"I'm not a prepper, but I'm prepared for certain scenarios, that may or may not happen." ... You're a prepper mate... that doesnt make you a nutter either!👍🏼
Hi folks, thanks for watching. I want to add a very important safety point to this video - please always place tea light candles on a non-flammable surface (like a plate or saucer) - they get hot once the wax has melted and can be a fire hazard - I should have made this clear in the video! Safety first folks!!
Yeah, I've seen tea candles scorch a wooden table. It get hottest at the very end as the last of the wax burns off. Good video! I have to get my kit together too!
I was just coming here to link to this helpful article. I know a few firemen, none of them have anything good to say about candles and tea lights, sadly. www.europeanfiresafetyalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/31.pdf
We’re very familiar with power outages in California, food should stay cold enough to last in your fridge as long as you don’t open the door frequently for about a day, I kept wondering how to cook dry goods on a burner if the “big one” hit after we accumulated months of dry legumes for emergency supplies in 2020 when stores couldn’t keep food in stock for months on end. I had not realized you could buy a table top stove burner that runs off of gas canisters All I could think of up till now was to use our propane barbecue as a heat source for cooking if we ever lost power in an earthquake. Really hope there won’t be too many power outages this winter for you guys; although it’s kind of cool knowing we can survive without electricity with these huge batteries. We have a large foldable solar panel we can use to recharge our battery for small appliances on road trips that are starting to be somewhat more commonly seen these days. That was a very cool video, and you look so happy 🎉 how is Maggie btw? Sending hugs from California ❤❤
This is my day to day life. I live in a house that has no electricity for the past 28 weeks . I have a couple of solar panels and deep cycle battery . I cook with gas have a cheap generator for power tool use . Life is surprising fine . Trust me you don't need half of the electric gadgets most people have . We as humans lived happily for thousands of years without electricity . Just eat well and stay warm . Spring isn't to far away 😊
If each of us were a prepper, our whole society would be stronger, safer and less fearful which lends to the capacity to be kinder and helpful to others.
We used to have problems with power going out, so I spent $20,000 on a 40kw generator, generator house and the wiring. After that, we hardly ever lose power.
I’m ready, I have all the necessary stuff. People where I live laugh at me saying I’m stupid, never will the power go off. I have candles, matches, water, plenty food and the stove like you, then I have blankets to keep warm. I have seen the schedule of when and where power will go off. Up to three to four hours at a time a few times a week, after 4 pm.
Great video. The great Commie reset is getting closer. Soon we'll all be equally poor apart from those in WEFminster. Now I'm off to get my 17th booster to flatten the curve.
Great idea Simon, and timely since it seems to be getting darker in Winter. One thing I would suggest - 'Glow in the Dark' tape or paint on the Emergency Box, so you can find it in the dark without tripping over it.
I'm late jumping in, having just found the channel. My solution is to keep a flashlight by the bed. And of course I have a mini one (Rovyvon) on my keychain, one in the kitchen, and a small collection in the office lol
I got a good chuckle out of this. Dad power went out. I got ya! (puts water on for a hot beverage) Great idea for keep a kit all together rather then fumbling around trying to find everything in the dark.
The power bank and decent torches aside, we've had kit like this under the sink since the 1970's. As well as the pack of cards we also had a box of dominoes and some rolls of Toffos. Timely vid, thanks.
My Mom, Depression era USA - they put bricks in the fireplace, wrapped in towels/rags put in the bed to warm it especially at the feet. NO water, just heat from the fireplace =+ FREE --- Just got a hurricane lamp 12 candle power + heat ----------- STAY warm !!
Great advice! Due to recent powercuts (they were replacing poles and took power down 4 or 5 times in one month - we were given a massive power box and solar panels to run hubby's oxygen, a fan, lamp and charge our devices. I'm always thinking of such things because we are in a rural area and earthquake country. So we'd have no heat but do have a gas grill, with a long lighter just in case. Flashlights tucked in each room and keeping the floors free of trip hazards at all times. Hubby also keeps a full week's supply of medications at a minimum, we have clean, filtered water as well as lots of accessible food.
A lot of good Tipps. Not only by Black outs . Also for the Car in Winter in Traffic Jam or accident. I add two Sleeping bags Thanks Simon for the Video
This is a super late comment, but remember that some houses need electricity to pump water to the faucets. Store water, and count on at least three liters of water per person / 24 hours.
A very interesting and helpful “Be Prepared” video. One item I would add to your kit is a rechargeable headband light. You can slip this,on find your way about and it leaves both hands free to do jobs.
This past year, my husband had a lung disease. He was dependent on a oxygen concentrator, and a non invasive ventilator with the concentrator at night. I dreaded power outages, but we are prepared. I have a lead cord strung from the garage, thu the house to go to the main floor, where I have a power strip ready for all the needed appliances. I have a butane stove in the closet, and several battery lights ready. My husband has passed away, but I have kept our emergency setup in place. I forgot to mention, the lead cord at the garage end goes to our gas generator set out on the back patio.
