See my backup power picks, the free Grid Down Simulator, the Wattage Calculator, and the Power Outage Checklist at griddownpower.com.
The short answer: The Grid Down Simulator is a free tool on griddownpower.com. You type in your street name (no house number), your ZIP code, your type of water (private well or city/county water), and the kind of area you live in (city, suburb, or rural). It then walks you through what a long power outage could look like for your area on Day 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 30, with tips for each stage. It’s not a prediction. It’s a practice run, so you can see your weak spots and fix them before the next big storm.
Why Did I Build a Grid Down Simulator?
I put up a simulator like this a few months ago on another website. A lot of you liked it. So many people used it that it went down, and I took it offline. Ever since, I keep getting the same question: “Hey Doc, where’s that simulator?”
So I built a bigger and better one, and it’s back up on griddownpower.com.
Here’s why I think it matters. Almost everyone has been through a power outage. You lose power for a day or two, and you figure it out. But most people have never lived through an outage that lasts more than about five days. A 7- or 10-day outage is a different animal. It really can be a life-changing event.
Once you’ve lived through one, or at least walked through it on paper, it’s a lot less scary. That’s what the simulator is for.
Why Should You Think About a Long Power Outage This Winter?
I’m not saying an EMP is about to go off. What I am watching is the weather.
We have a very strong El Niño this year. El Niño is when the ocean in the middle of the Pacific gets warmer than normal, and that shifts weather patterns here at home. As of November 12, 2026, NOAA (the government’s weather and climate agency) says a strong to very strong El Niño is likely to last through at least March 2027. Its winter outlook calls for wetter-than-normal weather across the South and up the East Coast.
More moisture in winter can mean more ice. And ice is hard on the power grid:
- Ice is heavy. It builds up on power lines and tree limbs until they snap.
- One tree can take out several lines at once, so outages spread over a wide area.
- Icy roads slow down repair crews.
- Some repairs have to be done one house at a time, when the line to each home is down.
That’s why ice storms often cause longer outages than you’d expect. In 2020, an early ice storm in Oklahoma knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of customers, and some people were still in the dark more than a week later. This January, a big winter storm left more than a million customers without power across several Southern states.
I don’t know if the bad ice will come at the end of December or in January. But I do think a lot of us are going to deal with some long, widespread outages this winter.
How Does the Grid Down Simulator Work?
It takes about a minute. Here’s how:
- Go to griddownpower.com/grid-down-simulator. You can also find it in the menu at griddownpower.com.
- Type your street name and ZIP code. Just the street, like “Main Street.” Don’t put your house number.
- Pick your water type: private well, or a local supply like city or county water.
- Pick your type of area: city, suburb, or rural.
- Click Generate.
The tool then walks you through Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Day 14, and Day 30, with tips for each stage.
Is my information saved? No. The tool doesn’t store what you type. We don’t want your information.
I spent about a week going over these scenarios every day. The early versions just weren’t realistic, and some of it sounded silly, so I kept redoing it until it made sense.
Why Does Your Water Source Matter So Much?
This is one of the biggest differences from house to house, and it’s why the simulator asks.
If you’re on a private well: Your well pump runs on electricity. When the power goes out, the pump stops. You might get a little water left in your pressure tank, and then that’s it. Health officials say to go easy on what’s left, because letting the system lose all its pressure can let germs get in. If your well loses pressure, get the water tested before you drink it again.
If you’re on city or county water: Your water may keep flowing for a while, because many water systems have backup power. But treatment plants and pumps need electricity too. In a long or widespread outage, you could lose pressure or get a “boil water” notice. Always follow what your water company tells you.
Either way, store water. Ready.gov says to store at least one gallon per person, per day, for several days. A family of four planning for a week needs at least 28 gallons, plus extra for pets.
What Changes Between Day 3, Day 7, and Day 30?
Every area is different, and that’s the point of the simulator. Some places lose water fast. Others lose heat, fuel, phone service, or grocery store access first. Here are a few things worth knowing as you walk through the days:
- Food in your fridge: The USDA says a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours.
- Food in your freezer: A full freezer holds for about 48 hours (about 24 hours if it’s half full), as long as you keep the door shut.
- Phones and internet: Cell towers have backup batteries and generators, but in a long outage those can run down.
