Begin With Essential Loads—Not a Brand
Write down the devices that truly matter during an outage. For many households that means refrigeration, internet equipment, phones, lighting, a CPAP or other medical device, and perhaps a few comfort items.
- Record each device’s running watts
- Check startup or surge watts for compressor appliances
- Estimate the hours each device must operate
- Separate must-have loads from nice-to-have loads
Understand Watts and Watt-Hours
Watts (W) describe how much power a device needs at a moment in time. Watt-hours (Wh) describe stored energy. A 100-watt device running for five hours uses roughly 500 watt-hours before efficiency losses.
Add a reserve margin because inverters, temperature, battery protection, and real-world behavior reduce usable energy.
Choose a Sensible Starting Class
Phones, lights, laptops, cameras, and short-duration communications.
Internet, electronics, selected medical equipment, and carefully managed refrigeration.
Longer outages, demanding appliances, or expandable home-backup planning.
These are planning ranges, not universal prescriptions. Appliance loads and household needs vary.
Plan Charging Before the Outage
Compare wall-charging time, vehicle charging, maximum solar input, panel voltage requirements, connector compatibility, and whether the battery can be expanded later. Solar recharge depends heavily on weather, placement, season, and available sunlight.
Keep Safety Non-Negotiable
Battery power stations do not burn gasoline during use, but every system still requires proper ventilation, dry storage, compatible cables, and adherence to manufacturer instructions. Fuel-burning generators must remain outdoors and away from doors, windows, and vents because carbon monoxide can be deadly.
Ready to Estimate Your Capacity?
Use the Solaris capacity guide, then return to the Power Match tool for a practical starting range.
Open the capacity guide