Experts explain how to choose backup power for home appliances

LSM’s LTV programme 4th Studio reports that tens of thousands of households recently lost electricity during a storm, prompting people to buy generators and batteries. Experts say households should first decide which appliances must keep running and how long the outage could last.

Only then can they calculate the required capacity and choose between a battery, an uninterruptible power supply, or a generator.

“The bare minimum is a phone charger, refrigerator, minimal lighting and a television. We calculate 0.3 kilowatts for a refrigerator and up to 0.6 kW for a computer, depending on its capacity. We add up all this power to determine the minimum number of kilowatts actually needed,” said Kristīna Bērziņa, an associate professor at the RTU Faculty of Computer Science, Information Technology and Energy.

Households should add together the power ratings of all appliances they plan to use at the same time. The ratings are usually shown in watts or kilowatts on the appliance or in its technical documentation.

However, experts advise against choosing a generator that exactly matches the calculated total. A power reserve is also needed. For example, if an electric heater might also need to be switched on, the generator must have a higher capacity.

Fuel consumption depends on the generator’s capacity and is approximately one litre per hour. Fuel-powered generators must not be used inside apartments in multi-apartment buildings.

For a short outage lasting one to three hours, various solutions can power a computer network, internet equipment and phone charging. However, these devices are unlikely to keep a refrigerator running for an extended period.

For a prolonged outage in a multi-apartment building, a centralised solution must be arranged together with the building manager to provide backup electricity.