I've had 4 or 5 power outages in the last 9 months, in my new house.
Last one was 2 nights ago, at about 9:30PM. The whole neighborhood went down. About a 1 mile radius around me.
I was in the kitchen, then suddenly, pitch-black. No flashlight handy (stupid me) and all my handy-dandy SHTF survival warrior toys stashed away in various packs. I stumble my way back to the bedroom in the black and find my flashlight, then spend 15+ minutes looking for my battery lantern since it wasn't where it was supposed to be. Actually I didn't have a "supposed to be" place, for it to be.
No generator, no battery radio, my alternative lighting is pretty sad and consists of two mag lites operating in "candle" mode and a 4xAA battery lantern.
Steps taken so far to rectify my dumb-ness:
1 - A couple of cheapo $1 wallyworld flashlights stashed around the house in easy to find places, for when the light goes pitch black.
2 - Another battery lantern to augment the first one, and they are both now in a place that they are "supposed to be."
3 - Ordered 3 of these thingies:
http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-Nightlight-Rechargeable-Flashlight-Failure/dp/B000KJZNBW/ref=pd_sim_hi_3Basically, cheapo rechargeable flashlights that plug into a wall outlet. They turn on automatically if they sense that AC power disappears. Should stop the "stumbling in the dark" sensation immediately after a power outage.
4 - Got some keychain LED fobs. I don't carry an EDC flashlight since I find them to be too bulky and very rarely need one. But, I don't mind an extra key on my keyring. That should be on me immediately if the power fails and it's pitch black out, even if I'm not at home or my little emergency lights don't work.
However... I've been threatening to solar-power my house for quite a while. Not 100% off-grid, but a separate system parallel to the city power. I'll never generate enough solar electricity to take care of AC, fridge, dishwasher, laundry, 42" TV, etc.
I want to start with nice looking DC lighting. Something that I'll actually use, right away.
With DC lighting, rather than AC, I don't have to buy an inverter and lose efficiency. I'm thinking I want 4 wall-mounted light fixtures in my master bedroom, and 4 more in my living room area to begin with.
Standard 60w AC incandescent bulbs put out about 15 lumens.
I tend to "get by" with about 15 lumens in my living room (one lamp on while watching TV) unless I'm reading, at which point I turn on the overhead lamp and I get up to about 50 lumens.
In my bedroom it's the same. Typically just have a nightstand lamp on if I'm in the room, unless I have a particular need to turn on an overhead lamp, at about 50 lumens.
Where can I find lumen output ratings for DC electric lighting? Where can I buy DC electric lighting for home use? I'm guessing RV supply and repair places, but I just am not sure how to start. I want them slaved to a switch in the wall just like a regular light fixture, even grouped together onto shared circuits so multiple lights are turned on by one switch.