How a Smart Panel Helped One Pittsburgh Family Stay Powered Through a Five-Day Outage
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Editor’s Note: This case study reflects a homeowner’s experience with the Lumin Smart Panel® prior to the acquisition of Lumin® by ABB. Lumin was acquired in January of 2025 because great technology deserves a global platform. Today, the same technology lives on as the ReliaHome™ Smart Panel.
When a powerful windstorm swept through Pittsburgh in late April, knocking out power for days across the region, Ian—a solar industry veteran—found himself in a unique position.
After more than a decade designing solar energy systems for others, Ian suddenly found himself depending on that very technology to power and protect his own home.
Luckily, he had recently installed a smart panel.
As the storm knocked out power across Pittsburgh, Ian’s smart panel didn’t just keep the lights on—it became a lifeline for his family and a source of support for his neighbors.
Preparing for the Storm
“I’d been following the weather pretty closely,” Ian recalls. “Being in the solar industry, I track meteorologists and had a sense this was going to be a major wind event.”
So, he got ready — moving cars into the garage, securing the yard, and making sure his solar battery was fully charged.
When the storm hit on April 29, it delivered intense straight-line winds that tore through his neighborhood.
“It wasn’t a tornado, but it felt like one,” Ian said. “Trees were down everywhere. The power went out midway through the most intense part of the storm.”
Staying Powered with Smart Technology
While neighbors scrambled for candles and generators, Ian’s home stayed powered — not just because of solar and battery storage, but because of what connected it all. It was the smart panel that made the difference between simply having backup power and using it wisely.
“The smart panel gives insight into the energy usage of the largest loads in our home—cooking appliances, HVAC, and especially our heat pump water heater,” Ian explained.
“That was our biggest electricity consumer during the outage, so being able to control when it was on or off was incredibly helpful.”
Using the app, Ian scheduled loads strategically, turning appliances on when solar energy was abundant and off when conserving battery power was critical.
“It became a game of following the sun,” said Ian. “Once the battery recharged in the morning, it was either use the excess solar or lose it. So, we’d run the dishwasher, cook, or heat water during those hours.”
Supporting the Community
What he didn’t expect was that his home would become a power source for neighbors in need.
“There were four of us in the house, and we invited neighbors over to charge devices. One neighbor’s home was badly damaged by a tree, and we were able to keep her hearing aid charged. That felt really good.”
Despite the widespread outage—some homes were without power for up to eight days—Ian’s family lived comfortably.
“We didn’t feel like we had to sacrifice,” recalled Ian. “The data gave us confidence to use appliances when it made sense.”
Lessons in Load Management and Energy Efficiency
The experience deepened Ian’s appreciation for intelligent energy systems.
“Without the smart panel, the battery would have lasted just a few hours. With it, we had full visibility and control. It’s a much more cost-effective way to get high performance out of a battery system.”
Ian also uses the smart panel to optimize his home’s energy efficiency beyond outages. He’s opted into a time-of-use rate structure and uses the app to schedule loads accordingly.
“I drain the battery in the evenings when prices are high and limit which circuits are active,” he explains. “It’s easy to adjust the schedule in the app—just a few taps.”
The system even helped him spot issues early. “The app showed my water heater’s circulator pump was running more than usual,” said Ian.
“It turned out to be malfunctioning. Without that data, I might never have noticed.”
Future-Proofing for Sustainability
For Ian, the smart panel isn’t just about backup power—it’s about sustainability and reliability.
“It’s the right tool to best leverage the investment in solar and battery technology,” he stated. “It protects the battery, supports connected circuits intelligently, and prepares us for evolving utility programs.”
Whether it’s load management during a storm or optimizing energy use on a sunny day, Ian sees the smart panel as essential.
“It’s great for people who want to be hands-on with their energy use, and just as valuable for those who want to set it and forget it,” Ian said. “It takes human error out of the equation when you’re managing power during a stressful time.”