Whether you already have a solar power system or you’re still considering it, one thing you should know is that it’s important you know how to tell whether or not the installation is working properly. Solar panels are really durable, designed to last for many years while performing as best as they can so homeowners can get the most out of the solar panel system.
The thing is, not all homeowners who have a solar power system installed somewhere on their property know how to tell whether or not the system is working, and that’s okay. But you should still learn how to do so. After all, when you learn how, you’ll be able to call a professional for emergency solar panel repair or replacement when necessary. Given that, here’s what you need to remember.
Check your solar panels’ appearance
While dirt usually isn’t a problem when regular rainfall takes care of cleaning the panels, there are other things that could affect their performance. The good news is, taking a good look at your solar panel system should tell you if something’s wrong.
Check to see if the panels are shiny, or if they look dull or visibly dirty, or if there are signs of peeling plastic and delamination. Look for vines, bird droppings, and perhaps even dried tree sap as well, since these can actually reduce the panels’ output, and that’s something you want to avoid.
Check the surroundings
Another way to check on how well your solar panel system is doing is to see whether or not there’s more shade where the system was installed. Check at different times throughout the day; sometimes, a tree, antenna, or some other similar fixture on your property might not be shading the solar panel system at first, but will do so later in the day.
Remember that panels that are string-mounted or connected together will be affected by anything that affects even just one panel. This means that if shade falls on a single panel, all the others in that same string will suffer from a reduced output as well.
Keep an eye on the inverter
This is the simplest thing you can do, as all you need to do is check on the colour of the lights on the box during the day, when the system’s supposed to be running. Green lights mean that everything is functioning properly. Orange or else red lights, on the other hand, indicate a fault with the system that you’ll definitely want to look into.
There are quite a few things that can go wrong. If there’s a grid fault where the voltage is too high or too low, for example, inverters can shut down. Perhaps something tripped the circuit breaker for the inverter. Whatever the reason, if you see an orange or red light, and you check the display and there’s an error message of any kind, call the installer you got the solar power system from.
The good news is, solar power systems can operate for years without much issue, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check on yours once in a while. If you leave it alone for too long and a problem develops, the more you’ll have to spend to fix the problem. So keep the above tips in mind to help you keep an eye on your system, and you’ll have no trouble telling when the panels are fully functional.