Summer and Winter can bring storms that damage transformers and snap transmission lines. These damages consequently lead to power outages and citywide blackouts that can last several hours, even days, depending on the severity of the damage.
But you don’t have to fear the next outage. That’s because portable solar generators can keep the lights on, the medical equipment running, the car charging, tools running and more. So let's look at how solar can keep the lights on during the next black out.
Why Portable Solar Generators Provide Backup Power
Before we get to how portable solar generators can help you prepare for winter storms and hurricanes, we first need to understand how these solar storage systems actually work. A solar portable generator is generally made up of four main components which include a charge controller, portable solar panels, solar battery, and an inverter.
Portable solar panels harvest the sunlight incident on their surface and use it to generate electricity. This is why you must make sure that your solar panels are placed in a spot that receives ample sunlight and does not have any obstructions in the surrounding. The electrical energy produced by the solar panels is DC.
There are numerous factors that can obstruct the transmission of light to the solar panels, thereby induces fluctuations in the solar panel output. The fluctuating voltage and current can damage the battery and other electrical parts of the solar generator system. The charge controller regulates the voltage coming from the solar panels and prevents the system components from fluctuating voltage.
The charge controller also prevents the battery from overcharging and over-discharging, in doing so, extending the life of your solar battery. The solar battery stores the electrical output coming from the solar panels and allows you to use it whenever you find the need to.
Lastly, we have the inverter. An inverter's primary function is to convert DC output to AC and vice versa. Why do we need to convert DC to AC you wonder? This is because the majority of electrical devices and appliances in our homes are designed to run only on AC power.
Multiple connectors, including USB C, USB A, AC outlets, cigarette lighter ports, and DC outlets, are typically present on solar generators. As long as your generator's capacity can support it, this offers you the freedom to power multiple devices at any one time.
How to Prepare Your Home for Seasonal Storms with Portable Solar Generators
A hurricane, or even a winter storm, can be extremely disastrous and can lead to a number of complications which require electricity to be resolved. But as we know and have experienced, power is one of the first things to go offline during extreme storms.
Having a portable solar generator at the ready can be a lifesaver in such situations for you and your home. Here are a few ways you can use portable solar generators to get through a storm:
Keep Your Home Dry
One of the worst things about hurricanes and winter storms is that they can lead to urban flooding. This is because severe hurricanes are accompanied by extreme rainfall, which can lead to rapid accumulation of water in the streets at a rate higher than your drainage system can manage.
The rainwater can also begin to seep into your home through the roof and lead to flooded attics and rooms. Furthermore, the high-speed winds that come with hurricanes can rupture water lines in homes and lead to flooded basements and other areas of your home.
The gist of the matter is that severe storms can cause water damage in your home and your belongings in it, which, in turn, can lead to mold infestation and weakening of your home's structure. With a solar generator at your disposal, you'll be able to power vacuums and sump pumps, allowing you to pump out water from the flooded areas in your home and subsequently dry off those areas.
This helps minimize water damage in your home, prevent expenses for structural repairs and replacements, and avoid inconveniences such as mold and mildew infestation in your home.
Keep the Indoor Space Warm and Livable
Winters in America keep getting more and more unpredictable and intense each year, especially in Wyoming, Alaska, and Montana, owing to climate change. The extreme winter storms that follow the winter season can turn your indoor living space into a living nightmare if you don’t have a running heater to cozy up the space.
But with an ongoing power outage in your area, how would you? Fortunately, portable solar generators can help you here as well. High-capacity solar generators, such as the ones offered by Bluetti, are capable enough to power your heaters, thereby allowing you to warm up your home and enjoy a cozy, livable indoor space.
Since you can run your portable solar generators off of solar panels, you don't even have to worry about running out of power. As mentioned before, make sure to position your solar panels in a location with maximum sunlight and minimum obstructions. As long as your panels receive adequate sunlight, they’ll generate electricity even during winter months.
