Troubleshooting
Solar troubleshooting, fault by fault
What you will see, why it happens, what you can safely check yourself and when to call us. Never open the DC side yourself: solar strings stay live whenever there is daylight.
This page is our index of solar problems and solutions for homes, shops and factories in Punjab. It does not repeat the guides; it points you to the right one.
Safety first
Safety box. Panels produce DC voltage whenever there is daylight, even when the grid and the inverter are off. Batteries hold stored energy even when every switch is off. Never open the inverter, battery, junction boxes or DC wiring, and never pull MC4 connectors. If you see smoke, smell burning, feel a shock, see water inside equipment or a swollen battery: do not touch it, switch off only if you can do so safely in the manufacturer's order, keep people away and call a qualified engineer (or emergency services for fire).
Find your problem
Symptom
What you see
Safe check
What you can do
Engineer
When to call
Solar system troubleshooting: the quick-check table
Start here if you are not sure which guide you need.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Safe owner check | Call an engineer if... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inverter shows an error code or alarm | Grid, DC, battery, heat or internal fault | Photograph the screen; look the code up in the brand guide below | The same alarm returns after one restart |
| Solar system not working at all, no display | No DC, no battery, tripped breaker, internal fault | Check breakers and isolators against your handover notes | Screen stays dark after the correct restart order |
| Output lower than usual | Weather, dust, shade, export limit, one string down | Compare clear days in the app; look for shade and dust | One string or one inverter shows zero, or the drop stays |
| Battery not charging, draining fast or wrong % | Settings, sizing, BMS, age | Check SOC, charge power and alarms in the app | Battery is hot, swollen, smells or shows a BMS fault |
| Inverter beeping or tripping on loads | Overload, motor starting current, low battery | Switch off heavy loads | It trips with normal loads |
| Bill still high | Self-use pattern, fixed charges, export credit, meter | Read the bill and the app's export figures | Exports are recorded but not credited |
| Burning smell, smoke, shock, water, swollen battery | Safety fault | Keep away; do not use switches near it | Immediately |
Inverter problems and solutions by brand
Error codes differ between brands and model families. Use the guide for your brand, and always check your own model's manual.
| Your inverter or battery | Guide |
|---|---|
| Any brand: what grid, isolation, overtemperature and overload faults mean | Solar inverter faults and error codes |
| Solis | Solis inverter error codes |
| Huawei SUN2000 and LUNA2000 | Huawei inverter alarm codes |
| GoodWe | GoodWe inverter error codes |
| Sungrow | Sungrow inverter error codes |
| Inverex | Inverex inverter error codes |
| Knox | Knox inverter fault codes |
| Primax | Primax inverter error codes |
| Luminey lithium battery | Luminey battery problems and BMS faults |
| Urdu readers | انورٹر کی خرابیاں اور ان کا حل |
Solar inverter problems and solutions by symptom
The inverter will not start, restart or stay on
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| Inverter dead, no lights, will not switch on | Inverter not turning on |
| Inverter works but the screen is blank | Inverter display not working |
| Inverter keeps switching off and on | Inverter keeps restarting |
| Inverter starts late or shows "Waiting" in the morning | Inverter starting late in morning |
| You need the correct off and on order | How to restart a solar inverter safely |
| Inverter overheating or derating in summer | Inverter overheating |
| Inverter humming, buzzing or fan noise | Inverter making noise |
Grid, voltage and phase alarms
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| Grid fault or grid lost during load-shedding | Grid fault during load-shedding |
| Trips on sunny afternoons with high grid voltage | Grid voltage rise |
| Phase loss or phase sequence error | Inverter phase loss error |
| PV overvoltage, often on cold mornings | PV overvoltage error |
| Isolation, Riso or earth fault | Inverter isolation fault |
| Two inverters will not sync | Parallel inverter error |
| Generator not accepted or not charging the battery | Generator not working with inverter |
Modes, backup and loads
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| Running on WAPDA in daytime, stuck in bypass or line mode | Inverter bypass mode |
| No backup during load-shedding | Inverter backup not working |
| Overload alarm or beeping | Inverter overload and beeping |
| AC will not run on solar | AC not running on solar |
| Water motor will not start on the inverter | Water motor not starting on inverter |
| Lights flickering, fan speed changing | Lights flickering with solar inverter |
| Using a stabilizer or UPS with solar | Stabilizer with solar inverter |
| Inverter uses power with nothing switched on | Inverter self consumption |
Low output, panels and strings
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| Producing less than expected | Solar system producing less than expected |
| Inverter shows zero PV input | Inverter not taking solar power |
| One string lower than the other (PV1 vs PV2) | One string low output |
| Hot spots, micro-cracks, snail trails | Solar panel hot spots and cracks |
| Broken or shattered glass | Solar panel broken glass |
| Yellow or brown marks on cells | Solar panel discoloration |
Battery problems
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| Battery not charging or draining too fast | Solar battery not charging |
| Low battery voltage alarm | Inverter battery low voltage |
| Lithium battery will not turn on after deep discharge | Lithium battery not turning on |
