⚠️ Storm Éowyn - Fri 24.01.25 (**Please read Mod Instruction in OP.**)

Been reading all the comments from people who are still without power. I was caught by this storm, had no generator or gas cooker and there was no power for 14 hours yesterday. Plans to purchase a generator made, when the peak demand is over.

Wish everyone to get electricity back soon.

Lovely feeling when you hear all equipment is turning back on and beeping and the place is lit up again!

Keep warm everyone.

Agree with you. I’ve been meaning to get myself a battery radio for months, kicking myself I didn’t get round to it.

I envy your Stanley range. We had one growing up, fantastic beast and the old thing is still going strong.

I was in the same boat last year. A 90ft long privet hedge behind a hedge grew to the top of the pole. Crew would only cut the branches at the wire. I got out last summer with a chainsaw and cut the rest of the hedge down to waist level. Saved a telephone cable in the process and probably saved my house from being damaged by them this time.

Im only in the house a few years but reckon from old Google street view that it's there 25 years.

…and our fault has just been updated with the Restoration time of 31st of January! I think people that are sitting in the cold would rather not know this estimated date at all.

Thats a relief !

Yeah am sure there are quite a few with that scenario and all the more reason for people to check in on people that they might think vulnerable at these times I suppose .

to anyone looking for a radio, my lenovo tablet has an fm radio app. I never realised it had an fm tuner! turned on and radio! and it's pretty miserly on the battery.

Well that was eventful in Salthill I have to say. First time in my life where the weather actually made me feel quite nervous, especially between 3:30am and 4:30am. Horrendous wasn’t the word. The sustained roar of the wind ripping through the trees and buildings with lots of power flashes across the skyline was a little frightening I have to say.

Make sure to do it, just remember that a generator requires maintenance.

My panels generated 15.5kwh on the day of the storm, and 9.7kwh today. Much more than I would've used in a power cut. I also have a generator which hasn't been used since the panels were installed. You're correct of course, there're days in winter where I've generated only a couple of kwh's. My system is 5.95kwp.

My observations of watching weather over the years leads me to believe that we usually get clear sky following a storm. I remember getting my telescope out after Ophelia in a power cut that lasted days. It was Ophelia that prompted action to ensure I'd never be without power again.

Does that do the whole house ? My house is small enough so maybe if need a cheaper one , I was looking on amazon ones for €500 (3kw) but then it's getting an electrian to fit it etc

All in, my system cost about €11k for a 7.44kWp system and 20kWh battery. Got it nearly 5 years ago and I'd say it has paid back the install price already.

In reality you wouldn't go fully off grid with a system like this. Something liveke an electric oven is a serious power guzzler.

I was stupid with this storm. Had the house battery fully charged but when the power went down I kept the whole house online. Was running through about 500w per hour. Sat and watched telly all of Friday evening, on a 70" TV that's another 300w per hour. So by Saturday morning I was down to less than 5% battery and had to knock it off til the sun came out.

Generated a bit 4kWh today, put about 3kWh of that into the battery which bought me more time. But this time I had more sense, knocked off every circuit in the house bar fridge freezer, and the socket for the fibre & WiFi. Solar had died due to clouds by about 2pm and I made that 3kWh last from 2pm til 11pm and kept 5% as backup.

If I'd been more sensible with usage from the start I could probably have made it through to Sunday evening. We're scheduled according to ESB for a Monday 9pm restoration.

We have 20kWh of batteries. They were great yesterday. Two sockets from batteries so ran an extension to where the fibre enters the house and one into the kitchen. Herself did a stew so just reheated using the microwave. I only researched last night but the 20kWh would give us:

We had a stew prepared ahead of time and reheated yesterday. We used the coffee machine for 5 coffees, had the wifi plugged in all day and used the microwave for about 15 minutes reheating. Recharged devices a couple of times. When power came back we had 99.4 percent of battery left.

Had the bathtub filled so 'flushing' wasn't an issue. If needed, could run extension lead to plug in house pump and if necessary could plug in well pump in shed to fill tank.

For anyone getting panels, if its an option to get a battery get one (especially if you are on a day/night where it makes most sense).

Grand thank you , my house is small enough so even a 4kw would do me , houses all connected so that's terrace isn't it ? Thanks anyway I know my power didn't go this storm but in future I am gonna look to get a generator, sorry mods I'm going off point but I felt this was important

In what way ?

By having their crews out in almost freezing dark conditions restoring power ?

Because they have already restored 20 - 25 % of customers impacted ?

We live in the country, detached house. We have a plug by the ESB meter into which you connect the generator and use special switch to switch between esb and generator. Estates stay rarely for days without power so a small generator with an extension lead will do you, I think, if you live in the estate.