Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

Perplexed_Pineapple wrote: »

but as something that can be used for heating, lighting and cooking

And often two at the same time, from a single appliance, making it economical to use.

although carbon monoxide is a very real concern that also applies to woodstoves, gas stoves, barbeques and generators.

Indeed, in the right (or should that be wrong?) circumstances, even candles can produce it.

It comes down to common sense.

[Deleted User]

FloppyDisk wrote: »

Oh dear, sitting here in my city centre flat an hour and a half into a power black out, even the pub down the road is out!

May I ask how you are getting on the internet?

[Deleted User]

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

although I suspect if you were lucky enough to have an open fireplace with a working chimney you could work out how to fire it up indoors too, with care!

If you had a working open fireplace, couldn't you just light a fire in it?

pineapple

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

May I ask how you are getting on the internet?

I wondered that - then I remembered that, unlike herself, some people have wifi and laptops with batteries

[Deleted User]

Yes you certainly could BOB but the little firespout is a fuel saver as it uses a limited amount with each burn. I would use if to cook on indoors if it was dangerous to go outside, and I would use it in the fireplace not on the hearth. If I wanted to get warm, I'd certainly light a fire and cook on that it would make more sense. If however the 'event' that disrupted normal life happened in the summer when it was really hot, I'd opt for limited additional heat indoors and use the firespout! Lyn x.

[Deleted User]

metherer wrote: »

Silver Emergency Tent (actually considering cutting it up to use behind the radiators. Will think for a while about pros and cons)

Aldi are selling 6x0.5m rolls of reflective foil, for fitting behind radiators, at £4-99 a roll.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-12th-september/product-detail/ps/p/radiator-reflective-foil/

jk0

I just came across an advert for this system in today's paper.

http://aweenergy.com/midnight_sun.php

As far as I can see, it's basically a battery placed between the solar panels and the inverter, so that you can still use solar power at night or during a power cut.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has any experience of this. Eg. How long before you need to buy a new battery?

Some years ago I did some calculations regarding charging Ni-cads from off peak electricity to use when the electricity was costlier. Unfortunately I worked out that the value of the energy given out was less than the cost/life of the battery.

Presumably this system only makes sense due to government subsidies. Am I wrong?

[Deleted User]

I can't imagine it would generate/store enough energy, to heat your home full time.

armyknife

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I don't recall using the word trivial?

It was my characterisation of what you said, hence the use of ' ' rather than " ", given that you'd said everyone you'd known who'd ever encountered paraffin stoves/lights had lived in rude health to a good age.

[Deleted User]

armyknife wrote: »

It was my characterisation of what you said

It can hardly be a characterisation of what I said, when you stated.

When you said it's effects were 'trivial'

That's an Attribution.

Anyway, back to the matter in hand.

How would you use alternative energy sources, like solar/battery LED, for heating?