The sad news of the tornado that killed 30 people in Joplin, Missouri reminded me of how subject we are to the elements. It prompted me to go out first thing this morning and check my solar backup generators, array, water pump, and secure everything on my property in case the winds came here.
Many people, including myself at times, take our way of life for granted. It’s situations like this that make me realize how small we really are. This isn’t the first tornado that has claimed lives this year. We have had this, other winds, the flooding in New Orleans and plenty of other reminders of Mother Nature’s might.
The town is going to be without power for a while. It’s always the same after a devastating situation. The power companies work hard to restore it, but there is often a huge amount of damage to the grid. While we still get out power from overheads, this will always be the same.
So now would be a good time to invest in solar backup generators. I’m not evangelizing, I want people to be prepared to survive these kinds of situations in the best way possible. If you have a family, being without electricity can be a serious problem. Sure, if you’ve lost your home, you have much more to worry about, but if you’re on the periphery, but power is out, it’s a pain.
That’s where solar backup generators come in. Having one in the garage or back yard for when you need it is an ideal safety net for when nature decides to remind us who’s boss. It’s noiseless, maintenance-free, and will work as long as there is daylight.
It won’t provide all the power you need, but it will be perfectly capable of running the necessities long enough for the grid to be restored. They do cost money, but the effect they will have in situations like the tornado in Joplin is worth more than they could possibly cost.
Solar backup generators have all the benefits of their gasoline or diesel powered counterparts, but without the downsides. They don’t make noise, they don’t need fuelling, they don’t need as much maintenance and they don’t stink for fumes while they are running.
The only maintenance they need is keeping the panels clean, and to be regularly drained and charged to keep everything in working order. While solar backup generators are a great idea, they don’t solve all the problems. Even the most recent models cannot produce enough power to keep an entire house going as if it were on the grid.
You would have to be sensible with power use while it was working, but it could keep freezers, refrigerators and lights working while power was out. It isn’t ideal to use a disaster to make a point, but in this case I think the point it too important to ignore. Solar backup generators make sense, so if you live somewhere that gets hit by tornadoes, get one.
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