Load Planning Made Simple — Where to Start with Backup Power
Last verified: September 2026
The calm, no-math-degree way to size backup power: four simple moves, plus the two questions that decide everything — how much power at once, and how long it needs to last. Rather talk it through? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Load Planning, at a Glance
Sizing backup power sounds like a math problem, but it's really a list problem with four calm moves: list what must stay on, add up the running watts, add the single biggest surge, and add a comfortable margin. Then there's a second question most folks miss — not just how much power at once, but how long it has to last. This guide maps the whole journey and points you to the deeper guides for each step, with a printable page-by-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 Where do I even start with sizing backup power?
Start with a list, not a number. Write down what truly must stay on during an outage. Everything else — the running watts, the surge, the margin — follows from that list. Our must-run-list guide walks through building it.
2 What are the four moves?
One: list what must stay on. Two: add up the running (steady) watts. Three: add the single biggest starting surge — just the largest motor's jolt. Four: add a comfortable margin so nothing runs at the edge. Each move has its own deep-dive guide.
3 What's the difference between 'how much' and 'how long'?
Two different questions. Watts measure how much power you can draw at once — that has to clear your running total plus the biggest surge. Watt-hours or fuel decide how long it lasts. A unit can have plenty of one and too little of the other, so size for both.
4 Do I need to know exact wattage numbers to begin?
Not to begin. You need your own appliances' numbers, and those come from their nameplates — the little labels — not from an ad or a guess. Our nameplate guide shows where to find them; photograph each one before you shop.
5 Should I try to back up my whole house?
Usually not, and you may not need to. Most folks are well served by backing up a few essentials. Whole-home coverage is a much bigger, pricier ask. Our essentials-vs-whole-home guide helps you pick a scope before you size anything.
6 This still feels like a lot — can you just help?
Absolutely. That's what I do. Bring me your list and your nameplate photos and we'll walk the four moves together at your pace, with nothing to sell you. A first visit is a flat $99, and some of it I can help with right on your screen.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Backup power has a lot of moving parts, and you don't have to sort them out alone. I'll help you build your must-run list, read your nameplates, and land on a number you can trust — with nothing to sell you. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).