Best first action
Open Backup SizingUse one concrete input before reading every guide. It makes the rest of the page easier to interpret.What you will learn
How much backup capacity your home needs, what loads to keep off the battery, and when a portable unit is not enough.
Common questions
- How long will a battery run my refrigerator and Wi-Fi?
- Can a battery run central air conditioning?
- Do I need a critical-load panel?
Related calculators
Tools for this hub
Articles
Initial content in this topic
How to Size Backup Power for a Real Home
Start with the appliances you actually need during an outage, then translate that list into battery capacity and inverter size.
2 min readHow Long Can a Home Battery Run Your Essentials?
A practical 2026 guide to usable kWh, reserve margin, surge watts, and why a refrigerator-plus-Wi-Fi plan is different from whole-home backup.
3 min readPortable Power Station vs Installed Home Battery
Portable units are flexible and fast to buy. Installed batteries are cleaner for circuits, automation, solar charging, and longer outages.
2 min readWhat Is a Critical-Load Panel?
A critical-load panel keeps backup power focused on the circuits that matter most instead of trying to run the entire home.
1 min readRelated topic paths
Decisions that often connect to this one
Home charging decisions
EV Charging
Guides for Level 1 vs Level 2 charging, panel upgrades, charger rebates, electrician costs, and solar-connected charging.
Post-credit solar economics
Solar 2026
Practical solar payback, financing, roof fit, state incentives, and what changes after federal tax credit shifts.
Blackout readiness
Power Outages
Decision guides for storms, wildfire shutoffs, medical devices, refrigerators, home offices, and extended outages.