Author Topic: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?  (Read 14859 times)

RUSTYME

  • Joined Oct 2009
.
« Reply #15 on: October 08, 2012, 05:44:30 pm »
I just keep 50 gallons of heating oil as a standby for oil lamps , lol . Thereafter ,  , when that runs out , i will grow my own , sunflower , hemp etc , dual or triple purpose , oil , fibre , animal/human feed . Rely on number 1 and there is no control .

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #16 on: October 08, 2012, 06:02:18 pm »
Annie, that is interesting.  What did you used to have your thermostat on before?  Is your place really warm?  Since I've been less active I do get cold easily so this might work for us.

I used to keep my stat at at least 20, quite often higher than that, and the boiler seemed to be never off.  I have a standard kit type bungalow - 4 bedrooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, conservatory.  Can't insulate the walls but I've put in 10 inches extra insulation in the roof.  I check my radiators regularly for air (once a month at least)  Once the house is up to temperature, keeping the heating on all the time just tops it up to that level, unless you have a cold snap when the boiler comes on for a little longer.  I paid £165 a month when I first moved in 4 years ago and now it's down to just over £100, that's for gas and electricity together.  Works for me - I'm in the house at odd times of the day - out with dogs at times, out in the garden or to see to the hens at other times  so couldn't use the 'hour in the morning' hour at night' routine.  If you have a usage meter you could try it for a month and check it.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

deepinthewoods

  • Guest
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #17 on: October 08, 2012, 07:31:53 pm »
all this stuff about blackouts etc etc is all bumpf. Its the pre-emptive propaganda for the inevitable announcement of the building of nuclear powerstations. simple.
 
they do it all the time, tell us how bad its going to be /or is, then make an announcement that none of us like, to 'solve' the 'problem'. This is then accepted as the lesser of two evils.
 
« Last Edit: October 08, 2012, 09:19:51 pm by deepinthewoods »

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #18 on: October 08, 2012, 08:29:17 pm »
Oil lamps are a good idea, I often get power cuts. The Aga keeps us warm and fed, or the woodburners do, but the lack of light is a hassle, they're always in the winter.

I have a beck running right past the back door, I want to find out how to generate enough leccy to get by on.

deepinthewoods

  • Guest
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #19 on: October 08, 2012, 08:32:55 pm »
a waterwheel, an alternator, some deepcycle batterys and a 12v lighting ring for the house. thats my plan anyhow!

Bumblebear

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Norfolk
    • http://southwellski.blogspot.co.uk/
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #20 on: October 08, 2012, 09:04:17 pm »
Apparently it's just a myth doganjo....I found this whilst looking for the optimm temperature because I thought I'd try it!

http://www.uswitch.com/energy-saving/guides/energy-doctor/#step2

We do hour in morning to get us and little one (2.5yrs) dressed; then a couple of hoursin the evening for little one's bathtime

mab

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • carmarthenshire
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #21 on: October 08, 2012, 10:00:15 pm »
I agree - just pre-nuclear scaremongering.

At the risk of sounding smug though, It would probably take me a couple of days to notice it the power went off - I've only used 19 units of grid power since april  :excited: and when I get the hydro up and running it should be almost zero grid power  :fc: (I've built the genny and have the dump loads, but I need to do the difficult bit: buy £500 worth of plumbing and another £100 of cable  :( ).

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #22 on: October 08, 2012, 10:05:57 pm »
I think it'll be a great idea. Show us how dependent we've become on leccy and get us into gear for using less.


Only problem is that - rather like the traffic in Lagos.... all that will happen is that everyone will game the system so when the leccy is on we'll be frantically charging everything up and doing everything bar boiling a kettle (which we boil on our woodburner anyway.....)
We do the best we can with the information we have

When we know better we do better

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #23 on: October 08, 2012, 10:16:32 pm »
Apparently it's just a myth doganjo....I found this whilst looking for the optimm temperature because I thought I'd try it!

http://www.uswitch.com/energy-saving/guides/energy-doctor/#step2

We do hour in morning to get us and little one (2.5yrs) dressed; then a couple of hoursin the evening for little one's bathtime
Ok if it's a myth why am I paying £60 a month less than 4 years ago, and also £50 less than when I was up north and using Oil fired heating?  Sorry, but I just don't buy that.

And I'm as warm now as I was then if not warmer ::)
« Last Edit: October 08, 2012, 10:18:46 pm by doganjo »
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #24 on: October 08, 2012, 10:17:00 pm »
Annie, that is interesting.  What did you used to have your thermostat on before?  Is your place really warm?  Since I've been less active I do get cold easily so this might work for us.

I used to keep my stat at at least 20, quite often higher than that, and the boiler seemed to be never off.  I have a standard kit type bungalow - 4 bedrooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, conservatory.  Can't insulate the walls but I've put in 10 inches extra insulation in the roof.  I check my radiators regularly for air (once a month at least)  Once the house is up to temperature, keeping the heating on all the time just tops it up to that level, unless you have a cold snap when the boiler comes on for a little longer.  I paid £165 a month when I first moved in 4 years ago and now it's down to just over £100, that's for gas and electricity together.  Works for me - I'm in the house at odd times of the day - out with dogs at times, out in the garden or to see to the hens at other times  so couldn't use the 'hour in the morning' hour at night' routine.  If you have a usage meter you could try it for a month and check it.

Thanks.  We do have a smart meter so could check.  We also have cavity wall insulation and deep loft insulation which will help.
 
Bumblebear, thanks for the link.  I have heard of it being done before so guess I need to check it out for myself.  What works for one, etc.

Berkshire Boy

  • Joined May 2011
  • Presteigne, Powys
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #25 on: October 08, 2012, 11:04:47 pm »
Have to agree with Doganjo, we have the heating on 24/7 and save a lot of oil, no myth.
Everyone makes mistakes as the Dalek said climbing off the dustbin.

anderso

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • brokenbrough
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #26 on: October 09, 2012, 12:39:36 am »
we have saved over £50 a month on heating oil, stopped using it  :roflanim:
 
remember when the revolution comes it will be co-op
when the revolution comes it will be a co-op


Bumblebear

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Norfolk
    • http://southwellski.blogspot.co.uk/
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #28 on: October 09, 2012, 08:57:24 am »
Ok if it's a myth why am I paying £60 a month less than 4 years ago, and also £50 less than when I was up north and using Oil fired heating?  Sorry, but I just don't buy that.

And I'm as warm now as I was then if not warmer ::)

No idea.  Are you not on oil now?  Oil is chuffing expensive. Weel if it works for you then great.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Anyone else spot the 40 second blackout warnings on the radio?
« Reply #29 on: October 09, 2012, 02:53:08 pm »
Ok if it's a myth why am I paying £60 a month less than 4 years ago, and also £50 less than when I was up north and using Oil fired heating?  Sorry, but I just don't buy that.

And I'm as warm now as I was then if not warmer ::)

No idea.  Are you not on oil now?  Oil is chuffing expensive. Weel if it works for you then great.
Not been on oil since I moved here 4 years ago - was paying £160 month from April 2008 till August 2010 then changed to running heating 24/7 - monthly payments dropped to £135 for a few months, and been £110 for about 16 months now.  Three price increases during that time, changed supplier only twice, been on fixed rate for a year.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

 

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