Many people find it ironic that homes with solar power still have their power go out if there’s an outage in the grid during the day. After all, if it’s sunny and you have solar panels, shouldn’t your power stay on? However, there’s a reason that solar-powered homes shut down if they’re connected to a city grid. Keep reading to learn the reason why and what could make it possible to get your power up during an outage.
Why It Goes Down
Your solar power shuts off during an outage for one very important reason: safety. When the power goes down, somebody is going to have to fix it, and that means they’ll be handling wires and other equipment that could be lethal if electricity passes through it. If you have a grid-tied system, your solar setup passes excess electricity into the power grid, and that could spell disaster when someone is working on the power lines. While it may not be convenient, your power gets shut down to help protect workers from injury or death by electrocution from errant currents.
Can You Turn It Back On?
Now to the real question: Is there any way that you can turn the power back on safely? Can you circumvent the grid somehow and make your system self-sustainable while the grid is down? Your Fronius grid-tie solar inverter relies on the grid for regulating the flow of energy, so trying to circumvent the grid completely isn’t really a safe option. However, you do have a few options available to you that can keep some essential items turned on during a power outage:
- Battery bank – You can add a battery bank to any solar setup to store excess energy for later use. Not only can this be helpful for avoiding peak usage charges, but it also enables you to have power when the grid goes down. However, a battery bank large enough to power your entire household is extremely expensive. For most people, it’s more sensible to choose a few essential appliances (refrigerator, lights, etc.) that you want to keep on during an outage, and purchase enough battery storage to handle that load.
- Generator – This can be used on its own or as a supplement to a battery bank. Most inverters can also be hooked up to a generator to give your home extra power when needed. Generators can be powered by gasoline, propane, and yes, even solar energy. These are often a less-expensive option than a battery bank, especially if you only intend to use it in an emergency. And, as an added bonus, they’re often portable, so they can also be used for camping and other excursions where you may want electricity.
If you want to have power during an outage, look for a hybrid Fronius grid-tie solar inverter that allows you to connect a battery bank and/or generator.