Backup begins with a load list
“Back up the house” is not a design specification. A refrigerator, lighting, internet equipment and a few outlets have a very different power profile from air conditioning, water heating, pumps or electric cooking. Start by identifying what must run, what would be nice to run, and what can remain off during an outage.
Energy and power solve different backup problems
Battery kWh determines how long the stored energy may last. Battery and inverter kW determine how much load can be supported at one time. Both need margin for conversion losses, changing load, battery reserve, start-up surges and future use.
Four decisions that shape a backup system
- Critical-load panel or whole-home backup: separating essential circuits can reduce required battery and inverter size.
- Required autonomy: two hours of evening support and twenty-four hours through a long outage are different projects.
- Recharge strategy: solar array size matters more when outages are long enough that the battery must recharge without dependable grid power.
- Fallback: some systems integrate a generator for extended low-solar periods or unusually high loads.
Where solar generators fit
Portable power stations can be useful for smaller critical loads, apartments, travel or temporary backup. They are not automatically substitutes for a permanently installed home-storage system, especially when fixed wiring, high loads, automatic transfer or code-compliant whole-home integration is required.
Use the appliance load calculator to build an initial critical-load estimate, then the battery runtime calculator to test storage scenarios.
Primary sources and further reading
Melnti uses primary or institutional sources where they are available. Always confirm current rules, tariffs and equipment documentation before purchasing.