Why you must use a licensed electrician for solar repairs

Australia is an ideal country for solar energy, with it having the potential to produce 60% of its energy needs. Creating your own energy with your solar panels saves you money, is great for the environment, and will last you for years to come.

Whether you’re having your solar panels installed or having repairs made, using a licensed solar electrician is vital. You may think you can do the repairs yourself but there can be deadly consequences if something goes wrong. They can also end up costing you more money than if you had just called a solar panel repair team like us.

Don’t watch a few videos on the internet and think you’re equipped to repair your solar panels. This guide will go over why you need to hire a solar panel electrician in Brisbane any time your panels need repairing.

Licenced solar electricians have insurance

A QLD licensed electrician will have insurance to protect your property, your panels, and you in case anything goes wrong. The insurance will cover them as well.

A lot of home insurance policies have requirements that state you need an insured and licensed electrician to do any electrical work on the home. If your home has a fire or other accident and it’s caused by bad electrical work done by an uninsured person, your insurance company might not cover the damages.

A quick way to see if your solar electrician in Brisbane has an active Queensland electrical license, you can look them up on the Worksafe Queensland website. When hiring an electrician, ask for proof of insurance and their electrician’s license. This is something they’ll be asked often if they do a lot of commercial work.

Safety for Everyone

When solar repairs are being done, it’s important that everyone is safe. Electrical work of any type can be dangerous. Licensed solar electricians follow a set of safety standards and procedures, ensuring they do the job safely.

When you do your own electrical work, you’re likely not following those regulations. If you want to repair your solar panels, it’s probably also something you don’t have any experience in.

Solar panel repairs should be done by someone who is trained in the field. They’re often installed on the roof of a house, which makes it even more dangerous to work on if you don’t have the proper safety equipment.

You’re Hiring an Expert

A solar panel electrician is an expert in the field. They know what they’re doing when they work on the panels or deal with inverter repairs. Like we talked about before, the average homeowner isn’t familiar with solar panels.

Solar panels are a major investment. You don’t want to risk damaging them or the equipment by trying to repair them yourself. You’ll end up costing yourself more money in the long run.

Common Solar Panel Maintenance Issues

While solar panels don’t require a lot of maintenance since there are no moving parts, there are certain issues that can arise over the years. You want your panels to last longer than a few decades. Taking care of issues immediately will ensure they last you for a long time.

Wiring Damage

Most solar panels use a parallel or series wiring system. They’re defined as:

• Parallel Wiring: The panels are connected to a central wire with individual wires on each panel
• Series Wiring: A group of panels is connected with one wire, resulting in their total voltage being tied together in a string

Over time, wiring can become loose. This is because of heavy winds or other types of weather events. It’s a rare problem but will result in your solar production dropping.

Water damage can also happen if water gets into the wiring conduits. The conduits are a covering that protects the solar panel wires from the elements. If it’s installed improperly, water can get into the gaps.

If you notice your production of solar beginning to lower, contact a licensed solar panel electrician to examine the panels.

Inverter Issues

Micro-inverters and string inverters are the most common types of inverters used in solar panel installation. If there’s a problem with the inverter, it’ll result in a reduction in the production of your solar energy. Like with wire or water damage, contact a licensed professional to examine your inverter for issues.

Solar Panel Replacements

Sometimes a solar panel may have to be replaced. They can get damaged by large debris hitting them, like hail from hail storm, a tree limb or branch, or covered in pigeon droppings. Solar panels can also stop working as a result of internal deficiencies.

A solar panel electrical can come out to examine your solar panels. If they’ve been damaged by a large object, you’ll know immediately they need to be replaced. If it’s an internal issue, they’ll have to evaluate them onsite.

Circuit Breaker Trips

Solar panels can sometimes cause your circuit breaker to trip. This isn’t a problem you want. That can be caused by a few different reasons:

• The connection between your breaker and your solar panel system is unreliable
• Your breaker panel is faulty
• Your breaker panel is in contact with other elements like rain or heat

Another reason could be that you have solar panel conductor issues. They’re installed with clips that secure the conductors to the frames of your solar system. If they’re installed improperly or damaged, it could cause the tripping of your circuit breaker.

If your circuit breaker continues to trip, contact a licensed professional to come out and evaluate the problem.

Contact a solar electrician in Brisbane today

Don’t try to repair your solar panels yourself. Contact a licensed and insured solar electrician when you need maintenance or repairs done on your solar panels.

Solarfix is here to help. Use our contact form or call us today on 0497 524 407 to book an appointment.