Well, like you said I have all that stuff, but putting it into ONE kit is brilliant. I'm off to make that happen! Thanks Simon! I can always count on learning something from you!
We have a fairly extensive setup for power outages. We have two gasoline generators, oil lanterns, battery powered lanterns, butane, isobutane, and propane fuel and stoves, fire starting gear as well as hardware to process firewood if needed, and a large battery backup. We're pretty set here at home. It came in handy a year or so ago when almost the entire state of Texas was without power in the winter.
Is alkylate fuel such as Aspen 4T available in the US? I'm using that with great success in my Coleman stoves and lanterns inside tents but also inside the house. Without complaining from my girlfriend about smell.
@@TOAOZuur I have never looked for that specifically but I know that the liquid Coleman fuel is available. There are some fuels such as "HEET" which is largely Methyl Alcohol that are available as well. Interestingly it's sold as a gasoline additive but works VERY well in alcohol stoves like the Trangia.
Most models of those portable gas cookers are not recommended for indoor use - well ventilated areas only! Read the instructions on the one you have! Also bare candles can be a fire risk - take precautions to avoid spills! Another great video Simon - full of useful tips!
We've used ours many times in the kitchen during power outages and have never experienced a problem. We have a CO monitor nearby, however, just to ensure that we're aware of the presence of CO.
Where I live we have hurricanes a lot. So I keep a bug out bag packed at all times with 30 day food supply, cooking utensils and stove and plenty of oil lamps and battery powered lamps. I also have a solar charging panel with USB port to charge phones and most of the electric lamps I have. Being prepared is smart!
I built a power box years ago for taking camping with a suitcase type Solar panel, so we could run lights in out tent and charge our devices. I still took them with us when we were off grip camping in our Motorhome as a back up, and to run lights in our drive away awning. The Panel was for back up in case I need to add it in to the other panels on the van if the weather was really dismal. Which was never needed. So now both are powering my Wife's Summer house I built for her and am just needing to finish off. So when we have had Power cuts that are going to last a bit we just jump in the Motorhome.
Hi Simon love your Stuff, currently making a .50cal ammo box wood burner from your video a while back, I have been prepping for this sort of stuff for a year or so now and I think a vid on home water collection and filtration/treatment would be very beneficial to your subscribers. A serious note to everyone is if you think it’s bad now, it is going to get an awful lot worse, the planned power cuts will be the tip of the iceberg, water, food, they are all coming. Be prepared people!
Hi, you can plug the the modem in your power unit to have access to Internet. Extended power outages are a daily routine here, so we got a UPS setup. The old fashion way using a couple of large car batteries. Keep up the good work...
Hi Maggie! I’ve had a very large black dog in an extended power outage. I found that a small led light clipped on the collar prevents crashing over a sleeping black dog in the dark. I have a wood stove that burns pellets, but it requires a small amount of electricity. To work in a blackout, I have a propane generator, since propane stores a lot longer and safer than gasoline, although a power bank like yours would work as well. I have a stove like yours, I also have an IKEA hobo stove that uses twigs. You don’t really have to modify these for them to work, you can just use the IKEA silverware holder. I highly suggest these, especially folks on a tight budget. You have to burn them on a safe surface, I use bricks around the house. One important thing I suggest if the temperature is very cold for an extended blackout is to shut off the water and drain the pipes to prevent frozen water pipes.
I agree! Unfortunately the word has taken on a kind of negative connotation among some folks, but it never hurts to be prepared for a power outage or any other situation, whether natural or manmade.
I also bought some cheap garden solar lights which are charging in the garden right now and not switched on. I also have some small screw in wall hooks. The plan is to have, basically, fairy lights running up the stairs and also in my daughter’s bedroom. For ambience rather than illumination. But to make it less foreboding. I’m old enough to remember the 70s black outs. While it was thrilling as a kid, I know it was worrying for my parents. We stayed in one room with candles and a radio. Which reminds me, I also have a couple of radio ls in my power cut box.
I also like to be prepared even though I am not really a “prepper.” I try to keep my stuff in separate easy access bags of things I might need in the first three minutes, first three hours and the first three days. Thank you for your insights on having an organized bag (box.)
I personally won't put tea light candles or any sort of candles directly on the desk for fire safety reason. Candle holder/a plate/heatproof mat are great. Especially if you've got kids/pets at home, try to keep them away from fire.
Great idea. I use Lucy lights for outages. They're solar powered, so I just leave 3-4 of them in a window and they're ready to go and easy to reach. A full charge lasts 6-8 hours depending on which one you have.
Tea lights should always be in a holder, the aluminium foil is just to keep the wax together. They get extremely hot and will burn the surface they are on, wood plastic ect. Put them on a small plate or glass jar to be safe.
Thanks Simon. That was really interesting. When I moved to my present home in north-west Northumberland 19 years ago (it's a bungalow I had built for my retirement) I got the builder to fit wiring for a generator. If there's a power cut (and we have many here) I just go into the garage, switch over from mains to generator, open the garage door a little to let out the fumes and start the genny. I also had a Calor gas hob fitted in the kitchen and can cook everything I need on the hob. The genny is sufficient to power the lights, the oil fired boiler, the fridge/freeze and the TV. I like your idea of keeping the tea lights handy with a lighter. Thanks for sharing this video. Best wishes.
