The short answer
Prioritize the sump pump, well pump (if you have one), refrigeration and communications; keep a battery for the first hours and a generator or solar for the days; and expect fuel and service to be scarce across a wide area.
The loads
Sump pumps and well pumps are the motor loads that decide what equipment you need; both have starting surges well above their running watts. See the appliance pages for sump pumps and well pumps, which list every product in our catalog that can start them.
A two-layer plan
- First layer: a battery that can start the sump pump and run refrigeration for the first day.
- Second layer: a generator with a transfer switch or interlock (installed by a licensed electrician) or solar panels for recharging.
- Wide-area outages mean fuel runs short: store propane or gasoline safely and plan the quantity with the fuel calculator.
SafetyRun generators outdoors only, and keep them out of water after storms. Never backfeed the house.
Figures marked as Wattstanding calculations show their working; product figures come from the sources on each product page. How we work