Should I check my solar system after a storm?

 Should I check my solar system after a storm? 

The answer is a resounding yes.  But why is it important to check the solar panel system? 

After a large storm it is common that the inverter will shut down to protect itself from damage and sometimes the Inverter will restart itself, but for various reasons this may not happen which will leave your Solar panels not working and not saving you money.

This happened to one of our clients over the weekend after a large storm shut his solar panel system down and we talked him through a restart on Sunday and his solar panel system was back up and working in flash if you excuse the pun.

So how do you check your solar panel system is working? 

This can be done by as simple as checking the inverter app on your phone.  Depending on the brand of Inverter, the app will show the current production, if this looks normal then at least you know the system is working.  Some solar inverter apps will also log error messages, it’s important the check these also.

If your Solar inverter hasn’t been setup with an App you can normally check the front of the inverter.

If the solar inverter has a screen, check if it is producing power.

If the solar inverter doesn’t have a screen, then check to see if there are any red lights on the front.  If there is a red light, there may be a problem with the inverter. 

Some inverters may have no lights on the front showing but may still not be working properly, so you would need to take a look at the the solar Inverter manual for that.  If you have lost the manual, you can normally download a new one online by searching the make and model of your solar Inverter. 

If you have found your inverter isn’t working you could try a restart of the solar inverter.

To do this, first shut off the AC breaker to the solar inverter, this is normally positioned in your meter box or suboard. Then turn off the DC feed from your solar panels, this is normally located either beside the Solar inverter marked DC isolators or if the inverter is newer, it can be a switch on the inverter marked as DC isolators.

Once you have turned the the solar inverter off leave for 5 minutes then turn the system back on in reverse order ie DC isolators first then AC breaker. 

It may take up to 3 minutes for the Solar Panel system to start up properly. 

It’s best to let the storm pass before you attempt a restart as the solar inverter will read the grid and not restart until the grid is stable.  It is also important to remember if there is no battery attached to your solar inverter it will not restart at night or during a power outage.

It is fine to attempt a restart up to 3 times but if unsuccessful it’s time to call a professional.

We always recommend that if you suspect there is a problem with your system, or you suspect it has been damaged, you contact the original installer. If they are no longer around or if they aren’t interested in helping you, then feel free to contact us at Circuit Alert Solar. We have a dedicated service team that can check your system thoroughly to ensure it is both safe and working efficiently.

If you would like Circuit Alert Solar to check your Solar Panel system out please call : 54770610