A homeowner whose solar panels produced about twice the electricity their household used has still been trying to solve a common problem faced by solar users: keeping the lights on when the power goes out.

Here's what to know

In a Reddit post, the homeowner described their system, which featured 9,400 watts of panels, a SolarEdge 7600 HD-Wave inverter, and net metering. Next, they wanted to add battery backup to power their home in the event of an outage. 

However, choosing the right equipment had become the homeowner's key obstacle. The storage capacity would need to be large, and the battery would need to be rechargeable via solar panels during an outage.

"So I think I'm looking for a grid forming inverter, but I have no idea what I actually need," the original poster wrote.

With relatively low household electricity use, the homeowner hoped to find a less expensive alternative to a SolarEdge-branded battery. Additionally, the backup power would not have to cover the whole house; supplying dedicated circuits would also meet the OP's needs. 

Residential solar is one of the best ways to lower electricity bills, and $0-upfront solar leases may offer savings of hundreds of dollars per month. EasyHome offers a free explorer tool to estimate possible savings and find vetted local installers.

More background

While the OP's electricity use was relatively low, they acknowledged it could increase in the future. At the same time, they stated a desire to expand their solar capacity, too. The homeowner planned to install mini-split heating and cooling systems and expand the solar array alongside the battery storage project.

For their part, the OP said they had experience working on solar, but nothing of the scale they were currently considering, writing, "I work on solar systems part time (my neighbor owns a solar company) so I'm very comfortable working on them, but this is way outside my knowledge." 

For homeowners weighing storage alongside solar, EasyHome also offers options to explore battery systems. A home battery can do more than just power a home during outages. It can also save money by charging at night when electricity is cheaper and then powering the home during the day when rates are higher.

Where can I learn more?

Other homeowners with solar panels have also struggled to keep the lights on during outages. 

• An Illinois solar owner seeking backup during blackouts was warned that sunlight alone falls short.

• A homeowner with 8 kW of solar still relied on gas cans and extension cords during blackouts.

• A U.S. homeowner discovered that their solar panels go dark when the electrical grid goes down.

• A California DIY solar owner weighed battery rules and upgrades after nearly recouping the system's cost.

• In California's Mojave Desert, a solar owner considered DIY battery storage as outages kept hitting.

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