Power cut alert/alarm

[chrismahon]

We are hatching at the moment and will be rearing afterwards, hopefully. Power cuts are frequent here. The last one was 12 hours and the longest the neighbours have experienced was 3 weeks. We have a large 12 volt battery and an inverter. The 2 x 2KW generators arrive in two weeks so we have the power source issues under control.

Problem we have is knowing that there has been a power cut. Either when we are outside or when we are asleep. We were lucky last time, the power cut at midnight was spotted at 1.20am.

Does anyone know of a device that warns you when the power is off? Obviously it needs to be battery powered and kept switched off by the mains electricity. I haven't the equipment here to build one, so is there anything sold for this purpose?

 

[Margaid]

Don't know of an alarm Chris but we have emergency lights which come on when the power goes off. They are battery operated and charged from the mains. Obviously of you were out while the cut happened it wouldn't tell you there had been a cut, or for how long - I used to rely on the oven clock for that once the flashing microwave warned me there had been a power cut. I'll ask OH if he knows of anything.

Actually I've just googled "power failure alarm" and there are several sounding alarms although they are quite expensive such as this one

http://www.ilikechickens.co.uk/supplies-equipment-c94/sundry-items-c99/poultry-accessories-c157/intelec-power-failure-alarm-p940?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=intelec-power-failure-alarm-1-tus-pow-in-00-00-00&utm_campaign=froogle#1111

 

[chrismahon]

We bought that one Margaid -thanks for the link. Been sounding every few days with mini power cuts. Took 2 weeks to arrive and we would have saved £10 postage sending it to the UK and then bringing it back. Not at all impressed with the customer service. So that's another problem sorted and on to the next -the bathroom roof leaks!!!! All our stuff is here now so we have generators and fuel. Made the adaptor cable to feed back into the house and am now reassembling a chicken shelter to stand the generator(s) under.

 

[Margaid]

Welcome back to the forum Chris, your words of wisdom have been sadly missed. Hope the journey wasn't too bad this time. Good luck with the bathroom roof.

 

[chrismahon]

Journey always has some problem but at least it gives me time to adapt as its like living on two different planets, rather than two different houses. Everything changes -right hand driving, language, weather, currency and landscape. I find it very disorientating. For a change the bathroom roof leak was fixed immediately- usually takes them ages to do jobs but the damp and mould growth was beginning to make us ill. Dehumidifier bought very cheaply which has dried it quickly and now we will wash the areas with anti- fungicide.

Very windy here at the moment and I expect the power to go down anytime. Wind is rare in this area so when it blows the trees knock the power lines down. The alarm has been beeping occasionally all day.

 

[Margaid]

An excellent way to get rid of mildew is one part household ammonia to 16 parts water - you MUST add the ammonia to the water, not the other way round. Spray it on the mildew, leave for a few minutes and wipe off with a damp cloth. BUT you need the windows open - you know what ammonia is like.

I discovered this when removing the glue from polystyrene ceiling tiles (don't ask!) it not only softened the glue so it would scrape off without damage, it also got rid of the mildew. It's cheap and very effective if you can ventilate enough while you're doing it.

BTW how is Bumble? We have a few casualties of our own following the attack by the fox hounds.

 

[chrismahon]

Thanks for the tip Margaid. I've brought some anti-fungal wash over with me, which we used on our bathroom to great effect. Kills and bleaches in a few hours. We had no reoccurrence after 10 years.

Bumble is as well as she will ever be. Merlin looks after her so the other hens don't pick on her. Mind you she can still fight and she has seen off a few of the hens on her own. She has all her new feathers now, but can't fly up to the perch to roost because of the angle of her neck. It has freed off a bit so she can preen enough and generally seems quite happy. The test is if she lays again.

The alarm went off last night at 12.40am. Switched over to the inverter and was about to set the generator up when the power came back on again. No major trees or branches down as I have removed anything looking dodgy from around the coops. Suppose this is the problem living in the middle of a forest wilderness -small price to pay I think.

Roof is fixed and humidity in bathroom down to 50%. Bedroom still at 82% having taken 2.5 Litres out of the room using the new dehumidifier. Should be fine in a week.

 

[janetthegannet]

Yes there is such an alarm and I bought one, after we had a series of lengthy power cuts the year before last. I live in the Forest of Dean and many of our power cables are still overhead. If you haven't got one yet I will go and look for it to find out what it is called.

 

[chrismahon]

Thanks Janet. We have got one. It eventually arrived here with no instructions or marking on the on/off switch but we figured it out. Works fine. Still no major power cuts fortunately although we have bought a better insulated fridge anyway, so that it can be run from the generator if necessary. At the moment we could leave the stuff outside in the greenhouse as it's only 2 degrees tonight. Rising to 20 degrees tomorrow though.