Black Start Technology

If you’re thinking about a true off grid solution, then Black start is a must.

Grid instabilities or power outage for longer periods of time? Black start is essential.

Let’s begin with the essential facts and myths about ‘off grid’ solar storage. 

You’ve bought the most expensive brand in the market. You’re feeling very smug with your purchase and how you’ll have lights on when the power is out. Maybe you’ve gone off grid, bought a 15kWh battery and think you’re all set. Think again.

What some of the very known brands don’t tell you (and we all know who we’re referring to here) are that those batteries are only fit for ‘off grid’ use alongside a generator. 

Once the power fails, your battery will start to deplete. Your battery size and what you have running, will dictate how long that stored power lasts. But once it’s depleted it has no way to recharge. 

That battery requires power from the grid to restart the inverter and subsequently charge your battery. Many batteries require mains power to ‘kickstart’ or power the inverter. Without it, your battery will only last through one discharge. 

After that, you have to wait for the power to come back on before your solar panels can recharge your battery. Not quite the true grid solution you were sold?

Many people living off grid may have a generator as a backup. Seemingly, if you don’t know the limitations of your system, not having power beyond one discharge is a problem. So much so that you may want to consider a battery that doesn’t rely on a backup generator to function.

What is Black start and why is it a must for Solar Storage?

Black start is traditionally used by large power stations. However, it’s now built into some solar battery solutions. It allows the battery to recharge without the needs for mains power.

As soon as the sun is shining, your battery will start charging again. No mains power is needed to start the inverter. Every time it’s sunny, you’ll have instant power as well as the ability to store power and use it anytime. This makes it a true off grid solution, unlike many others.

Most batteries sold as off grid solutions don’t employ this technology. Soltaro AIO and AIO2 do. That’s why we can absolutely guarantee you the off-grid solution you need.

With the hybrid Soltaro you can also depend on our emergency power mode. Faster charging plus utilisation of daytime solar to provide power to your home. Soltaro AIO2 has a market leading emergency power mode output. With almost double capacity of its competitors, you can run more and charge faster.

What if you aren’t offgrid?

Storms, and we’ve seen a few in recent years can and will cause power outages. Take Northumberland in Northern England. Storms late in 2021 caused serious damage with some rural villages without power for weeks. Having peace of mind and the ability to generate your own power is a powerful motivator in times such as those. 

Soltaro employ this technology within all their systems making them a truly flexible energy solution. You may never need the back up ‘black start’ but it’s there, just in case.

Want to know more about our systems and how you can you lower your dependence on the grid? Click here to drop us a line.