Sure, the solar panels on your roof are producing free energy from the sun to slash your power bills. But let’s face it: it cost you thousands upon thousands of dollars – and you want the full benefit. Are you worried your solar panels are not working properly? If your hunch is right, your expensive panels won’t be producing the energy output and efficiency they’re supposed to – which means your power bills won’t be as small as they can be!
Worse still, even a single solar panel not working right can cause unexpected system shutdowns – and no power at all. And if your problems with solar panels are left unchecked for long enough, they’ll just continue to worsen over time until the repair bill is either huge or you need to replace the entire system from top to bottom.
Have you got a hunch that you’re dealing with solar panel faults?:
- System not producing the energy or performance you’re used to?
- Can you see visible signs of panel damage, cracks, rust or discolouration?
- Monitoring system giving you abnormal or inconsistent readings?
- Error messages on the inverter?
- Hearing strange solar system noises?
- Entire system shutting down or not starting up properly?
- Circuit breakers tripping?
How to check if my solar panels are working properly?
Do you suspect you’re dealing with one (or more) of the most common solar panel problems? When your expensive system is letting you down, it’s not only disruptive, stressful & worrying – you could soon be dealing with huge power bills, even bigger repair bills, or even total system failure.
Just want to know once-and-for-all if that solar panel is working or not? Try our step-by-step at-home diagnostic guide:
1. Check the monitoring software
Most solar power systems include performance monitoring software that may give error messages or alerts that will indicate if a solar panel is working or not. Better still, you can track system performance over time to check for day-to-day energy production consistency and get early signs of potential problems.
2. Check the inverter
Problems with solar energy are quite often not due to the actual panels. In fact, studies have shown that about 80% of all solar problems are actually traced to the inverter. But even if the inverter isn’t faulty, that may be where you see error messages or fault codes.
3. Check the solar panels
Diagnosing solar panels not working can be as easy as simply looking at them. Over time, you’ll see signs of wear & tear, the odd minor crack, visible corrosion or rusting and even obviously loose connections.
4. Check for debris
Sometimes, a solar panel not working properly can be as simple as it being affected by typical roof debris like bird droppings or tree branches. Or, perhaps something is shading or obstructing your panels, blocking the powerful sunlight from having its correct photovoltaic effect.
5. Test the output
To ensure your panels are generating the power they should, as well as the efficiency of the connections and wiring, do the following:
- Power it down
- Check the wiring for damage, corrosion & connections
- Take photos of any issues to show a professional
- Tighten loose connections & clean corroded components
- Power back on and check for enhanced performance.
6. Inspect the mounting hardware
To work properly, your panels need to be properly and securely mounted in a variety of ways – whether on the roof or the ground. Performance issues can arise if the orientation or angle of the panels is not right, while loose mountings can cause vibration and movement in the wind that chips away at the connections or damage the panels themselves.
7. Check the battery
Does your solar system include battery storage? If so, it needs to be charged and discharged in the correct way.
8. Get them inspected & cleaned
Struggling to understand why your solar panels are not working properly? It could be as simple as the need for a thorough professional clean with the best tools, techniques and products – or maybe it just needs some sophisticated diagnostic gear and a skilled PV technician to diagnose the issue.
Need some help? Call Solar Repair Service
Solar panel not working right? It’s absolutely critical to have your panels, inverter, battery and entire solar power system regularly inspected, maintained, cleaned, serviced and repaired when necessary by a qualified solar panel technician. And here at Solar Repair Service, we do it all! Swift diagnosis, compliant solar repairs and expert solar maintenance and solar panel cleaning are literally all we do (and more!) all across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and beyond.
To catch problems early and provide 5-Star treatment for your expensive solar panels, inverter and system, give the friendly team at Solar Repair Service a call today.
