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I think my solar power system is not working or not working properly, what should I do?

If you think your solar PV system is not working, you may become aware– through a higher than expected electricity bill, through information from a monitoring system or simply by your inverter staying permanently switched off.

If the inverter is switched off permanently then you need to call the original solar installation company and ask for a site visit to ascertain the issue. Make sure you agree on call out fees etc. before the installer shows up.

In cases, where the system is working ,but you feel maybe not to its full potential an assessment of how much energy you generated and consumed over the billing period is the first place to start. This can be found on your electricity bill. Is the bill much higher without you are having changed your consumption pattern? You solar power system supplier should have provided you with estimates of how much energy you will generate and the first step is to compare the predictions with what your electricity bill, or inverter monitoring system says.

If your inverter monitor shows that your system is generating close to what was predicted, then the issue could be to do with a change in the time or the rate of electricity you are being charged. You should discuss the matter with your electricity retailer. Compare your latest electricity bill with some of the bills from previous quarters or even with the bill from 12 month ago.

A dead meter shows no display

If you are generating less than what was predicted, your inverter monitoring system may be able to assist you by describing any faults or errors. Almost all inverters have red and green indicator lights indicating whether they are functioning well, which you can check on a typical sunny day as a good starting point.

Sometimes a tree not too far from your system has grown a new shoot and now starts to overshadow your solar system. So check what has changed near your solar system. Any new objects which cause overshadowing?

Beyond this and in the case of an error or fault, you should immediately contact your original solar system supplier. This is where the terms and conditions of your offer and choosing a great supplier can make a difference; some suppliers may charge you for call out’s and others may provide free support.

In all cases it is important to remember that solar systems are producing high voltage of electricity. Do never attempt to fix any problem yourself. Please use a professional solar installer.

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