| Battery percentage wrong or jumping | Battery percentage wrong |
| Cell voltage difference, balancing problem | Lithium battery cell imbalance |
| Backup time shorter than before | Battery backup time reduced |
| Battery beeping or buzzer alarm | Lithium battery beeping |
| Battery communication or BMS error | Battery and inverter communication |
| Battery swollen or bulging | Lithium battery swelling |
| Urdu readers | لیتھیم بیٹری کے مسائل اور ان کا حل |
Safety, damage and weather
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| Burning smell or smoke | Burning smell from inverter |
| Burnt or melted MC4 connector | MC4 connector burnt |
| Breaker keeps tripping | Solar breaker tripping |
| Shock or current in the structure or inverter body | Current in solar structure |
| Water in the inverter or DB after rain | Water in inverter |
| Standing floodwater reached the equipment | Solar system after flood |
| Inverter dead after a storm or lightning | Inverter damaged by lightning |
Structure and roof
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| Rust on the stand or frame | Solar structure rust |
| Roof leaking after installation | Roof leaking after solar installation |
| Panels loose or moving in wind | Solar panels loose |
App, data and bills
| What you see | Guide |
|---|---|
| App offline or showing zero | Solar app offline |
| App showing wrong production or negative consumption | Solar app showing wrong data |
| Setting up or reconnecting the Wi-Fi stick | Inverter Wi-Fi setup |
| Bill still high after solar | Bill high after solar |
| Net billing credit missing from the bill | Net billing credit not showing |
| Still exporting with zero export set | Zero export not working |
Before you call: the checklist
A clear report saves a visit, or makes the first visit count. Before you WhatsApp your installer, collect:
- Photos of the inverter screen showing the alarm or code, and of the battery display if it has one.
- App screenshots: the alarm list with times, today's generation graph, and PV1/PV2, grid and battery readings if shown.
- The model and serial number from the label on the side of the inverter and battery.
- The pattern: when it started, what time of day, which weather, and what was running (AC, motor, iron).
- What you already did: breakers checked, one restart in the correct order, and the result.
- Photos from a safe distance of anything visibly wrong: burnt marks, water, loose panels, a damaged cable.
- Recent changes: roof work, a new appliance, a storm, a DISCO meter change, a new Wi-Fi router.
Do not reset, restart or factory-reset the inverter before taking the photos. Some inverters clear the active alarm on restart.
What an engineer will check
Owners can read screens and check breakers. Engineers test: insulation resistance string by string, DC and AC voltages and currents, battery cell voltages and BMS logs, grid voltage at your connection point, inverter settings and firmware, cable terminations and heat marks, and earthing. Many faults that look like an inverter failure come from the wiring, the grid or a setting, and the opposite is also true. That is why repeated restarts are not a fix.
How to prevent most solar problems
- Watch the app weekly, so you notice a change before it becomes a fault. See our monitoring app guide.
- Clean panels sensibly and keep the inverter shaded and ventilated.
- Book a check before summer and before the monsoon. Our solar maintenance checklist lists what to look at.
- Keep loads within the design, especially on backup.
- Keep your handover file: invoice, serial numbers, warranty papers and the shutdown order.
How Solar Works Pakistan handles complaints
For systems we install, complaints are handled by our own engineering and technical staff. WhatsApp 0336 666 4321 with the photos and details from the checklist above, including the inverter model. We target sending service personnel within 48 hours of a registered complaint to begin diagnosis; the time to clear the fault depends on its type, parts and any manufacturer involvement. Our 1-year service warranty applies under the applicable project terms; after the first year, service is chargeable. Equipment defects go through the manufacturer's warranty per product. See how after-sales service works.
We can also inspect systems installed by other companies, as a chargeable service, across Punjab.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my solar system not working?
Start with the inverter screen. If it shows an alarm, look up the code in the brand guide above. If it is dark, check the breakers and isolators, then follow the correct restart order. If it still does not work, photograph everything and call your installer.
What are the most common solar problems and solutions?
Grid faults during load-shedding, low output from dust or shade, battery settings, overload from heavy appliances, and app connection problems are the most common. Most have simple causes. Isolation faults, burning smells and battery swelling are less common but need an engineer.
How do I troubleshoot my solar inverter myself?
Read the screen, check the app's alarm list, check that the grid is present, check the breakers, and restart once in the order your manual gives. Do not open the inverter or touch DC wiring.
Is it safe to reset my solar inverter?
One restart in the manufacturer's order is generally safe. If the same fault returns, or a breaker trips again, stop and call an engineer. Never restart after water, burning or swelling.
What information should I send when reporting a solar fault?
Photos of the screen and app alarms, the model and serial number, when it happens, what you have checked, and photos of any visible damage. See the before-you-call checklist above.
Do you repair solar systems installed by other companies?
Yes, we can inspect systems installed by other companies across Punjab as a chargeable service. Send the inverter model, alarm photos and system details on WhatsApp 0336 666 4321 first.