Do solar panels work if electricity goes out?

Many residential solar power systems don’t work when the electricity goes out—unless they have a battery backup or they’re isolated from the broader electrical grid. That might seem unfair, especially if it’s a sunny day and you have perfectly good solar panels right there on the roof.

What happens if a solar panel goes out?

While your solar panels generate electricity for your home, if you aren’t using as much as you’re producing, the power gets sent to the grid (which allows you to participate in net metering programs). During a power outage, utility workers are sent to fix the problem.

Will solar power go out if the power goes out?

Probably not. If you have solar and the power goes out, your power will go out, too—unless you have a backup system. This is because U.S. electrical code requires rapid shutdown of a solar system to protect emergency workers and prevent dangerous backfeed current from passing onto distribution lines.

How do solar panels & batteries work?

With this system, your solar panels and batteries each have their own inverters. Within the panels the power is converted from DC to AC power, which you can use in your home. Then, in the battery, the power is inverted back to DC power for storage.

Do solar panels produce energy at night?

Your panels will not produce energy at night but you will be using the credits that you generated during the day. The downside of being connected to the grid is that if there is a blackout your solar system will not work. All grid-tied solar systems are installed with an automatic shutoff switch which turns off your solar system in a power outage.

Can solar lights keep lights on if power goes out?

Unfortunately, the answer is most likely no. There are ways—like batteries and home storage solutions—to upgrade your solar system to keep your lights on if the power goes out, but they are not generally the default design option. It’s important to understand how this works (and why) before investing in solar.