If you live in Texas and worried about power outages, but don’t have cash to throw down on a home back up power generator or expensive solar batteries, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to break down my Top 5 home back-up power options for under $4,000.
Texas Residents
If you are a Texas resident, and are worried about your monthly budget that is being stressed or broken by high energy rates, but don’t have the cash to make any major energy efficiency investments in your home, don’t worry we have you covered I talk with several customers that are concerned about the Texas grid and being stuck without power for days or even weeks.
The big freeze in February 2021 was a wakeup call for Texans who are now calling me not only to discuss their solar options, but also their back up power options.
Standby Generators and Solar Batteries
While standby generators and solar batteries are great options to provide back power during an outage, these add-ons can be expensive, even with the federal tax credit.
Most customers are not necessarily looking for their entire home to have back up power, especially given the cost of large generators and solar batteries, but are looking to just be able to back up their refrigerators so their food doesn’t spoil, or their computers and internet because they work from home, or their TVs, lights, and game devices so they can have entertainment.
5 Home Power Back-up Options
- Portable generator with electric panel interlock system
- Small gas, propane portable generators.
- Low cost from local hardware store.
- $1,500 to install the interlock switch.
- Under $2,000 get up to an 18kW portable dual-fuel portable generator.
- Small portable power bank for laptop and small devices
- Under $500 get a small 150wH power bank to run your computer, laptop or router
- Larger portable power bank for larger appliances
- EcoFlow Direct Pro comes with solar charging option.
- Under $4,000 you can buy multiple batteries and link them together for maximum amp output and kWh capacity.
- Enphase IQ8 IQ Controller “Sunlight” back up
- Smaller equipment
- Pool pump or electric fence opener
- Rechargeable 12v battery bank with outdoor solar charging (Amazon has these for between $500 – $1,000 depending on size and configuration (easy to install DIY)
Helpful Back-up Power resources
Links mentioned in this article:
#1 Portable generators https://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors-… https://interlockkit.com/
#2 Small portable batteries (rechargeable) https://www.amazon.com/s?k=portable+b…
#3 Large portable batteries (rechargeable) https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ecoflow&sp…
#4 Enphase Sunlight back up https://enphase.com/installers/system…
#5 Rechargeable 12v batteries with solar hook-up https://www.amazon.com/s?k=12v+rechar… https://www.amazon.com/s?k=solar+batt…
Please let us know if you have any additional questions about back-up power. Thank you and God bless!