A cold dark winter...

bad2thebone

Looks like we're heading for a winter we haven't experienced before. Power cuts, fuel hikes, energy hikes.

Time to prep, I'm going to have to get load's of candles. Supposedly they taxed candle's in recent times, so I suggest people try to prep for black outs. Terracotta pots and candles make great heater's. I suggest people find ways to make themselves and their loved ones warm and have a comfortable winter. Its not going to be nice for people already struggling.

Leg End Reject

There's a thread on CA with some helpful tips.

SEPT 23 1989

As a child of the 80’s I imagined the year 2022 as a futurist heaven flying cars etc not poxy candles and terracotta pots

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058261702/a-cold-dark-winter

There are a lot of us that have experienced it, inflation up to 20% and unemployment at about 19% too.

First tip - don’t rely on candles, look around the second hand shops or house contents auctions for an oil lamp - reading, sewing, knitting, tying flys and most other pastimes by candle light are crap.

Buy yourself a power station about 300 watt hours, you should be able to charge your devices from it, get a couple of laptop charges or boil the kettle from it.

If you want internet during the blackout, think about buying some kind of hotspot

if you are a meat lover, think about good quality corned beef…

bad2thebone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564132#Comment_119564132

Same here, and supposedly less work and more automation.

I've 4 Ash trees since last year dried out,I'm ringing some of them this weekend.

You can also use big terracotta pots and more candles. Fridge full of cleaned out Pollock lol around ten bass,all legally caught and not undersize. I've access to a pier that's never fished and it's full of coalies and whiting during the winter. The benefits outweighing the risks, for some strange reason I'll embrace the challenge rather than endure it. I can adapt but I empathize with people who have large families and will be pinned to their collar's.

We'll get through it.

freshpopcorn

Do we need to stock up on toilet rolls?

mojesius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564378#Comment_119564378

Don't forget the sliced pan

Ger Roe

For internet during the blackout .... my router is 12v and I have ran it before, during storm associated power fails, on a 12 motorbike battery. I have one on standby wired with a modem power input plug.

growleaves

Candles could burn the house down you'd want to be careful

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058261702/a-cold-dark-winter

Forget candles. Rechargeable LED lamps are good for anything from seven to twelve hours and, at 1000 lumens, two will light a large room sufficiently to read by them. Cheap to buy, cheap to fuel and safe while giving superior lighting.

Doe Tiden

Winter is coming!

StevenToast

Will Eamon Ryan let you burn turf ?

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564724#Comment_119564724

Stupid question, where do you buy them?

No harm having one or two around in case we do get power cuts.

thedart

What riding that will be done this winter will be untold.

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564811#Comment_119564811

Argos, Lidl/Aldi, MrPrice, €2 shops, camping and outdoors supplies, etc.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564831#Comment_119564831

Are they torches or like a lamp?

New Home

Both. I'll get you a few links in a sec.

BrianD3

Thinking of getting an off grid 12v DC to 230 V pure sine wave inverter. Nothing huge, 1000w would be very useful. I have a few spare car batteries plus cars that are off the road that run fine.

I think I could power my kerosene boiler and central heating pump as well as plug in lights, TV, broadband, laptop etc for a considerable period using a car with a full fuel tank.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

And not one post on how the government has failed us all.

Forget rolling blackouts. People won't be able to pay to keep the lights on.

New Home

@Leg End Reject

This is the sort of thing you can get. Most of these take a good few hours to recharge, so it would be much easier to stock up on rechargeable batteries and use those. Another useful thing would be a power bank or even better a solar charger (think mini-solar panels with a usb cable. Might take aaaages, but it'd be better than nothing).

https://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5022612/Trail/searchtext%3ECAMPING%2BLIGHT.htm

https://store.adventure.ie/luci-emerg-emergency-light-ireland-solar.html

https://store.adventure.ie/luci-base-light-tent-lantern-outdoor-indoor-lanter.html

https://store.adventure.ie/luci-lux-pro-lantern-solar-lantern-ireland.html

https://www.charlescamping.ie/store/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=rechargeable

https://outdooradventurestore.ie/search/rechargeable?s=rechargeable

New Home

Some solar chargers/power banks (as examples):

https://www.phonesonline.ie/collections/solar-chargers

https://gadgetman.ie/home/2212-solar-charged-power-brick-ireland.html

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564724#Comment_119564724

The whole thing sounds so backwards. What can we do about freezer food if there's power cuts?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564811#Comment_119564811

Amazon have a wide selection

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565087#Comment_119565087

Not sure why you quoted me or what it has to do with candles or LED lanterns. A freezer is good for many hours if kept closed - no different to when there are scheduled electricity outages for maintenance or new connections on the line.

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565115#Comment_119565115

Well using candles and lamps is backwards.

Freezer is just a general question, anyone can answer, not just you.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565129#Comment_119565129

And how do you suggest the average house is lit if there's a power cut?

freshpopcorn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565129#Comment_119565129

If there's a power cut you keep your freezer door shut.

The fuller your freezer is the longer it will stay frozen.

From what I know you could get about two days out of a full freezer.

Capt'n Midnight

AFAIK the "if else fails" plan is 4 hour rolling blackouts in areas by letter rather than days offline. Don't open and close the fridge / freezer during them.

4 hours is survivable if you have your mobile phone charged. Most have a decent torch built it. Jumper, scarf, gloves and woolly hat and. Knew I should have bought those Aldi electric blanket with sleeves hoodie things.

You can hotspot from your phone, USB cable to laptop means phone gets charged too.

Paraffin lamps aren't as bright as you remember. And paraffin isn't cheap.

tom1ie

Make sure you have:

headlamp torches (keeps your hands free)

spare batteries

rechargeable lanterns that give 360 degree light.

battery bank to recharge phones laptops and lanterns.

If/when power goes out fill up containers/bath with tap drinking water. Prolonged electricity outage may equal no water due to pumping stations having no water.

Get a camping stove for cooking with extra gas canisters.

Have you an alternative heating source? Portable gas heater with a propane tank- old school but works.

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565142#Comment_119565142

You can get 360 degree camping lights. These give up to 30hrs+ of light and you recharge them from a power bank or when power comes back on.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565288#Comment_119565288

That's what we were talking about but he thinks it's backwards for some reason.