Add Battery Backup to Your Current Solar System
These days retrofitting your current solar system to have battery backup power is greatly simplified. Energy Solution Providers can retrofit your current solar system and give you energy independence with the addition of a two-way inverter and a battery bank. Consider it your savings plan for when the power grid is down due to storms, natural disasters, or utility grid overload. You have all your bases covered and have energy independence!
Why Add Battery Backup to Solar
You have already invested in a solar system and wonder why you might want to add battery backup power. It is a question that is posed to us many times and the answers are simple:
- You will reduce your utility bill to about zero when adding a battery backup system.
- You gain energy independence.
- If the utility companies stop the net-metering program you have a storage system in place for your excess energy.
- You have the option of selling your excess energy to the utility company, known as net-metering or you can bank your excess energy in your battery backup system.
- When your neighbors' power is off during a power outage, your power will stay on.
How to Choose the Best Solar Battery for Your PV System
When adding a solar battery to your PV system, it’s important to consider how much backup power you need. Some solar batteries can store enough energy to keep essential appliances running during an outage, while others can power your entire home. If you plan to take your home off-grid, you’ll need multiple backup batteries—and you may want to install a generator as well.
Energy Solution Providers installs industry-leading solar batteries, including Enphase solar batteries, which are part of the Enphase Energy System, SimpliPhi Power Batteries, and Duracell Energy Bank. You’ll get safe, reliable energy storage from both of these products. But, depending on your needs and the PV system you have installed, one may be a better choice than the other. Our team will help you define your energy storage goals and recommend a product that will meet your needs and pair well with your existing solar PV system.
Solar Installation with Added Battery Backup
1. Solar Panels
Solar panels, or solar modules are usually installed on the roof. These solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which convert sunlight into direct current (DC) power.
2. Charge Controller
Diverts solar power to our battery backup bank installed usually in your garage or outside of your home. A charge controller is a voltage and/or current regulator to keep batteries from overcharging. It regulates the voltage and current coming from the solar panels going to the battery. Most “12 volt” panels put out about 16 to 20 volts, so if there is no regulation the batteries will be damaged from overcharging. Most batteries need around 14 to 14.5 volts to get fully charged.
3. Battery Backup
Excess solar power is stored in your battery backup system to be used at night, when rates are higher or in case of a power outage your battery backup system gives you unstoppable power 24/7.
4. Inverter
The DC power from the solar panels is sent to an inverter, where it is converted into alternating current (AC) power, or standard electrical current used by your home. Your inverter in a battery backup system will draw power from your batteries when the power grid is down or for higher priced night-time utility rate periods.
5. Meter
AC power travels from the inverter to the electrical panel, many times called a breaker box. This power is now ready to use in your home.
6. Utility Grid
Your home remains connected to the utility grid to supply and excess power can be net-metered or sent to your battery backup system.