Calor Gas and Cooker

A._Badger

suki1964 wrote: »

I tend to keep a sense of humour- I find it helps.

Plus I'm getting older and hopefully wiser. I don't worry about what I can't change.

There's a lot bad about living here but I wouldn't move anywhere else. Well ok I might move to an area that has mains sewers and gas

I've got neither of those here, strange to say - and I'm in the South of England.

I actually quite like having to make my own way and not being dependent on utility companies, but the lack of mains gas is a cost burden and I'd hate to be without water.

Glad you're keeping cheerful!

suki1964

A._Badger wrote: »

I've got neither of those here, strange to say - and I'm in the South of England.

I actually quite like having to make my own way and not being dependent on utility companies, but the lack of mains gas is a cost burden and I'd hate to be without water.

Glad you're keeping cheerful!

I'm a southern softee, Londoner born and bred.

Yes the lack of mains anything is expensive and we won't mention the near monopoly NIE have here:eek:

My electricity bill could keep a small nation on street lighting I think lol

Im just learning to be more prepared for anything. Two mobile phones on different networks for example so I'm never without coverage. 3G as well as land broadband. Stoves as well as the oil. Immersion heater as well as the oil. Corded phone as well as DECT. Electric dirty pump fir when the septic tank fails as it does every spring in the heavy rain. Wind up torches and lanterns as well as candles and oil lamps. And the gas fridge and cooker in the caravan is always handy, even if the weather may be too lousey to get away


I could actually resent how much time money and energy I spend on keeping everything in some working order esp as I was used to pressing a switch and things worked But I find it a challenge. I'm now also looking to get a generator. Not a huge one but big enough to light and
run the boiler a couple of hours a day

Honest I need the sense of humour else I'd cry and run home to civilisation lolololol

Inner_Zone

suki1964 wrote: »

Yes the lack of mains anything is expensive and we won't mention the near monopoly NIE have here:eek:

My electricity bill could keep a small nation on street lighting I think lol

Have you not looked into Airtricity, part of the Scottish & Southern group?

I know Firmus and Phoenix have the gas market pretty well stitched up, but Airtricty are also moving in to the NI market I believe.

LittleVermin

suki1964 wrote: »

Electric dirty pump fir when the septic tank fails as it does every spring in the heavy rain.
. ..<snip>
Honest I need the sense of humour else I'd cry and run home to civilisation lolololol

Maybe your septic tank needs its soak-away replaced/renewed/improved? I'm ignorant - but when we dug out the soak away (for the 'clean' water) we found it was very short, clagged up - and bodged as well. So twenty years ago we dug nice long trenches, filled them with a few tonnes of fist size aggregate - and heh ho, no more flooding, no more smell (and no more need to get the tank pumped out). The garden has a decent slope to help the drainage. I'm assuming you've got a double tank system plus soak-away. AND we don't pay South West Water their extortionate waste water rates (we do have a well, but don't use it ... but that's another story). Oh yes, don't put buckets of horrendous chemicals down the drains - let the bugs do the job for free! I use a bit of bleach of course on sinks, toilets, etc - but it's very dilute when it gets to benign bug-land and they take it in their stride.

Sorry, nothing to do with gas cookers! (Well, you could seal your system, collect the methane and ...)

welda

I'm now also looking to get a generator. Not a huge one but big enough to light and
run the boiler a couple of hours a day

Friends of ours did a self build way out in the sticks, they use a huge thermal store for water, heat for water (which feeds upstair rads and, doon stair underfloor heating) comes from a combination of M/F boiler stove and oil, there is also a small 5kw stove upstair in the boys room (pool table, huge flat screen for footie, chiller for the booze, french doors to chuck empty tins out when we get a tad wobbly :cool:)

They are prone to power cuts when waether gets bad, when power does drop out, there is a gene in place, which is suffice to run F/Freezer, boiler, plus a pump for heat system. In effect self sufficient to a degree, however, they did have a blank canvas to work with, where as retro fitting similar can be a nightmare.

:beer: n happy new year :beer:

A._Badger

welda wrote: »

Friends of ours did a self build way out in the sticks, they use a huge thermal store for water, heat for water (which feeds upstair rads and, doon stair underfloor heating) comes from a combination of M/F boiler stove and oil, there is also a small 5kw stove upstair in the boys room (pool table, huge flat screen for footie, chiller for the booze, french doors to chuck empty tins out when we get a tad wobbly :cool:)

They are prone to power cuts when waether gets bad, when power does drop out, there is a gene in place, which is suffice to run F/Freezer, boiler, plus a pump for heat system. In effect self sufficient to a degree, however, they did have a blank canvas to work with, where as retro fitting similar can be a nightmare.

