Solar is quiet. When it's working, you don't notice it. When it stops, you often don't notice that either, until a power bill comes in higher than it should.
These five checks take a few minutes and don't require a ladder. Do them a couple of times a year, and any time your bill looks off.
1. Open your monitoring app
Most systems came with an app, usually from the inverter maker: Enphase, SolarEdge, Tesla or similar.
- Look at a sunny day. Production should rise in a smooth curve through the morning, peak around midday and fall off in the evening. A flat line on a clear day means something isn't producing.
- Check the status. If the app says the system is offline or hasn't reported in days, the panels may still be working fine. The most common cause is a new Wi-Fi router or a changed password, which cuts the monitoring off. It's worth fixing, because without monitoring you can't see real problems.
2. Compare this month with the same month last year
Production swings with the seasons, so comparing June with December tells you nothing. Compare this June with last June.
Panels lose a little output each year, typically under one percent. Weather varies too. A difference of a few percent is normal. A drop much bigger than that, in a month with similar weather, is worth a closer look.
3. Look at the inverter
If you have one inverter on a wall, it has a status light or a small screen.
- A green light usually means it's producing.
- Red, orange or blinking usually means it isn't, or it's reporting a fault.
Take a photo of any error code. It tells an electrician exactly where to start. If you have microinverters (small units under each panel), there's nothing to look at on the roof. Your app will show each panel's output instead, and one panel reading zero while the rest work is a clue.
4. Check the breaker and the disconnect
In your electrical panel there should be a breaker labeled solar or PV. Near your meter there's often a separate switch called a disconnect.
If the breaker has tripped, you can reset it once. If it trips again, stop there and call an electrician. A breaker that keeps tripping is protecting you from a real problem.
5. Read your power bill
Your bill shows how much power you sent back to the grid. On a working system, sunny months should show plenty of it.
If spring and summer bills show little or no exported power, and your usage hasn't changed, your system probably isn't producing what it should.
A quick look from the ground
While you're outside, look up at the panels.
- Dust and bird droppings. After a spring windstorm, a film of dust can cut output noticeably. A rinse with a garden hose from the ground, early or late in the day when the panels are cool, is usually enough. Don't climb up, and skip the pressure washer and harsh soap.
- Pigeons. They love the shade under panels. Nesting material, droppings and chewed wiring are common here, and critter guards around the edge of the array keep them out.
- Anything loose. Hanging wires, a cracked panel or a shifted mount all need a professional.
When to call us
Call if your system is offline and you can't get it back, production has dropped and you can't explain why, the inverter shows a fault, or a breaker keeps tripping.
We diagnose and repair systems from any installer, including ones that have gone out of business. If that's your situation, here's what to do next.