What You Can Do For
Storm and Power Outages
In the event of a storm or a planned power outage, we wanted to share a few important reminders to help you prepare your solar and battery system. We also wanted to provide a couple of things for you to check once the storm passes.
Having solar and battery storage puts you in a strong position during outages. At the same time, it’s helpful to understand how your system operates so you can manage your power effectively if the grid goes down.
HOW YOUR SOLAR PV SYSTEM WORKS
Simple. Automatic. Always On.
Solar Generates Power
Panels generate power during the day. Your home’s needs are powered first, and then your batteries store the excess automatically.
Using Your Battery
When the sun goes down or production is low, your home will pull energy from your batteries until they’re depleted. Additional power is pulled from the grid.
Storm Prep Made Easy
Storm Watch alerts you while your battery charges before the storm. If the grid is down and your battery is depleted, there is no additional power source for your home.
You Stay In Control
Monitoring App shows Battery Percentage, Solar Production, and Usage in real time. Cloudy and stormy weather will lessen how much energy your system produces.
1 Monitor Your System in the App
Open your system’s Monitoring App, provided by your battery manufacturer, to confirm your system is online and to monitor your battery level and home usage.
This is especially important during an outage. If your battery level drops while the grid is down, being aware of your usage in real time can help you adjust and extend your available power. If your home internet is down, you will not see live updates in the app.
2 Fully Charge Your Battery (if possible)
If your system allows, ensure your battery is fully charged ahead of the storm to maximize your available backup power. Continue to monitor your system’s production and home energy usage ahead of the storm or planned power outage. Turning off any energy-hungry appliances and devices will help speed up your battery’s charging ability.
3 Be Mindful Of Energy Usage
Limiting heavy energy use can help your battery last longer. Reduce use of non-essential appliances, such as air conditioning, especially when your PV system is not producing much energy. Small adjustments can make a meaningful difference, especially if solar production is reduced due to weather conditions.
4 Post Storm/Outage Solar Production
If your battery was completely depleted, the solar panels will take some time to recharge the battery. It can sometimes take up to 24 or 48 hours for the battery to start to hold a charge again. It may be sunny and clear, but the components internally take time to get going and resume normal operation.
Continue to be mindful of your energy usage until your battery is able to recharge. If after 48 hours you are not seeing any solar production or battery charge, then reach out to us.
Taking a few minutes now to prepare and monitor your system can help you stay powered longer and avoid surprises during the storm.
Prefer to Talk?
After a storm or power outage, wait times may be longer than normal based on call volume.
