3 min read · All guides
On-grid without a battery
The system shuts off when the grid goes down, so the house loses power along with the neighbours, even in full sun.
Hybrid with a battery
A hybrid inverter can disconnect from the failed grid and continue supplying your selected circuits from the panels and battery. This is sometimes called islanding or backup mode.
- Daytime: the panels can power the backed-up circuits and recharge the battery.
- Night: the battery supplies the circuits until its usable energy runs out.
- If the battery is empty and there is no sun, there is nothing left to supply the house.
What decides how long backup lasts
- Battery capacity (measured in kWh) and how much of it is usable.
- The loads you run, and for how long.
- The inverter's power rating, which limits how many appliances can run at once.
- Whether it is sunny, since panels can top up the battery during the day.
Plan your own backup
Choosing the appliances you care about is the best first step. Our backup planner shows how quickly some loads add up.
This guide is general information. Your own system design, savings and backup capability are confirmed after an assessment of your property.
Try the backup planner