How Do Solar Batteries Work?

Solar batteries store your unused excess solar panel-generated electricity so that you can use it when needed, instead of buying it from Synergy or your local utility company. This simple process makes any solar panel and battery system a lot more powerful than generally assumed.

With solar batteries getting cheaper and lithium battery technology getting more and more efficient, we’re seeing an increased demand for solar batteries from Perth homeowners. Therefore, in this article, we’ll give you an overview of how solar batteries work so you can make an informed decision about whether a solar battery is the right choice for you.

Understanding how solar power works without a battery

To understand how solar batteries work, let’s take a look at how Perth households manage their solar power with only a solar panel system. Most residential solar systems are about 6.6 KW . And before batteries came into the picture, the idea was to have enough solar power output to power most of your appliances during the daytime. Without a solar battery, you’d need to maximise your solar energy by saving small dishwasher or washing machine loads for the morning and at dusk and putting on more powerful ones in the middle of the day.

Of course, the optimal use of solar energy can vary based on factors like the season and the orientation of your home relative to the sun. To maximise your solar energy savings, it’s generally best to use electricity during peak sunlight hours. In summer, this typically means using power from 9 am to 4 pm, while in winter, it’s more effective to use electricity between 10 am and 3 pm. Adjustments might be necessary depending on mid-season changes and variations in daylight length throughout the year.’

Storing your excess solar energy with a solar battery

The greatest advantage of having a solar battery is that they store any excess solar power produced at any time of the day for use later in the day or at night. Most Perth homeowners with solar batteries are surprised to see their solar batteries already full by 9am or 10am.

Another advantage of a solar battery is that it ensures all electricity used in your home comes from the battery storage. This means you only need to purchase electricity from the grid, such as from Synergy, when your batteries are depleted and your solar system isn’t generating enough power to meet your current demand. This helps to minimise your reliance on external power sources and can lead to significant savings on your energy bills.

Realistically most homeowners can easily manage the above, hence the great economic benefit of people not paying electricity bills for years.

How a solar battery works to store excess solar energy

To the common question of how does a battery work to store solar energy, the answer is quite simple. Take the usual most popular 6.6 KW solar system. It will start producing about 600 Watts early in the morning, say by 8am in winter. Besides the fridges consuming about 300 Watts combined, if there is nothing else on, as seemingly people are already on their way to work or school, the remaining 300 W goes to the solar battery. By 9am the 600 Watts are already doubled if not tripled and again it’s all excess solar electricity that goes to the solar battery and nothing gets exported until the battery is full and there are no other appliances on.

How long it takes for a solar battery to reach full capacity

You can see how a small 5 KW solar battery, which was not discharged at night, is already full by 9.30am as the solar system starts to produce towards its peak. If you have a 10 KW solar battery it would take another 45 minutes to a house to fill up to that capacity as well.

Once the batteries are recharged and the solar system is operating at full capacity, the energy you use is primarily supplied by the batteries. The system simultaneously replenishes the batteries with surplus solar energy and exports any excess electricity generated back to the grid. While the export might be minimal in both output and financial return, it can definitely still contribute enough to offset your service charges, particularly over a two-month billing cycle. This helps to further reduce both your initial solar battery costs and overall energy costs.

How solar batteries work in all weather conditions and year-round

Even on cloudy or rainy days, with some strategic planning, you can still power your entire home using energy stored in your batteries and solar panels still work on cloudy days. The main difference is that you may not export as much surplus energy to the grid, but you’ll avoid buying electricity.

The same principle applies at night when your solar system isn’t producing energy. To make the most of your stored power, try to schedule heavy energy use, like running washing machines and dishwashers, during peak sunlight hours.

Use appliance timers to optimise energy use during the day, and reserve the battery power for essential nighttime needs such as lighting, televisions, and refrigerators. This approach helps ensure that your stored energy is used efficiently and reduces your reliance on grid electricity.

How solar batteries work to provide continuous power during power outages

Last but not least, solar batteries offer a significant advantage in providing continuous power during storms or power outages, which unfortunately, seem to be becoming increasingly common. In the event of a power failure, your batteries can serve as a reliable backup, ensuring that essential functions in your home remain operational.

For instance, during wildfire seasons, some of our clients have successfully maintained uninterrupted power for weeks, even when the main electricity supply was disrupted and undergoing repairs.

How can solar batteries work in an outage? Well when a power outage occurs, your battery system automatically switches to provide the solar power, ensuring that essential functions in your home, such as lighting, refrigeration, and communication devices, remain operational. When the battery is fully depleted, your solar panels can continue to generate electricity, which is then used to subsequently recharge the batteries, provided there is enough sunlight. This means that even during extended outages, your system can gradually replenish its reserves and continue to provide power, enhancing your home’s resilience.

This capability not only enhances your energy security but also offers peace of mind during emergencies. With a solar battery system, you can stay connected and comfortable, regardless of external power interruptions, making it a valuable addition to your home energy infrastructure.

What to consider when choosing a solar battery system

It’s important to mention that all clients should take the time to carefully research the right solar battery system. Not all solar batteries are the same and you’ll find various solar battery types available on the Perth solar market. Some of which will only provide power for the duration of the battery charge and in case power is not restored in the mains they will go without power.

In contrast, the more advanced battery systems are designed to operate in a true off-grid mode. These systems ensure that even if the grid power isn’t restored, your solar panels will recharge the batteries the following day, allowing you to maintain continuous power for your home. This capability means you’re not dependent on the grid for power restoration, giving you greater energy security and reliability.

We strongly recommend considering these advanced battery systems over the basic cheaper ones. They provide consistent power regardless of the status of the mains electricity, offering a significant advantage in ensuring that your home remains powered during extended outages and providing you with the ability to store more solar energy.

Ready to upgrade your home solar system with a solar battery? Call e-Solar today!

Whilst it may seem daunting, a solar battery system is really quite simple to understand and operate. Most of our customers get the idea of how a solar battery works in a very short while, to the point that it becomes a family game.

The satisfaction that clients show when they realise that besides lowering the house running costs, they experience an element of freedom that’s priceless. Ready to see how little or no bills at all we can pay by the end of the 2 month electricity cycle?

e-Solar has been helping Perth homeowners power their household with solar energy for 21+ years. Whether you’ve got an existing solar power system that you want to add a solar battery to or are looking to install a new solar and battery package, we’ve got plenty of tailored solar battery solutions to suit your individual needs.

Don’t hesitate to get in contact with the friendly team at e-Solar today!