Ground Solar and Your Well Pump
Last verified: September 2026
On a well, your water depends on electricity — and a plain grid-tied solar system shuts off in an outage, pump and all. Here's how to keep the water on, in plain English. On a well and planning ahead? Call (330) 200-8042.
Keeping the Water On When the Power's Off
On a well, your water runs on electricity — so when the power goes out, the pump stops. And here's what surprises almost everyone: a plain grid-tied solar system shuts itself off in an outage, roof or ground, even in bright sun. It's a required safety feature that protects the line crews. So solar alone will not run your well when the grid is down. Only a properly sized battery keeps the pump going — and because a well pump takes a big surge to start, your installer and well company size that battery for your specific pump, never from a guess. Whatever you decide, store drinking and household water now. In town on city water? Your taps keep flowing, but your sump pump stops in an outage the same way — and a battery backs it up too. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 If I have solar, will my well still work in a power outage?
Not with a plain grid-tied system. It shuts off in an outage — a required safety feature — and the pump stops with it, even in bright sun. Only a properly sized battery keeps the well running when the grid is down.
2 Why can't my solar panels run the well during a blackout?
Because a grid-tied system is required to stand down in an outage so it can't put power onto lines the crews are repairing. To use your own solar during an outage, you need a battery and the equipment to run safely apart from the grid.
3 How big a battery do I need to run my well pump?
That has to be sized for your specific pump and well by your installer and well company, because a pump takes a big surge to start. Be wary of anyone who quotes a size without knowing your setup — a wrong guess can leave you without water.
4 What should I do first, before spending on a battery?
Store water. Keep drinking and household water on hand for several days. It's simple, cheap, and it never fails — the foundation everyone on a well should have, whether or not they ever add backup power.
5 Does a ground array near the well-house help?
It's handy — a ground mount can sit near the well-house for a tidy layout with shorter runs. But placement alone won't run the pump in an outage; you still need a properly sized battery for that.
6 I'm in town on city water — is this relevant to me?
Somewhat. Municipal water keeps flowing in a home outage, so your taps work. But your sump pump stops the moment the power does — and a battery can back it up just like a well pump if flooding is a worry.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Keeping the water on is one of the most reassuring things to plan for, and it's easy to get wrong if you go it alone. I'll help you understand your options and coordinate your solar installer and well company — with nothing to sell you. $99 flat for a visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).