How to Use Solar Panels During Power Outage
Having solar panels doesn't necessarily mean you will get electricity even when the power goes out. If your house has solar panels, they are most likely connected to the grid. During a power outage, grid-tied solar panels also shut down for the safety of utility workers, who can get electrocuted by downed power lines.
Power outage happens due to extreme weather or grid overload when utility companies temporarily shut down electricity to avoid equipment damage. You can only use backup power generators to run appliances during a rolling blackout. This article serves as a guide on how to use solar panels during a blackout.
Do Solar Panels Work During a Power Outage?
Most people wonder, do solar panels work during a power outage? Solar panels alone will not function during a power outage because you can only store electricity with batteries. If you have solar battery storage, you can quickly recharge it with solar energy and use it to power appliances during a rolling blackout. When you attach the Jackery portable power station with solar panels, you get a solar generator that recharges for free solar energy and provides your temporary electric supply. It can run almost all home appliances, including refrigerators and heating or cooling systems. You can get a green and cost-free energy supply during a power outage.
Why Won't My Solar Panels Work During a Power Outage?
Most houses have what we call a grid-tied solar system. These solar panels turn sunlight into electricity so you can get free energy during the day. However, these solar systems don't work at night because there is no sunlight, and your house uses energy from the utility company.
During a rolling blackout or a power outage due to inclement weather, the grids shut down, as do the grid-tied solar systems. It happens due to an automatic switch that ensures no solar system connected to the grid sends energy. Because if the power outage is due to some problem in the grid or the lines, utility workers are at risk of getting electrocuted while they are working to fix the issue.
How to Use Solar Panels During Power Outage
Can I use my solar panels during a blackout? If you want your solar panels to work during a power outage, you can turn to off-grid solar systems or battery-backed solar systems. These will provide energy to your house during a rolling blackout or at night.
1. Off-Grid Solar Systems
The off-grid solar systems give you the choice of living without getting energy from the utility company and using your own energy source. You can easily use solar energy as a renewable energy source to have an off-grid lifestyle where you don't have to pay for electricity. All you need to do is get an off-grid solar system and find a convenient and safe place where you can set up your house and start living off-grid. You can use a Jackery solar generator to use solar energy and provide electricity for your home appliances.
With an off-grid lifestyle, you don’t have to worry about a rolling blackout or paying an expensive electricity bill to the utility company. The off-grid solar systems are also good for the environment as they have zero emissions. If you want to become self-sustainable and live an independent life, the first step is to start using your own energy. However, it is not simple to live an off-grid lifestyle. You need to plan everything, make preparations, and do a lot of research before you can step into an off-grid lifestyle.
2. Solar Power Battery Backup Systems
If you don't want to live an off-grid lifestyle, but want to use solar panels to get energy during a power outage, the best solution is to use solar power battery backup systems. With a Jackery solar generator, you can convert sun energy into electricity and store it in batteries for later use. When the grid shuts down, you can use the stored energy to power your home appliances for many hours and safely wait for the blackout to end.
Battery-backed solar systems give you a temporary energy backup during a rolling blackout. In contrast, ordinary generators run on fossil fuels and cause dangerous CO emissions that are harmful to you and the environment and are costly to run. With a solar generator, you get clean and environment-friendly energy that comes to you at zero cost.
Why Do I Need a Portable Solar Generator During a Power Outage?
A Jackery solar generator can give you a temporary energy backup for a few hours to use electrical appliances and remain safe during a rolling blackout. When the consumer demand for electricity increases than the grid energy supply, the utility companies might take actions like shutting the grids down. It prevents equipment and appliances from getting permanent or costly damage due to low voltage. It happens when the grids shut down due to extreme weather. During a blackout, it is hard to predict when the power will return. Check out this analysis report about the power outage status in the US.
Here are the reasons why using a Jackery Solar Generator benefits you during a power outage.
1. To Power Almost all of Your Home Appliances
With a Jackery solar generator, you get enough backup energy supply to run the basic appliance in your home during a rolling blackout. You can use it to power your television, refrigerator, microwave oven, heating and cooling system, and electric motor easily. How long the backup lasts depend on the Jackery solar generator you are using and the number of appliances you are powering.
The Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro is the best choice if you want to power your home appliances during a power outage. It offers the fastest recharging speed with 2160 WH capacity and can get to a 100% battery backup in 2.5 hours. If that’s not enough for you, the solar generator sends 4400W peak power that can run almost all of your home appliances. It is the safest solar generator for in-house usage due to temperature core detectors and extra battery protection.
2. Low Maintenance Power Source
After you pay the initial cost of installing the Jackery solar generator in your house, you don't have to pay anything as its maintenance or running cost. Aside from the fact that Jackery produces high-quality solar generators, even standard solar systems have a low maintenance cost. There are not many parts in a solar system, and none moves, so there is a relatively low chance of damage.
3. Renewable Energy Source with No Pollution.
Jackery solar generators supply you with green energy with zero emissions. If you are worried about the usage of fossil fuels harming the environment, nothing helps more than a renewable energy source with no pollution. Solar systems convert sunlight into electrical energy that doesn't involve the burning of fossil fuels, as the sun is a renewable energy source.
4. Portable and Quiet
If you like activities like camping and RV travel, having a Jackery portable energy generator will be very helpful. You can easily recharge it with sunlight and use it to power all your electrical equipment and devices outdoors, no matter where you go camping. If you are planning a family trip in your RV over the summer holidays, with Jackery solar generator, you can set up camp anywhere you want.
If you want a solar generator for RV traveling and camping, you can get the Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro, which costs less compared to the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro. The reason why it is best for camping is that you don't have to power large appliances like a refrigerator or an air conditioner when you are outdoors. You only need enough power to run an electric grill, mini fridge, lights, blender, and chargers. The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro can easily support all of these appliances for hours on a full battery capacity.
FAQ
1. How to Use a Solar Panel Directly without Battery?
Although there are various benefits of using solar panels with a battery, you can also make do without one. If you don't plan to use a grid-tied solar system, then setting up your solar panel can be quite complex. You will need a DC-to-DC inverter and a DC-to-AC solar inverter and set up the ideal voltage for the converter to operate. Instead, you can make things easier by getting a Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro.
2. How to Use a Solar Panel to Charge a Battery?
Set up the Jackery solar generator by connecting the Solar Saga 100 with the Jackery portable power station. When the sunlight falls on the solar panel, it will convert the sun's energy into DC electricity and use it to charge the battery in the portable power station. The recharge time depends on how many solar panels you are using.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude our guide on how to use solar panels during a blackout here. Your solar panel will not supply any energy if you have a grid-tied solar system, so the first step is to fix that. You can either opt for an off-grid solar system, or you can get a solar generator as a battery backup. It will store all the converted solar energy in solar batteries, like Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro that you can use to power almost 90% of home appliances. Sign up for Jackery newsletter and give more updates about product news and promotions.
