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What you will see
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Why it happens
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Same sunlight, two results
Grid available
Load-shedding
- 01Grid goes off
- 02Inverter stops feeding your wiring
- 03Grid returns
- 04Inverter checks the supply and waits
- 05Solar resumes in daylight
Four places backup power can stop
- 1Battery switched off, at its discharge limit, in protection or not communicating with the inverter.
- 2Backup output overloaded by heavy appliances or motor starts, or the backup function not enabled.
- 3Backup breaker or earth-leakage device tripped.
- 4Appliance plugged into a socket that is not on a backup circuit.
A lit screen does not prove the backup output is on. Photograph the inverter and battery displays before calling.
Two boards, two jobs
Backup board
Fed from the inverter’s backup output. Stays on during load-shedding while power and energy last.
Main board
Grid-connected side. Uses solar while the grid is on, off during load-shedding.
Three-phase: same total, different result
Uneven
L1 overloads even though the total looks acceptable.
Balanced
Each phase stays within its limit.
What your devices see at changeover
If one device restarts and others do not, its power supply or adapter may be the weak link. A suitably selected UPS can protect PCs and network equipment. Check its type and capacity with us first.
A cloud passes: who covers the shortfall?
Load-shedding, no battery
Only models approved for solar-only backup can run. If output drops below demand, backup may stop.
Load-shedding, with battery
The battery covers the gap, within its discharge and power limits.
Grid available
The grid should cover the gap. If circuits still cut out, get the setup checked.
From cutoff back to backup
- 01Battery reaches its protective cutoff
- 02Backup circuits stop
- 03Sunlight or grid returns
- 04Battery recharges until recovery conditions are met
- 05Backup restarts
A battery described as “flat” has usually reached its permitted discharge limit, not zero. Pressing the power button again does not speed up recovery.
Where the UPS makes its decision
- 1Input check: the UPS may reject a supply other appliances accept, and switch to its own battery.
- 2Extra demand: the backup must power the connected equipment, recharge the UPS battery and cover losses.
Starting is harder than running
On grid
The grid supplies the starting surge alongside everything else.
On backup
The start must fit the inverter’s backup rating and the battery’s power, together with other loads.
The pattern points where to look
One fitting
Start with that lamp, its driver and any dimmer.
Dips as an appliance starts
Look at how the supply changes at that moment.
Several circuits together
Check their shared supply as well.
Crackling, a burning smell, scorching or unusual heat: stop using that equipment where safe and get prompt electrical help.
Three situations, three results
Grid available, no battery
Solar serves loads with grid support. This is not outage backup.
Daylight outage, approved solar-only backup
Selected loads run only while solar output meets their demand.
Night outage, no battery
Panels cannot supply power at night.
Where the solar goes before the battery
- 1Operating mode decides how solar is shared between loads, battery and export.
- 2Property demand can consume the available generation first.
- 3Battery side: charging schedule, current limit, or BMS communication stopping the charge.
Grid import does not always mean grid charging
Grid charging the battery
Intended when a schedule, backup reserve or low-charge recovery is active.
Grid supplying your loads
The battery may be charging from solar while loads draw grid power.
Photograph solar, load, battery and grid together before deciding the system is wrong.
What sets the charging speed
Why charging can pause below full
- 01Charging normally
- 02Slows near full
- 03Pauses below full
- 04Resumes later, or stops with an alarm
- 1Schedule ends or solar falls while appliances keep running.
- 2Cell management: one cell near its limit, or balancing in progress.
- 3Estimate: the displayed percentage can be corrected during operation.
A persistent alarm should not be dismissed as ordinary balancing without reviewing the records.
Three reasons export can come first
Export-priority mode
Surplus goes to the grid by design.
Battery at its charge limit
Spare solar above that limit is exported.
Brief snapshot
A short export while the inverter responds to a load switching off.
Sustained export while the battery stays low, under a charge-first plan, needs a review.
Two different heat limits
Battery warning
The battery restricts charging to protect itself within its temperature range.
Inverter temperature warning
The inverter reduces output when it cannot lose heat.
Smoke, swelling, hissing or a chemical smell: move away, keep others clear and seek emergency help.
A cold morning, then recovery
Charging
The BMS can reduce the permitted charge rate while the battery is cold.
Discharging
It may still run some loads. Charge and discharge have different permitted ranges.
Never warm the battery with a heater, heat gun, hot water or blanket.
Everything a schedule needs
- 1Schedule switched on, with every charging period visible.
- 2Mode that uses the timer; reserve charging is a separate function.
