Keeping the Essentials On in an Outage — A Plain-English Guide
Last verified: September 2026
When the power's out, you don't need to run the whole house — just the handful of things that keep you safe, connected, and fed. Here's what to keep on with a solar generator, in what order, and how to make it last. Want a hand? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Keeping the Essentials On, at a Glance
When the lights go out, a solar generator is built to keep the essentials going — your phones and the internet, a light or two, a small medical device, and the refrigerator in turns — not the whole house. Because it's a battery and not an engine, it makes no exhaust and no carbon monoxide, so it runs safely indoors, right beside you — no going out in the storm, and quiet enough for the bedroom overnight. The trick is order: safety and medical first, then keeping food cold (doors closed, run in turns), then comfort. Let the sun refill it by day, keep a written must-run list with the unit, and remember it won't run a 240-volt well pump. There's a printable version up top.
Common Questions
1 What should I keep running first?
Safety and medical needs come first — a charged phone, a way to call for help, and any device your health depends on. After that, keep food cold, then comfort like a fan. Run the important things and skip anything that makes heat.
2 How long will my food stay safe?
With the doors kept closed, the USDA says a fridge holds food safely about 4 hours, a full freezer about 48 hours (about 24 if half full). Run the fridge in turns to stretch it, and when in doubt, throw it out.
3 Can I run it indoors, even overnight?
Yes — that's its best feature. It's a battery, not an engine, so there's no exhaust and no carbon monoxide. Give it a little air, keep it dry, and it's safe to run right beside you while you sleep.
4 What shouldn't I plug into it?
Anything that makes heat — a space heater, hair dryer, coffee maker, toaster, or microwave — gulps power and drains the battery fast. Save it for gentle, steady things like lights, phones, and the router.
5 Should I keep the internet box on?
Yes. The router and modem sip very little power but keep your Wi-Fi, phone calls over it, and any medical alert button working. They're one of the smartest things to keep powered.
6 Will it run my well pump?
No. A well pump is almost always 240-volt, beyond a portable solar generator. Store drinking water ahead of an outage and keep a gas generator for the pump; the solar unit handles the quiet indoor essentials.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Not sure what you'd need to keep on in an outage, or how to make a solar generator last through one? That's exactly what I'm here for. I'll help you build a must-run list, put it in the right order, and set things up so an outage feels calm instead of scary — with nothing to sell you. $99 flat for an in-home visit, $49 for remote help, 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).