A common question we get is “Will my solar panels work during a power outage?” Although your solar panels continue to produce electricity during a power outage, this energy may not be available to provide power for your home. During power outages, utility safety regulations mandate solar systems be disconnected. Without these standard built-in safety features, a utility linesman could get electrocuted while trying to restore power to the grid, since grid-tied PV systems are capable of pushing electricity through a home’s meter and out onto the grid. This disconnect prevents your solar power system from energizing the grid, and your' home or business, until the power outage is repaired.
There are two possible solutions to overcome this limitation. The most common is to include storage batteries as part of you Solar Power System. A solar storage battery system can automatically isolate your solar system from the grid and will keep your family powered up. A solar storage battery also provides power to your home when your solar panels are not producing power, such as at night or on an extremely cloudy day. Storage batteries assure continuous availability of electric power during these situations.
The other possible solution is the use of Enphase IQ8 Microinverter with Sunlight Backup. The Enphase IQ8 microinverter with Sunlight Backup offers the unique advantage that your lights, fans and phones continue to operate even if there is a daytime grid outage, even without battery backup. With IQ8, power essential appliances—lights, fans, and phones—during daytime outages, even without a home battery. Enphase’s IQ 8, our most powerful software—defined microinverter ever, is powered by a proprietary, intelligent chip, that makes switching between on or off grid virtually seamless. However, this solution is only effective while your Solar Power System is actually producing power.
