Battery Backup for Home Dialysis Patients in Houston

For a home dialysis patient, a power outage is not an inconvenience. It can interrupt treatment. A home battery can keep a peritoneal cycler or a home hemodialysis machine powered through a Houston outage, and the National Kidney Foundation explicitly lists a backup battery system as a preparedness step (NKF). This is not medical advice. The first step is always a power-outage plan built with your dialysis facility.

Key Takeaways

• More than 808,000 Americans live with kidney failure, about 68% of them on dialysis, and roughly 14 to 15% treat at home (NIDDK / USRDS, 2023).
• A peritoneal dialysis cycler draws about 100 watts on average and up to roughly 600 watts, running overnight; a home hemodialysis machine that heats its own water can pull much more.
• The Eos Plus (18 kWh) system covers a PD cycler through the night with wide margin; Pro (27 kWh) adds headroom for a water-heating hemodialysis machine.
• This is not medical advice. Follow your home-training team's power-loss instructions and keep your dialysis facility's plan on hand (NKF).
• Hurricane Beryl left about 2.2 million Houston-area customers without power in 2024, some for more than a week (Houston Public Media).

Can a home battery keep a dialysis machine running during a Houston outage?

Yes, a home battery can supply the electricity a home dialysis machine needs during an outage. The system switches to battery power automatically when the grid fails, keeping the outlet powered. Even so, a dialysis machine may briefly alarm and need restarting per your home-training team's steps, since a short transfer gap can trip it. The battery covers the power; your training covers the machine.

It does not replace a clinical plan. Every dialysis patient should have an emergency plan coordinated with their facility, including your home-training team's instructions for safely stopping treatment if power is lost, and the phone numbers of backup dialysis units nearby (NKF). The battery is one part of that plan, not a substitute for it.

How much power does a home dialysis machine use?

Home dialysis equipment varies widely in power draw. A peritoneal dialysis cycler is low and steady: a Baxter HomeChoice cycler averages around 100 watts, with peaks up to roughly 600 watts, running through the night. A home hemodialysis machine can be very different. The Outset Tablo heats its own dialysate from tap water and carries a 1,440 VA maximum circuit rating on a standard outlet (Outset Medical, 2026).

Because machines differ, check your own device's rating label rather than assuming. Some hemodialysis systems, such as the NxStage System One, do not heat large volumes of water and draw less, but you should confirm your specific model with your equipment's documentation and your clinic.

What size battery do you need for home dialysis?

For a peritoneal dialysis cycler, the Plus 18 kWh system is comfortable. At roughly 100 watts averaged over an overnight session, a cycler uses only a small share of that capacity, leaving plenty for a refrigerator that keeps medications cold and the rest of your essentials. When we size a system for a Houston home on peritoneal dialysis, Plus is the usual starting point for that reason.

For a water-heating home hemodialysis machine, step up to Pro 27 kWh for headroom, since heating dialysate raises the draw. Whatever your machine, confirm the sizing against its rating label and your care team's guidance. Compare the tiers on the plans page to match your setup.

Build your outage plan with your care team

A battery is one layer of a larger plan that only your dialysis facility can complete. The National Kidney Foundation advises patients to ask their unit for a copy of its disaster plan, keep the names and numbers of backup dialysis units and hospitals, and, for home hemodialysis, follow the power-loss disconnect steps their home-training staff provided (NKF).

Facilities are required to keep these plans current. Under the Medicare emergency preparedness rule, dialysis facilities must maintain a plan that covers power failures and regional disasters (CMS via ASPR TRACIE). Ask yours how a home battery fits into it. For broader household guidance, see our

.

Why reliable power matters for Houston dialysis patients

Houston's outages are long, and they arrive with heat. Hurricane Beryl cut power to about 2.2 million CenterPoint customers in July 2024, with some homes waiting more than a week for restoration (Houston Public Media; Texas Tribune). For a household that runs life-sustaining equipment, a multi-day outage in summer is not something to improvise through.

A home battery takes the electricity question off the table so you and your care team can focus on the clinical plan. Many dialysis households also run other medical devices, and the same system covers those. Our guide to

covers that overlap.

Prefer to talk it through? Call Eos at 713-207-2222 for a same-week Houston site survey.

Frequently asked questions

Can a home battery run my peritoneal dialysis cycler overnight?

Yes, with wide margin. A PD cycler averages around 100 watts over an overnight session, so a Plus 18 kWh system runs it through the night and still covers your fridge and lights. Confirm the details with your clinic.

Does it work with a home hemodialysis machine like the NxStage or Tablo?

It can power the machine, but draw varies by model, and machines that heat their own water pull more. Check your device's rating label and step up to a Pro system for a water-heating machine. Coordinate the plan with your care team.

How long will the battery power my machine?

Long enough for typical sessions on the recommended tiers, because a cycler's draw is small. Actual runtime depends on your machine, your other loads, and the outage length, which is why sizing is confirmed at the site survey.

Does the battery switch on automatically?

Yes. The system transfers to battery power automatically the moment the grid fails, so the outlet stays powered. Your machine may still briefly alarm and need restarting per your home-training team's instructions, so keep those steps handy.

Should I still call my dialysis clinic?

Always. A battery handles power only. Your facility's emergency plan, your home-training team's disconnect instructions, and your backup-unit contacts are essential, and no device replaces them.

This article covers powering home dialysis equipment during outages in Houston and reflects Eos specifications as of July 2026. It is not medical advice. Coordinate any emergency plan with your dialysis facility and follow your equipment manufacturer's instructions.