How to Check if your Solar Panels are Working Properly
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Solar panels are very much a hands off investment. They should be quietly working in the background to generate you free, clean energy. But to make sure they stay that way, you should be checking them regularly to ensure they’re doing their job right.
You don’t need to be an engineer, all it takes is just a few basic checks.
Read below to learn the best ways to check your solar panels are working correctly, from professional solar panel installers in South London.
1. Check your Solar Monitoring App or Portal
Most modern solar panel systems will come with a solar panel monitoring app you can install/use on your phone or computer. These apps will be linked to your solar inverter, and show real time energy production.
They provide a great insight into how well your panels are performing, any patterns in energy production and potentially where any inefficiencies lie. The Enphase Monitoring app is one of our favourites, and it’s very easy to use.
Monitoring apps are one of the best ways to spot if any of your panels aren’t working correctly, as they allow you to view performance on an individual panel level.
It’s important to check this frequently so that you have a baseline understanding of expected panel performance. That way you can compare your current output with historical performance. This makes it easy to spot any sudden changes in solar output which could indicate an underlying issue.
2. Look at the inverter status lights
Your solar inverter is the brain behind any solar panel system. And just as your brain will tell you when something’s wrong with your body, your inverter is great at telling you when something’s wrong with your solar system.
Regardless of the manufacturer, your inverter will usually have a small panel with lights, which indicate whether it’s in good, or poor health.
Anything other than a ‘green’ or ‘ok’ status light, would imply there’s an issue that needs addressing. Ensuring you check these regularly will enable you spot problems early, and help you quickly get the support you need to fix them.
Common causes of inverter fault lights being triggered are grid disconnection, overheating and isolation faults. These typically require a professional inspection to rectify.
3. Check your Electricity Meter
A simple check of your electricity meter is another easy way to tell if your solar panels are providing your home with enough energy. By checking your electric meter, you’ll be able to see if you’re pulling too much, or more than expected from the grid.
If you’re pulling more than normal from the grid, it’s not immediately a concern. Maybe it’s a cloudy day, your panels are briefly obstructed, or the sun isn’t perfectly lined up with your panels right now.
However, if you’re consistently pulling more than expected from the grid, over a period of say, a few weeks, it could be indicative of an underlying issue. It could be a sign that your panels are underperforming, perhaps linked to an issue with your solar panels themselves, or maybe an error converting AC to DC at the inverter level.
There’s no exact amount to look out for when it comes to how much you should or shouldn’t be pulling from the grid – only what your installer has told you based on your system size, and your energy usage.
This is where it comes in handy having an installer who’s actually designed a system based around your needs.
4. Watch the Generation Meter
Not every system has one of these, but a real simple way to check if solar energy is flowing into your home is through your generation meter.
If it’s flashing during the day – that’s a good thing. That means solar is coming in through the panels and powering your home.
But if it stops flashing when the sun’s out, then something may be wrong. If yours isn’t moving as expected even at midday, you’ll need someone like us to take a look.
5. Visual Inspection
Sometimes visually inspecting your panels can give you a further insight into any current or future issues. Never climb on your roof yourself – only check what you can see from ground level.
Check for debris, dust, dirt, shading, droppings or anything that could block sunlight from reaching your panels.
Checking for any physical obstructions of your panels may help you connect the dots if an issue has cropped up on any other checks.
If a certain panel is underperforming, or you’re pulling more than expected from the grid, an obstructed panel may be a valid explanation.
What to do if there's a problem
After performing these checks, if you notice any issues, such as a sudden drop in output or fault codes on your monitoring system, contacting a professional is the most reliable way to get the issue resolved.
We’d never recommend ‘DIY Electrics’ – especially not in solar!
Speaking with a professional and having an inspection, means you’ll get a swift diagnosis of the underlying issue, and get your solar panels back to 100% as soon as possible.
At JD Allen Solar, we frequently provide system health checks for our customers – even those whose systems we didn’t install!
Are you based around the South London area? Don’t hesitate to get in touch – especially if your solar isn’t generating what you’re expecting.
Get in touch
These checks only take a few minutes, but they’ll tell you a lot about your system and save money, and headaches down the road.
If an issue crops up anywhere, your best bet is to speak to someone like JD Allen, who handles solar problems every day. Sometimes a phone consultation is all you need to get your home back to its full solar potential.
We’re a local, family run team who treat your home like our own.
If you’d like advice on a problem you’ve been experiencing, simply click the button below to reach out. We’ll be in touch to help diagnose your issue and get your solar back to 100%!
