Having Issues with Your Solar Panels? Check Out Our Troubleshoot Guide

by Off Grid Blog Team

There are many incredible solar repair systems, and some of them are much different from others. Solar panels can be an excellent way for homes to become sustainable, and they offer a range of advantages. In fact, solar panels can help homeowners qualify for tax breaks, as well. They don’t require a significant amount of maintenance, although there may be instances where solar repair is necessary.

Of course, solar energy can also help homeowners save a significant amount of money in energy and utility bills. Here are some solar troubleshoot tips that can help you understand why your solar panels aren’t working and solar repair tips to resolve those issues. Whether it’s on grid or off grid solar, solar panels often require a significant amount of solar repair and maintenance over time.

When Do You Need Solar Repair?

It’s one thing to maintain your solar panels regularly, but some situations require solar repair immediately. One situation where you should solar troubleshoot immediately? If there is zero power output – your solar panels are clearly in need of serious repair. Of course, you may need solar repair if there is a low voltage issue, as well.

If the issue with your solar panels is zero power output, there’s good news. Most of the time, the solar repair necessary involves either a faulty charge controller or an inverter that isn’t working. The other possibility is that one of the solar panels in your PV arrays is shutting down the entire system.

Examine Any Obstructions

The next thing to remember about solar repair is to check whether there are any obstructions to the solar panels. There may be trees blocking the sun from your solar panels, for example, and this might require cutting down some branches to help the sun reach your solar panels. Another solar tip is to clean out your solar panels of any potential dust or debris that could be preventing any power from being produced.

Solar repair isn’t just about cleaning solar panels or ensuring that the sun can reach the panels. Problems can arise under the solar panels in the form of mice, birds, insects, and other critters. Another solar repair tip? If you find that there are many insects around your solar panels, consider installing a pest guard of some kind.

Check the Breaker Switches

One of the most obvious solar tips is to check the breaker switches and make sure that the breaker switches are working. For those who don’t know, breaker switches act as tiny fuse boxes that allow for the electricity in your home to flow.

Some surges and glitches can lead to the breaker switches not working, and this is one of the most important aspects to check regarding solar repair.

Temperature Issues

It’s also important to recognize that solar repair might be needed as the temperature fluctuates. One of the reasons that low voltage issues occur is that the solar panels’ temperate is too high. The best solar tip here would be to add modules to increase the string voltage. When thinking about solar repair, remember that a rise in solar panels’ temperature can lead to a voltage drop. If this doesn’t appear to be the issue, the second solar tip would be to make sure that enough air is circulating around the solar panels.

Your panels will often underperform as the temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat fade is common, and it certainly does not mean that your solar panels are faulty. There are also solar repair situations where only specific panels are not working, while others are.

Wiring Damage

There are many situations where solar repair is needed regarding loose wires and previous wire damage. Specifically, most panels are wired either using a series wiring system or parallel wiring system. Series wiring connects a group of panels using one wire, while parallel wiring involves multiple wires that eventually connect to the roof.

Loose wires are a common solar repair issue, and wires can often become damaged thanks to heavy winds or other extreme weather conditions. Wiring damage can also occur because of water damage. If water actually enters wire conduits, it can be a huge solar repair issue down the line.

Solar Panel Defects

One of the most important solar tips if you want to solar troubleshoot, is to make sure that you are always keeping delamination in mind. For those who are unaware, delamination happens when there is too much moisture that enters the electrical circuit of the solar panel.

This isn’t the only defects to consider for those who want to solar troubleshoot. It’s also crucial for homeowners to check for micro cracks and/or UV coloring in solar panels.

Cleaning Solar Panels

One of the most obvious solar tips is simple: you will need to clean your solar panels before thinking about any solar troubleshoot strategies. We all know that nature can lead to dust and debris all over your panels, and it ends up affecting the efficiency of your solar panels.

Solar repair does require cleaning panels, but individuals and homeowners should wear safety gear if they are getting ready for solar troubleshooting. If you are serious about solar repair, you should also recognize that cleaning during specific times of the day can damage them permanently. This is one reason why it’s better to consult with a solar repair professional rather than handling the situation yourself.

Install Solar Monitoring

If you are still thinking about solar repair, you will want to examine any potential solar performance issues. You might want to install a solar monitoring solution that can allow you to access performance data on a range of devices. In terms of solar tips, one smart move would be to install a solar monitoring system that sends alerts when your solar panels stray from its normal baseline in some form or fashion.

Another reason why solar monitoring is important for solar repair is because you can actually analyze historical data and find out more information about solar panel efficiency.

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