:beer: n happy new year :beer:

I've looked into it and have an excellent tame electrician who could fit one. The problem is that the smaller petrol models generate such a low output that you really can't do a lot more than keep a freezer or two plus CH pump and a TV running.

Then they need occasional use to keep them in shape, etc etc.

I'll probably do it one day (especially once the power cuts start to hit in a few years time) but so far the negatives have outweighed the positives (ho ho!).

Happy New Year to all!

w50nky

Quote:
My electricity bill could keep a small nation on street lighting I think lol

Im just learning to be more prepared for anything. Two mobile phones on different networks for example so I'm never without coverage. 3G as well as land broadband. Stoves as well as the oil. Immersion heater as well as the oil. Corded phone as well as DECT. Electric dirty pump fir when the septic tank fails as it does every spring in the heavy rain. Wind up torches and lanterns as well as candles and oil lamps. And the gas fridge and cooker in the caravan is always handy, even if the weather may be too lousey to get away


I could actually resent how much time money and energy I spend on keeping everything in some working order esp as I was used to pressing a switch and things worked But I find it a challenge. I'm now also looking to get a generator. Not a huge one but big enough to light and
run the boiler a couple of hours a day

Honest I need the sense of humour else I'd cry and run home to civilisation lolololol

Gosh it sounds just like home this!

A tree came down in our village during storms around 6 years ago and took out the entire village power supply for a week as engineers were giving priority to bigger villages etc. We have 3 - 4 power cuts a year here so I bought a small genny to suppliment a 600 watt inverter which was ok to power the oil boiler, low wattage lighting, portable telly, mobile phones etc. A couple of "free" car batteries off the local scrap man are connected to a solar panel to keep them charged and ready to go. The neighbours were knocking on the door the enquire how we were so lit up! The addition of my multifuel stove gives even more flexibilty now we can heat a kettle and a pan too.

Its a great feeling to know you can cope with most problems that crop up.


Hope things improve for you soon.

welda

A._Badger wrote: »

I've looked into it and have an excellent tame electrician who could fit one. The problem is that the smaller petrol models generate such a low output that you really can't do a lot more than keep a freezer or two plus CH pump and a TV running.

Then they need occasional use to keep them in shape, etc etc.

I'll probably do it one day (especially once the power cuts start to hit in a few years time) but so far the negatives have outweighed the positives (ho ho!).

Happy New Year to all!

My mate is in the same trade as me, genset is also a DC arc welding plant, he installed a simple system to hook/unhook from house mains, so he gets best of both worlds, plus depreciation on tax returns.

My lad has one that is stored in garage in Florida, if unfortunate to be there when a hurricane drops by, infrastructure can be down for weeks, it is suffice to run FF only. One interesting point that state of Florida does to benefit state residents, I can't remember all the details but, on at least one day, there is a equivalent of a VAT free day (no state tax) these such days ae put in place so as residents can be self sufficient to a degree, by buying certain goods to sustain them in the event of a major hurricane hitting their area, been over there a few times and viewed the aftermath, not a pretty site!!

I can't see our goverment doing similar (vat free day) they need to squeeze us as much as they can to keep their snouts conditioned to the life polical snouts are accustomed too

Happy New year to you too Mr B :beer:

w50nky

A._Badger wrote: »

I've looked into it and have an excellent tame electrician who could fit one. The problem is that the smaller petrol models generate such a low output that you really can't do a lot more than keep a freezer or two plus CH pump and a TV running.

Then they need occasional use to keep them in shape, etc etc.

I'll probably do it one day (especially once the power cuts start to hit in a few years time) but so far the negatives have outweighed the positives (ho ho!).

Happy New Year to all!

Yes I agree with this but handy to have and good excuse to hide in the garage when MIL comes to visit.

QUOTE]
I'll probably do it one day (especially once the power cuts start to hit in a few years time) but so far the negatives have outweighed the positives (ho ho!).
[/QUOTE]

Tee He -- You are on a charge!!

Happy new year to all too!

choille

We have a calor gas cooker - uses one smaller bottle every 9 - 12 weeks. Bottle costs £39.89 which seems to go up everytime I buy one.

You do know when they are nearly empty coz you get a whiff of gas the day before & also you go & give the bottle a tip about outside - can tell by the weight.

We also have a woodburner so cook on that & boil kettles on it etc. Sounds like you like your toys & are a bit scared of doing without anything if I dare say so. Must cost you a fortune - all those phones & things.