energy shortage

Joined
14 Sep 2004
Messages
205
Reaction score
6
Country
United Kingdom
Although nothing official in the UK, there must be some niggling concerns about energy supply this winter. Germany putting in place lots of restrictions already (obv more reliant on russian gas but still interesting to see action being taken now) and Gordon Brown hinting at potential shortages this morning.

I don't think there is any chance of the gas going off for consumers, I imagine that a big safety risk when its turned back on? But they could well turn off gas to industry and eventually power stations so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see electricity issues, unfortunately the only gas appliance I have is the gas central heating.

Is anybody doing anything DIY to cover any power cuts in the short term? I'm wondering if its worth putting something in place to keep the gas boiler running for example, so not a massive load?
 
Sponsored Links
There are still gas appliances with pilot lights, which granny wouldn't be able to relight, and it would have to be tested for leaks before turning back on. Houses blowing up, and that, is embarrassing.

You could use an inverter to power your boiler (and pump) from a car battery.
Pumps, and things like fridges, use a lot more current when they're starting up so your inverter needs to capable of supplying that in case it "trips out". So say 1kW.

Remember, eg 460W load on the mains side (2A) would draw 2 x 230/12 which is 38A from the battery. I think one of mine is 55Ah, so you'd only get an hour and a bit from that. Depends how efficient the thing is too.

Afaik a boiler's something like 100W -150W continuous, so ~10A from your battery.


Obviously you have to know what you're doing to fiddle about with the mains otherwise you die. So just put a woolly on.
 
Already preparing myself (mentally) for a cold winter. Not planning to do anything other than limit how much heating we use and get even stricter on switching things off not in use.
 
I've lived in a rural area all my life. 'Cause of that and life experiences I never reply on one source of energy for warmth - house has NSH and a Gas fire - either will keep the house warm alone.

If worst happens I'll take the gas fire out and reinstall the open fire hearth - have a tree to burn.
 
Sponsored Links
Although nothing official in the UK, there must be some niggling concerns about energy supply this winter. Germany putting in place lots of restrictions already (obv more reliant on russian gas but still interesting to see action being taken now) and Gordon Brown hinting at potential shortages this morning.

I don't think there is any chance of the gas going off for consumers, I imagine that a big safety risk when its turned back on? But they could well turn off gas to industry and eventually power stations so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see electricity issues, unfortunately the only gas appliance I have is the gas central heating.

Is anybody doing anything DIY to cover any power cuts in the short term? I'm wondering if its worth putting something in place to keep the gas boiler running for example, so not a massive load?
I have a 2 stroke generator with the boiler in mind. Unfortunately, the inverter clearly isn'y pure enough sine wave, and the boiler's electronics reject it. So working on a fix
It will however, run a 500W fan heater, so we could survive in a our smaller sitting room...
 
interesting. If power were off for a few hours its not the end of the world, but if it happens to go off just as you are getting in from work or school when the heating has been off all day then thats a bit more of an issue. You might say first world problems, but the definition of first world seems a bit broader than it was
 
It only takes about 4 days for your house to drop to external temperature in winter.
A friend lost power a few years ago, flooding I think took out power. Her house was literally freezing by the time it was fixed.
We are extremely reliant on heating in this country.
Elderly people who can't afford these massive rises will dying all over the country this winter.

Prediction just now on BBC News that 1 in 3 households won't be able to afford to pay the increased bills.
 
You could use an inverter to power your boiler (and pump) from a car battery.
I doubt very much if a modern boiler would work with that power supply. We had lots of trouble with boilers not working when generators were being used to power houses when the electric supply went off in the road and was being repaired. Granny's old boiler with the pilot light would probably work with that sort of power supply. Much to be said about old reliable technology and appliances.
 
Useless French. What do they know?

298322321_443693257792798_8971418939579445536_n.jpg
 
Yeah, we hold the cards. But the cards are on fire, and our hands are on fire, and the house is on fire!
At least global warming will eventually put the fires out, after we've all watched our prime agricultural land get inundated with salt water and half the country has drowned. It'll all work out in the end.

The only question is, where do you take your massive pension pot? I guess most filthy rich will head to Switzerland for the mountains, flowing fresh water, nuclear energy and good skiing in winter.
 
in the days of it just being BG big industries used to have special tariffs that allowed them to be turned off first in the event of dwindling supplies not sure if these are still about
 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top