How can i tell if solar panels are working properly.
Are my solar panels working properly.
Resistive losses due to electrical cable breakdownwater ingress in to the solar panels or inverter.
A red or orange light during daylight hours means there s a system event or fault.
But don t get stuck on this detail.
Other potential failure points include.
Ac or dc isolator.
If your panels are fairly new you should compare your kwh output to the monthly kwh estimate that your solar provider gave you with your initial design.
While solar panels work on cloudy and rainy days their output won t match that on clear sunny days.
If you are concerned that your solar panel system is not reaching the output level it should be there are some checks you can carry out.
When it s overcast your solar panels will likely operate at 10 to 25 of their rated capacity.
No matter what the panels themselves should have come with a production warranty and the manufacturer should take care of testing to ensure the panels are working properly.
What matters is how much sun your home gets year round.
There are many other companents that make up the complete solar system and each needs to be working correctly to get the most out of your investment.
A simple health check is to look at the colour of the lights shining on the box during daylight hours when the system s meant to be running.
If you ve had your panels for a while now you can compare your output to previous weeks or months to monitor production.