How do you prep for power cuts?

[EveLevine]

When I first started prepping I figured I didn’t need to worry about power. We had a gas hob with electric oven for cooking, gas heating with electric fan heaters for back up. I thought it unlikely gas and electric would be off at same time so I thought we were ok.

Since then, boiler has been condemned and the replacement needs to be plugged into electric to work, and we’ve had to remove the gas hob as SN DC is fascinated with switches and knobs and kept accidentally turning on the gas. Which means we are now totally reliant on electricity.

Last week our electric went off for a couple of hours - we coped fine but I suddenly realised how vulnerable we’d have been if it was winter.

So I’m looking to prep for power cuts, but there’s so much choice! I’ve been looking at camping stoves, ghillie kettles, or solid full burners. But there’s so many options I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Just wondering what others use? And what’s easiest/simplest to use?

[dementedma]

A large milk bottle container filled with water makes a good lamp if you tie a headtorch to it, with the light shining through the water.

[TheSandgroper]

When we organised our wood heater, I was adamant that it would have to be designed to have space for pots on the top.

Ours is “open plan” but if you go down this route, make sure that both fire and pots fit into your space.

[Bandol]

I'm currently sat in the dark due to a power cut caused by a massive thunderstorm. (I'm not in the UK.)

We discovered that we only had batteries for 2 of our 3 LED lanterns. Check your batteries!

I'm currently wishing we had solar powered outdoor lights and power banks for our phones.

Fortunately we have a gas hob so no worries about tea in the morning if the power is not back on.

[BlackeyedSusan]

Fruchoc...fucking genius about Longlife milk...

[3cats]

Generally, it is better to avoid using candles in blackouts, especially if you have kids or pets, unless you are really certain they are in safe holders where they won't accidentally get knocked over. It is better to use battery-powered or solar lanterns. Make sure you store LED lanterns with the batteries out as if you don't use them for a while, the batteries can leak and destroy the lanterns. For my camping lanterns, I keep the batteries by them in a ziplock bag.

[okiedokieme]

Solar radio is handy (also excellent for gardening) I have a fire pit too. My gas stove works with the electricity off.

[okiedokieme]

Don't you have a camping stove for, well, camping? I also can recommend a wonderbag, excel for camping, festivals and power cuts because it cuts gas usage for slow cooked meals.

[EmperorCovidula]

I grew up in a country where power cuts were a regular occurrence, particularly in summer. We just kept a torch in the kitchen draw and made sure we had some food that we could eat without cooking in the house (pretty easy really as most people have enough for a sandwich at least all the time). They normally try to restore power ASAP and it’s fine. The one time I experienced a power cut in Britain it lasted for less than a minute. I really wouldn’t go overboard with prepping but it may be worth considering a wood burner if you own the property/your land lord is amenable as it’s quite expensive heating a house using just electricity.

[FruChoc]

We largely prep for blackouts due to bushfire risk and or winter storms.
Bushfire blackouts can last days even if we are not directly impacted by fire but our area or grid can be switched off or on/off intermittently

Battery packs for phones and devices
Battery operated radio (for emergency broadcasts)
Batteries
Candles/matches
Camp stove and spare gas canisters
Torches & lanterns (wind up and battery)
Headlamps and reading lights.
Garden Solar lights - I keep 4/6 outside in a pot outside back door and put in vases in hallways instead of running batteries flat/having candles going. Theses are such a simple solution but very effective.
Generator - to boil kettle if desperate, keep freezers going over extended blackouts & run fire/water pump if needed.
Thermos to keep water warm so can have a cup of coffee/tea ( boil once use twice)

Always have 2 min noodle pack/soup packs/ mac and cheese/pasta packs in cupboard for easy meals that only require hot water. Also keep long life juice and milk so don't need to open fridge unless necessary.
Emergency biscuits and chocolate too...

[Hiddenmnetter]

Get 2 of these

www.energygeneratorsales.co.uk/stephill-generator-sales/product-detail/stephill-2600lmex-26kva-21kw-lombardini-15ld-225s-export

They will provide enough power to keep your fridges/freezers going while you have enough diesel to keep them supplied. One of those is roughly 10 amps, so you could use one to provide all your refridgeration/freezing needs, the other to provide cooking/power for charging phones etc. As required.

This would is course require you to have ovens that aren't hard wired in etc, but yes everything we do depends on a constant, even flow of electricity, and when that fails we're up shit creek without a paddle. I've always wanted a property with a stream in it for the express purpose of usually my own hydroelectric generator... Don't need loads, just enough to keep the fridges and freezers going. Otherwise all that prepped food is pointless...

