Don't Spend the Next PSPS in the Dark
When PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E shuts off power, it can stay off for up to a week. Your fridge keeps food safe for about 4 hours. A Tesla Powerwall 3 switches on automatically and keeps your lights, AC, Wi-Fi, and medical devices running.
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What's the best whole-home battery backup for California wildfire power shutoffs?
For most California homeowners, the best whole-home backup for PSPS shutoffs is a Tesla Powerwall 3 paired with solar. It switches on in an instant when the grid drops, runs central AC and essential circuits, and recharges from your panels every day, so it can carry your home through a multi-day shutoff. With our prepaid lease, Powerwall 3 is 30% off, with extra savings available for homes in qualifying energy community zones.
If you rent or only need to cover a fridge, lights, and Wi-Fi, a portable station like the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra or BLUETTI can bridge a short outage with no installation.
Powerwall vs EcoFlow vs BLUETTI: Which One Keeps Your Home Running?
A portable station can save the food in your fridge for a day or two. A Powerwall 3 with solar keeps your whole home running, AC included, for as long as the shutoff lasts. Here's how the three options compare for a California PSPS shutoff, and how to keep your internet on while the grid is down.
During a shutoff, the cable and fiber equipment in your neighborhood loses power too, and cell towers can run out of backup power. That means no news, no PSPS updates, no working from home, and no way to reach family. Starlink runs on satellites, not neighborhood lines, so as long as your battery powers the dish, you stay online.
- Keeps you connected through PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E shutoffs, with no dependence on local cable or cell service
- Runs on any backup in this guide: Powerwall, EcoFlow, or BLUETTI
- The standard dish draws about 75–100W, roughly a laptop plus a few LED bulbs
- Coverage across California, including rural and foothill areas where cable never reached
Set it up before fire season
| Feature | Powerwall 3 | EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra | BLUETTI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 30% off with prepaid lease | ~$1,349 (sale) | $499–$1,444 |
| Whole-home coverage | ✓ Yes | △ Essentials | ✗ Essentials only |
| Runs central AC | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Lasts a multi-day PSPS | ✓ Yes, with solar recharging daily | △ About 1–2 days of essentials | △ About ½–2 days, by model |
| Recharges from solar | ✓ Automatic, rooftop | △ Portable panels, manual | △ Portable panels, manual |
| Keeps Starlink online | ✓ For the whole shutoff | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Battery rebates | ✓ PG&E / SMUD if eligible | ✗ Over PG&E's portable size cap | △ SCE on select models |
| Lowers your monthly bill | ✓ Time-of-use rate shifting | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| No installation needed | ✗ Professional install | ✓ Plug and go | ✓ Plug and go |
| Good for renters | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Portable runtimes assume a typical essentials load (refrigerator, LED lights, Wi-Fi, phone charging) and vary with appliance size and use. PG&E's portable battery rebate caps capacity at 1,000 Wh, so the DELTA 3 Ultra and the BLUETTI models above don't qualify there. See PG&E portable rebate options. Prices are retailer list or sale prices and change frequently.
Which Backup Power System Is Right for Your Situation?
Picture the next shutoff notice landing on your phone. What do you need to keep running, and for how long? The right system comes down to four things: whether you have solar, whether you own or rent, how long outages run where you live, and how much of the home you need powered. Find your situation below.
Here's what surprises most solar owners: your panels shut off when the grid does. It's a required safety rule to protect utility line workers, so without a battery you're in the dark with a roof full of panels. A Powerwall 3 can be added to your existing system so your solar keeps running and recharges the battery every day of a shutoff. PSPS weather is usually dry and clear, which tends to be good solar weather.
You have two paths. A standalone Powerwall 3 charges from the grid and covers your essentials for roughly 12–24 hours on a full charge. It has a built-in solar inverter, so you can add panels later and get multi-day coverage. If you just need the fridge and Wi-Fi through a shorter outage, a portable EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra covers about 1–2 days of essentials with no installation.
A BLUETTI portable station is the right tier: no installation, nothing for your landlord to approve, and it moves with you. Models run $499 to $1,444. The entry-level Elite 100 V2 (1,024 Wh) keeps a fridge, lights, Wi-Fi, and phones going for roughly 15–20 hours. Pair it with Starlink so you're not cut off from news and family.
If you're in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 High Fire-Threat District, you're first in line for shutoffs, and some have stretched to nearly a week. A portable station will be empty by day two. Powerwall plus rooftop solar is the only option here that recharges itself, keeping you powered through a multi-day shutoff with no fuel runs. Homes in these areas may also qualify for PG&E's battery rebate.
Our free calculator estimates your backup runtime, how many batteries your home needs, and your price with 30% off on our prepaid lease. Homes in qualifying energy community zones can save even more.
California Home Backup Power: Your Questions Answered
Straight answers to what California homeowners ask most before the next shutoff.
What is a PSPS outage, and how long does it last in California?
A Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is when PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E deliberately cuts power during high-wind, low-humidity weather to keep power lines from starting a wildfire. An analysis of utility-reported data found the average shutoff lasted about 41 hours, and the longest ran nearly 7 days. Homes in High Fire-Threat District zones, including the Sierra foothills and San Diego backcountry, can face several shutoffs in a single fire season.
