Battery backup
Battery backup for West Michigan outages
Ice storms, summer wind and an ageing grid take power out across Kent, Ottawa and Kalamazoo counties every year. A home battery keeps the essentials running, and it works with solar you already have or a system we install together.
- Add a battery to an existing solar system, any brand
- Backup for furnace, fridge, well pump and sump pump
- Whole-home or essentials-only, sized to what you need
- Permitted and inspected like any other electrical work
Get a battery quote
Tell us about your home. We'll call you, usually within one business day.
Things worth knowing before you buy a battery
- Most solar systems shut off in an outage. Without a battery or a special inverter, a grid-tied system switches off when the grid does, for the safety of line workers. Homeowners find this out during their first outage.
- You choose what stays on. An essentials panel covering the furnace, fridge, sump pump, well pump and a few outlets costs far less than whole-home backup and covers what matters in a Michigan winter.
- Batteries can be added later. If you already have solar, from us or from a company that's gone, we can usually add a battery. Some older inverters need to be replaced to do it; we'll tell you before you spend anything.
- Batteries make more sense as utility buyback rates fall. Storing your own afternoon solar for the evening beats selling it back cheaply.
How a quote works
- Send us your address and a recent electric bill, or just the form above.
- We look at your roof and usage and call you with honest options, including "not yet" if solar doesn't make sense for your house.
- You get a written quote with the equipment named, the price, the permit and utility steps, and the warranties.
- Licensed install, permit, inspection, utility approval. You don't pay for a system that isn't turned on.
Why people in West Michigan call us
We spend our days fixing what other solar companies left behind: unfinished permits, systems that never got turned on, inverters nobody will warranty. That's exactly why our own installs are done the boring, correct way. Every job is permitted, inspected and approved by your utility before we call it done, and the company that installed it is still here next year.
Common questions
Will my solar panels work during a power outage?
Usually not on their own. A standard grid-tied system shuts off when the grid goes down to protect utility workers. You need a battery, or an inverter with a backup outlet, to have power in an outage.
Can I add a battery to an existing solar system?
In most cases, yes, including systems installed by a company that is no longer in business. Some older inverters need to be replaced first. We check before you commit to anything.
How much of my house can a battery run?
That's your choice. Many homeowners back up essentials only: furnace, fridge, sump pump, well pump and some outlets. Whole-home backup needs more battery capacity and costs more.
Do batteries make sense without solar?
They can, purely as backup power. Paired with solar, the battery also stores your afternoon production for the evening, which matters more as utility buyback rates fall.