Why isn’t my Solar System working?

Did you know that Australia gets around 58 million units of solar energy each year? To put that into perspective, that’s about 10,000 times more than the whole of Australia’s yearly energy consumption. It’s no surprise then that so many Queenslanders have chosen to power their homes with solar energy.

Another reason Queenslanders have adopted solar power so quickly is that it’s an affordable investment that requires very minimal maintenance. However, that doesn’t mean issues don’t occur. In fact, when issues do occur with your solar system, with so many different components it’s hard to figure out what exactly is causing the issue.

If you have noticed a decrease in energy production from your solar system, the issue could your solar inverter. In this article, we will discuss six of the most common inverter repair issues we encounter on a daily basis.

1. Bad Installation

One of the most common problems with solar inverters is improper installation. This could include incorrect programming or not connecting them correctly. That’s why it’s crucial to have a reliable solar installation company handle your system installation.

Your solar panels need to get correctly matched with your inverter’s capacity. If they’re not correctly matched, your inverter will fail to operate efficiently. Your solar panel capacity should be around 133% of the capacity of your inverter. For example, if you have a 4KW panel, your inverter should have a 3KW capacity. If the panel is 6KW, the inverter should have a capacity of 4.5KW.

2. Isolation Fault

Isolation fault is when there’s a short-circuit in your circuit. Your inverter will notify you of an “isolation alarm.”

A few different reasons usually cause short circuits:

• Damage and moisture to the cabling sleeves
• Poor connection between cables
• Faulty installation
• Moisture in the connections

Moisture problems are typically more common in areas close to the ocean or areas that have high humidity. If there’s an isolation issue with your inverter, the part will stop working. There is a possibility that your inverter could keep working but not at maximum capacity.

An isolation fault could also cause fatal voltages in your solar panel system. To prevent this issue, we recommend having your solar system serviced once a year which will include inverter repairs if there are any needed.

3. Overheating

Solar inverters are comprised of electrical components that are sensitive to high temperatures. An increase in temperature could result in reduced production. Your inverter could even stop producing electricity if it reaches its maximum temperature.

When your solar panel system gets installed, your technician needs to assess if the system has adequate cooling technology. They also need to ensure that different parts surrounding the inverter have proper ventilation.

There are a few ways you can prevent your inverter from overheating. They include the following:

• Cleaning and installing dust filters
• Removing weeds that inhibit airflow
• Evaluating the functionality of the cooling system

4. Inverter Doesn’t Restart

If a grid fault occurs  – for example, due to a blackout – your inverter needs to be able to restart itself.

If your inverter doesn’t come back on by itself, the grid fault might have caused more damage to your inverter than you realise and an inverter repair team may need to come out to repair it, or replace it.

5. Not Holding a Charge

There are a few reasons why your solar inverter might not be charging. Some of the reasons include:

• Loose connections
• Burnt rectifiers
• Dead battery
• Melted fuses

Dead batteries are a common cause of an inverter failing to charge and unfortunately, the only way to remedy this issue is by replacing the battery.

Melted fuses can occur during short circuits which can also happen if your inverter is overheating. You might need a new solar inverter replacement if you have melted fuses.

6. MPPT Module

Modern solar inverters operate using the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique which maximizes your inverter’s performance.

Several rows of PV modules get connected in a series, also known as strings. The strings then get connected to your solar inverter.

Not all of the strings in PV modules create the same amount of energy. There are a few factors that can play a part in how much energy is produced, such as:

• Positioning
• Shading
• Panel faults

The MPPT module algorithm is designed so that the inverter uses the optimum amount of voltage despite the varying degrees of energy produced by the strings. This ensures that your solar panels are producing the maximum amount of energy possible.

If your solar system’s MPPT module isn’t established correctly, it can affect your inverter. Your solar panel technician can conduct various performance tests to ensure its efficiency.

When should I contact a professional for help with my Solar Inverter?

While there are a few things you can do to prevent problems with your solar inverter, it’s essential that you hire a solar inverter repair expert to assess and fix any issues with your solar system. There are many things that can go awry with trying to fix your inverter yourself, as well as voiding your warranty or damage your system by attempting a DIY fix.

If your solar panel system isn’t operating at maximum capacity, you should certainly contact a reliable solar repair company like Solarfix. Once you call, one of our friendly technicians can be at your front door within a few hours. We’ll assess your inverter, making a recommendation for a repair or replacement, and complete the inverter service that very same day.

Our team of repair technicians is here to help. Contact Solarfix today to schedule a solar maintenance appointment.