Preparing for Power Outage • GTRE

Preparing for
Potential Power Outage

Being prepared for bad weather where the power might go out will make all the difference.

Day(s) Before a Storm

Do high-energy usage chores like laundry and washing dishes in dishwasher
Charge up an EV
Prepare some premade meals
Make sure you have supplies to run alternative heat sources like a wood stove or gas fireplace
Make sure your generator has fuel

Turn off and don’t use any unnecessary energy-using items. This includes things that are in “sleep mode”. These actions will save any energy you have in battery backup for essential needs if the power goes off.
- TVs
- Computers
- Microwaves
- Electric Stoves
- Lights
- Washer/Dryer
- Dishwashers
- EV Charger
While the grid is up, make sure Weather Guard is on or manually set your battery to 100%.
If you have family or friends staying with you, please make sure they understand that your system is to only run critical loads. Depending on the size of your system, it may not supply power to your whole house. It is time to conserve energy and charge up in any battery backup you have.

Be “energy frugal”. During your installation, we identified the most important functions in your home. These are Critical Loads i.e. fridge, freezer, a couple of outlets, etc. To ensure those continue to run, here are some tips.
If you have an outlet that runs a Critical Load item (such as a computer), don’t plug in another device such as a hair dryer or space heater to run that appliance. The system was designed to run a lower energy-consuming device and this will deplete your battery faster.
If an appliance, a light, or outlet, etc. doesn’t have power, try these steps:
1. Check to see if that outlet or appliance is on battery back-up or the critical loads. You can check the small panel that we installed near your main breaker panel to see what is backed-up.
2. Check the breaker panels and see if any of the breakers are tripped.
3. Check the outlet to see if the GFCI tripped.
4. Check monitoring to see how much of the battery reserves you have left.
Look at your monitoring app to see how much energy you are using. See what you can turn off to save battery power. You can also log in to the inverter to compare with the readings you show on the app. The data on the app may not be accurate if cellular connection is down or intermittent.
Look for alternative ways to do things such as making coffee. Use instant coffee or a french press.
Do not use space heaters. Use a heating pad or bundle up.