All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
This post isn't likely to help the 1.2 million people currently without power on the East Coast (meaning currently without Internet access), but maybe it can help some of you plan for a future power outage. Here in Atlanta, we've already had a couple of power surges just in the past few weeks -- I've heard through the grapevine (and a reliable source) that there's some tinkering going on with the Southeastern power grid. True or not, it's got me thinking about what I can do to prepare my home and family should we be without power for any extended period of time. (As a matter of fact, as I write this a nasty thunderstorm is crossing Atlanta right now, the day before July 4th.)
Right now, the power panel for my home is in the basement workshop. The very dark, no-windows workshop. When we lose power, I inevitably have to go hunting for a flashlight just to find my way through my... let's say unorganized... workshop. Well, I've had enough of that. I've installed the Mr. Beams Home Power Outage Lighting System 3, with a Ceiling Light in my basement workshop and a Stair Light in the upstairs hallway -- where its light will affect the largest area.
It's a patent-pending system that works just as described: When your power goes out for any reason, instantly light up your home. As soon as the power goes out, the Power Outage Detector lights-up and sends a radio signal activating all Mr. Beams wireless LED lights throughout your home.
And it works great. I tested the system by first plugging in the Power Outage Detector in an unused outlet on the first level. It comes with a rechargeable battery that you install, and it also functions as a remote control. The emergency lights are designed to run for 30 minutes before turning off. A simple press of a button on its face immediately turns on all emergency lighting again. Oh, and the remote control also serves as a flashlight with a very bright LED on its front.
The other devices work just as you'd imagine. Install the batteries, mount the lights (you can use screws or an adhesive sticker on the stair light but the overhead is a bit too heavy and requires screws) where desired, and wait until the power goes out. When the Detector is triggered by a power outage (or my pulling it out of the wall to test), the lights immediately turn on -- Woo hoo! Plugging the Detector back in also turned off the emergency lighting.
You can't really tell from the low lighting photo here, but the Ceiling Light (which I haven't mounted yet in the picture) has a super-bright LED that really lit up the workshop, more than enough to find my way down the staircase from the spillover light and through the various obstacles. You can see the breaker panel on the back rear wall.
You can buy the components individually but the Whole House Kit is an amazing deal, with almost $300 worth of equipment (3 Ceiling Lights, 3 Stair Lights, 1 Detector) for $85.00. If you've been thinking about installing some emergency lighting in your home, this is probably one of the easiest ways to do it. I'd suggest changing the batteries out in each device whenever you change out your smoke detector batteries and you'll always have lighting when the power goes out. I'll be outfitting my home very soon with the Whole House Kit. I'm that impressed with both how it works and the bundle price.
Mr. Beams Wireless Power Outage Ceiling Light - $35.00
Mr. Beams Wireless Power Outage Stair Light - $20.00
Mr. Beams Wireless Power Outage Remote Control/Detector - $35.00
Mr. Beams Wireless Power Outage Whole House Kit (3 Ceiling Lights, 3 Stair Lights, 1 Remote Control/Detector) -- $85.00
Note: I'd like to thank David with Wireless Environment for providing the test units for this review. You can also read my previous review of the Mr. Beams Wireless LED Spotlight review here.