Not a fan of candles myself tbh. We use a phone charger power bank and run LED camping lights which use very little power. Ours were extremely cheap and give plenty of soft light. A couple of them in our large lounge room and she who must be obeyed can keep on doing her crochet or whatever. Another thing we have is an adaptor for one of my 18v Lithium cordless tool batteries which turns it into a couple of USB ports as well. I always try and find multiple uses for things and have a couple of lights/torches that run off them as well. Another thing that I have seen are lights that plug into power points. When the power is on they are off but when the power goes down they switch on using an internal battery. Just enough light to see your way around which can be handy if it's dark and the power goes out unexpectedly. I'm very happy to see that you're not jumping on the "solar generator" bandwagon as they seem to be being pushed by every man and his dog. I looked into them but have decided that I will likely buy a good quality pure sine wave invertor petrol generator at some point just for the fridge/freezer and as a charging source. I'm not even sure that it will get much use or is worth it as our power here is very reliable and it's a lot of money to just have sitting around.
Some good ideas, I have torches all over my house which help as I am blind in one eye. I just need a stove top kettle. I have a portable CD player and plenty of batteries and I keep some CDs with the player too. I also keep a pack of cards and have a travel game or two that only need one person to play (I am a singleton).
Good stuff, thanks! Our kit is a bit more extensive, as our power company has warned us to be prepared for outages lasting up to 10 days during fire season (west coast of the US), but you've certainly hit on the high points!
I have a Krill light stick. I once used it for 14 days, 12 hours at a time on one set of AA batteries. They are excellent for this sort of emergency, bushcraft, fishing and camping. Nice to see the Buffy hat again as well. I bought one. Amazing hat!
For longer term, use those outside solar path lights, charging in the day, take inside at night. Watching the tarp video again too. Need to practice tarp tents thanks
I would suggest getting a 60w-100w portable folding Solar panel to charge up the power station and other electronics during the day (take advantage of the Sun)...also add some rechargeable batteries and charger...It got my friends through weeks to months of no power in Puerto Rico after hurricanes Irma and Maria...Stay well.
Great idea I have seen is a head torch wrapped around and turned in on an old 2 litre plastic milk carton that has been filled with water. It’s less scary for kids than a torch light. The light dissipates through the water in the carton which has a handle for carrying around. Another thing I have (and my in-laws now have) is an old fashioned dial up phone for an alternative landline. Yes, I know that the power out might affect the phone company as well but it might have a reserve generator so the landline is still operating.
Hi Simon, great video. My dad always encouraged us to be prepared for traveling and living at home. Having a dedicated kit for different scenarios has gone a long way. Several things stood out from your kit though, hot water bottles for heat, and a dedicated tea kettle, nice. As for the tea candles, like with other candles, I would advise using them in a container; to reduce the chance of knocking them over and accidentally starting a fire. I will be updating my kit, by taking in some of your ideas. Thanks
A great idea Simon, I was looking around my home thinking, yes that is in that cupboard, oh that is under the stairs etc, so time to get it all together. I would add a couple of items, one is old saucers\small plates to put tea lights on and one of those small wind-up\solar panel\battery AM\FM radios as a little music in the background can break the boredom. Let's hope we don't have to use them much this winter, all the best.
Great idea Simon. But. The tea lights that you put on the sideboard, the aluminium cases get very hot, not good when the lady of the house sees the damage
If your worried about candle safety then pre-place them in a room, already in their tealight holders or candlesticks, with lighter/matches close by. Make them a room feature, or whatever the grand design types would call it. I've placed torches in most rooms. Wilkos sell solar garden lamps. I picked some up last year; £10 for a box of four. And because the buffoons who (don't) run our country would probably do this to us on Christmas Day, I picked up a string of solar Christmas lights from Wilkos. String of 200 cost me £12.
My power goes out I'm like okay no problem I'm going back to bed I'll deal with it later if it's not back on after I get back up that's when I'll deal with it And I totally understand about being prepared thank you Simon for a good video as always
I've had to do this a few times, so glad there were candles in the house, but one time nothing to light them with, had to run down to the shops for a lighter, so always keep a lighter now lol I often do wonder, bk before street lights when they had the lamps instead, just how eerie it would have been at nights, especially during the cold winters. I still believe in a good old log fire though, but in council houses they made them fill up or close the fireplace, which I think is just wrong, we are all far too used to using electricity and forget about the basics, this goes for food too, we should all be growing our own, yeah most definitely. 👍🏼
Nothing wrong with being a little bit prepared. And I love the deck of cards. It will help you stay busy and the darkness won’t seem as long. There’s a lot of games that can be played with a deck of cards lol.
With the smaller Maglights, you can unscrew the front and use it as a base for a very long lasting battery candle, not that we have had a power outage here in Cheshire in quite a few years.