- 3Grid charging cannot draw from a grid that is off.
- 4Clock on the inverter matches local time.
Same bank, different readings
Arrows that follow the sun and the load
- 01Sun: battery charges
- 02Cloud passes: battery discharges
- 03Sun returns: charges again
- 04Pump starts: battery discharges
- 05Pump stops: charges again
Changes that line up with clouds or appliances are normal. Unexplained activity during a quiet period, with alarms or higher grid use, needs a review.
Backup hours, roughly
Why usable energy is less than the headline
- 1Starting charge below full when the outage begins.
- 2Protective limit: some displayed charge is held back.
- 3Losses in conversion, and capacity change with age.
A shutdown from overload or a fault is not the same as running out of energy.
What is still running
Gradual decline, discharge recorded
Real energy use. Find the loads.
Sudden jump, no matching load
Often a correction to the charge estimate. Keep the timeline.
Charge shown is not always charge available
- 1Reserve kept for outages, by design.
- 2Schedule holds discharge to certain hours.
- 3Discharge rate: the grid tops up what the battery cannot supply.
- 4Link fault: battery not detected or alarming.
- 5Snapshot: a brief import as loads change.
Energy and power answer different questions
Energy, kWh: how long
More battery can extend runtime.
Power, kW: how much at once
The inverter’s backup rating stays the same.
An approved expansion can raise battery discharge power if the battery was the limit. Per-phase limits on three-phase systems do not change.
Before you buy the extra battery
- 01Exact existing and new models identified
- 02Combination approved by the manufacturer
- 03Communication and firmware checked
- 04Charge alignment by the installer
- 05Commissioned, with a written record
Four steps from installed to usable
- 00Installed, on the invoice
- 01Recognised: unit count matches
- 02Communicating: no alarms
- 03Charged: given time to fill
- 04Usable backup, measured in energy
- 1Recognition: fewer units shown than installed.
- 2Communication: a new unit inactive or alarming.
- 3Charge: a larger bank needs to charge before its extra energy is usable.
- 4Measurement: percentage alone does not show capacity.
Inside one battery
The pack voltage can look ordinary while one cell is at its limit. That is different from two batteries showing different percentages.
Three different protections
Battery DC breaker
The external breaker has opened.
AC breaker
A breaker on the AC side has tripped.
Battery electronic protection
An alarm, with no breaker moved.
- 01Trip happens
- 02Do not reset it again
- 03Note which labelled device operated
- 04Photograph the alarm from a safe position
- 05Service check before restart
What to do first
Smoke, hissing, vapour or flames
Leave, alert others and call local emergency services. Tell them a solar battery is involved.
Swelling or leak, no smoke
Stop using the system and seek urgent professional advice. Do not approach it.
- 01Leave the area and keep others away
- 02Call emergency services from a safe place
- 03Follow responders; stay out until allowed
- 04Then contact us
Plan the closure, then the restart
- 01Storage plan for the exact battery
- 02Record shutdown date and last charge
- 03Checks at the maker’s interval
- 04Inspect for damage, moisture, dust
- 05Installer-led restart
Agree who carries out the checks and keeps the record. Intervals are easy to miss when everyone assumes someone else is watching.
Low total, one phase over
Total view
Looks well within the rating.
Per-phase view
L1 is over its own limit.
A motor or pump start can briefly exceed the limit even when its running load looks fine.
One phase down, inverter stops
Healthy supply
One phase missing
- 1Utility supply upstream of the property.
- 2Building distribution within the property.
- 3Inverter connection cabling and terminals.
Each phase has its own balance
L1: export
Local supply exceeds the load.
L2: import
Load exceeds local supply.
L3: little flow
Supply and load closely matched.
Wrong phase association or sensor orientation can also produce misleading readings. That needs installer verification.
Total rating, shared three ways
Three separate questions
- 01Can it start?
- 02Can it run with the other loads?
- 03How long can the battery support it?
Same rating, different roofs
Inverter A: east-facing
Inverter B: west-facing
A sudden new gap between comparable arrays needs a review. A long-standing gap between different arrays may be normal.
Compare like with like
Misleading comparison
Unit A solar input against unit B backup output, or screenshots taken minutes apart.
Useful comparison
The same output reading from both units, captured at the same moment, with the operating state noted.
Separate PV inputs mean different solar readings are expected. A lasting gap in the same output reading needs a review.
Colder cells, higher string voltage
Warm afternoon
String voltage sits lower. No warning.
