Hey folks! I'm new to the whole solar energy thing. I'm currently leasing a solar system for my home, but the leasing company doesn't provide a battery. I've experienced power outages three times now, and my daughter really needs power for her medical equipment. I was advised by the hospital that I should be eligible for some sort of assistance from my utility company, but they denied that such help exists. My main question is: is there any legal way for me to connect a battery to my leased solar system? Can the solar company find out and potentially cause any legal issues for me down the line? I really appreciate any guidance you can share!
1 Answer
First things first, make sure you file a Serious Medical Condition Certification Form with your utility. Your healthcare provider needs to sign it too. Once it’s filed, they have to keep your power running unless it’s an emergency; they can’t just cut you off for late payments. Some utilities even offer backup options like portable power stations for folks needing medical devices. However, since your solar system is leased, you probably can't modify it legally. Most grid-tied systems aren't set up for batteries either.
Find out how much power your medical equipment needs—there should be a label on it. Let's say it uses 200W. In that case, you’d need around 1.2KWh in battery capacity to keep it running during an outage. If you’re looking for solutions, check out all-in-one solar generators from brands like Ecoflow or Bluetti. They can charge via solar panels or regular grid power and wouldn’t be connected to your house wiring—so the utility wouldn’t know about it.