kfh said:

When we have made the move to all electric will the resilience  of the network be improved especially as we are told we can expect more stormy weather with global warming?

Of course as with so many things it's risk management - how much is it worth spending on infrastructure given the likelihood and severity of the risk. Probably some, but also what about ensuring that there is a supply of microgeneration plants available that can be shipped to affected areas? As has been discussed through this threads there are a number of options available for this.

However this begs another question very relevant to this forum - should there be a standard system that can be installed in remote properties that would allow easy disconnection of the incoming supply and connection to an emergency microgeneration unit when required? Is there already such a standard? Others here will know vastly more about this than I do, but I'm guessing it's not straightforward to hook up a backup generator in an emergency situation to a property (or location with a group of properties) that wasn't designed for one - or am I wrong there?

(Apologies if that's already been discussed here and I missed it - as many have said, it's easy to lose the thread of these threads...)

Fortunately we only lost power for about 3 hours down here in Cornwall, so both the freezer contents and the tropical fish survived! But I really feel for those in Wales cut off for days.

Thanks,

Andy

Steam may give you more power.

The military produced small portable steam generating sets for clandestine operations. They would burn most fuels and were quieter than IC engines. Theres an example here. I had the chance to play with a similar one once.

Mk814 steam generating set - Stock code 1995

I'm guessing it's not straightforward to hook up a backup generator in an emergency situation

It's not an unskilled task and depends on the appetite for risk vs the level of desperation and what kit is available at the time - I'm not thinking of planned installation with the luxury of going back to the wholesalers.

One sees some remarkable solutions, that are not especially safe, such as wires going into consumer units/breaker panels where the cover has been removed and left off, and shortly behind that is the 'widowmaker' lead with a plug on the end that is the output of the generator, that plugs into the nearest socket and powers parts of the building that way.

And that is before one starts to think about earthing, NE bonds and so on - which really are quite important considerations.

IT would be nice if it was more common to leave a spare way in the board that fed something like Henley blocks for those cases where the correct solution of change over switches and so on could not be justified.
The problem is really the need for a connector design where both halves are touch safe even when energized, usually only the socket  half can be made live safely ! (there are theatrical connectors that can,  but they are not common.)

Mike.

Andy Millar said:

However this begs another question very relevant to this forum - should there be a standard system that can be installed in remote properties that would allow easy disconnection of the incoming supply and connection to an emergency microgeneration unit when required?

That is a splendid idea. There may be technical difficulties, but surely it is not beyond the wit of man.

I envisage something like an EV socket, into which a generator could be plugged.

Come to think of it, if one does have an EV, why not draw power from it for a few hours?

For safe(ish) use of a generator in an emergency, I would proceed as follows.

Install a second consumer unit for high priority loads such as lighting, central heating, and IT equipment. Depending on size of generator this might or might not include include general purpose 13 amp socket outlets.

Supply from public mains normally, but with a suitable manual changeover switch to permit use of a generator when needed. Mains input into changeover switch from a suitable MCB in the main consumer unit. Generator input from a suitably rated ceeform Appliance inlet located outdoors.

When the mains fails , plug in the generator and start it, then operate the changeover switch.

Safety features.

Be certain to use a ceeform appliance inlet and not a socket outlet for the generator connection, rating to suit size of generator.

Whilst it should be safe to handle the trailing socket connected to the generator whilst live, as a second line of defence, the user should be told to plug it in and then start the engine, not the other war around.

At the generator inlet bond together the generator supply neutral and earth in order that the generator supply is TNCS. (this is arguably a breach of the regulations If such a bond already exists at the generator, but is in my view a price worth paying to ensure that neutral and earth are boded, when the internal wiring of a borrowed or hired generator is unknown)

Ensure that this neutral/earth bond at the generator inlet is also connected to the existing MET and thus to metallic services and earth rods.

For low loading but high priority loads such as IT and communications equipment, install RED 13 amp sockets, on a 6 amp or smaller MCB, any attempted misuse of these sockets for  kettles, heaters and the like will operate this MCB.

There may be technical difficulties, but surely it is not beyond the wit of man.

It's not that hard - a change-over switch, a wall mounted plug and an electrode, plus perhaps an RCD if the generator might not have enough oomph to operate overcurrent devices for ADS.  All covered by existing requirements in BS 7671. One of the pubs not far from here appears to have such a setup, judging by the large red BS 4343 inlet on its outside wall.

   - Andy.

The size of the generator will of course depend on ones needs, but I generally suggest the following, for a modest size and modestly equipped home I suggest about 4KW. this allows 1 KW in total for the large numbers of lamps and low consumption appliances found in most modern homes, and also allows 3 KW for just one heavy loading appliance such as a kettle, a space heater, , a washing machine, a tumble dryer, or a table top electric cooker. But only one such appliance at a time.

For a larger or more generously equipped home, I would select a 7KW generator. This allows 1.5 KW for more lamps and for some duplication of small appliances. And also 5.5KW for use of any two large loading appliances. From a 7 KW generator a 3KW immersion heater can be used, preferably via a load sensing relay that only enables the water heater when other loads are limited.

Seems sensible, but what fuel will the genset use? Diesel now, but in 10 years? I shall get my state pension in two and a bit weeks, but I hope to draw it for more than a decade.

Its a good question. Once traditional cars fade out, it may be that the supplies of fuel do too. Propane stays in tanks longer  than petrol or diesel without separating or freezing, some sort of biogas would be ideal, but in the longer term it is not clear what will be available. The ability to light a fire is likely to be useful too.

Mike

A couple of thoughts ...

 Mains input into changeover switch from a suitable MCB in the main consumer unit.

Personally, I'd try to avoid feeding a CU from an MCB - especially one where you want resilience. Discrimination between MCBs on faults is poor to non-existent regardless of their relative rating so a fault on any of your high priority circuits will quite likely cause the feed MCB to de-latch as well, disconnecting all the priority loads, even though grid power remains. If you need to de-rate below the DNO's fuse, then a HBC switchfuse fed from Henley blocks (downsteam of a separate main switch) would be my preference.

At the generator inlet bond together the generator supply neutral and earth in order that the generator supply is TNCS. (this is arguably a breach of the regulations If such a bond already exists at the generator, but is in my view a price worth paying to ensure that neutral and earth are boded, when the internal wiring of a borrowed or hired generator is unknown)

As long as the generator doesn't have its own link that should create a local TN-S system, rather than TN-C-S, and should be entirely to the letter of all the regs (presuming your change-over switch switches N as well as L). You may (should) still have a solid connection to the grid's TN-C-S earth, but as your generator system only has N connected to Earth at a single point only, your part is still TN-S.

If the generator already has it's own link you technically shouldn't introduce a 2nd one, I'd agree. But most small ones don't - or worse have one centre tapped (so the 115V output is earthed too) - which is going to give you bigger problems.

   - Andy.