Help & guidance sought

[Gil Boyd]

Guys,
I read a detailed loaned article this week about the problems the UK is about to face in power failures during the cold season and into 2016 due to a number of coal fired power stations being closed prematurely, leaving the national gird very vulnerable.
My question is to my fellow site friends over the pond and especially California where TESLA are based. Has anybody got a TESLA rechargeable solar battery back up system already they can rate for me.
It is not available in the UK until next year I have been reliably informed so I am seriously toying with either having a generator fitted to take over such things as the electrical initiator for the oil burner which it needs initially to start up, (as we have no gas where we are) we do however have a coal fire but no back boiler, so I was sure someone on here would have already been down this road, especially if they live off the beaten track!!

Video: Tesla announces renewable energy batteries for the home - Telegraph

Information

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[Aragorn243]

I can't speak on the battery but with a generator, there are a few options. If the power outages are going to be short, a small generator would be enough to run the furnace, a couple of light/TV and the refrigerator. If they will be longer or more frequent a larger system would be better that you can switch on for most of or all of the house. If you want to get really fancy, there are full house generators that will automatically start when the power goes out. Noise might be a consideration with all types along with the exhaust issues. Solar might be another option to consider.

[Gil Boyd]

Thanks for that info. You are right, but whichever way we turn here in the UK, especially when it means adding a piece of kit that is going to kick in when existing electricity supplies fail or when they detect a drop in voltage, we need to have the Electricity company out to fit an interface, so on that basis I didn't want to do that twice, once now for a generator and later next year for the Tesla system, if you understand where I am coming from!!?

[Vincent]

California didn’t want nukes or other polluting power plants. Now they buy electricity from Mexico to meet peak demand and it’s not always reliable. So you see why there’s a market for Tesla’s product in California.

We get hurricanes and tropical storms that take the power out for days. When that happens we have a small generator that runs the essentials. We also have a gasifier just in case the fuel runs out. The new single phase 220 volt generator cost $350. I made the gasifier from scrap tanks I got from the welding supply for $20 each.

The essentials have their own circuit breaker box. There is a big manual switch that is used to separate it from the main box where the power comes in. We call it the Frankenstein switch. If the power goes out I throw the switch and start the generator. It’s more trouble than having an automatic system, but the whole setup cost under $1,000. And our power is very reliable here. I haven’t used it for years. So I can’t see spending a lot of money for something I only use very rarely.

BTW. When there’s a large scale power outage criminals often take advantage it. They know the phones, alarms and surveillance systems are not working. We had a couple of them try it after the last big storm.

[Paul S.]

Gil, given the UK weather, i.e. cloud cover and hours of sunlight in winter, etc., going solar might not be your best choice. I would recommend a petrol powered generator.

I once worked for months in a location in which all our power came a small generator. It served us well. Admittedly, that was a remote location and long before the proliferation of personal electronics.

[Gil Boyd]

Thanks for the advice guys.
I might hangon till TESLA comes in next year, as it is a series of leisure style batteries with massive capacity topped up by a solar panel when not in use, seems just what I need in my personal circumstances, when there is no alternative power source like gas.

[UNPROFOR1994]

Why don't you try a wind mill generator to charge a battery that can run the initiator, a radio and even some lights. A small one (400W or 600W) is enough for what you want.

[Peter Laidler]

Same meat, different gravy......... I have a small 2 stroke generator that is a bit of a pig to start (on the cord-pull starter) UNLESS I drain the tank down and start it on normal leaded petrol and let it run for 10 mts or so and then add the 2 stroke oil while it's running. Then next time, start the same palava again....., drain down, start and then add 2 stroke and so on and on and on...... The Q is how long can I let it run without the 2 stroke oil before it causes some damage. Thanks chaps

[Vincent]

The Q is how long can I let it run without the 2 stroke oil before it causes some damage.

Well Peter, if there’s no lubricant on the cylinder wall damage starts after a few strokes. Think sex with women who have passed certain age.

[Paul S.]

Thanks for the laugh.