Keep a little
light in reserve.

Start by working out what you actually need to keep running for 24 hours. Do not start by buying the biggest battery you can afford. Make a short “critical loads” list: phones, torches, radio, internet router if useful, and any essential medical equipment. Then calculate energy using: watts × hours = watt-hours (Wh).

Example: a 5W lantern used for 5 hours = 25Wh; a 5W radio for 4 hours = 20Wh; two phone recharges at roughly 15Wh each = about 30Wh. That simple setup needs roughly 75Wh before allowing for charging losses.

A power bank can cover small USB devices. If you need to run mains appliances, refrigeration or medical equipment, move up to a power station sized from the actual load. Build from essentials outward.

A power bank is mainly for small electronics such as phones, USB lights, tablets and some laptops. A portable power station is a much larger battery with AC mains sockets as well as USB and often 12V outputs, so it can run a wider range of equipment.

As a rough guide, common power banks might hold around 40–100Wh of energy, while portable power stations range from a few hundred watt-hours to several kilowatt-hours. The numbers vary enormously by model.

The decision is simple: if your priority is keeping phones and small lights alive, start with power banks. If you want to run a fridge, CPAP machine, router, larger lighting setup or other mains-powered equipment, calculate the watt-hours required and choose a power station with enough battery capacity and enough output power.

Use the device’s wattage and expected runtime. Multiply watts by hours to get watt-hours, then add a margin for conversion losses and reserve capacity.

Example: if a device draws 40W and you need it for 10 hours, the basic requirement is 400Wh. Add around 20% for losses and a sensible reserve and you are already near 480Wh, so a 500Wh unit would be the absolute lower edge rather than a generous solution.

Also check output power, not just battery capacity. A 1,000Wh power station that can only deliver 500W continuously cannot run a 1,000W appliance. For motors and compressors, check surge/start-up output too. Size to the loads you actually intend to run, and avoid using emergency battery capacity on high-draw luxuries.

Possibly — but check the numbers rather than assuming. The easiest planning method is to use the fridge’s annual energy figure from its energy label. Divide annual kWh by 365 to estimate an average day.

Example: a fridge using 180kWh per year averages about 0.49kWh, or 490Wh, per day. Allowing for inverter losses and reserve capacity, you might budget roughly 575–600Wh per day. A 1,000Wh power station could therefore be in the region of a day and a half for that fridge alone, but real performance will vary with room temperature, how often the door is opened and the fridge’s start-up surge.

Check that the power station’s continuous and surge output can handle the compressor. If refrigeration is critical for medicine, plan with extra margin and test the exact setup in advance.

Yes — solar can be useful in the UK, but treat it as a way to extend stored power rather than a promise of unlimited electricity. Panel output changes dramatically with cloud, season, shading, panel angle and daylight length.

Use the panel rating only as a theoretical ceiling. For example, a 200W panel receiving the equivalent of three strong full-sun hours could theoretically produce about 600Wh before system losses. In poor winter weather, actual output may be a small fraction of that.

For resilience, size your battery so it can cover your essential loads without assuming perfect solar conditions. Then use solar to replenish it whenever conditions allow. Position panels away from shade, keep them clean and confirm that their voltage/current range is compatible with your power station or charge controller.

Do not use candles as your primary blackout lighting. The UK Government’s Prepare guidance specifically notes that torches are safer than candles. LED torches, head torches and lanterns give better light, last longer and remove the risk of an unattended flame.

A good household setup is simple: one head torch per adult, at least one lantern for the main occupied room, and a small torch kept somewhere immediately accessible such as beside the bed or near the exit.

If you choose to keep candles as a last-resort backup, use stable holders on heat-resistant surfaces, keep them well away from curtains, children and pets, and never leave them burning unattended or while people are asleep. Battery lighting should do almost all of the work.

Because each type solves a different problem. A head torch keeps both hands free for repairs, first aid or moving around in the dark. A lantern lights a room. A handheld torch throws light further and is useful outdoors or for checking a fuse box.

For a typical household, a practical starting point is one head torch per adult, one lantern for the main room, and one spare torch positioned near an exit or utility cupboard. That gives you useful redundancy without filling a drawer with gadgets.

Also spread the equipment around the house. If every torch is stored in the garage and the power fails at night, you first have to reach the garage in the dark. Keep at least one light where you sleep and one where you spend most of your time.

Use both. Rechargeable batteries are ideal for equipment you use and test regularly; disposable batteries provide a valuable reserve if you cannot recharge anything.

Base the reserve on the device’s real runtime. If a torch runs for 8 hours on one set of batteries and you expect to use it for 4 hours each night during a three-day outage, you need 12 hours of light — so two complete battery sets gives you a sensible minimum.

Keep spare cells in their original packaging, dry and at normal room temperature, and check expiry dates periodically. For rechargeable devices, test them every few months and keep the correct charging cables with the equipment. Redundancy is the goal: no single battery type, cable or charging method should be able to take out your entire lighting plan.