.
.
.
It was like that when I bought it.
I purchased an 8000 watt generator - and "installing" it only required plugging it in to an existing outside plug.
Power goes out, turn the key, hydro once more!
An elaborate but easy to use panel inside the house allows me to divert individual circuits from line to generator power -
I have no need to switch off the main - just turn on whichever circuits I need.
Handy part of that is, if I leave a light on in a certain room, but on line instead of generator - I will know exactly when line hydro has been restored when the light comes on, flip my switches and shut off the gas gobbling generator.
On rigging your heater controls for battery power - yup - pretty simple.
If your system is hardwired in, have an electrician install a proper plug in for the controls of the hot water heater.
If it's already just a plug - no need.
Either way - all you need then is a battery - car battery willl do in a pinch, but a deep cycle/marine battery is better, and an inverter.
An inverter to handle that would be well under 100$, and a deep cycle a wee bit more than that -
hydro goes out - unplug from the house to inverter.
HOT WATER! 
CC
ps: battery plus inverter would also give you power for laptop/lights/radio - sumthing to ponder
Edit history
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
= new reply since forum marked as read