The problem
PG and E, SDGE and California Edison have all been forced to shut off power when high winds, high temperatures and dryness combine in late fall for high wildfire risk. Even though they are scheduled ahead of time, many people worry about running fans and losing the food in their refrigerator.
Also referred to as PSPS, a public safety power shutoff is implemented to keep communities safe in response to severe climates and weather changes. Your safety is your government’s first concern, but with the power shutoff comes a myriad of disadvantages.
However, with a solar backup kit from Sunboxlabs, your business, your household, and your leisure activities do not have to suffer next time there is a PSPS.
What is a Public Safety Power Shutoff?
Before we can combat its effects, we need to understand in exactly what a public safety power shutoff is. As mentioned, it’s a drastic safety measure that can have detrimental side effects. These effects include the malfunction of household appliances, spoilage of food, and rendering companies and factories inoperational. Luckily, PSPS’s are not sudden, which gives you time to prepare. It starts when severe weather is forecasted, which is usually a week ahead of time. Even with extreme weather, there could still be a chance that PSPS is unnecessary. You will receive PSPS Outage Watch notifications a day or two prior to the shutoff if it will happen. Relevant sectors will notify you of the starting and restoration times, but the PSPS may also only affect certain areas. A few hours before the actual shutoff, you will receive the confirmation of the details. The biggest reason why public safety power shutoffs are necessary is to prevent wildfires. As you know, wildfires in certain states are becoming increasingly rampant, especially in the previous two years. When the weather conditions pass, PG&E or other relevant sectors will perform inspections to restore all households’ power as quickly as possible.
How to live without grid power and avoid the food in your fridge spoiling
So what if you’re one of the unlucky ones affected by the power shutoff? What will happen to your fully-stocked fridge? If the power shutoff was due to blizzards and snowstorms, you might think that leaving your food outside in sub-zero temperatures is a good idea.
While we understand that logic, you failed to account for the hungry animals through the bleak winter months that will more than likely go through the buffet you have laid out.
If you are in a likely area for power shutoffs, always make sure you have non-perishables stocked up just in case. Canned foods are also a great idea, which is why they are still used in underground bunkers.
One tip we do have is to keep a can opener handy. If you don’t have the pullback and open type of cans, you will have a whole lot of inaccessible canned food in your time of need without a means to eat it. You don’t need an electric can opener, just a handy handheld design will do.
What about the existing food in your fridge? How should people salvage their groceries before they spoil? Having an outdoor grill or barbecue grill is your saving grace. It doesn’t matter if it’s propane or charcoal powered; you can fire it up to cook your thawing foods.
Many people forget to stock up on tools and items needed for the barbecue, such as charcoal and gas, so don’t make that mistake.
Last but definitely not least is owning a backup generator, which we’ll get into in the next part.
How to avoid the food in your fridge spoiling
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You can put your groceries in a camping cooler with ice for a few hours.
- Works great for a few hours to 1 day. If the shutoff is a few days though, this can become a hassle and you risk spoiling your food.
- Need to move everything from the fridge to the cooler.
- Requires Ice:
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Get a traditional (gas-powered) generator.
- Costs around $300-$1000. This however comes with many downsides:
- only be used outside (important! Every year people die from using them inside – the carbon monoxide they release will poison humans indoors).
- Are noisy
- Are often way over-powered for what you’re trying to run
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Get a solar generator
- Costs around $300-1000 with our kits.
- Can run off-grid for many days.
- No noise
- No fumes
- No gas required.
- No ice required.
If you don’t already own a backup generator: Sunboxlabs’s kits can help
A backup generator is your saving grace during a power outage or a power shutoff. It keeps things running and avoids all the adverse effects of not having power.
A backup generator is usually installed outside of the house, but there are also portable options. Sunboxlabs offers three different sizes: Standard, medium, and large, that can be used almost anywhere. The standard can power the lights in residence for up to 38 hours and the large option can manage a whopping 187 hours!
The larger the size, the more it can power. For example, our standard option will not be able to handle an air conditioner, coffee maker, camping plate (500W) or fridge (200W), but our large size can.
