How self-sufficient are you?

[diy_fun_uk]

Whilst it'll hopefully not happen, we're being told the power might be cut for 2-3 hours at a time if there's not enough juice in the system.

I'm pretty confident most of us could get by with no power for a few hours, indeed it's not a completely uncommon occurrence.

However here's a little scenario for you. If there was an unplanned and unannounced energy outage (mains gas and elec) that lasted for two weeks in the depths of winter, combined with complete shop closures for three weeks commencing the same time (and lasting one week beyond the energy outage) how well placed are you and your household to cope?

Remember these are unplanned and unannounced outages and closures.

 

[Mottie]

I’d be sleeping over my allotment protecting my crops!

 

[motorbiking]

Old place had solar and log burners current place.. I’d be burning the floor boards.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

I’d be sleeping over my allotment protecting my crops!

Yeah jokes aside, I reckon it would be interesting to see how quickly places like allotments would be plundered.

 

[JP_]

We'd freeze.

I tend to have food stocked up, but quite a lot is rice and pasta, so not that useful without power.

 

[crystal ball]

We would move into the motorhome, gas should keep us going for heat and cooking

 

[securespark]

I was thinking about this the other day. I don't panic buy, but I do tend to buy an extra tin of tomatoes and packet of pasta when shopping. Baked beans and other tinned stuff that is already cooked would be a great standby if you had no power or gas. As a camper, we have two camping rings so I think I might invest in a handful of gas canisters as a back up.

My ideal scenario would be to downsize and fund a new build with loads of energy saving features; log burner, solar, wind, and build the house stuffed to the gills with insulation. Ideally it would have a septic tank and a well, but plots with wells are not ten a penny round here.

 

[THFC]

Yeah jokes aside, I reckon it would be interesting to see how quickly places like allotments would be plundered.

I don't think Mottie was joking

 

[Dork Lard]

I remember the power cuts of the 70's & I don't remember being all that upset about them. Whilst things have moved on a bit since then, I still don't think I'd be all that upset about them now. I'd be a little upset if the stuff in the freezer thawed, but they're not going to be 'real' power cuts are they???

 

[transam]

Happened in that hurricane csper

Years back

I along with thousands had no power for nearly
3 weeks

All unannounced

 

[charliegolf]

I have a generator and at least a month's work of really basic food stored up. We might be ok.

 

[just pumps]

We would move into the motorhome, gas should keep us going for heat and cooking

And I would move on to the boat, it is insulated, full of diesel, has batteries and warm air heating so bring it on!

 

[Trazor]

Lots of boxes of cereals, and a lot of long life milk.

 

[transam]

I got a blow lamp and a sauce pan

Heat up soup

and water ( pot noodles)

Got some 12 volt car battery’s and 12 volt

lead lights

Would last for a while
Have a radio and candles

Plenty of tinned grub in the cupboard

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm well set up, I think and without trying... Basic gas fire, needs no electric, gas oven and hob likewise. Got plenty of torches, plenty of night-lights, few candles. A small bottled gas stove in the hut with lots of gas. One of those old portable gas heaters with a full tank of gas. Caravan in the drive with a full battery, a full tank of gas, fridge, hob, cooker, shower and blown air heated. Around 5 or 6 12v SLA's fully charged, in the workshop.

Pantry, freezer, fridge/freezer are nearly always well stocked. I have a ready plugged in basic phone stashed in the kitchen drawer, should the power going off and I need to use the phone, as an alternative to my usual wireless phones, plus the mobile.

I keep looking out to buy one of those Aladdin incandescent (mantel) paraffin lamps, but they fetch stupid money.