I can see that most of us agree on switching central heating down or preferably off to save fuel and dress for winter. 

But what about running your house off a DC supply possibly 4 large car batteries charged by solar or on windy nights using off peak?

I can see that most of us agree on switching central heating down or preferably off to save fuel and dress for winter. 

But what about running your house off a DC supply possibly 4 large car batteries charged by solar or on windy nights using off peak?

what about running your house off a DC supply possibly 4 large car batteries

why ? As in why not store heat as heat and if you want batteries at something closer to the voltage of a solar string so the same inverter can be used?

I can see the advantage of a car battery in a caravan, I have even taken one camping - but only to a site I could drive onto - but for a house there are probably better energy storage schemes.

As I see it freezers and maybe hot water are the only loads that cannot wait for generation to come on line.  Prior to 1935 my grandparents had a house without electricity,  prior to the mid 70s they had no fridge, eventually getting a gas one,  part of the solution is that we need to be less needy.

mapj1 said:

As I see it freezers and maybe hot water are the only loads that cannot wait for generation to come on line.

I am not sure I agree.

If you have a well-insulated house then you need to keep inside structures at a minimum of 12°C to inhibit the development of mildew. Mildew is bad for respiratory health, although Brits have typically ignored the issue. (The presence of mildew in rented accommodation in Germany is sufficient grounds both for reducing rent and for exiting a rental agreement without notice.)

Keeping the inside air temperature at least at 14°C, and keeping air circulating and moderately dry, seems to be sufficient to avoid mildew (bathrooms generally have more such problems than other rooms). 

But human beings consume oxygen and expirate water vapour and CO2, so to keep internal climate livable there needs to be an air filtration and management system - the VAC part of HVAC. Also, you don't want all occupants to succumb to every airborne infectious disease that comes marching through the door, so your VAC may be well-advised to include an enclosed UV-C disinfectant  capability. The house walls are maybe not going to suffer much with regular intermittent cold phases when electricity is not available, but you do need to keep your VAC running.

That entails some kind of internal UPS.