Emergency Backup

Power outages happen without warning and can last hours or days. Emergency backup means keeping essentials running: the refrigerator to preserve food, lights to see, phones to communicate, and medical equipment for those who need it. Unlike recreational use where you can adjust your behavior to stretch your power, emergencies require the system to simply work until the grid comes back.

The most important appliance for most households is the refrigerator. A fridge full of food can spoil in 4 to 6 hours without power on a warm day. Secondary priorities include lighting, communication devices, and any medical equipment. Heating and cooling are high-draw loads that require either a large system or selective use.

Practical note: A typical refrigerator uses 100 to 150Wh per hour of compressor runtime, cycling about 40% of the time, or roughly 1 to 1.5 kWh per day. LED lighting for an entire house might use 50 to 100W. Phone and laptop charging adds 50 to 100Wh per day. For a 24-hour outage with fridge, lights, and devices, budget 2 to 3 kWh. For multi-day outages, solar recharging becomes essential.

For the most seamless experience, add a transfer switch. This small panel lets you plug your station into your home and power a few chosen circuits (like the fridge, lights, or router) without running extension cords. A licensed electrician installs it, and you’re ready for the next outage.

Tip: Pair 2×–4× 400W (800–1600W) solar panels with your station to recharge during extended blackouts, keeping the power stations and expansion batteries topped up even if the grid is down for days.