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Thread: QOTD: Fri Sep 26: Powers out...

  1. #1
    boogey-man slayer danger_dan's Avatar
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    Wait...what happened to the lights?
    Do you remember the last time your power went out?

    ...were you prepared for not having access to hydro, or were you left in the dark?
    This thread is currently associated with: N/A
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    DANGER


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    Mastermind bargain_hunter_lola's Avatar
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    Last winter we lost power. We were kind of prepared, but not really. Thankfully we do have a wood stove so we stayed warm and it was in the daytime so we didn't really need flash lights (we do have a couple though).

    For DH's birthday I bought him a generator so that if we ever lose power again we'll have it.
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    Mastermind Natalka's Avatar
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    Last winter's horrid outage left us absolutely fricken freezing in this house - I forget what it got down to, but it was absurdly cold on a -35 or more night, for a very long time.
    Had candles, flashlights, etc. - we had recently moved but luckily knew where those things were.

    In the spring, it went out for about 20 min, then out again for 10. The first outage was caught by our computer's surge detector, however the second one damaged our power supply, so that had to be replaced too.
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    Smart Canuck ninna's Avatar
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    We seldom have power outages anymore and to be honest, I kinda miss them. We had them a lot when I was a child on the farm and it was always kinda fun. The last power outage I remember was two summers ago. I can't remember if it was a storm or car accident that caused it but we were out for 5 or 6 hours. DH has a generator so we do fine when the power goes out.
    "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." Oscar Widle

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    Smart Canuck toban's Avatar
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    Earlier this Summer. A transformer blew a few streets over. Power was out for about 1-2 hours. Luckily it wasn't freezing outside and day time too. I always have candles and flashlights nearby just in case.
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    Mastermind TooCouponCrazy's Avatar
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    We occasionally lose our power in the winter. We have electric heat and stove. So, if it's out for more than a few hours we will make our way to our parents house. I think the boredom is the worst part.
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    Mastermind Shwa Girl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by danger_dan View Post
    ...were you prepared for not having access to hydro, or were you left in the dark?
    we have a radio that you can wind for the news and has a flashlight
    we have matches and candles
    we have 4 L bottled water for black outs
    we are keeping a land line 'phone, in case cell towers are affected by a big black out
    we try to keep gas in the car at half, in case gas stations with electricity can't work. There are a few old timer gas stations around that don't need electricity to pump
    we keep a bit of cash on hand to buy groceries and gas in case cash registers and bank machines go down in the black out
    we have some pantry items to eat that don't need cooking, and have a fairly long shelf life
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    One Awesome Domestic Diva MrsSunshine's Avatar
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    last one was like quite wide spread in August of oh gosh. like 10 plus years ago.
    were always prepared the above stuff.
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    The last major power outage in Vancouver was November 2006's windstorm. We lost power for 14 hours.

    Some thoughts...
    • living in a dense major center means your power will be top priority for restoration compared to rural locations
    • rural power is above ground and more likely to see interruptions compared to buried power lines
    • With lots of redundant hydro lines across the city... power outages get rarer and rarer.
    • check on seniors in an outage.... they may need extra assistance
    • when you loose power... your phone lines might still work
    • got wireless phone? don't be surprised the phones stop working because the base needs power to work. Consider using your cellphone to call out. Smartphone battery low, better have those external lithiums handy and ready to go
    • keep fridge doors closed to keep food from thawing
    • ensure your windows and doors are locked. There are criminals who take advantage of outages for break-ins.
    • laptops can provide a few hours of entertainment if the battery is good.
    • if you live in a rural community where outages are common. I would be investigating UPS, solar, gas generators and other power backup solutions.
      http://green.autoblog.com/2013/01/30...ncy-generator/


    What I would do...
    1. Call hydro to notify of an outage. Smart meters help, but a phone call means it will be resolved sooner.
    2. use my cellphone to assess how big the neighborhood power outage area is?
      https://www.bchydro.com/outages/orsMapView.jsp
    3. speed dial nearby restaurants outside the outage to order a take-out dinner, especially if the outage is a long and goes into the night.
    4. bring the car booster pack into the house. My booster pack battery is always topped up every few months and has a light w/ radio.
    5. cold winter? Make plans to go to a hotel before the temperature drops within the hour.
    6. lots of AA's are charged for additional lighting.... I'm ready. I hate candles.... I saw what happens if a candle burns to the base in porcelin dish... it explodes and the hot flaming wax goes everywhere. Tea-lights are better, but tealights can be knocked by a pet or child.
    7. need more power.... go to your car... the 12v accessory outlet is going to come in handy to power your phone or take you to some place with power
    Last edited by xlxo; Sat, Sep 27th, 2014 at 10:57 AM.
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    Canadian Genius wolfwoman's Avatar
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    We have a big enough stockpile to live off for awhile. We have the BBQ and a camp stove that we can use for cooking( in the detached garage of course), we also have about 10-4L containers of emergency water for flushing and dishes. We have bottled water for cooking and drinking. Our trucks are always full but we also have extra gas on hand. I make sure all cell phones, iPads, laptops and portable DVD players are fully charged. And we have extra cash in the safe for emergencies.
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    Just call me Wolfie

  11. #11
    Smart Canuck beckie.c's Avatar
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    At the start of August we had a massive storm here and power was out from about 1:30am to 5:30pm. I'd say half the city and the surrounding town areas were without power, some longer than others.

    I have candles and that's about it. We had to go buy some unfrozen steaks to bbq that night since I didn't want to even open the freezer door. I'm just glad it was summer and not winter.

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