ReadyHarbor

Backup power

The next outage is just an evening at home

What you actually need for backup power — 5 things to cover, each with a pick.

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A power station that runs the things that matter

A phone charger is not the problem. Keeping a CPAP, a fridge, or a medical device going for a night is the problem, and that needs stored watt-hours rather than a battery pack.

What to check
  • Look at watt-hours, not just watts - that is how long it runs, versus what it can start
  • Check for LiFePO4 cells, which last far longer than older lithium, and check it has a normal wall socket on it and not only USB

Light you are not holding

Everyone reaches for their phone, and then the phone is dead and their hands are full. A headlamp leaves both hands free, which matters when you are fixing something in the dark.

What to check
  • Rechargeable saves you hunting for batteries in an outage
  • A red-light mode keeps your night vision and does not wake the house

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Batteries for the things that still take them

Smoke alarms, torches, remotes and radios all take ordinary batteries, and an outage is when you discover the drawer is empty.

What to check
  • A variety pack of AA and AAA covers most of the house
  • Check the printed expiry - alkalines lose charge sitting in a drawer for years

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A way to charge from the car

If the outage runs long, the car is a generator you already own. Most people find out their car charger is a slow one at exactly the wrong time.

What to check
  • Look for USB-C Power Delivery and a real wattage figure
  • A 60W-class charger fills a phone in a fraction of the time an old 12W one does

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Something to protect what is plugged in

The damage often happens when power comes back, not when it goes. A surge on restoration is what kills fridges and televisions.

What to check
  • Check the joule rating - higher absorbs more
  • Check it actually says surge protector, because a plain power strip offers no protection at all

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

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