A power cut! Light hearted!

I get quite a few power cuts but touch wood none of them have lasted for too long but I have lamps/torches upstairs and down and recently bought a small, one ring gas camping stove for around £25 from Amazon. It came with 3 gas cylinders and is very easy to use so at least I could have a hot drink or heat up some soup etc if needed. I have a wood burner so at least 1 room would be warm.

We haven't had a power cut for a long long time. Unless it was at night when it went unnoticed.

We've a gas hob, 2 wood burning fireplaces. We cope well.

I know exactly where my torches, batteries and candles are, and can dig out a camping stove at need. I also have a wood burner but ought to buy a transistor radio.

I almost replaced my gas fire when a friend suggested alternative heating source was always a good idea in time of emergency. My lovely new fire is still in box long since and I have had reason not to regret that decision. Just as well someone was thinking logically! I have a landline but never tested it in emergency circumstances.

We get power cuts quite often. We kept a gas hob so can cook and have hot drinks. You get used to it.

Not just BT but all internet providers. We have a large camping battery which will maintain power to the router.

We had a power cut last week. Zilch for 8 hours. We had NOTHING that helped other than our touring caravan parked on the drive, so managed a pot of tea (+ 2 spare flasks for coffee later) and beans on toast.

MOnica, I believe that a laptop permanently plugged in will lose its charge very rapidly on battery. That's my experience. Discharge and recharge is best (I am told).

During the power cut, no internet (no power to the router) so no mobile phone, no landline either (why not?). We eventually went to Morrisons for fish and chips!

Have motion detector rechargeable lights in the hallway, landing, kitchen, and a torch hanging off the key rack - small, but powerful. Power packs to recharge them if necessary. Also have battery-operated candles that we use about once a week for a few hours and spare batteries. So we can read, play scrabble, do the crossword.

I recently bought a butane powered cooking ring so at the very least we can heat something up to eat and have a cup of tea. It also gives off heat so the kitchen gets quite warm for a while.

Last time we had a real power cut it was in the afternoon and went on into the night so we got in the car and drove to a pub/restaurant about 10 miles away and spent the evening there. The power came on a few hours after we got back.

We have an AGA which is gas powered so ok for drinks and food should we need to have something hot to eat. We recently had a power cut when a tree fell on a power line nearby but it came back on after about an hour so not too bad.

We often get short power cuts. I keep a wind-up torch in my dressing gown pocket and another with the fuse box. Also have a solar powered lantern which stands inside the south-facing back window so always charged.
I don't drink hot drinks so not bothered about short cuts, but obviously longer periods would be a nuisance.

I'm registered as vulnerable with my energy provider so I think they are supposed to check on me but I don't realy know. I have a gas hob and this thread has prompted me to charge my power bank. I only normally use it when I go camping. I have plenty candles around too.

When I had no gas after they replaced the gas main they were supposed to provide electric hotplates and heaters. It was summer so didn't need a heater but when I requested a hotplate, they'd run out! I finally got compensation a couple of weeks ago. The disconnection was in August 2023!!

I have an open fire with plenty of dry wood and kindling, torches, bike lights and spare batteries, candles, tea lights, three paraffin lamps and matches, a solar table lamp, a portable camping gas stove with lots of spare canisters, a battery radio, a large cool box with lots of bubble wrap, polystyrene slabs and wool insulation for the fridge and freezer. I’d charge my phone in the car, I rarely let it go much below half a tank of fuel so a short drive with the heater on could warm me up too!. If the village was cut off by floods or falling trees it would be harder, though neither scenario is likely, and I could drive to the swimming pool in town, or to DD’s house for a shower, as she’s unlikely to be without power at the same time. I have enough big water bottles to store 30 litres, I wash and refill them with tap water on rotation, and could flush the loo with a bucket from the water butts. Think I’m sorted!

twiglet77

I have an open fire with plenty of dry wood and kindling, torches, bike lights and spare batteries, candles, tea lights, three paraffin lamps and matches, a solar table lamp, a portable camping gas stove with lots of spare canisters, a battery radio, a large cool box with lots of bubble wrap, polystyrene slabs and wool insulation for the fridge and freezer. I’d charge my phone in the car, I rarely let it go much below half a tank of fuel so a short drive with the heater on could warm me up too!. If the village was cut off by floods or falling trees it would be harder, though neither scenario is likely, and I could drive to the swimming pool in town, or to DD’s house for a shower, as she’s unlikely to be without power at the same time. I have enough big water bottles to store 30 litres, I wash and refill them with tap water on rotation, and could flush the loo with a bucket from the water butts. Think I’m sorted!

wow that's pretty impressive...

I always keep my phone charged and near me, so I can use that as a torch. We have torches in most room. I have a gas hob, so I can boil water for tea on that. We've got loads of candles - mainly unused Christmas presents - though I'm wary about fires starting.

We were also lucky enough to receive texts from the electricity board informing us about the power cut and estimated time they'd get us reconnected, which was very quick.

Loads of tins in the cupboard, so if it was a siege we could probably survive!