Cold, clear morning
Open-circuit voltage rises as cells cool and can pass the limit.
The warning clearing later does not prove the design is safe. The installer should check panel data, series count and inverter limits.
Two different checks
Voltage warning
Checks the electrical voltage, normally shown in volts. Upper and lower limits.
Frequency warning
Checks the rate of the AC cycle, normally shown in hertz. Separate upper and lower limits.
A change to a voltage setting does not address a frequency warning. Protection limits should not be widened to clear alarms.
The local control link
- 1Meter link lost: readings freeze or disappear.
- 2Controller link lost: output may be restricted by a failsafe.
Internet access is separate. A working app does not prove the local meter-to-inverter link is healthy.
What the inverter does before connecting
- 01Checks grid readings
- 02Tests its output relays
- 03Connects and generates
A relay self-check fault means step 2 did not complete. The technician checks the AC connection, supply readings and earthing.
First, which device tripped?
Circuit breaker (MCB, MCCB)
Protects against overload and short circuit.
Residual-current device (RCD, RCCB)
Protects against earth leakage.
Combined (RCBO)
Does both. The label shows which.
No inverter alarm does not mean the inverter is at fault or fine. The electrician reviews the whole AC circuit.
Grid mode and backup mode are different circuits
On grid
Supply arrangement comes from the utility. Device holds.
On backup
Inverter supplies the circuit. Neutral and switching paths change.
Working on grid power does not settle the diagnosis.
Hum or warning sign?
Steady, familiar hum
Some equipment hums in normal use. Note if it changes.
New buzz, crackle, smell or scorching
Signs of possible overheating. Stop and get it assessed promptly.
- 01Keep people away from the board
- 02Call from a safe place
- 03Describe what changed and when
- 04Share existing photos only
Do not remove covers, tighten terminals, spray anything or keep it running to demonstrate the noise.
Treat any tingle as a fault
- 01Stop touching it and keep others away
- 02Do not test it again
- 03Note time and grid or backup mode
- 04Call an electrician or our team
It is not “normal solar leakage” or static until assessed. Earthing and the supply arrangement both need checking.
Common causes of cable-route damage
Sun and weather
Brittle, split or discoloured protection.
Strain and supports
Loose clips, cables against edges.
Animals and roof work
Cuts, chewing, disturbed routes.
A new outer cover may not fix damage underneath. An installer should inspect the route.
A lasting repair has two parts
Pest control near electrical equipment should be coordinated with the installer.
Coordinate before, during and after
- 01Before: agree protected zones
- 02During: no standing on panels, no moving cables
- 03After: inspect what was disturbed
- 04Recommission and record
The solar team decides inspection and recommissioning. The builder addresses related roof damage.
The breaker protects the cable
Fit a bigger breaker
Trips may stop, but the cable is no longer protected.
Investigate
Trip pattern, demand, device and installation condition.
Voltage changes along the cable
When exporting, voltage at the inverter can sit above the connection point. Compare readings at the same time before blaming the cable.
Three separate checks
Continuity
Protective conductors connected end to end.
Earth resistance
Measured with a suitable method.
RCD test
The device operates as designed.
A value with no date or method is not a complete record. One check does not replace the others.
Test rating versus your roof
Nameplate
Measured at standard test conditions.
On your roof
Heat, dust, direction and inverter limits reduce it.
Compare power at a moment with power at a moment, and energy over a day with energy over a day.
A plateau can mean different things
Plateau at the inverter rating
May be clipping. Check its significance over the day.
Plateau below the rating
Export limit, heat or a fault. Needs a review.
A grid-export chart is not the same as total solar generation.
Is the input actually connected?
Blank since commissioning
Channel may not be in use. Check the string schedule.
Was producing, now zero
A change that needs inspection.
Check timestamps before comparing the app with the inverter screen.
What an expansion changes
- 1Mismatch between old and new modules.
- 2String layout and shading on the new section.
- 3Voltage must stay within limits, including cold mornings.
What the back of the panel sees
Bifaciality is a module measure. The gain on your roof depends on the installation.
Looks versus performance
What you can see
Lines along cell edges or cracks, in certain light.
What decides action
Performance records, which modules, and specialist imaging if needed.
The marks may be inside the module. Do not scrape, polish or apply chemicals.
Three different findings
Surface dirt
Can be cleaned by the approved method.
Delamination
Layers separating: bubbles, peeling.
Discolouration
Yellow or brown beneath the glass.
Serial records and dated photos support any manufacturer review.
What nesting can affect
Panel surface
Droppings shade cells and cut output.
