Blackout power failure » Precautionary emergency equipment in the event of a crisis
What to do if the power goes out?
Published: 22.09.2022 | Reading Time: 6 minutes
This text is machine translated.
When there is a power cut, the simplest things stop working: computers, telephones and other means of communication go on strike, the lights no longer come on and the heating stays cold. This has unpleasant consequences for those affected. This makes it all the more important to be prepared with the right equipment. This means you have alternatives at your disposal and remain capable of acting if the power outage is not short-lived.
In our guide, you can find out what emergency equipment you should have at home for such situations. These tips will help you mitigate the effects of a power cut on you and your surroundings.
Crisis preparedness in the event of a power outage is aimed at situations in which the power supply fails for an extended period of time. A prolonged power outage can occur, for example, regionally due to a technical defect at the energy supplier or line damage. This means that there is no electricity in your entire area. Storms, accidents, human error or sabotage can also lead to a serious electricity disaster. Or there can be a blackout, the power super-GAU, in which the power supply fails in large parts of the country.
A blackout affects large parts of the electrical grid infrastructure: high-voltage lines, substations, energy supply companies and the lines to commercial and private consumers. It can take days before electrical power is available again. This makes it all the more important to prepare for a possible complete failure.
A serious power failure occurs without warning. In emergency situations, it can take days for the power to return. As you cannot know how long the power will be off, it is best to assume a disaster situation when protecting yourself. Be prepared to manage without outside help for several days.
Power outage preparedness involves two areas: technical preventive measures and personal preparedness.
Personal power outage preparedness primarily includes drinking water and a supply of food, including baby food, for several days. You will need warm clothing and blankets to replace the heating for a while. Keep cash on hand, as ATMs and card readers will also stop working in the event of a power cut. Personal blackout prevention also includes
✓ Sanitary articles
✓ A well-stocked medicine cabinet
✓ A first aid kit
✓ Medicines for patients on long-term medication
✓ Matchsticks and lighters
Tip:
Authorities such as the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance or the Lower Austrian Civil Protection Association recommend an emergency supply for 14 days.
Technical blackout precautions cushion the effects for the individual. After all, you and your family don't want to be left completely in the cold or dark at home. The following checklist shows which technical measures are best suited for prevention.
With an emergency generator and a solar power system as emergency equipment, you can produce your own electricity.
Emergency generator
An emergency power generator as a mobile power generator provides you with a power supply that is independent of the power grid. Generators use a combustion engine and, depending on the model, petrol, diesel or gas as the energy source.
Hybrid models that run on petrol or diesel and gas are practical for emergency situations. They are designed for outdoor use. Rule of thumb: Simple models bridge short power shortages, for an emergency power supply in the event of a longer power cut you need a powerful device with the appropriate power. This can provide you with relief for a few hours a day over a longer period of time.
Caution: Emergency generators produce toxic carbon monoxide. They may only be used outdoors (outdoor area)!
Tip: A specialist can connect a sufficiently large emergency power generator to the domestic power circuit via an emergency power changeover switch. The generator supplies the electrical appliances in the house with the required power.
Photovoltaics
With a photovoltaic system or solar power system (PV system), you can generate your own electricity from sunlight. In addition to systems for installation on the roof, there are also plug-in solar devices for the home, garden or garage - the balcony power plants. Both feed electricity directly into the power grid.
Photovoltaic systems switch off automatically as standard if the public power grid fails. The protective circuit is designed to prevent electricity from private households being fed into the public grid during maintenance work, thereby putting it under voltage. Photovoltaic systems that continue to supply the household even if the public grid fails have an emergency or backup power function.
Backup power
Backup power means that the photovoltaic system is equipped with a battery as a power storage unit. If there is no more electricity from outside, the system automatically switches the electrical consumers in the house to the photovoltaic system's power storage unit.
Emergency power
Emergency power refers to PV systems that provide electricity in emergencies via a separate connection. This means that not all appliances in the household are supplied, but only those on the emergency power connection.
Powerstation - the alternative to a fully-fledged PV system
If you want to generate solar power, you don't necessarily need a fully-fledged photovoltaic system. A good alternative is to charge a power station with a solar panel. Powerstations are portable power stations for on the go.
The mobile power suppliers are similar to power banks, but are significantly larger, more powerful and heavier. They are equipped with a rechargeable battery and a voltage converter in the form of an inverter. It converts the battery power into 230-volt alternating current for standard household appliances.
A battery management system controls the electronics and coordinates the flow of electricity to the individual sockets and connections. To charge, connect the power station to a 230-volt socket, a 12-volt vehicle socket or a solar module.
If the power goes out, lighting, household appliances and heaters with a 230 V connection will no longer work. In an emergency, flashlights, camping and outdoor lamps and other rechargeable or battery-operated light sources ensure that you can find your way after dark. Unlike flashlights, candles, tea lights and fuel lamps pose a high risk of fire. You should therefore give preference to economical electric light sources instead of LED lamps. LEDs have a long burn time. Stock up on batteries and charged rechargeable batteries. Use a solar charger to recharge batteries away from the mains.
Tip: Candle(s) and matches also belong in the survival kit as an indestructible backup in the event of a disaster.
Warmth is important in the cold months. A tiled stove or wood-burning stove is a natural, crisis-proof and electricity-free way to heat living spaces. You need a sufficiently large supply of fuel, usually firewood and wood briquettes.
You can use an emergency generator to generate heat with fan heaters or mobile radiators. The generator only needs to provide sufficient power for the connected heating appliance. You can find suitable fan heaters, oil radiators, heaters and fan heaters here.
A mobile gas heater, gas heater or kerosene heater from the camping sector can be used to heat open areas without electricity to a certain extent.
Gas cylinders, gas cartridges or kerosene can be used as an energy source, which you should stock up on accordingly. Caution is advised in the vicinity of highly flammable objects. In our guide to gas radiant heaters, you can read interesting tips about the electricity-free gas heaters.
Caution: Mobile gas and kerosene heaters are intended for outdoor use only. Ensure adequate ventilation for your safety. The heaters must not be used indoors due to the risk of carbon monoxide, even in the event of a power failure!
Tip: Find out about the possibility of operating your heating system using emergency power. Wood and pellet heating systems, for example, can be operated autonomously.
Smaller hot meals can be prepared on a charcoal or gas barbecue, a camping stove or an outdoor fire pit. Stock up on fuel for the cooking area of your choice, usually gas cylinders, gas cartridges, barbecue charcoal, barbecue briquettes or firewood.
If a complete power failure does not occur immediately, the mobile network can still work for some time. In this case, use a power bank with USB ports for your cell phone or smartphone to ensure that you can remain reachable for as long as possible.
Televisions and the internet only work with electricity, so battery-powered radios are the only permanent way to stay informed in the event of a power cut. Stock up on spare batteries or rechargeable batteries in the right format. The alternative is a solar-powered battery charger. A crank radio with power generation based on the dynamo principle does not need any batteries at all.