What prepping thing have you done today?

[Kacie123]

I've just checked our fire alarm. Seems to work which is good! And I've finished packing our second emergency rucksack.

Just wondering what fellow preppers are up to

I'm a lurker but would like to add a few things.

1. Hand warmers: My teens use them at bus stops. We need to buy the lighter fuel for them. But later posts made me wonder if we are talking about the same thing?

1. (This has probably been covered) we had a 'snow drill' in the village some years ago. In a power cut pp can come to use my £10 phone that doesn't need electricity (saving mob batteries).

1. What is the cheapest wind up radio sold?

I've been snowed in a few times and it was great fun; everyone mucking in and sharing. Flooding is no fun at all.

Luckily I don't actually have any neighbours directly next door, nearest is a few hundred yards up the road and we very rarely see them although I would be happy to help if they came knocking

I bought DS' birthday present on an Amazon flash deal. His birthday is in February

I also used the frost shield for the first time. It works beautifully.

Siwi, I just bought a wind up radio on amazon on offer for about £13.99.

It also has a solar panel and can be charged by USB. I will report back on whether it's actually any good or not (reviews indicate that the sound gets a bit distorted at high volume, but for £14 I am willing to risk it!)

That's the one I have fuck - I love it!

I also have one of those

Do you mean this kind of hand-warmer Siwi?

I've only ever tried the gel type.

I've found the most amazing plug in low light / torch for the landing. It charges when power is on and if the power goes off it lights up and the torch is fully charged and ready to go.

Which one's that zetetik?

www.amazon.co.uk/Quantek-Emergency-Power-Rechargeable-Automatic/dp/B00JIO5Z04/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448309114&sr=8-1&keywords=Quantek+3-in-1+Emergency+Power+Cut+Light%2C+Rechargeable+Torch+%26+Automatic+Night+Light

(sorry about the long link)

Thankyou Kacie, I have after opening this thread again and looking at your first post just gone and checked the fire alarm

It now has a new battery in it and is actually working again

Hurrah, glad to hear it zombies

Oh good, Kacie and Zetetik, I've not wasted my money then!

I like the reusable hand warmers!

Kacie, we have the first ones but bought more cheaply.

Thanks for radio recommendation.

Ah great thanks Siwi. Are they easy to refill? That first review makes me think it might be more trouble than it's worth...

Hope you like the radio! It's not luxurious by any means but does the job, and takes me back to childhood camping days

I'm bugging out to zombies, only got to nip over the Humber

I don't use them but dc use them at (rural) bus stops.
They can run out of socks but we are reminded to buy the lighter fuel.

Poss not that great for za when everyone is indoors?

I don't hoard tobacco but I reckon if I did hoard, tobacco would be good.

Depends how far from the Humber you are Stratters and if you have enough fuel to get here, you don't have much further to go once over the bridge

The husbands just ordered my Christmas box so got a few goodies coming.

He ordered one of these for Power cuts www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00AX0OAZI/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATI6GBAAV0ETR

*sorry for long link

I'm reserving judgement until I've tested it but the reviews are encouraging. I do want a more powerful one at some point though.

I like that radio rec. need a new list.

Ooh. Oooooh.

New thing on wish list, thanks gamerchick

I'll test it and report back. I'm hoping it's just the job for medium powercuts though, feel a lot happier it's coming

Can you please explain the off grid solar power?

oOf grid solar power requires an inverter and a battery (something like a tesla system).

Solar panels are wired into the grid and in the event of a power cut they don't work This is a safety mechanism to stop power going into a grid that is shut down and causing problems and also to protect workers trying to repair the lines.

Your system has to be set up with an inverter that diverts the energy back into the house system (the battery) and would then allow you to continue to use the power you generate.

If I had solar (we have issues due to very tall oak trees ) I would have it set up so that could operate off grid. We are currently looking at a small panel to run the furnace in the event of a power failure (our house is log fuelled and so this would mean we still had heating and hot water).

I am not interested in a big solar power system. I was looking at a small self contained system. I know the components for off grid, I don't understand the volumes. How much electricity a light, kettle, microwave etc takes up, how much a battery can store or panel can make.