Blackouts in Varadero, Cuba: what «backup power» really means

What «backup power» means

A house with backup has its own source of electricity for when the grid goes down. There are three possible situations.

• Battery with solar panels: it charges by day and delivers power silently.
• Generator: an engine that burns fuel and produces electricity as long as there is fuel.
• No backup: when the power goes, everything goes. That is fine, but you need to know before you arrive.

What an EcoFlow battery with solar panels is

EcoFlow is a brand of portable power stations: a large battery with an inverter that turns stored charge into regular outlet power. It charges from the grid when there is power and from solar panels during the day.

An example with the maker's figures: the DELTA 2 stores 1 kWh, delivers up to 1800 W and accepts up to 500 W of solar panels. According to EcoFlow, a 120 W refrigerator runs 7 to 14 hours on it, and an extra battery can be added. Each house has its own model, which is why you should ask which one.

What each appliance can run

Two units help here. The watt (W) is how much power an appliance draws at any moment. The kilowatt hour (kWh) is energy: 1 kWh equals 1000 W for one hour. A 1 kWh battery can give 1000 W for an hour, or 100 W for ten.

A refrigerator asks for little. A modern one uses 300 to 400 kWh a year, which is about 40 W on average, because the motor cycles on and off. A 12,000 BTU split air conditioner draws around 1000 W while cooling: Samsung lists 1020 W on a spec sheet, and Midea says 900 to 1200 W. On a 1 kWh battery, that air conditioner runs about one hour.

Electric hot water is another heavy load, so ask whether hot water runs on the backup or on another source. In short:

• Refrigerator, LED lights, fan, router and chargers: low draw, several hours on one battery.
• Air conditioning: high draw; running it all night takes a large battery or a generator.
• Electric hot water: high draw; confirm how it is handled.

Generator or batteries: the difference

A generator runs as long as it has fuel, but it is noisy, it smells and you need fuel on hand. A battery is silent and smoke free, but it runs out when empty and depends on the sun to refill. Many houses combine both.

What to ask before you book

These questions work for any house, ours or not:

• Does it have a generator, batteries, or both?
• How many hours does it last, and with which appliances on?
• Does the air conditioning run on the backup, or only the refrigerator and lights?
• And water: is there a tank or pump that depends on power?
• Can you send me a photo of the equipment?

How Stefan checks it

On every visit, Stefan asks whether the house has a generator or batteries and how many hours it lasts, and writes it on the house sheet. It is a fact from the visit, not from an ad. Stefan makes content about solar energy and EcoFlow, so he knows what to look at in the equipment. The full checklist is on the verification page.

Frequently asked questions