Traditionally, inverters in a solar energy system are programmed to shut down when grid power goes out in a house, leaving the homeowner without electricity until utility power comes back on. The main purpose of this function is to keep power from the solar array from back feeding into the grid, thus causing electrical hazards for utility workers who are out working to restore power on the lines.

For those who never want to lose power, the traditional answer was to incorporate battery back-up into their solar system. With battery backup, critical loads in a house could still be fed by the batteries when the grid went down. While battery back-up is often a great option, batteries are expensive, involve maintenance and have a shorter life cycle than any other element in a solar system

Luckily, Autonomous Energies is working with a new product that has just become available and is eliminating the need for battery banks in most situations. It’s the new TL inverter from SMA America, and it is revolutionizing access to back-up power. The SMA TL inverter incorporates a secure power supply outlet that allows the homeowner to access power directly from their solar array during a grid outage. So, as long as the sun is shining, you will never be without power.

This is how the secure power supply works: the inverter has a special wall mounted outlet that is wired into it. When the grid goes down the inverter diverts up to 1,500 watts (120 AC) to this special switched outlet. As long as the grid is down and the sun is up, the secure power supply will have power.

Don’t be fooled, this secure power supply doesn’t allow all the advantages of a battery bank; since there is no energy storage device incorporated, you will still be without electricity at night. But, since we can incorporate the new SMA America TL inverters into a system at no extra charge, it allows substantially improved access to back up power, all without the hassle or cost of batteries.

For more information on the SMA American TL inverter read the recent writeup in HomePower Magazine.

To find out how we can incorporate a secure power supply into your solar energy system call us at (518) 567-1468 or email