Excellent idea Simon. Even here in Tennessee where I live, power outages are too frequent. This is something that will cut the stress running around gathering candles and stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Just bought some 8hr tea light candles off Amazon Pretty much got everything else but again like many others not all in one easy to grab place Got a petrol genny’ (and spare fuel) in a small tool shed Hot water bottle a fantastic idea
Since retirement I am now living the wilds of Welsh Wales, in a 250+ year old cottage. It does have mains electric, but it comes from overhead lines, and, I am on the very very end of the line. There are not many weeks that I don't get at least one power cut. Sometimes it is off for a few days. My only heating is from my log burner, but i can cook and bake on it. It also has a water jacket and heats all my hot water. I have no solar but am considering it.
Simon - great idea. Regarding wood burners - here in Germany the cost of logs has rocketed. I have enough for winter, but i wish to plan for next winter already. I have started to make the first moves to get cheap wood by helping a forester next spring. I already have a trailer and a hand splitter, so I hope to reduce the cost a lot by that means.
Rose tinted glasses time, Simon, it was never an issue in the 70's and I remember the cuts with a bit of fondness to be fair. I'm ready as the vast majority of us outdoor enthusiasts will be 😉. Ooh don't forget the wind up radios and torches too. Always handy to have in your box of tricks.
Great idea Simon, pretty much along the same lines as we have a "Hurricane Box" in our rental home in Florida to help guests through any emergency. The beauty of LED lights is that they last a long time and cause no, or very little, heat. We also have a "Wind up", or clockwork radio too.
For tealights, I'll use Price's 8hr candles in packs of 50 and bought glass table top tealight holders (lanterns) of Amazon so nothing can touch the flame and it's enclosed. Plus I'm a gardener so I spend a fair bit of time picking up twigs from people's lawns. Instead of throwing them on a bonfire, I bag them up and take them home to dry for my Kelly Kettle system to cover for hot water and food if the need arises and have no fear of fuel running out for cups of tea... more worried about not having teabags! For light beyond my headlight I also got 50 LED string lights with USB that I can run off of a powerbank, also from Amazon. Thanks for showing us your kit Simon, take care.
Simon the Tea Lights I saw them being used with six in a white plastic bucket and its portable but wth a standard bucket it really makes the tea lights Glow well. Try it.
Great ideas, Simon. I go to South Africa on holiday where power outs are an everyday thing. They use bulbs in their lamps which revert to battery when there’s a power out. Also, the router goes on the jackery so wifi still going!
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I got bad news for you. You sir are indeed a prepper. Preppers come in all shapes and sizes.
"I'm not a prepper, but I'm prepared for certain scenarios, that may or may not happen." ... You're a prepper mate... that doesnt make you a nutter either!👍🏼
Hi folks, thanks for watching. I want to add a very important safety point to this video - please always place tea light candles on a non-flammable surface (like a plate or saucer) - they get hot once the wax has melted and can be a fire hazard - I should have made this clear in the video! Safety first folks!!
Ha! 'Elf-n-Safety'. Trouble these days there's not to much common sense. To think when I was a lad you just reached for a bog standard candle.
Yeah, I've seen tea candles scorch a wooden table. It get hottest at the very end as the last of the wax burns off. Good video! I have to get my kit together too!
I was just coming here to link to this helpful article. I know a few firemen, none of them have anything good to say about candles and tea lights, sadly.
www.europeanfiresafetyalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/31.pdf
Hi Simon get sum fluffy covers for the hot water bottles is a good idea soft and cosse fealing
We’re very familiar with power outages in California, food should stay cold enough to last in your fridge as long as you don’t open the door frequently for about a day, I kept wondering how to cook dry goods on a burner if the “big one” hit after we accumulated months of dry legumes for emergency supplies in 2020 when stores couldn’t keep food in stock for months on end. I had not realized you could buy a table top stove burner that runs off of gas canisters All I could think of up till now was to use our propane barbecue as a heat source for cooking if we ever lost power in an earthquake. Really hope there won’t be too many power outages this winter for you guys; although it’s kind of cool knowing we can survive without electricity with these huge batteries. We have a large foldable solar panel we can use to recharge our battery for small appliances on road trips that are starting to be somewhat more commonly seen these days. That was a very cool video, and you look so happy 🎉 how is Maggie btw? Sending hugs from California ❤❤
First thing when the power goes out in England: "Right, get a kettle on."
Тонкий английский юмор❤❤❤
This is my day to day life. I live in a house that has no electricity for the past 28 weeks . I have a couple of solar panels and deep cycle battery . I cook with gas have a cheap generator for power tool use . Life is surprising fine . Trust me you don't need half of the electric gadgets most people have . We as humans lived happily for thousands of years without electricity . Just eat well and stay warm . Spring isn't to far away 😊
If each of us were a prepper, our whole society would be stronger, safer and less fearful which lends to the capacity to be kinder and helpful to others.
I also have some Baofeng UVR 5 transceivers for use in case the cell phone network goes down.
