 | Home > Off Topic > Anyone else been Storm Arwened? |
 
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| Muddybigdog Member Since: 11 Apr 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 1021   
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Nice place to be stuck
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york...e-59446663 Jumped ship to reliability - Mitsubishi L200 Puma 90 XS - Sold D3 - 2.7 S x2 (both Sold) Freelander 2 HSE - Sold Freelander 1 - Sold Disco 2 - Sold |
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28th Nov 2021 3:32pm |
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| Smyles_ Member Since: 25 Aug 2018 Location: Copenhagen Posts: 517 
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Still no power at mine and I'm starting to smell... You know it's bad when you can smell yourself.
Suddenly realise how dependant I am on electricity - absolutely everything in my cottage requires power to operate. Somehow though we have water unlike everyone else in neighbouring farms.  Stuart
Cummins 130 Build Thread 58 130 Double Cab HCPU - Cairns Blue 04 110 Double Cab - Black (gone) 07 Audi RS4 Avant - Silver |
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28th Nov 2021 4:50pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3517 
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Mobile phones will work for so long (as long as your battery is charged or you can plug it in to your car charger). Most of the masts have a battery back-up, but once the electricity has been off for 18-24 hours, they start to fail and so will your phone signals.
Great idea, V8bob. Even a small generator will run most domestic gas and oil boilers. It's one thing not being able to watch Strictly Come Dancing results, but being warm is much more important  |
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28th Nov 2021 6:34pm |
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| 90 Dreamer Member Since: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Oop North Posts: 2169 
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Had an interesting drive up to the Scottish Borders late Friday afternoon and had pretty much 4seasons from setting off in bright sunshine (albeit cold) to getting approx halfway into the journey and having snow blasted at us.......
Got near Carter Bar and it started to clear again to 'just' sideways rain and our weekend in general wasn't too bad talking to other folks and seeing stuff going on around us on the news....... Came home this morning in snow again albeit the ploughs / gritters had been out doing their work and roads were v.good in general - was about 3" of snow at Carter Bar over the top but gradually cleared after that - got some funny looks towing our mobile palace but we weren't the only loons out this weekend as the site was about 80% full with the majority being in campers |
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28th Nov 2021 9:01pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4218 
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That's a good idea, I'm seriously considering it. We are waking up to day three without power. It's cold. 8 degrees in hall, in the 10 in the kitchen. Colder in the bedrooms! A neighbour with power has run an extension lead through to us, so we had a oil filled rad on last night which helped. We all slept in the lounge which is warmest with the log burner. It was still above 15 this morning. Toasty! Still can't get hold of Electricity North West. Last I heard was they hoped to have power restored by 4pm last night. They clearly don't have the capacity to handle.a crisis. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS |
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29th Nov 2021 6:55am |
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| AMBxx Member Since: 24 Jul 2016 Location: York Posts: 1033 
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Feeling a bit left out in East Yorkshire. Seems we're the first county south/east in England to just receive a single inch of snow. Looks pretty but mostly just ice now.
On the generator front, we used to have regular problems until the leccy board chopped down some interfering trees. Probably illegal, certainly dangerous, I have a cable with a 3 pin plug on each end. I turn off the main electricity, then connect the generator to a socket in the garage (careful to plug in the garage socket end first). Provides enough electric to run most of the house, just don't turn on the kettle or electric oven. |
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29th Nov 2021 9:09am |
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| nick345345 Member Since: 05 Dec 2016 Location: Dunbar Posts: 71  
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I'm also without power since Friday 5pm - due back tonight. Not been too bad as I've got an Aga and wood burner. I've also got a generator, but made the novice error of not starting it for a few years and then being frustrated when it wouldn't start when I actually needed it
Got me thinking though? Would it be possible to fit an inverter (if that's the right thing!) to the Defender so I could use that for electricity in an emergency? Not to power the house for days on end, but enough to perhaps run the heating for an hour, or watch strictly to keep the other 1/2 happy. |
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29th Nov 2021 12:05pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 
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Yes, it would be perfectly possible to do that.
A Puma's alternator is rated at 150A, a TD5 is 120A though I doubt either would come close to that at idle. You could probably power 800-1000W for a while. I have a 1000W inverter for running power tools etc. The biggest issue you've got is safely running a central heating system that's usually fitted to its own radial circuit. You can (however it's really not a good idea unless you're very aware of what you're doing, and even then...) create a cable with a plug on both ends. Isolate your house (very very very important otherwise you can end up powering the street, electrocuting anyone working on the line or causing a very large bang when the power comes back on again) then plug in to a suitable socket and it will back feed everything. The better way to do it would be to change the FCU that powers the boiler to a socket, put a plug on the boiler. When there's a power cut unplug the boiler and plug it in to the inverter. Edit: if you're talking about doing it with the engine off, you'd want to be very careful to not end up with a dead battery. You probably could do the heating for half an hour but I wouldn't want to risk it myself. Last edited by Cupboard on 29th Nov 2021 8:54pm. Edited 2 times in total |
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29th Nov 2021 8:40pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4218
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Anyone ever had a change over switch installed, which would allow the safe connection of a generator? 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
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29th Nov 2021 8:48pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971
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Yes.
A 250A three phase one where I used to work, when the power went off we'd clonk it over and run the farm off a PTO generator. I built an alarm system to send me a text when the power came back on again so we didn't just keep running from the generator indefinitely. You can get automatic units too. |
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29th Nov 2021 8:53pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3517
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Yes! Both me and my Dad have changeover switches. Mine is an old Simplex GPO changeover switch which is like something out of the Cold War. But it works and I have checked and luckily it has nothing in it that resembles asbestos. It was second hand in 1972 when it was fitted. In a Nuclear War, this would still be working, even if the generator fried 
I fitted my parents a changeover switch. They’re’s is fused and was made by MEM (now Eaton). I used to fit them for work on Water Infrastructure sites so it was, free issue if you see what I am saying. It’s a lot neater and was mounted in an enclosure. Both switches have a ‘Commando’ 16 Amp inlet (like a wall mounted plug) which the socket from the generator plugs into. Our Generators are only 3.3kVA so no issues there.. Cupboard, two plugs on a piece of flex was how we always used to power the house. As you say, great if you know what you are doing but hazardous for those who don’t or easily forget 
I really wouldn’t recommend doing it, but if you do, it is really important to turn the main switch off on your distribution board. A 3.3kVA generator will easily run lights (now we’re mostly all LED), gas/oil central heating and the telly. The downside, unless you live in the middle of nowhere, they make a lot of noise and will upset the neighbours who will be upset that your lights and heating are on and you are watching the telly. Best to invite them in, I suppose. |
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29th Nov 2021 9:22pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4218
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Thanks rashers, I may get a quote for a changeover switch and socket for a Genny then. Is it something a regular domestic electrician could do or do I need some sort of specialist.
Update, we are now entering Day 4 with no power. It's.warmed up over night so getting.uo this morning wasn't quite as un-pleasant. I'm praying the power comes back on today. Wife is getting fed up of doing stuff by rechargeable workshop lights and our 3 year old is getting bored sleeping in the lounge. Neighbours haven't asked.flr thei extension lead back yet, so at least the phones can stay charged . 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS |
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30th Nov 2021 7:19am |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3517
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A half decent electrician should easily cope with a changeover switch
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30th Nov 2021 7:42am |
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| markb110 Member Since: 22 May 2010 Location: Guildford Posts: 2644  
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Great advert to buy an electric car……….not
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30th Nov 2021 8:02am |
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