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How To Use Solar Panels During Power Outage?(2024 Guide)

Solar panels are a great source of renewable energy. They let you generate your own power in your home without having a connection with a grid wire. It’s efficient, cheaper and a 100% clean source of energy. However, the only issue with solar panel energy is their synchronisation with the grid. Their BMS is in the local electricity grid. 

Therefore, if an electricity outage happens, the whole solar system of your building will go down until the blackout is restored. This system eliminates the purpose of the solar system. It was supposed to provide you with private solar electricity to your home. 

However, you can change this system so you can use solar panels during a power outage. Here’s a brief guide on it:

 

Why Do Solar Systems Turn Off During Electricity Outages?

The solar system turns off in an electricity outage due to the BMS system. The BMS system is always synced with the grid of your area. Therefore, the whole solar system will shut off if the BMS goes down. 

The BMS in your solar system works like a motherboard of the whole system. It manages the current, power, and amperes and supplies the existing to the corresponding appliance as per their needs. If the BMS turns off, the whole system will shut off. 

 

How To Keep Solar System Running In Power Outage?

The only way to keep using solar panels during a power outage is by powering the BMS in blackout. If somehow, the BMS keeps running, your whole solar system will keep running even if the grid is shut down. 

That’s why we use artificial storage techniques in which we can store the current. Through storing, we can use that artificial power when the grid is off or make your BMS to work on that storage.

There are multiple ways to create your backup system at home, but the most cost-effective and reliable one is the Li-ion battery storage.

Are Lithium-Ion Solar Batteries the Best Energy Storage Option?

How Li-ion Battery System Can Keep Solar System Running in Power Outage?

We need to install a complete battery BMS system. Here’s how to do it:

 

Installing Required Batteries

First, we need the batteries. Without batteries, we can’t store the current. For solar panels, we need 12v Li-ion batteries. Other batteries like Li-po are also good, but it’s too expensive. Li-ion acid batteries can do our job at an affordable cost and their lifespan is extremely longer.

Make sure to install the batteries that you need. You don’t want your solar system to shut off after 30 minutes. That’s why you install batteries that can store enough current to run your house for a longer time or until the BMS recharges the solar system.

 

Install A 12v Bms

By default, your BMS will be AC 120V. As your batteries are 12V, you need to install a 12V DC BMS. You can also install the AC to DC converter, but using the direct DC converter will save you time and efforts.

The BMS will have direct wiring to the batteries without involving any transistor or controller. The wire from the BMS should be attached to the batteries directly.

 

Attach The Solar Systems With Bms

Now, you need to connect your master solar panel wire with the BMS. The master wire is the wire that is connected to all your solar panels. You’ll plug that wise in your BMS.

Therefore, the BMS can be powered and charge the batteries. You can say that the solar panel’s master wire is the gate from where all your power stations will take electricity.

 

Connect The Inverter

Inverter, as the name suggests, it inverts the DC current into the AC current. All of the appliances in your home are powered by AC current, they’ll not run from the DC current. 

That is when you need an inverter. It converts a DC current into an AC current so all your home appliances can run.

The connection of the inverter is very easy. All you’ve to do is to plug the BMS output wire with the inverter. The output wire is the one that outputs the current so make sure to plug it in the inverter’s in-plug. 

 

Connect Your House’s Wiring

Now, you’ve to connect the whole inverter wiring to your house. For that purpose, you need to call an electrician for the wiring of your house. Never ever try to do this step yourself. AC current is dangerous and can immediately cause fatalities. That’s why having a professional electrician is compulsory.

He’ll do the wiring of your house so your inverter can power the whole house. Moreover, make sure to double check the wiring before you finalize the electrician. Use testers for the checking and make sure that there’s no burnt wire smell or intercross of the wire.

 

You’re Ready To Use Your Solar Panels In Power Outage

Now, your BMS and powerhouse are connected to personal storage. Therefore, even in a power outage, you can use solar panels during a power outage.

Also Read: Battery Backup Price of 5kw Solar System

 

Why is an inverter essential to keep your solar system running a power outage?

All of the appliances in your home are powered by AC current, they’ll not run from the DC current. 

That is when you need an inverter. It converts a DC current into AC current so all your home appliances can run. So you can use solar panels during a power outage.

 

How to Keep Solar System Running in Power Outage?

The only way to keep your solar panels running in a power outage is by powering the BMS in blackout. That’s why we use artificial storage techniques in which we can store the current. 

 

How long can a solar system keep running in outage?

It depends on your battery capacity and your usage. More batteries and less usage indicates longer output life. On the other hand, low capacity batteries but high usage indicates low output of batteries.

 

Can you wire the AC wiring yourself?

Never ever try to do this step yourself. AC current is dangerous and can immediately cause fatalities. That’s why having a professional electrician is compulsory.

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