Thank you , Simon .
🐺 Loupis Canis .
You know, I so need to do something like this for myself. Thanks for giving me some ideas
We used to have problems with power going out, so I spent $20,000 on a 40kw generator, generator house and the wiring. After that, we hardly ever lose power.
Good supply of batteries of various sizes for more powerful lanterns for indoor use and flashlight for outdoors use on your property .
Some glow in the dark tape applied to the box so you can find it in the dark/not fall over it in the dark might be a good addition.
"I've always got wood!" quote of the day Simon!!!
I’m ready, I have all the necessary stuff. People where I live laugh at me saying I’m stupid, never will the power go off. I have candles, matches, water, plenty food and the stove like you, then I have blankets to keep warm. I have seen the schedule of when and where power will go off. Up to three to four hours at a time a few times a week, after 4 pm.
Great video. The great Commie reset is getting closer. Soon we'll all be equally poor apart from those in WEFminster. Now I'm off to get my 17th booster to flatten the curve.
The deck of cards is a great idea.
I'd add puzzle books (crosswords, sudoku etc), pens/pencils, colouring books for kids
Great idea Simon, and timely since it seems to be getting darker in Winter. One thing I would suggest - 'Glow in the Dark' tape or paint on the Emergency Box, so you can find it in the dark without tripping over it.
I'm late jumping in, having just found the channel. My solution is to keep a flashlight by the bed. And of course I have a mini one (Rovyvon) on my keychain, one in the kitchen, and a small collection in the office lol
You are a preper whether you want to be or not .Nothing wrong with being prepared
I got a good chuckle out of this.
Dad power went out. I got ya! (puts water on for a hot beverage)
Great idea for keep a kit all together rather then fumbling around trying to find everything in the dark.
The power bank and decent torches aside, we've had kit like this under the sink since the 1970's. As well as the pack of cards we also had a box of dominoes and some rolls of Toffos. Timely vid, thanks.
Toffos, brilliant. Haven't heard that in ages 🤣
My Mom, Depression era USA - they put bricks in the fireplace, wrapped in towels/rags put in the bed to warm it especially at the feet. NO water, just heat from the fireplace =+ FREE --- Just got a hurricane lamp 12 candle power + heat ----------- STAY warm !!
My local Home Bargains have 4 of those Butane cylinders for £3.99 at the moment 😉
Not called Home Bargains for nothing! 😉😁
Great advice! Due to recent powercuts (they were replacing poles and took power down 4 or 5 times in one month - we were given a massive power box and solar panels to run hubby's oxygen, a fan, lamp and charge our devices. I'm always thinking of such things because we are in a rural area and earthquake country. So we'd have no heat but do have a gas grill, with a long lighter just in case. Flashlights tucked in each room and keeping the floors free of trip hazards at all times. Hubby also keeps a full week's supply of medications at a minimum, we have clean, filtered water as well as lots of accessible food.
A lot of good Tipps. Not only by Black outs . Also for the Car in Winter in Traffic Jam or accident. I add two Sleeping bags Thanks Simon for the Video
This is a super late comment, but remember that some houses need electricity to pump water to the faucets. Store water, and count on at least three liters of water per person / 24 hours.
The sensible man! 👍✌️🇬🇧
A very interesting and helpful “Be Prepared” video. One item I would add to your kit is a rechargeable headband light. You can slip this,on find your way about and it leaves both hands free to do jobs.
This past year, my husband had a lung disease. He was dependent on a oxygen concentrator, and a non invasive ventilator with the concentrator at night. I dreaded power outages, but we are prepared. I have a lead cord strung from the garage, thu the house to go to the main floor, where I have a power strip ready for all the needed appliances. I have a butane stove in the closet, and several battery lights ready. My husband has passed away, but I have kept our emergency setup in place. I forgot to mention, the lead cord at the garage end goes to our gas generator set out on the back patio.
You are lucky to have a home. Super lucky to have all that stuff.
.....a bloke in the dark. Good stuff as always brother, thank you!
Be prepared, thank you. We lose our power quite frequently.
A battery powered radio, solar, crank, battery is SUPER important and useful.
Well, like you said I have all that stuff, but putting it into ONE kit is brilliant. I'm off to make that happen! Thanks Simon! I can always count on learning something from you!
Ironically I am watching this during a power cut!!! The watch is worth my phone’s battery life. All the best Simon Cheers 👍🙏❤️
Great video and a reminder to get it all together, thanks, Simon, "a bloke in the dark." lol
We have a fairly extensive setup for power outages. We have two gasoline generators, oil lanterns, battery powered lanterns, butane, isobutane, and propane fuel and stoves, fire starting gear as well as hardware to process firewood if needed, and a large battery backup. We're pretty set here at home. It came in handy a year or so ago when almost the entire state of Texas was without power in the winter.
Is alkylate fuel such as Aspen 4T available in the US? I'm using that with great success in my Coleman stoves and lanterns inside tents but also inside the house. Without complaining from my girlfriend about smell.