Cables and supports
Access and chewing need checking.
Roof drainage
Debris can block water routes.
Any exclusion system must keep drainage, clearances and future access.
Evidence that fits together
Cracks vary in effect. Even confirmed damage does not by itself establish its cause.
Three checks, not one
Electrical
Voltage and current against the string.
Mechanical
Size, support and clamping zones.
Connectors
Approved mating, not just physical fit.
Stäubli warns against cross-mating connectors from different makers.
Where the water could come from
Installation
Supports, penetrations, waterproofing.
Later work
Other trades on the roof.
Existing roof
Defects that were already there.
What the anchor actually holds
The surface cannot show anchor embedment. Waterproofing must be coordinated with the fixing.
Not every crack means the same
Surface topping
Thin finish cracking.
Around the anchor
Base material holding the fixing.
Structural concrete
Exposed steel, rust, movement.
A repair should name the cause it fixes. Covering a crack may hide it.
Keep the water route open
Standing water adds load and raises leak and electrical risk.
Plan the route before the work
Unplanned
Crossing panels, fragile sheets, rooflights.
Planned
Agreed paths to drains, inverters and cleaning areas.
A ladder or harness alone does not make a roof task safe.
Why paint alone may not hold
- 01Identify the existing coating
- 02Prepare the surface properly
- 03Use a compatible repair method
- 04Check for loss of material
Ask whether the work fixes coating damage alone or a structural concern too.
Exposure decides the checks
Sheltered parts
Slower change.
Exposed parts
Salt, humidity, spray.
No single interval fits every site near the coast.
Assess before you install
Walking on the roof is not a test. Fragile sheets need competent assessment.
Edges see the strongest wind
Within the design
Supported areas and clamp positions as drawn.
Extended on site
More wind load at the edge. Needs engineering review.
An overhang copied from another project is not proof it suits yours.
Agree the sequence in writing
- 01Record equipment condition
- 02Safe shutdown by qualified staff
- 03Remove and store panels
- 04Roof repair
- 05Reinstall
- 06Test and recommission
If anything changes in the layout, ask for updated drawings.
Consumption is calculated, not measured directly
If the meter or CT is placed or set up wrongly, the calculated load can go negative.
Why the numbers can differ
Snapshot timing
Readings taken at slightly different moments.
AC or DC
Battery and panel power may be DC.
Meter boundary
Which circuits the meter covers.
Timing explains some gaps. It does not excuse every mismatch.
Can the gap be filled?
If data was never stored, a filled graph is an estimate and should be labelled as one.
Three clocks to check
Plant time zone
Set in the monitoring account.
Device clock
Inside the inverter or logger.
Phone display
Your phone’s settings.
If schedules also run at the wrong time, report that separately.
Which situation is it?
Owner access
You need access to your own plant.
Property transfer
New owner, old account.
Wrong serial
Inverter and logger serials confused.
Use the manufacturer’s ownership-change process. Never use another person’s account.
Recover access safely
- 01Check the right app and account
- 02Reset via the registered email
- 03Email lost? Use the official route
- 04Record owner access clearly
Businesses should not rely on one employee’s personal email.
Agree the role before the change
View only
Production and alarms.
Diagnostics
Detailed data for fault finding.
Remote control
Settings changes. Agree when and how.
Keep the plant’s history. Creating a new plant can break continuity.
Live screen versus cloud snapshots
Inverter screen
Live, continuous.
App
Snapshots uploaded at intervals.
A normal upload interval does not explain data that stays stale for a long time.
Four links in an alert
App access is not a promise of continuous monitoring. Agree who reviews alarms.
Map every entry to real equipment
Historical
Old unit, keeps past data.
Wrongly linked
Serial under the wrong plant.
Live
Current equipment.
Deleting an offline record can remove history. A duplicate-looking entry does not always double totals.
Separate the technical and billing checks
Technical
Generation and grid import over the same dates. New appliances, occupancy.
Billing
Reading period, tariff, arrears and adjustments.
The payable amount alone does not show panel failure.
Brief spike or steady import?
Brief spike
A large appliance starts. The inverter catches up.
Persistent import
Check demand, battery state, mode and meter coverage.
One screenshot of sunshine and a part-charged battery does not prove imports are avoidable.
Two separate reports
Utility meter
Report to FESCO or LESCO. Keep the complaint reference.
Solar system
Our team reviews related inverter warnings.
A working app does not confirm the utility meter is healthy.
Readings to capture
Never combine readings from different meter serials.
