Comments on: A day without electricity

By: Alli

Alli — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:53:31 +0000

Following Hurricane Katrina, my pledge was to encourage everyone, everywhere to have a 72 hour emergency kit PACKED and READY! Propane, candles, canned, etc. are in most homes BUT when it’s sink or swim, life or death, rumble, rock and roll, grab your Emergency Kit and go. Thank you, Squakfox, for giving me a forum to say this.

By: Erica

Erica — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:17:32 +0000

As much of a computer geek that I am, and considering how much time I spend on the internet during my day, I find that I never miss it when we’re on holiday or camping.

We actually do not watch much tv anymore as it is. (But is related more to the crap that it’s loaded with nowadays) Only exception is hockey.

I would probably not have a hard time living with minimal power. Except for the fact I make our family’s living by programming all day, and I need my computer and the internet, or the paychecks stop flowing. so from 9 to 5 i need the power.

If I can figure out how to power only the office and kitchen and nothing else then maybe I can get away with it.

By: Marci

Marci — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:48:15 +0000

For Bill -
Is the Ragnar Benson book the “Live off the Land in the City and Country” book?? I see he has a LOT of books published and that’s the only available at my local library, and I have put it on hold. I need more info on this. His Survivalist books look interesting also. Thanks.

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:39:07 +0000

I was reading one book, by Ragnar Benson, IIRC, about how his family runs a diesel genset one hour/day (consumes about one liter of diesel/hour) to provide electricity at his rural home.

During that hour, everything happens that requires electricity – deep freezers cool, water is pumped from the well to the 1,000 gallon water tank up on the hill, etc.

That’s the way most of the world lives, utility electric power only a few hours/day.

He did have a 1,000 gallon propane tank and woodstove for heating/cooking, and I believe some propane-powered lights (no mention of a fridge, but propane-powered fridges are available)

If I lived as rural as he does I’d have a genset as well, and a large fuel tank (at least several hundred gallons) for it.

Though I’d also have a small battery system to run modest loads like lighting, since I’m not fond of open flames inside the house.

I only use battery-powered lighting in the house during power failures, no candles, and especially no liquid-fueled lamps inside!

By: Carnival Listings in the 4th Week of May

Carnival Listings in the 4th Week of May — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:34:36 +0000

[...] A day without electricity by squawkfox where she spent the day without electricity due to a power outage. She descibed all the things she could not do without electricity. This even included flushing the toilet since they have a well. No disrespect to squawkfox since she recongnized the problems of being too dependent on our elecronic appliances and toys, but have we become a helpless society, or what? [...]

By: Marci

Marci — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:11:48 +0000

Seems like we get 3 or 4 days – sometimes all in a row – without power during winter storms here on the north Oregon Coast. One day is no biggee anymore – and as I was formerly from Florida (30 yrs ago)- ie, Hurricanes, I was already prepared for it.

I do miss internet(email from family) but that’s about it. I don’t have TV anyway And one phone is NOT an electric phone – so I can always use the phone. (Cell phone coverage was out for 8 days this last big storm – now THAT WAS hard to take )

When I remodeled my home last year, I made sure to put in a woodstove with a flat cooking surface. During the outage, the family was over for a nice venison- barley- veggie stew on the woodstove. And omelets/bacon for breakfast – cast iron pans are the only pans I own anyway. Also heated water there for washing, and in the evening, there was some light to see by.
We were warm, cozy, and had full bellies

Electric was out 8 days in places here twice in the last 2 years. And we ALWAYS lose it 24 hours several times a winter due to wind storms. After 3 days we are borrowing/juggling generators for the refrig and freezer – but I guess it’s just not so bad as we are used to it and prepared for it.

And yes, it is a good family time – reading, games, and story telling. Time with grandkids – stories about ‘the old days’. And any home with a woodstove and/or a generator is full to the gills with company (from homes without) until the electric is back on. Hot showers available via generator at the YMCA

Makes us grateful for when the electric IS on, but leery of trusting it too much It’s NOT a for sure thing out here!

By: Rachel @ Master Your Card

Rachel @ Master Your Card — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:55:24 +0000

I always feel completely lost without power because I am almost physically attached to my laptop! Of course it has a battery but that does not last long and without the router working there is not much use in having a laptop! I guess all my work is online and without it I feel almost useless.

By: 50th Birthweek Roundup | Oh My Aching Debts

50th Birthweek Roundup | Oh My Aching Debts — Thu, 29 May 2008 10:26:27 +0000

[...] Fox spends 24 hours without electricity and lives through it! It’s amazing how little we really [...]

By: NtJS

NtJS — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:44:24 +0000

This is a great post! What a great way to reconnect with the non-cyber world.

By: Money Hacks Carnival #14 at Prime Time Money | Money Hackers Network

Money Hacks Carnival #14 at Prime Time Money | Money Hackers Network — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:12:13 +0000

[...] shares a story of A day without electricity posted at squawkfox. See what a day sitting in the dark might teach [...]