@@TOAOZuur I have never looked for that specifically but I know that the liquid Coleman fuel is available. There are some fuels such as "HEET" which is largely Methyl Alcohol that are available as well. Interestingly it's sold as a gasoline additive but works VERY well in alcohol stoves like the Trangia.
Most models of those portable gas cookers are not recommended for indoor use - well ventilated areas only! Read the instructions on the one you have!
Also bare candles can be a fire risk - take precautions to avoid spills!
Another great video Simon - full of useful tips!
Yes I was wondering too about the use of gaz stove indoor
We've used ours many times in the kitchen during power outages and have never experienced a problem. We have a CO monitor nearby, however, just to ensure that we're aware of the presence of CO.
Where I live we have hurricanes a lot. So I keep a bug out bag packed at all times with 30 day food supply, cooking utensils and stove and plenty of oil lamps and battery powered lamps. I also have a solar charging panel with USB port to charge phones and most of the electric lamps I have. Being prepared is smart!
Please add a fire extinguisher and fire blanket to your kit.
I built a power box years ago for taking camping with a suitcase type Solar panel, so we could run lights in out tent and charge our devices. I still took them with us when we were off grip camping in our Motorhome as a back up, and to run lights in our drive away awning. The Panel was for back up in case I need to add it in to the other panels on the van if the weather was really dismal. Which was never needed. So now both are powering my Wife's Summer house I built for her and am just needing to finish off. So when we have had Power cuts that are going to last a bit we just jump in the Motorhome.
A Trangia stove fueled with Bio-Ethanol is also great for cooking indoors.
Sorry to hear about the power situation there.
Thank you. All the best. 👍🐾🐾😎
Been thinking about making my own power cut emergency box these past few weeks. Thanks for the ideas 👍
Get bottled water. If the power goes, you're not guaranteed a water supply or your toilet may not flush and refill if you depend on a pump.
Hi Simon love your Stuff, currently making a .50cal ammo box wood burner from your video a while back, I have been prepping for this sort of stuff for a year or so now and I think a vid on home water collection and filtration/treatment would be very beneficial to your subscribers. A serious note to everyone is if you think it’s bad now, it is going to get an awful lot worse, the planned power cuts will be the tip of the iceberg, water, food, they are all coming. Be prepared people!
Hi, you can plug the the modem in your power unit to have access to Internet. Extended power outages are a daily routine here, so we got a UPS setup. The old fashion way using a couple of large car batteries. Keep up the good work...
Hi Maggie! I’ve had a very large black dog in an extended power outage. I found that a small led light clipped on the collar prevents crashing over a sleeping black dog in the dark. I have a wood stove that burns pellets, but it requires a small amount of electricity. To work in a blackout, I have a propane generator, since propane stores a lot longer and safer than gasoline, although a power bank like yours would work as well. I have a stove like yours, I also have an IKEA hobo stove that uses twigs. You don’t really have to modify these for them to work, you can just use the IKEA silverware holder. I highly suggest these, especially folks on a tight budget. You have to burn them on a safe surface, I use bricks around the house.
One important thing I suggest if the temperature is very cold for an extended blackout is to shut off the water and drain the pipes to prevent frozen water pipes.
Nothing wrong with being a prepper. Great video.
I agree! Unfortunately the word has taken on a kind of negative connotation among some folks, but it never hurts to be prepared for a power outage or any other situation, whether natural or manmade.
I also bought some cheap garden solar lights which are charging in the garden right now and not switched on. I also have some small screw in wall hooks. The plan is to have, basically, fairy lights running up the stairs and also in my daughter’s bedroom. For ambience rather than illumination. But to make it less foreboding. I’m old enough to remember the 70s black outs. While it was thrilling as a kid, I know it was worrying for my parents. We stayed in one room with candles and a radio. Which reminds me, I also have a couple of radio ls in my power cut box.
Love the Cabelas teeshirt. That's my playground.
I also like to be prepared even though I am not really a “prepper.” I try to keep my stuff in separate easy access bags of things I might need in the first three minutes, first three hours and the first three days. Thank you for your insights on having an organized bag (box.)
I personally won't put tea light candles or any sort of candles directly on the desk for fire safety reason. Candle holder/a plate/heatproof mat are great. Especially if you've got kids/pets at home, try to keep them away from fire.
Great idea.
I use Lucy lights for outages.
They're solar powered, so I just leave 3-4 of them in a window and they're ready to go and easy to reach.
A full charge lasts 6-8 hours depending on which one you have.
Tea lights should always be in a holder, the aluminium foil is just to keep the wax together. They get extremely hot and will burn the surface they are on, wood plastic ect. Put them on a small plate or glass jar to be safe.
Very good point Shaun - I should have mentioned the fire risk in the video, I’ve added a pinned comment pointing this out now 👍👍
Dollar Tree….tea light/votive candle holders.
