Forum Topic

Power cut

do we no what coursed the power cut in south Ealing last night at about 21.50pm was off for about an hour

Mr. Harold J Ward ● 4848d6 Comments

Maybe so, but this is not an issue when the source of the power is the generator.Besides, all electrical equipment that is available for sale in the UK (whether it generates or consumes electricity) is rated correctly for the UK market.If it is not then it is breaking the law.Experience over the last 20 years or so sugggests that, whilst of occassionally variable quality, Chinese electrical goods are for the most part pretty sound these days.

Tony Colliver ● 4847d

Beware that China runs on 220 volts +/- 5% and it is common to find Chinese equipment rated at 110 to 240 volts. UK mains is now specified as 230 volts +/- 20% so can easily exceed the 240 volts maximum for standard Chinese equipment.

Chris Bell ● 4848d

Probably too short a period for it to have been a cable fault, so probably just an overload breaker in the local transformer that needed resetting then.It's all those people plugging in their 3KW fan heaters on account of the current climatic conditions that is doing it.  :-)Here's a hint:  electrical outages are only going to become more frequent for the reason I cited in my earlier note.When they occur in many ways the thing that people miss the most is heating and hot water as these are by and large gas fired in this day and age.We have had a spate of outages over the last three years due to dodgy cables in our road.Quite rightly, people with special needs (such as our neighbours) get an urgent emergency response by way of a personal generator courtesy of the supply company.The rest of us however have to freeze... or do we?If you have a gas or oil fired boiler (this is not practical for the manority of people with alternative forms of heating - primarily electric storage heaters) then it is possible to wire up one of the small and cheap Chinese generators in such a way as to power your boiler and, more importantly, it's circulating pump to restore heating and hot water as well as provide a modest amount of power for lighting within the home as well.The electrical power requirements of a gas boiler and very modest and it is infuriating to be without it's services for want of same.CAUTION: IF YOU ARE AT ALL TEMPTED TO EMULATE THIS MECHANISM THEN IT IS VITAL THAT YOU ARE EITHER QUALIFIED TO DO SO OR EMPLOY SOMEBODY THAT IS!  MISTAKES CAN KILL - NOT LEAST THE POOR POWER WORKERS IN THE STREET UNAWARE THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO ACCIDENTALLY LIVEN UP THE CABLE THAT THEY HAVE CAREFULLY ISOLATED IN ORDER TO WORK ON IT.  IT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL THAT YOU ISOLATE YOUR HOUSE FROM THE INCOMING MAINS SUPPLY BEFORE TRYING THIS.

Tony Colliver ● 4848d

We were off from 21:55 till 23:15. I didn't bother to ring as they'd only say they were working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.Bought some new batteries for the torch today!

Susan Kelly ● 4848d

The understreet cabling in the entire area is overloaded.Random failures are becoming more and more common.It (the cable) was never rated for the load the modern home puts on it.

Tony Colliver ● 4848d

No idea, but there was a a power cut in Northfields too. Not sure of the time. Might have been at 21:50, possibly a bit later. Only lasted a minute or two though.

M Duley ● 4848d