What Happens During a Power Cut?

Home battery storage is becoming increasingly popular, especially for homeowners who want to make use cheap rate energy tariffs, maximise their solar energy performance, reduce reliance on the grid and protect themselves from rising electricity costs.

But one question comes up again and again:

If I have a battery, will my home keep running during a power cut?

By default, battery systems don’t always come with backup power during a powercut, but when you are looking for backup, it depends how the system has been designed.

Watch this short video to get an insight into which backup system might be right for you.

Battery Storage Does Not Automatically Mean Backup Power

A common misunderstanding is that every home battery system automatically provides backup power during a power cut.  In reality, many battery systems are primarily designed to store energy and reduce grid imports. Unless backup has been specifically designed into the installation, the system may shut down when the grid goes off.

This can come as a surprise to homeowners. After all, if there is energy stored in the battery, it seems logical that the house should be able to use it.

The missing piece is the backup arrangement.

For your home to safely operate during a power cut, it needs to be correctly disconnected from the grid and supplied from the battery and inverter instead.

What Is an Automatic Transfer Switch?

One of the most effective ways to achieve this is with an Automatic Transfer Switch, often called an ATS.

During normal operation, your home is connected to the grid as usual.

If the grid fails, the ATS automatically disconnects your property from the grid and reconnects it to the backup supply from the inverter and battery.

When the grid comes back, the system can return to normal operation.

For the homeowner, the aim is simple: the power goes out, the backup system takes over, and the house carries on as normally as possible.

Why Changeover Time Matters

Not all backup systems switch over at the same speed.

Some systems can take a second or two to restore power after an outage. That may not sound like much, but it is usually long enough for lights to go out, broadband routers to reboot, clocks to reset and electronic devices to switch off.

For some households, that may be acceptable. If the priority is simply to restore power automatically, a short delay may not be a major issue.

However, if you want the outage to feel almost seamless, changeover time becomes important.

A very fast changeover can mean that, in many cases, lights may not flicker and everyday devices may continue operating normally.

Where GridGuard50™ Fits In

At Pogo Energy Systems, one of the ATS solutions we use is GridGuard50™.

GridGuard50™ is compact and offers a changeover time of less than 50 milliseconds.

That is extremely quick. In real-world use, a sub-50ms changeover can make a power cut feel almost unnoticeable in many homes.

It is important to be realistic: GridGuard50™ is not the same as a true uninterruptible power supply. Some equipment may still benefit from a dedicated UPS.

However, for many domestic battery backup systems, a fast ATS can provide a very smooth and practical backup experience.

Backup Power Still Has Limits

Even with a well-designed backup system, there are still limits.

During a power cut, your home is being supplied by the inverter and battery. That means the amount of power available is limited by the inverter output and the amount of energy stored in the battery.

Lighting, Wi-Fi, fridges, freezers, TVs, computers and general household loads are often realistic, depending on the size of the system.

High-power appliances are different. Electric showers, ovens, immersion heaters, tumble dryers and EV chargers can place a very heavy demand on the system.

Using too many high-power appliances during an outage can quickly drain the battery or overload the inverter.

A good backup design should take this into account from the start.

Safety and Design Matter

Backup power is not just about adding a switch.

The system must be designed so that your home is safely disconnected from the grid during an outage. It also needs the correct electrical safety arrangements so that protective devices continue to operate properly while the property is running from the battery system.

This is another reason experience matters.

A backup system can look simple from the outside, but the detail behind it is important. Done properly, it can be safe, convenient and extremely useful. Done badly, it may not behave the way the homeowner expects.

Is Battery Backup Right for You?

Battery backup is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

The right approach depends on your property, your existing electrical installation, your inverter, your battery capacity and what you actually want to keep running during a power cut.

For some people, basic backup is enough.

For others, a fast whole-home backup arrangement using an Automatic Transfer Switch is a much better fit.

The key is to think about backup power at the design stage, not as an afterthought.

Thinking About Battery Backup?

If you are considering battery storage and want your home to stay powered during a power cut, it is worth speaking to an installer who understands the different backup options.

At Pogo Energy Systems, we design solar, battery and backup systems around how people actually use their homes.

Whether you are adding a battery to an existing solar system or planning a new installation, we can advise on the best approach for your property.