Thank you Simon! Thanks to our love of camping, we have plenty to keep us safe and warm. 🖖🤙🤘💯
Good one Simon. I’m going to follow your lead . Thank you for the simple but wise advice. 😊🇨🇦
Thanks Simon. That was really interesting. When I moved to my present home in north-west Northumberland 19 years ago (it's a bungalow I had built for my retirement) I got the builder to fit wiring for a generator. If there's a power cut (and we have many here) I just go into the garage, switch over from mains to generator, open the garage door a little to let out the fumes and start the genny. I also had a Calor gas hob fitted in the kitchen and can cook everything I need on the hob. The genny is sufficient to power the lights, the oil fired boiler, the fridge/freeze and the TV. I like your idea of keeping the tea lights handy with a lighter. Thanks for sharing this video. Best wishes.
That sounds like a superb setup! I might look into doing something similar if things don’t improve!
Good idea for a vid, think everyone should watch this to get prepped for what's coming.
Not a fan of candles myself tbh.
We use a phone charger power bank and run LED camping lights which use very little power.
Ours were extremely cheap and give plenty of soft light. A couple of them in our large lounge room and she who must be obeyed can keep on doing her crochet or whatever.
Another thing we have is an adaptor for one of my 18v Lithium cordless tool batteries which turns it into a couple of USB ports as well.
I always try and find multiple uses for things and have a couple of lights/torches that run off them as well.
Another thing that I have seen are lights that plug into power points. When the power is on they are off but when the power goes down they switch on using an internal battery.
Just enough light to see your way around which can be handy if it's dark and the power goes out unexpectedly.
I'm very happy to see that you're not jumping on the "solar generator" bandwagon as they seem to be being pushed by every man and his dog.
I looked into them but have decided that I will likely buy a good quality pure sine wave invertor petrol generator at some point just for the fridge/freezer and as a charging source.
I'm not even sure that it will get much use or is worth it as our power here is very reliable and it's a lot of money to just have sitting around.
Some good ideas, I have torches all over my house which help as I am blind in one eye. I just need a stove top kettle. I have a portable CD player and plenty of batteries and I keep some CDs with the player too. I also keep a pack of cards and have a travel game or two that only need one person to play (I am a singleton).
Good stuff, thanks! Our kit is a bit more extensive, as our power company has warned us to be prepared for outages lasting up to 10 days during fire season (west coast of the US), but you've certainly hit on the high points!
Awareness goes along way especially when others that think the same way offer tips to smooth out the bumps of life's challenges. Thanks for sharing
Remember the power cuts in the seventies, so plenty of fuel for the open fire and much of our camping gear on standby.
I have a Krill light stick. I once used it for 14 days, 12 hours at a time on one set of AA batteries. They are excellent for this sort of emergency, bushcraft, fishing and camping.
Nice to see the Buffy hat again as well. I bought one. Amazing hat!
I love the way the Brits say 'aluminium'. I feel like a little magic was taken from American English by its exclusion
For longer term, use those outside solar path lights, charging in the day, take inside at night. Watching the tarp video again too. Need to practice tarp tents thanks
Thanks Simon, useful idea!
I would suggest getting a 60w-100w portable folding Solar panel to charge up the power station and other electronics during the day (take advantage of the Sun)...also add some rechargeable batteries and charger...It got my friends through weeks to months of no power in Puerto Rico after hurricanes Irma and Maria...Stay well.
Nice one, we have stoves, candles, lots of batteries, oil lamps, battery lamp etc. If I can’t use my computer for a bit I’m not too worried. 👍
Thank you Simon. Watching your channel has taught me a lot. Keep it simple stupid is my motto. Thanks again.
Lol love the start..
Great idea I have seen is a head torch wrapped around and turned in on an old 2 litre plastic milk carton that has been filled with water. It’s less scary for kids than a torch light. The light dissipates through the water in the carton which has a handle for carrying around. Another thing I have (and my in-laws now have) is an old fashioned dial up phone for an alternative landline. Yes, I know that the power out might affect the phone company as well but it might have a reserve generator so the landline is still operating.
Hi Simon, great video. My dad always encouraged us to be prepared for traveling and living at home. Having a dedicated kit for different scenarios has gone a long way. Several things stood out from your kit though, hot water bottles for heat, and a dedicated tea kettle, nice. As for the tea candles, like with other candles, I would advise using them in a container; to reduce the chance of knocking them over and accidentally starting a fire. I will be updating my kit, by taking in some of your ideas. Thanks
A great idea Simon, I was looking around my home thinking, yes that is in that cupboard, oh that is under the stairs etc, so time to get it all together. I would add a couple of items, one is old saucers\small plates to put tea lights on and one of those small wind-up\solar panel\battery AM\FM radios as a little music in the background can break the boredom. Let's hope we don't have to use them much this winter, all the best.
Good additions! I should have mentioned saucers etc for the tea lights 👍👍
@@simonablokeinthewoods no Siri of course not 😂 you got a battery generator just plug in your router n back up the Wi-Fi is on backs up anyway
Great idea Simon. But. The tea lights that you put on the sideboard, the aluminium cases get very hot, not good when the lady of the house sees the damage
If your worried about candle safety then pre-place them in a room, already in their tealight holders or candlesticks, with lighter/matches close by. Make them a room feature, or whatever the grand design types would call it.
