Cooperative Living May 2024 - 20

CUTTING EDGE
Keeping the
Lights On
Is a battery backup
right for you?
by Scott Flood, Contributing Columnist
W
e all depend on electricity
more than ever before,
which is why even the
briefest service interruption can be
incredibly frustrating. It's no wonder
many homeowners are taking a closer
look at the latest battery-powered
systems as backups during outages.
Battery technology has advanced
signifi cantly in recent years, with
batteries able to hold more electricity,
even as they shrink in size and cost.
As the name implies, battery backup
systems are essentially high-capacity
batteries that store a set amount of
electricity, which you can then use to
power your home in the event of an
outage. Some are constantly charged
by the power grid, while others rely on
solar panels for recharging.
Traditional standby generators
use small internal combustion engines
fueled by natural gas, propane or
diesel. Th ey can be connected to your
home's electrical panel and kick on
automatically whenever the fl ow of
electricity stops.
As the name implies, battery backup
systems like Tesla's Powerwall are
essentially high-capacity batteries
that store a set amount of electricity,
which you can then use to power
your home in the event of an outage.
When a power outage occurs,
battery backups start instantaneously,
unlike generators which may take a few
moments to spool up before reaching
operating speed. Battery backups also
don't need regular maintenance like
oil changes or spark plug replacements,
and there's no need to store fuel.
Of course, battery-powered
generators do present some
disadvantages. Th e amount of power
they deliver is limited by the capacity
of their batteries. When they're out
of electricity, they may need hours of
recharging before being used again,
so they're not well-suited for lengthy
outages.
Portable, battery-powered backups
can be used indoors to power
smaller appliances, like your laptop,
TV or microwave.
Generally, batteries also require
long charging times, so if an initial
outage is quickly followed by another,
they may not be ready to respond
quickly aſt er the
fi rst incident.
Like the one in
your mobile phone,
batteries in these
systems can also
degrade over time.
In fi ve or 10 years,
they may need to
be swapped out
with new batteries,
adding to the
overall cost. Being
able to recharge
18 * Cooperative Living * May 2024
Some battery-powered systems are
constantly charged by the power grid,
while others rely on solar panels for
recharging.
battery backups with solar panels
appeals to many homeowners, but
the performance will depend upon
the amount and angle of sunlight
falling upon your roof.
So, is a battery-powered backup
system right for your home?
Th e answer is diff erent for every
homeowner.
Whether you choose a battery
backup or a traditional standby
generator, make sure it's designed
to protect your home and all your
electronics from power surges and
other issues that may damage your
TVs, computers and other sensitive
electronics. Th at way, you won't have
to worry about remaining without
them long aſt er an outage has ended.
*
Scott Flood writes for the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association.
co-opliving.com
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Cooperative Living May 2024

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