EMERGENCY ACTION PLANNING > Blog > Planning > Do you need off grid power?
Do you need off grid power?
Three things to ask when considering an emergency power option.
What do you need it for?
What type of generator do you need?
How much do you want to spend?
Disasters and emergency scenarios will dictate your power needs.
Are you in a two- or three-hour power outage because of a local isolated incident?
Has the grid gone down because of a man-made or natural disaster?
Will the grid be down for a few days?
Weeks?
Months?
Are you sheltering in place?
Evacuating?
What to do when you return?
***Note*** This report will only review portable generators, not fixed in place standby generators.
“If you stay ready, you won’t need to get ready”
What do you need it for?
Good question. What do you need off-grid power for?
To figure that out, you need to identify what you want to be powered up, and for how long.
Let’s start with determining your immediate power needs;
To do this you will want to identify the power draw in watts for the items you want to use.
This can be found in a couple of places.
1) Each device will have a label or sticker attached with input power;
2) And this information can be found in the manufacturer’s user manual.
You will need to total these number for all your desired devices to determine your general power needs.
Using an online calculator I found at; http://portablegeneratorguide.com/generator-sizing-calculator/ tells me I will need a minimum 7000-watt generator just to charge the phones, keep the food cold, minimum cooking capability and air-conditioning.
A pencil and paper estimator can be found here; portable-generator-wattage-chart
What type of generator do you need?
Generators, Inverters, Power Banks
Generator and Inverters are internal combustion devices that power an alternator to provide energy to a device.
Generators are always on, use the most fuel and are the loudest.
Running time is between 3 -16 hours depending on the size and load.
They range between 1,000 and 10,000 watts.
Electric start models are available.
Gas, Diesel, Propane, and Multi Fuel options are available.
Inverters vary the engine modulation based on the power draw. Use less fuel and are quieter.
Running time is between 3 -12 hours depending on the size and load.
They range between 1,000 and 7,000 watts.
Electric start models are available.
Gas, Diesel, Propane, and Multi Fuel options are available.
Power Banks are portable power stations (batteries) that can power refrigerators and medical devices.
They are generally 1200 watts and can be chained to other 12V batteries to extend their time of operation.
They operate like inverters so the power draw varies as needed.
Can operate up to 24 hours before needing a recharge.
Solar panels and fuel powered inverters are recharging options.
How much do you want to spend?
Generators; $500 – $1,000
Inverters; $150 – $4,500
Power Bank; $125 – $2,000
Yes, the more power you need the more money it will cost.
Maintenance:
Generators and invertors are internal combustion engines and will require periodic maintenance to keep them in working order.
Refer to the manufacturer’s operating, maintenance and safety instructions.
Electric start generators have a battery to start the motor. Don’t ignore it, or it may not start the generator.
Fuel should not be stored in the generator. It can go bad and gum up the motor.
Power Banks need to be kept at a high state of charge to be ready when you need them.
Can usually be used indoors since they do not produce toxic gasses.
Do not store them in a high temperature or an extremely cold environment. Both can degrade and damage the device.
Use approved charging devices.
Caution:
Do not use a fuel powered generator/inverter inside the house or garage.
A best practice is to have it outside in the open air at least 10’ away from the living quarters.
Have a carbon monoxide detector when using a portable generator. It’ll alert you if generator exhaust reaches a dangerous level inside the house.
Internal combustion engines get hot and can cause burns to unprotected skin, and fires if placed in inappropriate areas.
All of these devices emit electricity and can seriously injure and kill if handled improperly.
Protect them from the elements. Do not use them outside in the rain.
Don’t Kill a Utility Worker:
Don’t attach a second male end to a power cord, then run it from the generator to a wall outlet to power a circuit (yes, people have done this).
This may seem like a clever way to run power through your home’s wiring system, but the electricity will run back through the circuit breaker panel and out to the utility lines, which can kill service personnel working on the lines, even if they’re miles away.
It is illegal. Do not do it.
Be Prepared:
Keep in mind that any tool or device needs to be prepared and practiced with.
Don’t be that guy who buys the nice bright and shiny toy only to keep it in the box until the day it is needed.
Till next time
“Be Safe”