- Gas: Most gas station pumps need electricity to work. In a widespread outage, fuel can get hard to find, so fill your cans before the storm.
- Heat: If your furnace needs power to run its fan, you’ll need a plan to keep it going, or another safe way to stay warm.
My honest take: I’m not planning for a 90-day nationwide blackout. That’s chaos, and nobody has enough guns and ammo to prepare for that. What I’m asking is simpler: Are you ready for the grid to go down across your area for 3 days, 5 days, or even 7 days? That’s the question the simulator helps you answer.
What Backup Power Setup Do I Recommend?
Here’s how I have mine set up:
- A power station that feeds the house. A power station is a big rechargeable battery with plugs. I use one that can put out a lot of power, around 7,000 watts.
- A small generator to recharge it. The generator plugs into the power station and keeps it charged, so you aren’t running a loud generator into your house 24/7.
No battery system yet? You can still get going. Plug a 30-amp cord into your generator’s RV plug and run it into the house. Then plug your fridge and other regular 120-volt things into that.
My recommendation right now:
- Get in line for a Pecron. These are selling out fast. Plan on at least 4 to 6 weeks before yours ships.
- Buy the generator now. I’ve been using the orange 3600-watt generator that’s on the website. A lot of you asked about dual-fuel models, so I also added the Westinghouse dual-fuel. It costs almost twice as much as the 3600, but it has remote start and push-button electric start, and it’s super quiet. That’s the one I bought for a family friend who’s a single mom, because push-button starting is easy.
- Get the 30-amp cable. That way you have power while you wait for your power station to arrive.
- Call an electrician now. To feed your house from a power station, you’ll need a whole-house generator plug installed. It can take a few weeks to get someone out. By the time that’s done, your power station should be here.
Not sure how big a setup you need? Use the Wattage Calculator to add up what you want to run.
How Do You Stay Safe Running a Generator?
Please don’t skip this part.
- Always run a generator outside, at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents. Never in the house, garage, or basement, even with the doors open. Generators make carbon monoxide (CO), a poison gas you can’t see or smell.
- Put a battery-powered CO alarm in your home, near where people sleep.
- Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. That can send power back out onto the lines and hurt a lineworker. Have an electrician install a proper inlet with a transfer switch or interlock (a safety device that keeps the grid and the generator from being connected at the same time).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Grid Down Simulator free?
Yes. It’s free to use on griddownpower.com. It costs me a little to run each time someone uses it, but go ahead and use it. That’s what it’s there for.
Does the simulator save my address?
No. You only enter a street name and ZIP code, not your house number, and the tool doesn’t store what you type.
Is the simulator a prediction of what will happen?
No. It’s an example scenario based on your area and your water type. It’s meant to help you think through a long outage, not to forecast one.
How long can a power outage last after an ice storm?
It depends on the damage. Many outages are fixed in a day or two, but big ice storms can leave some homes without power for a week or more, because so many lines and poles break at once and crews have trouble getting through.
How much water should I store for a power outage?
At least one gallon per person, per day, for several days, according to Ready.gov. If you’re on a well, plan on more, since your pump won’t work without power.
Can a small generator run my house?
A small inverter generator can run your fridge and other regular 120-volt items through a cord. For bigger needs, I pair a large power station with a small generator that recharges it. Use the Wattage Calculator to check your own needs.
The Bottom Line
Go try the Grid Down Simulator. Walk through each day for your own street and water setup. Then check the Power Outage Checklist and the Wattage Calculator, and decide what you need to handle before the next storm hits.
This is the kind of tool I wish I’d had before the last big outages. Watch the full video above to see how it works. I’ve got more videos on the way, including how to protect your home from AI-driven hacks, how to set up your Pecron, and how to winter-prep your garden.
If this helped, give the video a thumbs up. Talk to you later.
— Doc
Sources: NOAA Climate Prediction Center ENSO Discussion · NOAA U.S. Winter Outlook · Ready.gov: Water · FoodSafety.gov: Food Safety During a Power Outage · CDC: Protect Yourself During a Power Outage · Health Canada: Well Safety During Emergencies · Syracuse University: Why Ice Storms Are So Devastating to Power Grids · AccuWeather: Oklahoma Ice Storm Outages · ESFI: Portable Generator Safety
