Comparing Batteries to Generators

When the stormy season starts to come around, there many homeowners that are beginning to consider using solar power as a backup system. Seeing how batteries compare to traditional diesel generators is often a question that we get as professional solar panel installation technicians.

In order for solar panels to work as a backup generator, there needs to be a battery backup built into the system. Without a battery backup, you can have a solar panel system that is tied directly into the grid. If the power goes out and you are using the utility grid as a backup for your solar panels, you could likely lose power, especially in a storm.

When you are sizing your solar panels it’s important to determine the amount of power that you will need especially if you are going to be using solar panels as a backup. Inverters are rated in kilowatts and the kilowatt rating that is determined here will let you know how much the system can generate. The second thing you’ll want to look into is the size of a battery and the total amount of power that you will be able to store. Very large batteries in solar systems are able to hold onto at least four days of full energy. Battery technology is often quite expensive so it could be easier to choose a battery that can hold onto 24 hours of energy for example. As the solar panels will continue to fill a small amount of energy into the system, you could manage some of your essential power needs. As long as you are not keeping up with your regular daily consumption of power during an outage, you should be fine to keep your home running even with a smaller battery.

The big advantage of using solar power as a backup for your home or business is that you can save quite a lot of management with a generator. Instead of having to have fuel on hand, you might just need to switch your system over to the battery backup that the power goes out.

If you’re interested in learning more about solar system batteries, contact us today.

This post was written by Daniel Massaad, owner and expert solar technician at Energy Solutions Direct! ESD is the top choice for solar panels in Tampa! Our licensed and certified contractor are masters of their craft; with years of experience servicing the great Tampa Bay area and beyond, the choice is simple. ESD exce