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6 Reasons Why Your Solar System Has Stopped Producing Electricity

Solar energy allows Australian homes to live off of a clean and renewable power source whilst saving money considerably. Although solar has a long lifetime of around 20 years you may have noticed a decline in production that leaves you confused about what to do next. There are a number of potential causes and solutions for this that we’ll discuss below to help you get your solar back up to maximum efficiency.

family playing outside their solar powered home

1. Shading

Shading is one of the most common reasons for a decline in panel performance. Luckily it is also one of the more simple issues to fix. This factor is entirely location based, dependent on the layout of your property. You may have some trees that are casting shade on your array or possibly the development of other neighbouring buildings has limited the sunlight your panels see throughout the day. 

Start by monitoring your panels over the course of the day, this can be done both visually by looking to see which panels are impacted by shade at which times and also through a solar monitoring platform, which will give you an overview of peak performance and times where production does not meet expectations. If tree growth is posing a problem, then you may need to hire a professional or carry out pruning yourself to address this issue. Once you’ve done this, it’s a good idea to track the growth of these trees every few months.

Enphase Microinverter Performance under Shading Condition

If shading is a persistent problem for your property, you may want to consider upgrading to a smart solar system such as one from Enphase or SolarEdge. These technologies allow for individual panel performance, meaning even if one panel in the array is obstructed then the others will continue to perform at maximum efficiency. 

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2. Buildup of Dirt and Debris

Solar panels sit on your roof constantly for years, over time they are bound to build up some dust and grime that limits its performance capacity.

This problem varies in severity depending on your location, whether the area you live in experiences much rainfall and the level of dust or debris from surrounding trees.

A lot of the solar panels on the market today feature self cleaning technology, although this is only effective if your property sees adequate rainfall and will still need occasional cleaning. 

There are two options for cleaning your panels. The first is carrying out this task yourself, we don’t normally recommend this as it can be dangerous to get up on the roof without the proper safety equipment, additionally if the wrong products or tools are used your panels could incur significant damage, limiting production even further.

The second option, which we recommend, is hiring an accredited solar installer to clean your panel array. The benefits of having a professional conduct this are worth it, they’ll be able to perform maintenance, check the health and carry out any necessary repairs for your system, as well as having the skills and knowledge to perform the task more thoroughly. 

3. Inverter Problems

Your solar inverter plays an integral role in the solar system. Inverters are responsible for converting DC electricity generated by your panels into AC electricity that is able to be used in your home, without it the energy produced by your solar is unusable.

If your inverter fails to do this or its performance is reduced this will be reflected by reduced power reaching your home. Most inverters have a small light which will give you an indication of whether or not the inverter is operating properly. 

solar panels installed on roof

4. Solar Panels Overheating

This issue is less common as solar panels are designed to withstand heat often to extreme temperatures. The technology used in solar panels allows them to sit on the roof in the hot sun for prolonged periods of time.

That being said, like a lot of electrical systems and components, heat isn’t ideal for efficiency of production. The efficiency of solar panels can potentially be reduced by 10% when they are generating power in conditions over 25°. This can be mitigated by selecting high quality panels and other solar components from a trusted retailer. 

5. Solar Meter Not Installed or Not Functioning

For your solar system to be operational you must first have a bi-directional solar meter installed, this monitors production and manages the power sent back to the grid and used in your home.

If your meter stops working this will impact the whole solar system. Your solar meter is usually installed by your energy retailer, this may take a few days after installation.

electrician troubleshooting electrical wiring

There are a few potential issues that could cause your solar meter to fail. The first is energy readings, your meter may no longer be reading electricity production properly, giving you false readings or impacting production. If this is the case you may have to talk to your electricity provider to resolve this issue.

The second problem commonly experienced is a loss of internet connection, without this your solar meter will not be able to monitor, record and transmit information about energy production properly. Luckily this issue is easier to solve as you will just need to reconnect your meter to your Wi-Fi and ensure that there is a strong and reliable connection.

6. Micro-Cracks

Micro-cracks are small cracks that form on the surface of the solar panel, they are extremely difficult to see, in fact it is near impossible to to see them with the naked eye. As they worsen these cracks will impact the electricity production of your panels.

There are a few potential causes for this such as weather conditions, general wear and tear over time and temperature factors. If you suspect that this may be an issue for your system, it may be wise to have an installer come and service the array. This will give you a better idea of the system health as well as help you to take the next steps in making any necessary repairs.

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