Start with outcomes, not appliances
Describe what must continue: keeping food cold, charging communications, operating a medical device you depend on, maintaining heat or preserving security. Then map those outcomes to specific appliances and circuits.
Separate life-safety and health needs from convenience. This prioritization helps an electrician design a smaller backup zone and helps you compare systems with a realistic energy budget.
Record four numbers per load
For each appliance, record continuous watts, startup surge if known, expected runtime and whether it is plug-in or hardwired. Add a note for seasonal use and whether a person must be present to turn it on.
Use an energy monitor or manufacturer data for cycling appliances. Do not infer daily energy from a single moment when a refrigerator or heat pump happens to be running.
Test the plan against several outages
Model a short evening outage, a one-day event and a multi-day event with poor solar conditions. Check whether the same circuits and recharge sources still meet the plan. Add margin for battery age, temperature and unavailable capacity.
Review the worksheet with an installer before selecting equipment. It is easier to change a backup design than to discover after purchase that an important hardwired load was omitted.
Evidence note
This worksheet supports planning and does not replace a qualified electrical assessment.
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