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When natural disasters strike, having a reliable source of light for our families becomes a priority. While battery-powered flashlights and lanterns offer a safe option, what if you find yourself in a prolonged power outage situation? Developing the skill to make homemade emergency light sources, such as homemade candles and oil lamps, becomes invaluable. This knowledge is crucial for anyone facing the challenges of a grid down scenario caused by various natural disasters.
Candle are one of the most obvious sources of alternative light in power outages. A great time to go candle shopping is right after Christmas, when all sorts of holiday decorations are on clearance. You can pick up a bunch of candles for pennies on the dollar. In a survival situation, it really doesn’t matter if it is the middle of July and you’re breaking out the Santa candles, or April and enjoying Halloween colored ones. However, candles are very simple to craft.
All those bits and bobs of old candles and crayons can be repurposed into an inexpensive (and potentially colorful) candle. Use an Altoids tin or another similar size metal container. Wicks can be purchased at any craft store or use simple cotton string.
Melt the wax in a clean soup can placed into a few inches of boiling water. Once melted, carefully pour the wax into the Altoids tin. As the wax begins to set, insert the wick. I usually do two or three wicks, placed evenly apart. This gives me the option of more or less light based on how many wicks I have burning.
Obviously, once lit, candles are an open flame and need to be treated with caution. Always be aware of what is near the candle and where it is positioned, lest you accidentally bump into it.
Warning! Use extreme caution with open flames. Make sure you have extra fire extinguishers or large boxes of baking soda on hand when using your homemade candles or lanterns.
Personally, I like to use oil lamps and candle lanterns for emergency light in the home during a power outage, as they tend to be a bit safer. But, there’s no arguing that candles can be a very cheap and reliable source of emergency light, as well as a great way to help get a fire going.
Pro Tip:
I usually do two or three wicks, placed evenly apart. This gives me the option of more or less light based on how many wicks I have burning.
Personally, I’ve used a mini cast iron pot (a gift from my mom) to gather bacon fat. I inserted a wick from an inexpensive votive candle and the result is a bacon candle. To my pleasant surprise, it works! It doesn’t put off a lot of light, but it makes good use of items I already have on hand.
This is the most basic type of candle to make. There are many other ideas and alternatives.
The basics of candle making include these supplies:
A simple oil lantern can be a quick and easy way to provide your family with light in a grid down situation.
The supplies are basic. All you will need is a Mason jar, wick, oil, hammer and nail.
With some planning and stockpiling you can provide your family with off grid lighting at a much lower cost than putting back expensive batteries.
This idea uses a different method to create the lamp. If you have a Mason jar, clothes hanger, cotton wick, and olive oil you can make an olive oil lamp. It’s a great way to use up old olive oil.
You can find more details and photos here.
Getting the hang of making your own emergency lights is like having a secret superpower for dealing with unexpected chaos. Ok, I’m exaggerating, but only a little. It’s not just about candles and oil lamps; it’s about feeling a bit more in control when things go haywire. And THAT is a good feeling.
Let me know what type of candles you are making!
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