Backup Power Basics

Types of Backup Power

Backup power keeps electricity flowing when the grid fails. The right system protects food, heating/cooling, medical equipment, communications, and basic home operations during outages.

New to the topic? Start with our beginner guide explaining what backup power is and when it’s needed. Read the beginner guide →

⚡ Portable Generators

Best for: affordability, flexibility, temporary essential loads

Runs on gasoline, propane, or dual-fuel
Common uses: refrigerators, sump pumps, furnace blowers, lights, small appliances
Also useful for camping and job sites since they’re not permanently installed

Limitations & safety notes

Must operate outdoors only (carbon monoxide risk)
Requires hands-on operation
Connects to the home using extension cords, or an inlet box + interlock, or a manual transfer switch
Not ideal for whole-home backup; best for selected circuits and essentials

🏠 Standby Generators

Best for: automatic operation, long outages, whole-home or critical circuit coverage

Permanently installed and hardwired
Uses natural gas or propane
Starts within seconds of power loss
Can run for days or weeks if fuel supply is maintained

Trade-offs

Higher upfront cost
Requires licensed installation, permits, and inspections
Needs routine maintenance
Best for frequent outages or critical medical/heating/well needs

🔋 Battery Backup Systems

Best for: silent, clean, indoor-safe backup for short outages

Stores electricity and delivers power with no exhaust and low noise
Can be installed indoors
Supports loads like: lights, Wi-Fi/modems, refrigerators, medical devices, security systems

Limitations

Finite runtime until recharged
Power stops when stored energy is depleted
Great for short outages or noise-sensitive environments

☀ Solar + Battery Backup

Best for: long-term energy independence, renewable outage resilience

Solar offsets grid use during normal operation
Battery stores excess energy for outages
Solar alone is not backup power unless paired with batteries
Performance depends on sunlight availability

Considerations

Requires careful load and runtime planning
Higher upfront investment
Strong option for energy independence

🖥 Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)

Best for: protecting sensitive electronics and medical/office continuity

Small, plug-and-play battery device
Helps prevent data loss and protects against voltage spikes
Common for: computers, networking gear, medical equipment, security cameras
Runtime ranges from minutes to hours depending on load

Not designed for

Large appliances
Whole-home power
Long-duration outages

Rule: A UPS is continuity and protection—not a generator replacement.

✔ Choosing the Right System

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The right choice depends on your goals, budget, outage frequency, fuel access, noise tolerance, and installation constraints.

What to consider

Power goals: essentials vs critical circuits vs whole-home
Outage frequency & duration
Fuel access and storage
Noise tolerance and location
Automation vs hands-on setup
Installation constraints

Common winning combinations

UPS + portable generator → electronics protection + basic appliances
Solar + battery → renewable essential-load backup
Standby generator + UPS → whole-home automation + device protection
Battery + generator charging → silent power + extended runtime

🛠 Key Mistakes to Avoid

Running a generator indoors or in garages
Backfeeding a panel without a transfer switch or interlock
Oversizing without load calculations → wasted fuel and money
Undersizing → tripping breakers and failed startups
Assuming solar alone equals backup power → it doesn’t without batteries