Preserve Your Food
With the power out, your refrigerator and freezer will stop working as well. While most modern refrigerators and freezers can maintain their coolness for 24 to 36 hours, a power outage that extends beyond this time period could spoil all your perishable refrigerated and frozen food items and beverages.
The problem becomes even worse when you consider that the natural disaster may have sealed you in your neighborhood, making it impossible for you to shop for more food. This means the food in your home is what you have to survive on for a couple of days, and if it goes bad, you might find yourself in a serious problem.
But you don't have to worry about spoiled food when you have a portable solar generator. You can use your back energy system to power your refrigerator and freezer, keeping your food cooled and preserved throughout the power outage.
Maintain Water Supply to Your Home
If you live in a suburban or remote area and depend on a well for your fresh water supply, having a backup portable solar generator is even more important for you. This is because your pump will stop working during the power outage caused by a hurricane or storm. As a result, you won’t be able to pull water from the well until the power comes back.
Furthermore, if you use an electric water heater in your home, as most homes in the United States do, you won't have access to any hot water for as long as the power's out since your electric heater won't work without power either.
A portable solar generator can help resolve both of your problems. It can power your pump as well as electric heater, ensuring that the freshwater supply to your home remains undisrupted and that you have access to hot water throughout the power outage.
Stay Connected to the World
As you lose your power, you also lose your internet since all internet modems and devices require electricity to function. While not having internet access is more of an annoyance than a serious problem for most people, the children might argue otherwise, it can be a major issue for remote workers.
One of the few requirements of a remote job is a stable internet connection so that you can communicate with your employer, receive and share information, attend meetings, and for many other reasons. Of course, without power, you also won't be able to power your computer, and the battery of your laptop won't last for more than a few hours. All of this means you won't be able to work your job and will be unable to meet the deadlines on your projects and tasks.
With the internet gone, you’ll also lose your connection to the world outside your home. This means you won’t be able to receive updates regarding the damage caused by the storm or hurricane, what the authorities are doing to deal with the situation, an ETA on the power coming back online, and what routes are safe for traveling if you need to go somewhere, etc.
Fortunately, your portable solar generator is the perfect solution for this as well. You can use the system to power all your internet devices as well as your computer and laptop. As such, you can stay connected to the world and work your job during the power outage.
Keep Your Phones Charged
Without power, you won’t be able to keep your phones charged, which could turn out to be a bigger problem than you may expect. This is because your phones will, most likely, be the only way for you to reach the relevant authorities in case you need urgent help, such as medical assistance.
With solar generators, you can keep your cellphones as well as other necessary appliances charged and powered so that you always have access to professional help should you need it.
Keep Your House Safe and Secure
One of the most overlooked yet threatening disadvantages of a power outage is that it can lead to the disarming of your home’s security system. Most contemporary security systems require the internet and electricity to operate correctly. While your security system probably has a dedicated backup power source for such a situation, chances are that the backup power won’t outlast an extended power outage.
With your security system offline, your home becomes vulnerable to burglaries and invasions, endangering you and your loved ones. However, you can keep your security system online and armed using a portable solar generator for as long as the power's out. As such, your system can help keep your property safe and secure from criminals during power outages.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can a Portable Solar Generator Power a House?
A high-capacity solar generator with a power rating of 2,000Wh or above should be able to power your entire home for two hours or more, depending on the size of the generator. However, by lowering the house load, the backup time can be extended.
Can a Solar Generator Power a Refrigerator?
A solar generator can power a refrigerator, given that the power consumption of your refrigerator does not exceed the capacity of your portable solar generator.
Do Solar Generators Work at Night?
While solar generators cannot be charged during the night since they derive their energy from sunlight, you can use the energy already stored in the generator even after sundown. So, in short, yes, solar generators do work at night.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If your lifestyle depends on uninterrupted power – then it just makes sense to invest in a portable solar generator. Bluetti offers durable, and powerful portable solar generators. They come with a warranty and a money-back guarantee. Plus, you can contact support with any questions before you buy to make sure you’re getting the right one for your needs.