[womaninatightspot]

Woodstove and appropriate pans etc to go on top. Use an old aga kettle to boil water on stove. Torches somewhere sensible that you can find them. Spare batteries too.

I live rurally and there's always an annual power cut at some point. It's fine and we manage but all your time is taken up hauling wood to keep the house warm enough for the kids.

[BlackeyedSusan]

If you are disabled you can register as vulnerable with power supply companies. I have a fluorescent fridge magnet with the emergency number on, provided by the power company?

I use my wind up radio in the kitchen. Lives on the window sill to get charged. LW function does not play TMS though, in case that is important to you.

Ex has got a snazzier wind up radio from years back.

I have just bought some cheap little torches at Asda for the kids. A torch and battery in every bag/ room for emergencies is my aim.

I would like an inverter... Small flat etc may make that impossible.

[Pelleas]

Yes, good point Hugged. They normally have a piece of card in the receiver rest where you can write down key numbers - the number for checking your power supply (not the same as the number for your energy supplier) is an obvious one to include.

[HuggedTheRedwoods]

@Pelleas

If you have a landline, buy a cheap non-powered handset and keep it near your phone socket to plug in if needed - that way you will have a means of making and receiving calls if your mobile runs out of battery.

dont forget to have your key phone numbers also written down!

[3cats]

Also, I have a battery charger for my phone. I never use it usually, but it’s there for in case of emergencies.

[3cats]

We’re campers so we have a few led lanterns and torches. I also have a portable kerosene heater. We have the gas camping stove. I also bulk cook, so we can just defrost things like stew or curry or soup and just eat with bread or rice.

[gamerchick]

We have inverters and car batteries for power cuts. A gas cooker with safety knobs but still have camping stoves. Always handy to have an inverter or 2 to run the freezer etc.

[Snugglepumpkin]

My son really likes the Mug Shot Roast Chicken Pasta.

It's Fusilli but you make it up like a pot noodle or a cup a soup (they sell it as packets you put in your own mug or as pots like a pot noodle but it is the exact same product inside each so I just get whichever is on offer) so you just add boiling water.
We always leave them twice as long as the pack suggests though or find some of the bits haven't rehydrated properly.

They do other flavours & some are noodles rather than pasta.

[ErrolTheDragon]

You can make couscous, including some of the flavoured ones, just with boiling water.

[bluefoxmug]

super noodles?
they are just noodles with a little stock powder and oil/animal fat.
cup-a-soup type things

[EveLevine]

Thanks everyone, lots of helpful replies and good ideas :)

Thanks @BiddyPop, I'll have a read. I've been thinking of a camping stove, but I'm worried about how to safely store gas. Was considering a ghillie or kelly kettle, but wasn't sure how to store sticks without them getting damp, which I why I started looking at the solid alcohol burners.

@bellinisurge I've seen you suggest the lamp thing before, but have never tried it. I will try with my next empty bottle - I think DC would love it. I have a head torch for using up the attic so just need an empty bottle. Probably best to try it now, so I know what I'm doing in case I ever actually need it.

We have several power banks, I just need to get into the habit of charging them after each use, instead of waiting until they are dead. DC13 has a habit of borrowing them to use devices in bed and doesn't tend to return them until they are out of power!

I hadn't even considered a landline - we have an answerphone so that definitely wouldn't work without electricity. I will add a phone to my prepping list.

@BlackeyedSusan I've been looking at these today, but not sure whether I'd ever actually use it

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002XNGTOI/?psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&coliid=I2UEDUA4YOALXA&colid=22S3C9QH3W20Z&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Foodwise, I have food that could be eaten cold, but was thinking I could get things like cup a soups that just need hot water - I think in winter we'd be glad to have something hot. I used to buy the heinz cup of soups that were like a paste for work, I might try DC with those as I don't think he'd like the normal cup of soups due to the powder.

Does anyone know if there are any noodle type snacks that just need hot water (DC won't eat pot noodle as they are too "bitty")

[BlackeyedSusan]

Wind up solar powered radio.
Wind up lantern.

[bellinisurge]

Absolutely. I bought a cheap dial phone for me and in-laws. Obviously power cut might affect the phone network infrastructure but it would definitely affect a landline phone that ran on electricity.

[Pelleas]

If you have a landline, buy a cheap non-powered handset and keep it near your phone socket to plug in if needed - that way you will have a means of making and receiving calls if your mobile runs out of battery.

[LuluJakey1]

I would live on cheese and tomato sandwiches.