Power Grid Fails

12 Things You Need to Prepare for if the Grid is Down

#1 Lighting

Make sure you can see when the power grid fails! Could you find your way out in pitch black with elevators not working at home or work or when traveling? The power will probably fail when you don’t expect it.

Even a small flashlight can make a huge difference. Consider a flashlight for each bedroom, each bathroom and in your kitchen, garage, in each vehicle and one near your electrical panel.

Stocking spare flashlights is a great plan, especially if you have kids who lose them. Consider a flashlight for your key ring, your pocket and/or purse and one at work. Also, consider rechargeable batteries for those flashlights.

Candles or oil hurricane lamps are other possible lighting source, but keep in mind they create a fire risk and fresh air may be a problem if you are in a tightly sealed building. One advantage of candles and lamps is that they do provide heat, which is useful for cold climates.

A crank powered flashlight is great for kids and serve a double function as a flashlight and backup charger for emergencies. Plus you can get them relatively inexpensively.
Best inexpensive flashlight – We recommend a 5 pack of AA Kootek XPE-Q5 LED flashlight with adjustable focus zoom for more info on this flashlight see the “Best Cheap Flashlight” post.
Best mid-priced 1000+ lumen flashlight – 18650 LED Flashlight Thrunite TN12
Multi-function crank flashlight/radio/USB phone charger
Kaito Voyager Flashlight with AM/FM NOAA /2 band shortwave Radio, Cell Phone Solar / Crank USB Charger
iRonsnow Dynamo Emergency Solar or Hand Crank FM Radio with LED Flashlight with USB charger
Good small work flood light (has a magnet so it can stick to car while changing a tire) the NEBO COB flashlight is a great option, it uses 3x AAA batteries.
Solar Camp Light – Camping Lantern (with USB charger)
Crank Camp Light – Camping Lantern (with USB charger)


#2 Batteries

Flashlights are great, but when is the last time you checked them? Get batteries – a lot of rechargeable batteries.

Do you have long life batteries? You can get low self discharge rechargeable AA batteries. Also there are batteries with a long storage life. The Duracell pack has a 10 year shelf life and a new Energizer pack has a 20 year shelf life.

If possible, standardize your flashlights and other battery gear on AA, AAA and/or 18650. Even though there are long shelf life batteries, we recommend rechargeable batteries and a good charger.

Rechargeable batteries cost a bit more up front but can save you a lot of money over the years. They batteries protect you in an extended power outage because you can recharge them. You would eventually run out of single use batteries.

There are crank and solar battery chargers, also your car can charge batteries while you travel using a 12 volt adapter.
Our favorite Panasonic AA and AAA Eneloop Pro
Tenergy AA and AAA batteries are good and less expensive than the Panasonic
Nekteck 21watt Solar Panel charger for USB devices
XTAR VC4L USB battery charger

#3 Water

Keep a couple cases of water bottles around for emergency power outages. Rotate your water storage. Even water will go stale after extended storage. We have a 55 gal drinking potable water drum with a pump and consider a roller base for emergencies, especially if you do not have an alternate water source.  READ MORE...