How to provide an apartment with electricity in winter and not be afraid of fan outages: recommendations

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Energy engineer Sviatoslav Pavlyuk advised Ukrainians to buy charging stations or other, alternative energy carriers in advance, and told how to use them correctly.

In case of fan shutdowns in winter, Pavlyuk recommends using a generator, if living conditions allow (it is forbidden to use a generator in high-rise apartments, — ed.). The generator consumes 1-1.5 liters of gasoline per hour, so its work will not be cheap. This affects the cost of electricity, which will cost the consumer UAH 25 and above, the expert assured.

Svyatoslav Pavlyuk also advised another option — battery packs or charging stations. You can choose systems based on lithium batteries, which are able to accumulate electricity from the network and quickly. AGM batteries, acid batteries can also be used, but it is worth remembering that they charge for a long time – about 10 hours, while lithium analogues charge in 2-2.5 hours, the expert noted. But at the same time, lithium systems need to be handled carefully, they can overheat, which leads to a fire, and should not be used in an apartment. It is also worth observing safety techniques when using acid batteries, which can emit harmful substances during operation. It is not recommended to keep them in an apartment or in a house. There is another option — a car battery. However, its charge level should be carefully monitored: it should not be discharged to 0%.

Certified charging stations of well-known manufacturers can be installed in the apartment for the winter, they undergo safety testing. Self-made charging stations do not have safety guarantees, although they are cheaper than factory ones, Pavlyuk emphasized.

“Any energy system that was not included in the architectural project from the very beginning carries risks. If residents install generators, energy accumulators, and gas cylinders on their own, they should be aware of the risk of overheating, fire, explosion, and carbon monoxide poisoning,” the energy expert warned.