General Chat

With the National Grid warning of a possible fall in supply capacity this winter as a result of either generators breaking down or - power stations closing before new stations are available to replace them, and that when asked about the possibility of power cuts this winter, the Energy Minister Matthew Hancock said, the government are taking the necessary measures to ensure there will be secure energy supplies this winter............

and as I have little faith in what government ministers say, I have decided to stock up on candles this weekend - we are not into winter yet and my lights have been flickering several times today :-(

You would be better buying LED Torches..

Candles can be dangerous...

I have candles always in stock having lived in the land of the powercut for many years ( Wales) and torches but it is worrying news for the elderly or infirm. My friend that I have just visited was hit very hard last winter when the electric was off for 2 days. It was thanks to others who brought her hot drinks and meals and an oil heater that she survived.

I am always careful with candles - my 2 candle holders have weighted bases and glass funnels.

I think the threat was not so much black outs but a drop in power which dims the lights. But more significant is the fact that that can affect computers, clocks etc.

Went round to a rental property last week as I was coming out a neighbour I know asked if the power was still off in the property like hers.
I checked her control panel and found the breaker had tripped poor lady had waited all morning thinking it was a power cut :-(

All those 'nasty' windfarms we keep moaning about will surely receive some respect now during the current 'power emergency'.

'Let the wind blow...
Blow as hard as it can,
Let the wind blow,
Upon the solid rock of God I stand,
Oh, let the wind blow'.

We had a 'brown out' about 5 years ago - it was weird!

In addition to the dimness of the electric light, the CH pump wouldn't work and the electric oven was making a terrible humming sound. As the TV wasn't on at the time, we didn't bother trying to watch it.

From what the media has said, the initial stance by the energy companies will be to ask or pay industry to turn off unused machinery rather than leaving them ticking over. Similarly, another energy saving move would be for office blocks to have all the lights off when they were empty, and the heating during the day to be turned off or down for several hours.

I'm not convinced that wind turbines are able to add a great deal to the grid - most of the electricity they generate is lost in heat.

.........and we're meant to be a 'first world' country.........

Power cuts
Food banks
People on 'zero contract' hours
Potholes that 'may' be fixed next year - why not go back to mud roads?

Where is my overpriced utility bill money going?
Where is the tax on cars going?
Why are working people having to claim benefits?

Give me strength! :-(

for non-gas areas like us it is a (expensive) blessing to have an oil Aga which can keep going on a drip feed, and we do have a camping type portable gas cylinder thingy, and a torch to keep charged which will last several hours. And now I ave a tablet I must keep it charged for stored e-books for the long dark evenings!

After having an all electric house and suffering a 4 day power cut which started Christmas Eve when the kids were in their teens when we moved we ensured we had bottled gas. Thankfully here we have mains gas.

I can live without electrical power but not without hot food and drinks.

We do have camping gaz lamps too.

Ah well, always prepared me as i am use to it. Drawer full of candles, batteries. Flasks to fill with hot water. Open fire always on throughout winter.

Whenever Im in the charity shops, I always look for the long dinner candles as they give off the best light and they are cheap around 20p each.

It's just what you are used to i guess.

Not really the end of the world to be without the TV or Computer however make sure you have blankets or cosy dressing gowns so you dont get cold and of course check on your elderly neighbours if you have some.

As for wind turbines, dont get me started on those. But if the wind is more than 50mph then most dont work .so up here where the average wind speed in winter is about 60+ they are useless and also an eyesore!!

Florence
in "candle city"

somewhere in the hebrides :-)

I buy the altar candles which are wide enough to balance well and use the old-fashioned basic round ashtrays which are pretty well balanced as stands

I used to have an old Tilley storm lamp and a calor gas lamp, they were brilliant, provided good light and gave off some heat, don't know what happened to them, but you can still buy them,

That said, we are not allowed to have paraffin and non mains gas appliances in this sheltered housing scheme - only gas appliance I have is the boiler for the central heating, everything else is electric, if we have a power cut I am up the creek without a paddle :-(

Rushes out to buy some posh candle holders like OFITG :-D :-D

OfitG

There was a link doing the rounds last year on how to heat a room on the cheap. From memory it involved a baking tray, night lights and terracotta/clay flower pots.
You put the upturned flower pots over the night lights. The pots absorbed the heat and turned into radiators.
Not sure how the baking tray was used - perhaps to provide a stable, inflammable, base?

Not quite how I remembered it but probably this
http://www.trueactivist.com/how-to-easily-heat-your-home-using-flower-pots-tea-lights/

+++DetEcTive+++ - that was quite interesting, thanks for sharing :-)

According to some papers today we are
going to have the coldest winter in 100 years.

Starting next week with temperatures dropping
to minus 4.

If this happens Gas And Electricity prices sure to
go up.

I love power cust
but if it lasts more than two hours
they have to bring us out a generator :-D :-D :-D

Yes Joan they did, and Aberdeen City Council
said they were ready for the worst of winters :-D :-D

One thing we can be sure of is prices going up.