The internet is an essential means of communication today. The ability to get and share local news, events, and emergency information is vital in our small rural community.
The ability to keep your Starlink dish and computers up and running during a power outage is essential. We all use Starlink for the internet and things like streaming videos, but most smartphones today have wifi calling allowing you to make calls even with no bars of your phone. Check if your phone supports wifi calling before you need it...
First we need to know how much power does a Starlink dish use? The new square antenna uses 50-65 watts normally and up to 100 watts if heating the dish because of snow, something we rarely need here in Dolan.
A small inverter can run your Starlink system, but it needs to be a pure sign wave inverter to prevent interference with your Starlink dish and computer equipment. Cost runs from $50 to $150 for 1500-watt inverter large enough to power your Starlink, computers and more.
Powering Your Inverter
You will need a 12 or 24 volt battery to run your inverter. A simple emergency system is to mount the inverter in your vehicle. This gives you emergency power on the road, add an extension cord and you can power your electronics in the house.
