Again standard disclaimer...
Trying to put in the link if anyone interested.

https://www.harborfreight.com/100-watt-solar-panel-kit-63585.html

Check with a solar specialist that is not associated with your power company. I'm guessing that you are set up to sell the excess capacity back to the power company. If so, it's set up so that when the grid is down, you don't feed power to lines that they think are cold. A solar specialist or electrician should be able to set up something like the transfer switch used for a generator.

IIRC off grid solar uses a battery bank & charger to smooth the voltage being fed to an inverter.

UT..... completely isolated. Battery. NO tie in to the grid WHATSOEVER. We wanted something completely free of anything else.

CJK
If I go solar, I'd be going BIG & trying to find someone that could combine what you've got and what Ian has. Many (most or maybe all) grid tied systems are set up without storage and wired so that if power on the grid side is down, you don't have power either. Combining the two would allow you to keep power at your property and also sell any excess to the power company.

Possible problem I've heard is that some places won't allow it's use in a mass outage as the backfeed from solar to grid may be an issue. Not sure how they 'monitor' this but...

(UK requirements.)

Maximum export per phase 16A, so most domestic properties are limited to 3.68kW@230V. My inverter will accept up to 24A@230V but is export capped at 16A. I could add another phase or two but that would need a second inverter per phase. Expensive, unless you are a commercial operation.

If a generator is fitted, the premises must have a break before make grid/generator supply changeover switch, manual or automatic to prevent backfeed to the grid, no suicide leads!

My inverter works only grid tied, I will need a different inverter to go off grid, expensive luxury and no feed-in tariff.

Back to the small scale items. Luci inflatable solar lights are a good addition for camping and emergency preps. They are a self contained usit with solar panel, battery, and light in a small round package that can be inflated for an area light or lantern. Fairly cheap - around $15 most places. I have used them satisfactorily during power outs and for camping.

I was thinking something like the transfer switch used with generators. Maybe a relay held closed by the grid power so that if the power is off, it isolates the house system.

I had thought about that too.... for the theory. Sounds good. For us...TOO expensive for too little return. with a larger system....maybe. We're just looking for the the very 'portable' (relatively speaking) we can set up and keep small things going.

If the house was turned the right way (roof ridge line runs north-south), I'd be thinking run the house on solar and sell excess back to the power company. The main goal being no power outages. As it is, I'd have to either run double panels or put them in the back yard or find a way to turn the panels 90 degrees.