When the grid goes down, a solar system with a battery backup is designed to continue providing electricity to your home. Here's how it typically works during a power outage:
Isolation from the Grid:
The solar inverter is equipped with a feature that enables it to disconnect from the grid when there's a power outage. This is a safety requirement to prevent electricity from being fed back into the grid, which could endanger utility workers trying to repair the lines.
Switch to Battery Power:
Once the solar inverter detects a grid outage, it switches to drawing power from the energy stored in the battery. This transition is often seamless and happens automatically.
Powering Essential Loads:
The battery power is then used to supply electricity to essential loads in your home. These loads can include critical appliances like refrigerators, lighting, medical devices, and other essential electronics.
Limited Duration:
The duration for which the solar system with battery backup can provide power during a grid outage depends on the capacity of the battery and the amount of energy stored. Larger battery systems can provide longer backup durations.
Recharging the Battery:
If the power outage persists, the solar panels can continue generating electricity during daylight hours. This energy can be used to recharge the battery while still supplying power to the essential loads.
Monitoring and Control:
Advanced solar systems often come with monitoring and control systems that allow homeowners to track the status of the battery, energy usage, and system performance. Some systems can be controlled remotely through mobile apps.
Automatic Restoration when the Grid is Restored:
Once the grid power is restored, the solar inverter reconnects to the grid, and the system switches back to drawing power from both the solar panels and, if needed, the grid. The battery can then be recharged during periods of excess solar generation.
Having a solar system with a battery backup not only provides electricity during grid outages but also allows homeowners to maximize their use of clean, renewable energy.