Battery Backup vs. Generator: How to Choose | Get the Facts
Imagine a situation where you live in an area with extreme weather, which may cause regular power outages. That is where you would be looking for the right power backup solution for your home. With options such as battery backup and home generators being available, which one among them would you prefer? Who wins in the race of Battery Backup vs. Generator? Let us try finding out.
What Is a Home Battery Backup System?
Home battery backup systems are the backup devices that would store energy and help you power your devices in the case of an outage. The battery backups generally run on electricity and offer the power when needed.
The battery backup systems, as the name itself should indicate, do not generate electricity on their own. They store the energy and then deliver it when needed. The battery backup system is generally used for uninterrupted power to critical devices or systems, such as data centers, hospitals, and emergency services.
How Does It Work?
The way a battery backup system works would largely be based on the type of battery backup that you have opted for. In most cases, the battery backup system consists of a battery, an inverter, and a charge controller. The battery would store the energy from the mains supply, and the inverter converts the stored energy into AC current, which is what your appliances and devices need. The charge controller undertakes the task of regulating the electricity between the inverter and the battery.
The steps involved in the working of a battery backup system can be explained through the following:
- The mains power or the power grid provides power to the battery in the battery backup system.
- The battery gets charged.
- The battery backup system consists of a mechanism to check the mains system outage.
- When the power goes out, the battery backup switches to the battery power.
- The battery backup system provides electricity to your appliances.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Battery backup system provides instant power during outages, which ensures that the critical devices do not run out of power.
- They do not require much maintenance.
- They do not emit any harmful gases.
- They run very quietly.
- They are highly efficient and provide reliable power.
Cons
- The time for which they provide backup depends on the battery’s capacity. They can provide power only for a limited time period.
- They come with a high initial cost.
- The batteries need to be replaced as they come with a limited lifespan.
What Is a Home Generator?
The Home Generator system makes use of the generator system for supplying power in cases of outages. The generators are deployed in cases where you need a continuous power supply. The standby generators are connected to your home electrical system and kick in as soon as your power supply goes off.
Home generators generally work with fuel, and they need to generate electricity. The primary fuels used in a generator would include natural gas, liquid propane, or diesel. There are generators that make use of solar energy as well for generating the electrical supply.
How Does It Work?
The generators normally work on the principle of internal combustion. Most the generators use internal combustion engines that are powered by the burning of fuel. The construction and exact working of the home generator would depend on the fuel type used.
The primary steps involved in the working of a generator would include:
- The internal combustion engine is started.
- The engine turns the shaft of the generator.
- The shaft of the generator spins a coil of wire in a magnetic field.
- This process generates electricity.
- The electricity thus generated is routed through your electrical system.
You can have an automatic generator that switches itself on as soon as the power supply goes off or the manual ones that need to be started manually.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- They generate the electricity rather than storing it.
- They can provide a high-power output.
- They can provide power output for prolonged hours.
- They tend to be extremely reliable.
- Cost-effective options.
Cons
- Come with a high maintenance cost.
- Can be quite noisy – even when the new age generators have reduced the sound to a better extent.
- They can produce emissions.
Battery Backup vs. Generator: Which One to Choose?
The choice between a battery backup and a generator can be quite tough as both of them have their own plus and minus points. It will finally boil down to your requirements and the budget you have.
The battery backup systems do not need any fuel and thus end up being safer for the environment. You do not need to purchase fossil fuels regularly. But they do not provide you with a continuous power supply. Since they depend on the power stored in the battery, you will end up getting a backup for a shorter period of time.
In cases where you are facing frequent power outages, we would recommend using a generator. That is because you can supply fossil fuels even when the outage lasts several hours. If you vary on fossil fuels and want to take care of your environment, we would recommend generators based on renewable energy sources such as Anker SOLIX F2000 Solar Generator, which tends to offer a long-lasting solar power-powered electricity supply.
The Anker SOLIX F2000 Solar Generator is built to last for a decade, thanks to its InfiniPower™ technology combined with LiFePO4 batteries, ultra-durable electronic components, a smart temperature control system that monitors temperature up to 100 times per second, and an impact-resistant structural design.
In terms of power output, the Anker PowerHouse 767 offers 2400W to power up to 12 devices. It features an exclusive RV port, 4 AC ports with a wattage of up to 2400W, 3 USB-C charging ports, 2 USB-A ports, and 2 car outlets, making it a comprehensive solution for powering multiple devices at once.
The Closing Thoughts
Ultimately, deciding whether to install a battery backup or a generator comes down to your individual needs and wants. A battery backup system can provide reliable power for smaller, simple appliances during short blackouts but is not enough for larger homes with more electricity-dependent devices. Generators are well-suited for big power outages but often require manual refill and refueling. On the whole, there is no “right” answer as both battery backups and generators come with their own advantages and disadvantages — it all depends on your specific situation. Do your research, assess your needs and then make the choice that best fits you and your loved ones!
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Is battery backup better than a generator?
It depends on the situation. Battery backups are more reliable for smaller, simple appliances and shorter power outages, while generators can provide a continuous power source for larger homes with energy-dependent devices.
Are Battery Backups a Valuable Investment?
The battery backup should definitely be the best in terms of investment. Depending on the exact power requirements of your home, you can choose the right battery backup solution that would meet your needs.
When the power goes out, you can sit in the dark or invest in something that'll keep the lights on.
It used to be your only option was the fuel-powered standby generators (also known as whole house generators) that dominated the market for backup power supply. But a quieter, fume-free option alternative has firmly established itself in the market: home battery backups. While home generators can run as long as long as you have fuel to feed them, batteries come without the carbon monoxide risk, noise or (as much of) the fuel costs. Solar panels can keep your battery topped up but come with their own price tag.
