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Battery backup for power cuts

After the recent storm and power cuts, I'm thinking about future-proofing us.
We already have a gas cooker so that's good.
We've bought some small LED lights that are amazing and some candles as backups.
We managed to watch some downloaded shows and movies on my laptop and tablet but found that after a couple of days the battery was dead.
So I'm looking for advice on way to charge up laptops, tablets, mobiles etc in the event of a future power failure lasting over a few days.
I really don't know which way to turn.
Basically I want the most backup power for the most reasonable price.
Any help gratefully received.
Thank you. 

Comments

  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 15,214 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    A consumer UPS has a run time of maybe ten minutes. Good for a short blip but not really something where you've had a power cut lasting "a few days".
    The power bank is a better idea, although that particular one is only 100 watt-hours (one-tenth of a kilowatt-hour); it'll charge your laptop once or maybe twice, or it'll charge a modern smartphone five times.
    Something like this is around a quarter of a kilowatt-hour, which would charge a laptop three times or a phone twelve times:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/BLUETTI-Portable-EB3A-Recharge-Generator/dp/B0B6J718YX
    Or you can go bigger again, a full kilowatt-hour (4x more than the one immediately above, 10x more than the one you initially linked to):
    This tends to get discussed over on the "Green & Ethical" subforum along with bigger home storage batteries like the Tesla Powerwall. For example this thread:
    Or on the Energy forum, like this thread:
    Both of those were from 2022, when blackouts seemed more likely. The basic principles are still the same.
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Shell (now TT) BB / Lebara mobi. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 33MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Not exactly back from my break, but dipping in and out of the forum.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
  • drt1710
    drt1710 Posts: 40 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    QrizB said:
    A consumer UPS has a run time of maybe ten minutes. Good for a short blip but not really something where you've had a power cut lasting "a few days".
    The power bank is a better idea, although that particular one is only 100 watt-hours (one-tenth of a kilowatt-hour); it'll charge your laptop once or maybe twice, or it'll charge a modern smartphone five times.
    Something like this is around a quarter of a kilowatt-hour, which would charge a laptop three times or a phone twelve times:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/BLUETTI-Portable-EB3A-Recharge-Generator/dp/B0B6J718YX
    Or you can go bigger again, a full kilowatt-hour (4x more than the one immediately above, 10x more than the one you initially linked to):
    This tends to get discussed over on the "Green & Ethical" subforum along with bigger home storage batteries like the Tesla Powerwall. For example this thread:
    Or on the Energy forum, like this thread:
    Both of those were from 2022, when blackouts seemed more likely. The basic principles are still the same.
    Thank you so much.  
    Just the sort of info I was looking for.
    I did search the forum before posting, and did read several posts, but your reply is so helpful.
    I have had a conversation with support at the UPS online shop I linked to and they were recommending me several UPS upwards of £100-200 but never mentioned the runtime to me, even though I specified what I wanted them for.
    I know understand after your explanation the different sizes of powerbanks, I think lol.  I have looked at the ones you linked and read the other threads.
    I think a bit more research is called for over the next few days, then hope for some bargains in the sales after Christmas.
    Thank you again for your great reply 
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 15,214 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Glad you found it useful :)
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Shell (now TT) BB / Lebara mobi. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 33MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Not exactly back from my break, but dipping in and out of the forum.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
  • The last power cut we had was 7 years ago and it lasted for a couple of hours, middle of the day. One of the last things I'd be thinking about spending money on is a device(s) to help out during power cuts. But it's a funny old world and we are all different which is what makes life interesting
  • drt1710
    drt1710 Posts: 40 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    The last power cut we had was 7 years ago and it lasted for a couple of hours, middle of the day. One of the last things I'd be thinking about spending money on is a device(s) to help out during power cuts. But it's a funny old world and we are all different which is what makes life interesting
    I get your point and appreciate it.
    We had no power cuts for years where we live. However in the last 2 years, we've had 5, last year one lasted just under a week, and last week it lasted 4 days.  I'm disabled stay at home.  We all have different circumstances don't we?  Interesting indeed 
  • maisie_cat
    maisie_cat Posts: 2,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Academoney Grad
    We have a couple of Anker units, hubby uses for astrophotography and in the garden (we have an acre garden) it has a backup use that powers the fridge/freezer for a day or two. It has a solar panel that we use often and can be charged from the house power. We tend to keep them charged, and last week checked prior to the storm.
    When we bought them we had regular power cuts but since national grid replaced the field pylons and house cable we haven't had them.
  • Well after the advice here and elsewhere and lots of research, I decided to got with Jackery. 
    I waited patiently for a sale and was rewarded.
    I've just bought a Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 500, 518Wh half price from Jackery's Amazon shop, £556 down to £254!!!! 
    It's a compromise between price and performance for me.
    It has the option to add a 120w solar panel later if I feel the need.  I don't see the point of the 40w
    Thank you folks 
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 15,214 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    That's a good deal, well spotted!
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Shell (now TT) BB / Lebara mobi. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 33MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Not exactly back from my break, but dipping in and out of the forum.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
  • QrizB said:
    That's a good deal, well spotted!
    I do love a bargain, and your advice was invaluable, thank you again
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 48,657 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    If we had a power cut I’d think of sleeping in the (electric) car overnight. Charging points, Netflix and Spotify on a 15.4 inch screen. Heating controlled by camp mode.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRhZCQtVarA
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