Why choose us over traditional backup generators? You can only use conventional backup generators outside. This inconvenience doesn’t do you any favors if you need to power your vehicles off-grid.
Perhaps one of the most unfavorable traits of a traditional backup generator is the noise. They are noisy pieces of equipment that we at Sunboxlabs have surpassed. Our backup generators are virtually noiseless and won’t disrupt your day to day activities.
One more apparent con of a traditional backup generator is that they are often way over-powered for what you’re trying to run. Ideally, you want a backup generator that can take on all your essential appliances to allow some semblance of everyday living when the power goes out.
Fortunately, Sunboxlabs’ solar backup generator kits will afford you the luxury of power during PSPS’s and run undetected without any noise.
If you do own a backup generator from us, you will know what we’re referring to. However, if you don’t own one yet, give Sunboxlabs a try to avoid all the unnecessary hiccups.
Let’s take a more in-depth look at our backup solar generators and what they can do.
Small Solar Kit with Lithium Batteries
First, we have the 300W small version, which is excellent for small residences, apartments, and vehicles. It can run Wi-Fi, laptops, and phones for essential communication. Our small backup solar generator can also power parts of your home and offer you power off-grid.
The small backup solar generator can run anything up to 300W. Items it can support include:
- 8W light bulbs for 3-6 hours
- Your phone for 38 charges
- Wi-Fi
- Laptop
- Camera
- Fan
- Drone
- LCD TV and more
You will get one flex solar panel, two cables, and the battery with your purchase. That is everything you need to get set up and running in no time at all.
For the technologically challenged who are on the fence, don’t worry, we’re here to help! We offer free shipping and a 1-on-1 installation session via Zoom to guide you along.
If you happen to have a coupon code, you can also add it at checkout for an additional discount!
See the kit here
Medium Solar Kit with Lithium Batteries
Our 500W medium models can run Wi-Fi, laptops, and phones, plus an LED TV and a mini-fridge. They come with all the same accessories as the small versions, but they feature an extra eight zip ties to help you install the panel.
Don’t worry if you need help installing it. Our 1-on-1 zoom call setup session is also available for our medium models. The generators also work anywhere, indoors and out, and can run anything up to 500W.
Some of the items around the house our medium solar power generator can power include:
- 8W lights up to 63 hours
- Phone up to 70 charges
- Camera
- Wi-Fi
- Laptop
- Fan
- Drone
- LCD TV
- Mini fridge (100W)
- Hot plate (500W)
Our medium generator is the perfect choice for individuals who have appliances running at a higher power output or need to power more items. Free shipping also applies to our medium option, and discount codes can offer more savings.
See the kit here
Large Solar Kit with Lithium Batteries
Our most considerable option can run everything above, plus a family fridge to prevent the groceries from spoiling! The large size offers the ability to power any appliance up to 1000W. You get all that’s included with the smaller sizes plus two snap connectors.
Even our larger size is still portable and great for off-grid living, powering vehicles and homes, and for spending time in the outdoors. The large size can support anything from small 8W light bulbs to a full fridge of 200W, a 5000 BTU air conditioner, and an 800W coffee maker.
Our large option can power everything you would need to live comfortably without grid power.
See the kit here
How Sunboxlabs’s Solar Backup Kits work
To get our devices to work , you would need to take the solar panel included in your purchase and place it anywhere with direct sunlight. The solar panel will do all the rest and collect energy from the sun that charges your backup battery all day while still providing you with power.
For those who are wondering what happens when the sun sets, you have nothing to worry about. The battery will continue to provide power because it’s been storing it as backup all day.
Our solar backup generators are easy to install without the need for an electrician, permits, or even a screwdriver! They are compatible with any residence, whether it is a house or an apartment.
You won’t have to worry about any PSPS’s in the future, and our designs are portable. Why rely on the city when you can create your own energy? We have the same reliable lithium battery type you see in Tesla cars, and the best part is the running cost – there is none!
Your purchase is also protected by our money-back guarantee if there are any issues before shipment. We also offer a 1-year limited warranty that pertains to manufacturer defects, and we accept returns for up to 30 days.