I've placed torches in most rooms.
Wilkos sell solar garden lamps. I picked some up last year; £10 for a box of four.
And because the buffoons who (don't) run our country would probably do this to us on Christmas Day, I picked up a string of solar Christmas lights from Wilkos. String of 200 cost me £12.
My power goes out I'm like okay no problem I'm going back to bed
I'll deal with it later if it's not back on after I get back up that's when I'll deal with it
And I totally understand about being prepared thank you Simon for a good video as always
Sounds like an awful lot of wasted energy. Id just stay in bed
🎖🥉🎖
@@orenmontgomery8250 medals for staying in bed who do you think i am john lennon😂
@@bronoun8884 to be fair, I didn't have to leave the recliner to give you the "medal" either. 😁
😂😂 Or the pub is always another option 😉
I've had to do this a few times, so glad there were candles in the house, but one time nothing to light them with, had to run down to the shops for a lighter, so always keep a lighter now lol
I often do wonder, bk before street lights when they had the lamps instead, just how eerie it would have been at nights, especially during the cold winters.
I still believe in a good old log fire though, but in council houses they made them fill up or close the fireplace, which I think is just wrong, we are all far too used to using electricity and forget about the basics, this goes for food too, we should all be growing our own, yeah most definitely. 👍🏼
Nothing wrong with being a little bit prepared. And I love the deck of cards. It will help you stay busy and the darkness won’t seem as long. There’s a lot of games that can be played with a deck of cards lol.
Thank you, Sir
With the smaller Maglights, you can unscrew the front and use it as a base for a very long lasting battery candle, not that we have had a power outage here in Cheshire in quite a few years.
I’ve a very similar set up myself people think I’m being silly but let’s just be prepared 👍
Good ideas in that create. Thanks for doing that
"....a bloke in the dark...." OK ;o) Good kit Simon, thanks for more good ideas. Cheers!
Excellent idea Simon. Even here in Tennessee where I live, power outages are too frequent. This is something that will cut the stress running around gathering candles and stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Meggyyyyy♥️♥️♥️♥️
Thanks man for this "instruction" movie. Usefull tips
Just bought some 8hr tea light candles off Amazon
Pretty much got everything else but again like many others not all in one easy to grab place
Got a petrol genny’ (and spare fuel) in a small tool shed
Hot water bottle a fantastic idea
Since retirement I am now living the wilds of Welsh Wales, in a 250+ year old cottage. It does have mains electric, but it comes from overhead lines, and, I am on the very very end of the line. There are not many weeks that I don't get at least one power cut. Sometimes it is off for a few days. My only heating is from my log burner, but i can cook and bake on it. It also has a water jacket and heats all my hot water. I have no solar but am considering it.
Simon - great idea. Regarding wood burners - here in Germany the cost of logs has rocketed. I have enough for winter, but i wish to plan for next winter already. I have started to make the first moves to get cheap wood by helping a forester next spring. I already have a trailer and a hand splitter, so I hope to reduce the cost a lot by that means.
Thanks for sharing ....buying one today x
Rose tinted glasses time, Simon, it was never an issue in the 70's and I remember the cuts with a bit of fondness to be fair. I'm ready as the vast majority of us outdoor enthusiasts will be 😉. Ooh don't forget the wind up radios and torches too. Always handy to have in your box of tricks.
Great idea to set a Box up. I don't have a generator so will be adding spare batteries to mine as well. And also my power bank for my phone!
Great idea Simon, pretty much along the same lines as we have a "Hurricane Box" in our rental home in Florida to help guests through any emergency. The beauty of LED lights is that they last a long time and cause no, or very little, heat. We also have a "Wind up", or clockwork radio too.
I've been waiting for this video from you Simon, thank you.
For tealights, I'll use Price's 8hr candles in packs of 50 and bought glass table top tealight holders (lanterns) of Amazon so nothing can touch the flame and it's enclosed.
Plus I'm a gardener so I spend a fair bit of time picking up twigs from people's lawns. Instead of throwing them on a bonfire, I bag them up and take them home to dry for my Kelly Kettle system to cover for hot water and food if the need arises and have no fear of fuel running out for cups of tea... more worried about not having teabags!
For light beyond my headlight I also got 50 LED string lights with USB that I can run off of a powerbank, also from Amazon.
Thanks for showing us your kit Simon, take care.
Good old Kelly kettle! Mines there as a backup too - like you, I always collect twigs from the garden and store them 😁🔥
Simon the Tea Lights I saw them being used with six in a white plastic bucket and its portable but wth a standard bucket it really makes the tea lights Glow well. Try it.
That's a good idea by putting everything in a box, thanks Simon x
Great ideas, Simon. I go to South Africa on holiday where power outs are an everyday thing. They use bulbs in their lamps which revert to battery when there’s a power out. Also, the router goes on the jackery so wifi still going!
Good idea Simon, thank you for doing this.