th, 2022, 12:57 pm

No time at all.

I'd be crying like a disgraced American TV Evangelist within minutes

88V8
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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522407

Postby 88V8 » August 14th, 2022, 5:47 pm

moorfield wrote:How long could you last without Electricity at home ?

...Fridges/Freezers:
Perishable stuff to be eaten within 1-2 days. Not a huge loss...

Our freezers are full of our own produce and the wife's cooking, so a considerable loss.

We have a cool cellar, that would help.

And woodburners for heating and hot water and some cooking.

And candles and an oil lamp and lamp oil.

It would be sensible to have some sort of backup generator, and freezers/fridge and computer on a separate supply. I have toyed with that idea, but as usual indolence has prevailed.

I suppose it depends how one defines 'last'. There was no electricity at all here until 1953.

I do think that essential shops should be obliged to have workarounds so they can still open.

V8

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Re: How long could you last without Electricity?

#522455

Postby Imbiber » August 14th, 2022, 9:06 pm

For as long as I could source diesel for the genny. Rural location, although not particularly remote. Regular power cuts due to fallen trees taking out the overhead wires. 9 kva genset powered by a Lister TS2. Not used that much until a storm earlier this year took us out for 6 days. Just us and a neighbour on the supply so we were about the last to be restored. Genny run for about two hours from about 06-00 to 08-00, again from about 12-00 to 14-00 and again for a 2/3 hours in the evening. Not the quietest of engines but no near neighbours. Not to much disruption, freezers ok, could live fairly normally. Lister uses about 1.5 lt/hr. Red diesel then was about 72p a litre. Modem was powered by a spare 12v battery so internet was ok. Genny wired in to a change over switch which isolates the grid from the house when genny running.


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