How Effective Is Solar Energy Battery Storage During A Power Outage?
Installing solar panels on your home has become more cost-effective over time with more companies than ever offering products and services. In addition to the product improvements with the panels themselves, batteries that store the power have increased in storage capacity and power management capabilities. With all of the improvements, many people are considering how solar power can improve their homes. This especially true for people in areas that are prone to frequent power outages due to weather and electrical company output management issues.
Choosing the Right Product for Effectiveness
Not all solar batteries are able to operate during a power outage. This is especially true for older systems. The reason is that during an outage, electrical companies need all systems offline to work on the lines without having to check to make sure everything was completely turned off in a system. When solar panels and solar energy battery storage systems first came into widespread use, they would disconnect themselves at the same time the power went offline due to the safety standards set in place by the power companies that own and operate the grid.
Newer battery systems, however, have solved this problem by creating a second system that disconnects the house from the grid and lets it operate in complete isolation. It is not a second battery system but instead a switch that is triggered during an outage. For example, if you were in your house and the grid suddenly shut down all power, you would experience a brief disconnection followed by the solar battery backup kicking in to provide power in its absence.
The length of time your solar panels and battery system will provide electricity in the absence of access to the grid is determined by the storage capacity of the battery you purchase and the collection capabilities of the solar panels installed on your home. With newer systems, it is possible to have the batteries programmed to conserve storage power during time periods when you know that there is a chance of a power outage, such as during the summer months in some areas due to grid capacity constraints.
Installation Considerations
If your goal is to have your solar battery kick in when the power grid turns itself off for whatever reason, it is important to find newer products that specifically have the capability to offer back-up power when disconnected from the grid. As not all products are able to offer this, make sure to bring it up as the first issue of concern with the solar installation companies you contact for quotes.
Reach out to professionals for more information about solar battery backup systems.