What's the best whole-home battery backup for California wildfire shutoffs?
For most homeowners, it's a Tesla Powerwall 3 paired with rooftop solar. It switches on instantly when the grid drops, runs central AC and essential circuits, and recharges from your panels every day, so it can carry your home through a multi-day shutoff without fuel. With our prepaid lease, Powerwall 3 is 30% off, with extra savings for homes in qualifying energy community zones. See your Powerwall price.
Powerwall vs EcoFlow: which is better for power outages?
They solve different problems. A Powerwall 3 is permanently installed, stores 13.5 kWh, runs your whole home including central AC, and recharges from rooftop solar automatically. An EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra is a portable 3,072 Wh station that plugs in with no installation and covers essentials like a fridge, lights, and Wi-Fi for about 1–2 days. If you own your home and want to ride out a multi-day shutoff, Powerwall is the stronger choice. If you rent or only need short-outage coverage, EcoFlow is the simpler buy. The same comparison applies to BLUETTI portable stations.
Can a Tesla Powerwall run my whole house during an outage?
Yes. A single Powerwall 3 delivers 11.5 kW of continuous power, enough to run a refrigerator, lights, Wi-Fi, outlets, and in most homes the central AC. Without solar, one fully charged Powerwall typically covers essential loads for about 12 to 24 hours. With rooftop solar, it recharges every day, so it can keep going for the length of a multi-day shutoff. Larger homes or heavy loads often use two Powerwalls. Our free Powerwall calculator sizes your system based on your utility and home.
How does the 30% off prepaid lease for Powerwall work?
With our prepaid lease, you pay a discounted amount for your Powerwall (and solar, if you're adding it), 30% below the regular price. You can pay it in cash or finance it with a loan. The leasing company owns the system for the first 6 years and handles insurance, monitoring, and maintenance. At the 6-year mark, ownership transfers to you at no additional cost, and the manufacturer and workmanship warranties transfer with it. Because it's structured as a paid-off purchase, it can also qualify for PG&E's battery rebate if you're eligible.
What is an energy community zone, and does my home qualify?
Some California addresses fall inside designated energy community zones, and Powerwall systems installed there can qualify for an extra discount on top of the 30% prepaid lease savings. Eligibility is based on your exact address, so the only way to know is to check it. Send us your address and we'll tell you whether your home qualifies before you commit to anything.
Are there rebates for home backup batteries in California?
Yes, depending on your utility. PG&E offers a permanent battery storage rebate for eligible customers in outage-prone and high fire-risk areas. SMUD pays $300 per kWh of battery storage, up to $6,000 per household. For portable stations, PG&E has a portable battery rebate for qualifying units between 290 and 1,000 Wh, and SCE offers a $200 portable power station rebate for customers on PSPS-impacted circuits. Program funds and rules change, so confirm eligibility before you buy.
Does my solar system work during a power outage?
No. A standard grid-tied solar system shuts off automatically when the grid goes down. It's a required safety feature that protects utility workers repairing the lines. To use your solar during an outage, you need a battery like the Powerwall 3, which disconnects your home from the grid and keeps your panels working. Without a battery, your panels produce no usable power during a PSPS, even on a perfectly sunny day.
Can I get a Powerwall without solar panels?
Yes. A Powerwall 3 can be installed on its own. It charges from the grid and switches on automatically when the power goes out. Without solar, it can't recharge during a shutoff, so you get one full charge, roughly 12 to 24 hours of essentials depending on your load. Powerwall 3 has a built-in solar inverter, so adding panels later is simple. Use our Powerwall calculator to compare both setups.
What's the best portable power station for California wildfire season?
For a portable option, the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra is one of the strongest choices: 3,072 Wh of capacity, 3,600W of continuous output, under-10ms automatic switchover, and solar charging. For a smaller budget, the BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 (1,024 Wh) covers a fridge, lights, and Wi-Fi for roughly 15–20 hours. Neither runs central AC or recharges itself automatically like a Powerwall with solar, so they work best for renters, short outages, or as a second layer of backup. Compare BLUETTI models.
Does Starlink work during a PSPS or wildfire outage?
Yes, as long as the dish has power. Starlink connects through satellites instead of neighborhood cable lines or cell towers, so it can stay online when local internet goes down with the grid. The standard dish draws about 75–100 watts, which a Powerwall handles easily and a portable station can run for many hours. If staying in touch with family, work, and shutoff updates matters to you, set up Starlink and test it on battery power before fire season.
What's the best backup power for San Francisco and Bay Area homes?
For Bay Area homeowners, a Powerwall 3 is the best whole-home option. It needs only a small wall space in a garage or side yard, runs silently, and doesn't involve fuel storage, which matters on tight urban lots. Hillside and East Bay neighborhoods near high fire-threat areas see more PSPS shutoffs than the city's flat core, where outages are more likely from storms or equipment failures. Condo owners and renters who can't install a battery can use a portable station like the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra for essentials.
10 years and 400+ installs across PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, and SMUD territories. We review every bill personally before recommending anything. No call centers, no junior reps. Get 30% off Powerwall 3 with our prepaid lease, plus extra savings if your home is in an energy community zone.
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