jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

We got a 5500 Watt gas generator almost twenty years ago, and it's a great thing to have. Now, I see that they are selling battery-powered generators. I just can't see myself relying on one of them. If I need gas during a blackout, I know I can buy it somewhere, but I would have to use a gas generator to charge the batteries in a battery-powered generator. One in the 3000W range costs around $3,500. On the plus side, they're quiet, and they don't emit exhaust.

Do any of you have one?

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

Well, if there's a blackout, what are the odds that the gas pumps at the station will be working? Because that's what happens around my area.

I too have a gas generator, but did get one of the battery plus solar panel ssetups as well - at least that ought to keep my fridge running and I can charge it fully in 8 hours (assuming it's not raining, or night time).

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

We had a blackout that included the whole northeast, but that was over fifty years ago. Generally, the outage covers a small area, and more stations are powered by generators.

ELNikkor

It takes a huge amount of amps to start and run anything that heats, cools, or needs a compressor. Gas generators and a 5 gallon jug of gas or two is the best way to go. There are Generacs all around our neighborhood. Our gas stations have them too. Electric power is not a generator system, just a DC-to-inverter system that can work if you invest a ton into batteries, solar cells, and power-management equipment. An up-side is that that system can get you off the power grid.

tcthome Loc: NJ

There was one that happened much more recent than that. Maybe in the mid to late 90's, early 2000's. Started up in Buffalo, NY. I remember doing fire pump start-ups a mini generator stations installed throughout Manhattan, Ny about a tear after it happened. I worked for that company from 95-05.

anotherview Loc: California

Good morning, all. Where I reside in Southern California, the supplier of electricity shuts down its service when high winds occur, to avoid the situation where the wind blows trees into power lines and thereby starts a fire. Shutdowns last as long as three days.

The power company justifies these shutdowns because of its liability for fire damages.

Having a full residential solar power system in place isolates the household from these shutdowns.

A full solar power system will include solar panels, storage batteries, and a whole house power generator as a backup.

If sized for the household draw of power, solar panels will provide enough electricity during daylight hours and will fully charge the batteries.

The batteries will then supply electricity during nighttime.

A whole house power generator will provide power in the instance where the storage batteries run low. In fact, when this generator uses propane, it will run as long as a month from the propane bottle to provide electricity to the household. This extreme condition will likely never happen.

A full solar power system will cost thousands of dollars. The central government or even the state government may pick up some of this cost by way of a tax credit.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Since we live in the middle of trees and only have a few hours of sunlight illuminating the roof, we’re not a good candidate for solar, but since we’re in the city and have natural gas, I converted my 6 KW gas generator to natural gas (although it will still run on gasoline). The kit is about $200, simple to install and will work with propane as well. While it’s big enough to run the fridge, lights, TV and microwave, it won’t start or run the AC. I think it will run the gas furnace blower as long as the frequency is stable enough (many modern furnace control boards are frequency sensitive). I’ve considered a whole house 10-15KW generator with electric start and a transfer switch, but not cost effective for the very rare occasions when we lose power for extended periods.

alawry Loc: Timaru New Zealand

I don't really see how a "battery powered generator" works. Isn't it just a battery? In a box with an inverter maybe but a battery doesn't generate energy it stores it.

rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines

You're absolutely correct! The terminology is seriously flawed - creating an erroneous impression (but not electricity; just changing how it is delivered)!!! If actually powered by solar panels, that's where the electric current is created - as DC - then either stored in a battery or directly converted to AC by the inverter. When the sun isn't shining, the battery then is used as the source of DC current to the inverter. A generator could be powered by a gas engine (usual), or a windmill - or a treadle - or hand crank, and supplying AC as desired. Just don't ask me to be the human power!

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I can understand the power company shutting down power to avoid fires, but there should be a better way. Wasn't a company sued for starting a fire with their wires?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

People think "generator" when they want something to keep appliances working when the power goes out. Would calling it a "Really Big Battery" be any better?

I've been shooting video for decades, and I still call it filming, as do most other people. I dial a number on my cell phone - the list goes on. Sometimes, technical accuracy can be confusing. When I was shooting with video tape, I wouldn't say I was going to magnetize a birthday party. As long as we all know what we're talking about, we're fine - until a better term comes along

Somewhat related - Remember when laptop computers got smaller, and they were called "notebooks"? For some reason, that name didn't stick, so we're back to "laptops."

GEL Loc: South Carolina

The battery powered device is really an inverter not a generator. Most of the cost goes for batteries. The wattage is max but for how long ? You need to determine your wattage draw, and number if hours you want it to supply power to determine the Kw Hrs needed. These are very popular on boats and Motorhomes

alawry Loc: Timaru New Zealand

So how about the term "battery backup power supply"? Yes I have to laugh at so many ......is the word "anachronism" the video is referred to as footage, in this country we officially went metric in the 70s but still talk about high mileage as regards a cars age, or fuel consumption in general, as kilometerage just doesn't sound right. (in fact I haven't even found a correct spelling for it!) Instead of miles-per-gallon, the universal term, we use km-per-litre or litres-per-100km I can mentally process all three but the per-100 is actually the most useful once you get used to it. My small car about 6, motorcycle about 4.2 my V6 truck about 13.
Not so long ago on our news they talked about the price of fuel "inching up" . However I'll stick to my guns, the item you are talking about is a battery, pure and simple. Doesn't make electricity, it stores it. End of.

Keep up the good fight.
Andrew.

BurghByrd Loc: Pittsburgh

I've seen them (battery power) used for portable power at an outing or work site but to your point gas powered generators seem more appropriate as backup for a power outage at home.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

I have a 7,000 watt Generac gas generator that only runs at full speed, is horribly noisy and runs through 5 gallons of gas per day (and I don't run it overnight during outages).

I had Revision Energy give me an estimate for solar panels and a Tesla storage battery. It came up to something like $30,000 to run my entire house (including baseboard electric heating) and the battery was good for a single "overnight backup."

For the most part, all I want is to keep my freezer and refrigerator running and maybe run my various electronics. I have a wood stove for heat and modest cooking, and an alternate water source to flush the toilet so I don't need much. I'm going to sell my Generic and buy one of those quiet little Honda governor-controlled generators that puts out about 1,500 watts. As an alternative, I might go with a vastly scaled down solar panel setup and smaller backup battery for just the things I really need.