Actual reading or estimate?
Actual
Based on a meter reading.
Estimated
Average or other billing mode. Ask for the basis.
The app may measure generation, not billed grid units.
Keep two questions apart
Energy
Did imported units fall?
Money
Arrears, adjustments and payments posted correctly?
A payment-posting issue is not evidence of panel failure.
One peak sets the charge
Daytime
Solar covers part of demand.
Evening shift
Low solar. Demand peaks.
Solar during other hours cannot remove a peak that happens when output is low.
Solar reduces one part of demand
Before solar
Active and reactive power drawn from the grid.
With solar
Active import falls, reactive stays.
The ratio changes, so the power factor reading can drop.
What the statement should separate
Shared loads, losses and fixed charges need an agreed treatment.
Transient or persistent?
Short blip
A large load switches off. Control takes a moment.
Repeated or sustained
Check meter, CT and controller setup.
A transient explanation does not dismiss persistent export.
One entry per event
Observation
“The warning appeared when the compressor started.”
Assumption
“The compressor causes the fault.”
Ask for the file
- 01Collect the records
- 02Transfer monitoring access
- 03Arrange an inspection
- 04Agree fixes before handover
How a claim moves
- 01Register the fault
- 02Technical assessment
- 03Warranty verified
- 04Repair or replace
Two warranties, two kinds of evidence
Product warranty
Defects in materials or workmanship. Photos, serials.
Performance warranty
Measured output over time. Proper testing.
One low inverter reading is not a performance claim.
Checklist for a quotation
Confirmed work
Fixed scope and price.
Conditional work
Agreed before it goes ahead.
Rebuild the file
A new report should describe what was inspected now, not claim past tests.
The cabinet has its own cooling
Room air-conditioning does not repair a fault in the cabinet’s own cooling.
Staff actions
- 01Keep people away
- 02Follow the site emergency plan
- 03Call emergency services if needed
- 04Tell responders battery storage is present
- 05Contact us once it is safe
Do not open, reset or investigate the cabinet. Finding a faulty sensor comes later.
What the pump has to overcome
Compare tank fill times only under similar conditions.
Is the charger on the backup design?
Grid present
Charger runs at its normal rate.
On backup
Shares inverter and battery limits with other loads.
A charger intended for grid use may need a different arrangement.
Before you grant access
- 01Verify through a known contact
- 02Agree what the task needs
- 03Grant the least access required
- 04Remove access afterwards
Never share passwords or one-time codes.
After the update
Keep the timeline. A later issue is not automatically caused by the update.
Replacement is not finished at switch-on
- 01Compatibility confirmed
- 02Settings applied
- 03Backup behaviour tested
- 04Monitoring updated
- 05Warranty recorded
Ask for test results and updated device identification.
Four documents should agree
Query any mismatch before installation.
Different numbers, different meanings
Cycle life
A test figure on a datasheet.
Warranty
Terms on time, energy throughput and conditions.
Cell, module and system claims may differ.
What decides the generator
A sunny moment does not prove the site can run without the generator.
Leaks keep compressors running
Compare similar shifts and production levels.
Do not restart until assessed
- 01Keep away from wet equipment
- 02Call from a safe place
- 03Qualified assessment
- 04Fix the water-entry cause
- 05Manufacturer requirements checked
A unit that powers on briefly is not proven safe.
A coordinated inspection
Electrical
Panels, cables, inverters.
Structure
Supports and fixings.
Roof
Building and waterproofing.
An intact-looking inverter can sit among damaged materials.
What the IP rating covers
Covered
Specified drops, jets or immersion.
Not covered
Heat, corrosion, pooled water, pressure washing.
Missing covers or damaged cable seals change the installed protection.
Ask before cleaning starts
Acceptable
Method approved in the panel manual.
Refuse
Pressure washers, abrasives, standing on panels.
A new shadow in the curve
Before
Smooth curve.
After a new tank
A dip where the shadow falls.
Photos at known times help. Moving a tank or panels needs its own review.
Sources that stay live
Panels
Generate in daylight.
Battery
Stores energy.
Generator or other inverter
May supply circuits.
Only qualified staff isolate and verify. Labels must match the installation.
What the manufacturer covers
Manufacturer
The product and remedy in its terms.
Project terms
Visit, labour, transport and access.
A term quoted to another customer may not apply to you.
A complete report
What you can check yourself
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What not to do
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When to call us
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Technical references
Reviewed {{ tsA.reviewed }}. Manufacturer documents are cited for general principles; your exact model’s manual always applies.
