A prepper hoping to collect drinking water from the air during power outages received a warning from fellow Redditors: The machine could drain valuable backup electricity while producing less water than expected.

Here's what to know

In r/preppers, the homeowner asked about pairing a portable battery with a tri-fuel inverter generator, along with an atmospheric water generator to extract water. They said they wanted separate systems to provide redundancy and had limited space for drinking-water storage.

"If you have any criticism of this plan, I would love to be informed of issues I may not even know I don't know!" they said. And Redditors were quick to chime in with their learned wisdom. 

"On atmospheric water generators, I'd be cautious," one advised. "Their output depends heavily on humidity and temperature, so in dry or cold weather they produce much less than the box says. They also use a lot of electricity per gallon, which is exactly what you're short on in an outage. They make more sense as a bonus than as your main plan."

Another zeroed in on boosting backup energy capacity, writing, "If you expand batteries, expand your solar as well." 

For everyday energy costs, going solar is one of the best ways to save money, and solar leases can deliver hundreds of dollars in monthly savings without upfront costs. Homeowners can use EasyHome's free explorer tool to see potential savings from vetted installers in their area.

More background

Any purchase of additional batteries should be informed by desired backup runtime, along with appliances' electrical demands. 

One person said they keep about 132 gallons (500 liters) of propane that their tri-fuel generator can pull from in an emergency. "Are you on a well? If so check the voltage," they added. 

Seasonal changes are another factor to consider with a solar-battery setup. Another Reddit user explained that the sun's position had left their panels shaded by trees for part of the year.

"If you have a period where solar panel production isn't cutting it, use the generator to charge the battery," they recommended. 

What can be done? 

If you're considering home energy upgrades, EasyHome can help you explore both solar and backup battery storage options. Pairing solar with a battery allows homeowners to maximize savings and power their home with solar when the grid goes down, adding outage protection to the everyday financial benefits.

As for the drinking water, commenters pointed to filtration and purification.

"Are there any ponds, lakes or reservoirs around? How about neighbors with swimming pools? There's your deep water storage," one person suggested. "When you've identified those, look at the distance and transportation logistics of hauling that water. Educate yourself on water filtration and purification and buy what you need to do that, with redundant backups." 

Someone else recommended a 100-gallon bladder that fits in existing tub space.

"Water is life," a commenter concluded. 

Where can I learn more?

Water safety and power use both matter in emergency situations. 

• A desert prepper considered collecting water from condensation, but commenters recommended gravity filters instead.

• A dehumidifier owner questioned pouring collected water away, prompting a discussion about reuse.

• A Redditor collected 66 gallons of condensate in three days, prompting a Legionella warning.

• A prepper planning a budget backup-power box realized a key component was missing.

• In Maryland, an outage left 1.9 million conserving water, underscoring calls for three-day supplies.

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