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[Marks DTM Calib]

Gas hob, gas fire....no problem.

[Elite Pete]

We get loads of power and water cuts here so we are well prepared. You wouldn't think we are only a few miles outside of a city

[Varche]

Had a power cut this morning while I was lying in the bath. Ha ha, I thought, I'll just lie here, lovely and warm, and it will be back on within half an hour. It wasn't. It didn't take long for the house to cool down, wet hair didn't help. It was gloomy and quiet, except for the sound of alarms going off, which put the dog on edge.
I'll have a cuppa, oh.......no I can't. Mum will be ringing soon.......oh......she won't.
Oh.......no telly, no heating (unless I put the gas fire on and that will stink after the time it's been off.

Gloom.....boredom.....slightly unnerved.

Hang on! It's back on. Thank God. How long was it off, I wonder?


  :- 55 minutes.


It wouldn't take that much to shake us all from our complacency and make us realise just how ill-equipped we are for life without all of our comforts.

Indeed Steve.  Back in 1973 we had the widespread power cuts on a rota due to the miners causing problems, but we coped and in fact had some fun!!

However that was 1973, when computers hardly controlled anything, and our houses ran on coal fires, or straight forward gas heaters which did not require leccy to run. We also used  shops that did not rely on computer systems to sell goods, and we did not rely too much on the new fangled freezers. Now I dread to think of the massive breakdown of life we would suffer with any cuts of even short term length. Life would virtually stop!  It is a scary thought.

Maybe so but Britain is heading for a massive gap between generation and demand due to a number of factors. Removal from service of perfectly good power stations due to EU rules, lack of timely investment in proper power stations, a fatal Don Quixotian fascination towards windmills. Power cut rotas may well be a feature of life in five years time especilly on still days, gas from Russia disruption days, cold weather.......

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Had a power cut this morning while I was lying in the bath. Ha ha, I thought, I'll just lie here, lovely and warm, and it will be back on within half an hour. It wasn't. It didn't take long for the house to cool down, wet hair didn't help. It was gloomy and quiet, except for the sound of alarms going off, which put the dog on edge.
I'll have a cuppa, oh.......no I can't. Mum will be ringing soon.......oh......she won't.
Oh.......no telly, no heating (unless I put the gas fire on and that will stink after the time it's been off.

Gloom.....boredom.....slightly unnerved.

Hang on! It's back on. Thank God. How long was it off, I wonder?


  :- 55 minutes.


It wouldn't take that much to shake us all from our complacency and make us realise just how ill-equipped we are for life without all of our comforts.

Indeed Steve.  Back in 1973 we had the widespread power cuts on a rota due to the miners causing problems, but we coped and in fact had some fun!!

However that was 1973, when computers hardly controlled anything, and our houses ran on coal fires, or straight forward gas heaters which did not require leccy to run. We also used  shops that did not rely on computer systems to sell goods, and we did not rely too much on the new fangled freezers. Now I dread to think of the massive breakdown of life we would suffer with any cuts of even short term length. Life would virtually stop!  It is a scary thought.

Maybe so but Britain is heading for a massive gap between generation and demand due to a number of factors. Removal from service of perfectly good power stations due to EU rules, lack of timely investment in proper power stations, a fatal Don Quixotian fascination towards windmills. Power cut rotas may well be a feature of life in five years time especilly on still days, gas from Russia disruption days, cold weather.......

Ah, but we are buying power from France Varche

[Varche]

Sacre Bleu, tout est bien.

Wait a minute. In their own countries they have to abide by government controlled prices but in Britain they don't and so can make up the shortfall........

[TheBoy]

My mum gets weekly power cuts. She manages fine. OK, she's cross when her computer isn't working....

[Kevin Wood]

I've got a diesel generator in the garage. Oh, and I noticed there's a 60kVA trailer mounted one in Emma's place of work just up the road today. Ok, the neighbours wouldn't be very happy, but...

[PhilRich]

Don't believe a word of it. He hasn't got any hair at all. Anywhere. He keeps sending me the bloody pictures to prove it.

( MUUUUUUM that nasty man is on again! )

So that photo wasn't of his head with a nasty cut in it then Chris

[tunnie]

Almost worth getting a generator these days for such emergencies, as you say in this weather does not take long for it to get very cold without power in a house/flat

[scimmy_man]

I wired our house so the kitchen is on a seperate circuit, it powers the sockets and pump on the logburner,

if we get a long power cut I can throw the circuit breaker, and plug a genny into the outside socket, feeding power back in,
tv, lights under the units and heating,
bring it on.

[Varche]

Almost worth getting a generator these days for such emergencies, as you say in this weather does not take long for it to get very cold without power in a house/flat

For the cost of the generator IF you have a long power cut, better would be to head off to a romantic hotel.

[STMO123]

Don't believe a word of it. He hasn't got any hair at all. Anywhere. He keeps sending me the bloody pictures to prove it.

( MUUUUUUM that nasty man is on again! )

So that photo wasn't of his head with a nasty cut in it then Chris

You missed an 'n' out Phil.

[Rods2]

Where I live, the underground power cable keeps failing on a regular basis and we have several time been without power for over 24 hours. But fortunately I have always been prepared for such eventualities with a two burner and grill camping Calor gas stove, where we have an electric cooker, a wood burning stove to keep a room warm when we have no central heating and a cheap 850w generator.

Even with 99.9% reliability, this is almost 9 hours a year with no power. For the price of a little Calor gas camping ring and cartridge, is it worth going without a brew or hot soup when it is cold?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Camping-Cooker-Cartridges-Refills/dp/B000RHV3MU

[cem_devecioglu]

I have a gas stove for those emergency conditions but not sure how can I sleep with a noisy generator..  

[feeutfo]

Don't believe a word of it. He hasn't got any hair at all. Anywhere. He keeps sending me the bloody pictures to prove it.

( MUUUUUUM that nasty man is on again! )

So that photo wasn't of his head with a nasty cut in it then Chris

You missed an 'n' out Phil.

oh your not that nasty Esta. Nasty yes, but no n required. Don't be so "hard" on yourself.