Suburban home — 900 W critical for 18 h × 2 days, no solar
900 × 18 = 16.2 kWh/day × 2 ÷ (0.90 × 0.90) ≈ 20 kWh battery → roughly 1.5× Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh each).
Home battery backup calculator
How big a battery do I need for a power outage?
Add up critical loads (fridge, well pump, internet, a few lights), pick how many hours per day you need them, set a target number of backup days, and the calculator returns the battery bank size and how much solar recharge offsets the draw each day.
Home backup calculator
Outage coverage planner
Estimated coverageSolar positive
Daily load16.2 kWh
Daily solar20.7 kWh
Usable battery10.9 kWh
Target coverage161%
How the math works
How the math works
- Daily critical kWh = Critical watts × Hours per day ÷ 1000.
- Required battery kWh = Daily kWh × Backup days ÷ (Battery DoD × Inverter efficiency).
- Solar recharge per day = Solar kW × Peak sun hours × Performance factor (default 0.82, matching 18% system loss).
- Net daily draw = Daily kWh − Solar recharge. If negative the system is solar-positive and only needs enough storage for the worst-case overnight.
Worked examples
Worked examples
Same loads, 5.6 kW solar at 4.5 PSH
Solar recharge ≈ 5.6 × 4.5 × 0.82 = 20.7 kWh/day. Net daily draw is negative; one Powerwall (13.5 kWh usable) covers overnight comfortably.
Off-grid cabin essentials — 450 W for 12 h × 3 days
450 × 12 = 5.4 kWh/day × 3 ÷ (0.9 × 0.9) ≈ 20 kWh LiFePO4 stack, ideally paired with 3 kW PV.
Home battery backup FAQ
Home battery backup FAQ
How do I figure out my critical loads?
Walk the breaker panel and identify must-have circuits: refrigerator (150 W avg), well pump (1000–2000 W intermittent), furnace blower (500 W), internet (40 W), a few LED lights (50 W). Sum the steady-state watts.
Do I need a transfer switch?
Yes for whole-home backup. Tesla Powerwall, Enphase IQ, and Franklin aPower ship with smart load centers. DIY stacks need a manual or automatic transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
Can solar alone keep me powered?
Only with batteries. Grid-tied solar without batteries shuts down during outages to protect line workers. AC-coupled batteries or hybrid inverters are required for daytime backup.
How many Powerwalls do I need?
For partial backup (essentials + fridge) most homes use 1 Powerwall (13.5 kWh). Whole-home with AC and EV charging usually needs 2–3 stacked. Use the calculator to confirm.
What's a realistic discharge depth?
LiFePO4 systems (Powerwall 3, Enphase IQ, Franklin) cycle to 100% safely. The 90% default in the calculator reserves headroom for cold-weather de-rating and end-of-life capacity loss.
Backup Power Calculators
Battery & Generator Backup Calculators
Battery runtime calculator
Enter your battery capacity in watt-hours, the running load, idle standby draw, usable depth-of-discharge, and inverter efficiency to estimate practical runtime for a Jackery, EcoFlow, Bluetti, APC UPS, or any custom 12 / 24 / 48 V bank.
Open calculatorGenerator sizing calculator
List your running watts and the largest motor (well pump, AC compressor, fridge), apply LRA-based starting surge, and add a safety factor for fuel headroom and altitude derating.
Open calculator