Let there be Light !

‘But the light hasn’t come on’ . Plugging in the mossy UV trap elicited no response from the charging light . Ah! The electric clock on the cooker is not showing also. We have no electricity. Something we expect at the flick of a switch wasn’t there . Another foundation of our existence looking shaky . After Covid , drought , fire and then no water ; this has been a year rattling those foundations .

Why not ( no electricity that is )… the first question to answer . Normally it’s a trip on one of the multiple earth leakage trips , design to prevent us from electrocuting ourselves, or a faulty appliance from burning the house down . So its down to the basement ,with torch needed now, to check the main house trip . No its OK , so off to the main gate to check EDF’s trip . Perversely it’s raining, so the mac ( coat not computer ) had its first outing for a very long time. 

The power outage is general ( ie not just us ) . First action is to release the clutch on the gate motor . No power and its impossible to open it , and my wife will shortly be returning ; so a priority action. Ringing Enerdis ( the company responsible for distribution unlike EDF who ‘just ‘ run the power plants ) , and pre-recorded nice lady informed that it was a major outage affecting as far as Perpignan. So in the space of the few minutes it had taken me to check , she had sprung into action ; impressive ! Let’s hope her colleagues can find and repair the fault as quickly .

With the return of the principal family member thoughts turned to the evening meal and fading light . Cooking no problem , the gas powered BBQ will suffice. For light, candles , although the light on that mossy trap would be safer ….but that needs charging , as does now the phone . My readership will remember that as part of fire prevention we now have a generator . It fired up first time ( well after I had remembered to switch it on ) .  This provided both charging , and with the fire pump in the pool, a potential water supply for the house . ( No electricity also means ,very quickly , no water .

So we can potentially withstand a power outage of several hours , several that is until the hot water cools and  the freezers defrost . I must workout  how solar panels can provide a longer term solution .  Fortunately the mains supply was promptly returned ,together with relaxation . However  this was a reminder that much underpinning our comfortable existence cannot be totally relied upon .