Tropical Storm Lala is expected to hit Hawaii Island as early as Friday, with severe weather spreading westward to Oahu by Sunday, August 16. Peak impacts are expected to occur Saturday morning, and hurricane conditions are a possibility.  Plan for 5 – 10 inches of rain, in some areas as much as 20 inches, making heavy flooding a real possibility.  

– Get signed up for local emergency alerts at ready.hawaii.gov/alerts. https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/get-ready/ 
– Visit ready.hawaii.gov/hurricanes to review your hurricane preparedness.  
 

With Lala approaching Hawaiʻi, now is the time to make sure your home battery is ready for a potential power outage. Many modern battery systems have built-in storm preparation features that can automatically charge and reserve energy when severe weather is approaching. 

Here’s what to check based on your battery: 

Tesla Powerwall — Storm Watch 
Open the Tesla app → Settings → Storm Watch and make sure it’s enabled. When an applicable tropical storm watch or warning is issued, Storm Watch can automatically charge your Powerwall to maximum capacity and reserve that energy for a potential outage. 

FranklinWH — Storm Hedge 
Open the FranklinWH app → Settings → Storm Hedge and make sure the feature is enabled. When an applicable National Weather Service alert is issued, including a Tropical Storm Warning, the system can automatically enter Emergency Backup mode and charge your aPower batteries to maximum capacity. 

Sigenergy — Storm Watch 
If you have a SigenStor system, check your mySigen app and make sure your storm-preparation settings are enabled. SigenStor’s Storm Watch can help prepare your battery for severe weather and a potential grid outage. 

Canadian Solar EP Cube — Weather Watch 
EP Cube systems also offer Weather Watch, which can automatically prepare the system for potential outages during certain extreme weather events. You can also manually increase your battery reserve in the EP Cube app if needed. 

A few reminders for ALL battery owners: 

• Keep your battery app accessible and check your system status before the storm.
• If your system doesn’t automatically enter storm-preparation mode, consider increasing your backup reserve so more energy is available during an outage.
• Expect reduced solar production during periods of heavy clouds and rain. Your battery may need to carry more of your home’s load.
• During an outage, conserve battery power by limiting non-essential and high-energy appliances.
• Never attempt to disconnect, move, open or modify your battery or solar equipment. If your system shows an error or appears damaged, contact Sunspear Energy.
• Most importantly, stay safe and follow official emergency and weather guidance. Your battery is there to help keep your home powered, and preparation starts before the storm arrives. 

Stay safe, Hawaiʻi.