NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Once the immediate danger of a hurricane passes, extended power outages can become one of the biggest hardships for families waiting on the grid to come back.
After the howling wind, buzzing chainsaws and cleanup begins, the hum of a generator is often one of the most common sounds in the days after a powerful storm.
Generators can be a lifeline, but they also come with challenges, including fuel costs, maintenance, fumes and placement restrictions.
Some homeowners are turning to other options.
Brian Daube added battery power to the solar panels already installed on his home.
“I feel like I’m doing something better for the environment,” Daube said. “You don’t have to worry about the cost of running a generator while it’s running. You don’t have to change the oil. And it just seemed like a very sleek type of simple setup.”
Daube said the battery allows him to use the power generated by his solar panels during an outage.
“The battery makes it so that you can actually use the power that comes from your solar panels,” Daube said. “Otherwise, it just sort of goes back to the grid and offsets your bill. But this way, I can actually use the power.”
A full solar and battery setup has become less expensive in recent years and does not require gasoline.
Portable power banks offer another option. Smaller models can charge phones, while larger systems can power appliances or even parts of a home.
“For what we deal with most of the time, it’s 48 hours, 36 hours, and I think this stuff is perfect for it,” Skaer said.
Skaer said battery equipment can now do more than many people may expect.
“The stuff that we can do with the battery equipment now, we can run fans, we can run a refrigerator,” Skaer said.
Homeowners can check the power needs on each item they want to run to determine how large of a battery they need and how long a charge may last.
“It’s standalone,” Skaer said. “So there’s no fumes, there’s no worry about is it going to start? Is the cord going to break? Is the oil bad? Just plug it in and you’ve got instant power.”
The batteries can be charged ahead of time. Once they run down, some can be recharged with larger solar panels, plugged into a gas generator or taken to another location with power. Many can also charge while in use.
Smaller wattage batteries can cost about $100, while larger systems can cost several thousand dollars.
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