UPDATE: Are Your Prepared for No Electricity?

This is an update to my December 27th post about what is happening with the US Power Grid.

On December 27th, about 4 days after we nearly went into a Grid Blackout, I wrote This Post. I have taken nearly four weeks to look into backup emergency power systems and now I want to share my research with you.

There are many options for emergency power systems ranging from electric generators to portable or fixed Power Stations. Solar Power Stations are becoming a fast growing market with many systems available. A quick search on Amazon for “solar power stations” brings up dozens of options. Picking one that meets your individual needs can be a challenge, as I have found out.

Gasoline or dual-fuel, gasoline and propane, generators can be used when the power goes out however, they are noisy. You might not want everyone within hearing distance knowing you have power when they don’t because they can hear your loud generator running. Also, it may be hard to store enough fuel for longer term power blackouts.

Solar Power can be good for individual systems

In my December post I wrote about “Power Companies Adding Unreliable Wind and Solar.” When the power companies and governments push Solar or Wind Power as replacements for “fossil” fuel powered electric plants, I believe it’s a deception. There is no way that large scale solar and wind power systems can provide the electric energy needed to maintain our country. But the reasons for that is a topic for another time.

Solar Power for individual homes can be useful in certain situations. Homes in remote or Off-Grid locations may find small scale solar systems beneficial and even cost effective. Connecting homes in remote areas to the conventional power grid may be very expensive to extend the cables or wires to a home.

Small scale emergency power systems using Battery Powered devices that can be charged with solar panels is becoming a needed option for many people. As our power plants and the infrastructure that connects us to those generation facilities ages, many are looking to emergency power for their own homes.

My Research and Top Picks for Emergency Power

Currently we are in a rental home here in Middle Tennessee so I’m not looking for a solution other than emergency power during a grid blackout. I have a gasoline powered generator that we brought with us from Minnesota. It is loud and I would not want to run it for very long if at all.

We need enough power to keep the refrigerator and small freezer going. Our furnace is an electric heatpump but I don’t plan on using that when the power goes out. For heat we have a Mr. Buddy propane heater that runs off of small 1lb bottles or a 20lb propane tank. In the summer, we would just need power for a couple fans to help keep us cool.

I have been watching many YouTube video reviews of Solar Power Stations, with and without solar panels. Adding solar panels to a power station may even qualify for Federal Solar Energy Tax Credits depending on the equipment used and the size of the storage system.

If you only want to power up a few devices and not concerned about having a short charging time, the VTOMAN Power Station might work for you. Watch this review video, “Pay LESS - Get MORE: VTOMAN Jump 1800 and the Jump series of Portable Power Stations.” Here is the company website: VTOMAN.COM

I want a system that charges faster when needed either from my generator (only running for an hour or less) or from a couple solar panels. I keep coming back to the EcoFlow Power Systems. Our refrigerator and small freezer require about 555watts to operate. Because they run via compressors there is an initial high power surge when they start each time. The inverters in the EcoFlow units have a surge capability that allows for this.

Here is a review video of the EcoFlow units. "Newly Re-Designed EcoFlow Delta2: the BEST 1000Wh Power Station I've Seen. Period"

The EcoFlow DELTA 2 is a 1000watt Power Station that can be expanded by adding an addition battery unit all the way to 3000watts or, 3KW’s which meets the IRS requirements for a tax credit when you add 1-2 solar panels.

Both are good Power Station systems

You will find when you watch these videos, both of these system use the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries which are safer than other forms of Lithium batteries and have a longer life span, up to 3,000 cycles before storage capacity dropping below 80%. The EcoFlow DELTA 2 sells for $999.00 currently. If you add 220watts of solar panels it’s $1,548.00 direct from EcoFlow.com

I want a system that I can trust and that is expandable later on. I will most likely go with the EcoFlow DELTA 2 and perhaps add the solar panels with the order. Later, I may add the extra battery for additional running time.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or if you would like additional information. I have many other websites and video and other information that I can share with you.

If you already have an emergency power solution, with or without solar, please post you information in the comments to help others.

Remember, We Are The Plan. #WATP
We can do this together.

God Bless!

Henry