Both batteries and generators provide the same basic service but are considerably different devices. We'll help you sort through the pros and cons of each and brief you on the unique abilities of each technology. Here's what you need to know to decide between the two.
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Battery backups
Home battery backup systems, like the Tesla Powerwall or the LGES 10H and 16H Prime, store energy, which you can use to power your house during an outage. Battery backups run on electricity, either from your home solar system or the electrical grid. As a result, they're much better for the environment than fuel-powered generators. They also might be better for your wallet.
Separately, if you have a time-of-use utility plan, you can use a battery backup system to save money on your electricity bill. Instead of paying high electricity rates during peak usage hours, you can use energy from your battery backup to power your home. In off-peak hours, you can use your electricity as normal -- but at a cheaper rate.
If you have solar panels, you'll be able to store any excess electricity generated by your solar panels. This stored electricity can be used to power your home during the nighttime and periods of panel inefficiency.
Virtual power plants, where you give up a bit of control over your battery's charge to your utility or another third party, are increasingly available. By giving up some access to the energy stored in your battery, you can earn a bit of money.
Generators
On the other hand, standby generators connect to your home's electrical panel and kick on automatically when the power goes out. Generators run on fuel to keep your electricity on during an outage -- typically natural gas, liquid propane or diesel. Other generators have a "dual fuel" feature, meaning that they can run on either natural gas or liquid propane.
Certain natural gas and propane generators can connect to your home's gas line or propane tank, so there's no need to refill them manually. Diesel generators, however, will need to be topped up in order to keep running.
Battery backup vs. generator: How do they compare?
They perform the same basic job but come with different costs, maintenance requirements and performance.
Pricing
In terms of cost, battery backups are the pricier option upfront. But generators need fuel to run, which means that you'll spend more over time to maintain a steady fuel supply.
With battery backups, you'll need to pay for the backup battery system upfront, as well as installation costs (each of which are in the thousands). Exact pricing will vary based on which battery model you choose and how many of them you need to power your home. However, it's common for an average-size home battery backup system to run between $10,000 and $20,000.
For generators, the upfront costs are slightly lower. On average, the price of purchasing and installing a standby generator can range from $7,000 to $15,000. However, remember that generators require fuel to run, which will increase your operating expenses. The specific costs will depend on a few factors, including the size of your generator, which type of fuel it uses and the amount of fuel used to run it.
Installation
Battery backups earn a slight edge in this category since they can be mounted to the wall or floor, whereas generator installations require a bit of additional work. Regardless, you'll need to hire a professional for either type of installation, both of which will require a full day of work and may cost several thousand dollars.
Aside from setting up the device itself, installing a generator also requires pouring a concrete slab, connecting the generator to a dedicated fuel source and installing a transfer switch.
Maintenance
Battery backups are the clear winner in this category. They're quiet, run independently, don't produce any emissions and don't require any ongoing maintenance.
On the other hand, generators can be quite noisy and disruptive when they're in use. They also emit exhaust or fumes, depending on which type of fuel they use to run -- which may irritate you or your neighbors.
Keeping your home powered
As far as how long they can keep your home powered, standby generators easily outperform battery backups. As long as you have enough fuel, generators can run continuously for up to three weeks at a time (if necessary).
That's simply not the case with battery backups. Let's use the Tesla Powerwall as an example. It has 13.5 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity, which can provide power for a few hours on its own. You can get extra power out of them if they're part of a solar panel system or if you use multiple batteries in a single system.
Expected lifespan and warranty
In most cases, battery backups come with longer warranties than standby generators. However, these warranties are measured in different ways.
Over time, battery backup systems lose the ability to hold a charge, much like phones and laptops. For that reason, battery backups include an end-of-warranty capacity rating, which measures how effective a battery will hold a charge by the end of its warranty period. In Tesla's case, the company guarantees that the Powerwall battery should retain 70% of its capacity by the end of its 10-year warranty.
Some backup battery manufacturers also offer a "throughput" warranty. This is the number of cycles, hours or energy output (known as "throughput") that a company guarantees on its battery.
With standby generators, it's easier to estimate lifespan. Good-quality generators can run for 3,000 hours, as long as they're well maintained. Therefore, if you run your generator for 150 hours per year, it should last about 20 years.
Which battery backup is right for you?
Across most categories, battery backup systems come out on top. In short, they're better for the environment, easier to install and cheaper to run long-term. Plus, they have longer warranties than standby generators.
With that said, traditional generators can be a good option in some cases. Unlike battery backups, you only need a single generator to restore power in an outage, which brings down the upfront costs. Plus, standby generators can last longer than battery backup systems in a single session. As a result, they'll be a safer bet if the power is out for days at a time.
How long does a solar battery last?
Many solar batteries are warrantied for 10 or even 15 years. Batteries lose some of their capacity over the course of their lifetime. Tesla Powerwalls, for example, are guaranteed to have at least 70% of their capacity at the end of their 10 year warranty.
How long can a home battery backup your home?
This depends entirely on how much you're trying to power during an outage. A Tesla Powerwall has a capacity of 13.5 kilowatt-hours. If you want to keep the lights on and you have one 100-watt lightbulbs, you could theoretically keep it burning for 135 hours. If you want to add a refrigerator that requires 500 watts, it would reduce your run time to 22.5 hours. If you want to have a power-outage movie marathon on your 500-watt tv, your charge would last for a bit over 12 hours. When a backup battery is installed, you might be able to designate critical loads and send battery power only to those circuits during a blackout.
If your battery is connected to solar panels, it'll recharge throughout the day, extending its useful charge, sometimes over days.