Short answer: no. Most solar systems shut off the moment the grid goes down. Here's why that happens — and what you can do about it.
Get Your Free Energy Report →It seems counterintuitive. Your solar panels are on the roof, the sun is shining, but your house goes dark like everyone else's. Here's the reason:
Grid-tied solar systems are connected to your local utility's power grid. When the grid goes down, your system is required by law to disconnect immediately. This is called anti-islanding protection, and it's governed by IEEE 1547 and UL 1741 safety standards.
If your solar panels kept producing electricity during an outage, that power could feed back into downed power lines. Utility workers repairing the grid could be electrocuted. Anti-islanding protection prevents that from happening.
This applies to roughly 90% of residential solar systems in the US. If you went solar without adding a battery, your system almost certainly shuts off during outages.
A battery backup system fundamentally changes the equation. Here's what happens when you pair solar panels with a home battery:
When the grid goes down, the battery system automatically disconnects your home from the grid within milliseconds. Your home becomes its own independent power source. Your panels keep producing electricity, the battery stores it, and your home stays powered.
Your solar panels charge the battery and power your home simultaneously. As long as the sun is producing enough energy, you can run indefinitely.
The battery takes over. A fully charged Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh) can power essential loads — refrigerator, lights, Wi-Fi, phone chargers, medical equipment — for 10–12+ hours. The next morning, your panels recharge it again.
This depends on the battery's capacity and your usage. Most homeowners set up their battery to prioritize essential loads:
Running your AC off a battery is possible but drains it fast. Most systems let you configure exactly which circuits get backed up, so you prioritize what matters most.
Las Vegas and Southern Nevada deal with a specific pattern: extreme summer heat combined with peak grid strain. When temperatures hit 115°F and everyone's AC is running at full blast, that's exactly when the grid is most likely to have issues.
A summer power outage in Las Vegas without AC isn't just uncomfortable — it can be dangerous, especially for elderly residents, children, and pets. A battery keeps your home cool enough to stay safe.
NV Energy's tiered rate structure also means batteries save you money even without outages. Store cheap solar energy during the day, use it during expensive peak hours in the evening. The battery pays for itself faster in markets with high rate tiers. If you're considering this option, read our NV Energy net metering guide to understand how your local rates affect the math.
Your system detects the outage and shuts off immediately. Your home goes dark like every other house on the block.
Your system detects the outage, disconnects from the grid, and switches to battery power in milliseconds. You may not even notice.
Get a free energy report showing how battery backup changes your outage resilience and saves you money on peak-hour rates.
Get Your Free Report →Compare battery options and get pricing from vetted installers. See how much backup power costs and how much you'd save on peak-hour rates.
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