How My Battery Works

Each home is different, and the equipment we install can vary from house to house. In general, here’s what you can expect.

1) Solar panels
Solar panels convert sunlight into direct current electricity (DC).

2) Inverter
Your inverter tells energy where to flow and converts it into alternating current electricity (AC), so it can be used in your home.

3) Battery
Your battery stores extra solar energy for later use, like during a power outage.

4) Off Grid Energy meter
Solar production is measured and monitored by your Off Grid Energy meter so we can make sure your system is producing as much energy as possible.

5) Main electrical panel
Your electrical panel, or more familiarly the “fuse box,” distributes AC electricity to your entire home.

6) Backup panel
Your backup panel connects your battery to the breakers you chose to backup during installation.

7) Utility meter
When the sun is shining, you may get all of your energy from solar. But due to things like weather, winter, and nighttime, you will still have to buy some energy the old-fashioned way. Your utility meter measures how much energy comes from and goes to the grid.

Off Grid Energy solar battery can back up four breakers. During installation, we will help you decide what to back up. Many customers choose to back up their refrigerator, lights, wifi and a garage door.

If there is a power outage, your battery will take over sending power to your backed-up breakers within a few seconds and will continue to do so until power is restored or the battery runs out of energy. How long the battery lasts will depend on how much energy you use.

Your system is designed to supply approximately 8 to 12 hours of backup energy, plus whatever the sun provides during the day. But that can vary based a variety of factors:

Whether the outage happens during the day or at night
What season it is
What you’re backing up
How much energy you use

The battery will recharge when the sun comes up, so you will be able to power through multi-day outages should they ever occur.

Remember, you can always check the charge of your battery to help you plan your usage and make sure you have power through the night.

If you live in Hawaii, your backup solution may be slightly different. A quad outlet installed near your inverter will allow you to plug in up to four things during an outage if we are unable to back up your breakers directly.

During a power outage, Off Grid Energy solar battery allows you to backup your kitchen (including the refrigerator), bedroom and bathroom lights, garage door opener and wifi for approximately 8 to 12 hours. When the sun rises again, your solar panels will recharge your Off Grid Energy solar battery. The most important rooms and appliances in your home will be powered by your home battery until the grid is up and running again. Learn more about how home solar batteries work.

It’s possible, depending on the type of generator.

For standby generators, the answer is no. We will not install a battery if you have one, because a standby generator is likely to damage your Off Grid Energy equipment.

For portable generators, the answer is yes. It is not connected to your house’s wiring, so you should be able to plug in to your generator without hurting your Off Grid Energy equipment.

Your Off Grid Energy home solar and battery system is grid-connected when the power is up and running. However, Off Grid Energy solar battery ‘islands’ from the grid during power outages, allowing people to keep the lights on and food fresh. As soon as the utility restores power, the home solar battery system is grid-connected once again.

Just like solar panels, the size of your Off Grid Energy solar battery is determined by your unique energy needs and habits. Factors such as the amount of electricity you use at home and the devices and appliances you want to back up will play a key role when selecting the right battery storage solution for you.

The Off Grid Energy solar battery is about the size of a water heater and easily mounted on a wall — usually inside your garage or outside of your home. The clearance required for a Off Grid Energy solar battery and its accompanying components is 6.5’ H x 10’ W.

Most residential batteries are installed and configured with baseline settings by your solar installer. Batteries last between 10 and 15 years, and manufacturers typically offer a 10-year warranty. Off Grid Energy solar battery storage includes professional maintenance and monitoring for 25 years with select plans, two things that may prolong your battery’s life.