If you own a solar system in your home or office, you have a responsibility to keep everything in your system in good working conditions. This includes the electrical as well as the mounting equipment for your solar panels, inverter, battery, and meter.
Besides the usual wear and tear, your solar system may also encounter some other common problems, such as: mould and dirt build-up on the panels, damage from natural disasters, storms or hail, deterioration of cable insulation over time, failure of defective components, corrosion, DC isolator fires, and more.
As the owner of a solar system, you are bound to several obligations under Victoria’s Electricity Distribution Code, including:
- Ensuring that your system continues to comply with the Electricity Safety Act 1998, Victoria’s Electricity Distribution Code, and other relevant Australian Standards.
- Ensuring that your system is regularly and safely maintained.
Regular maintenance of your solar system is important to make sure it complies with these requirements and also to give you peace of mind. Regular maintenance helps you to:
Keep your system efficient and safe
Regular maintenance of your system will help to keep your system running correctly and efficiently at all times. If there are any issues at all, the technician will be able to spot it during the check, and fix it before it turns into a major problem or causes a complete breakdown.
Regular servicing is also essential to ensure that your solar system is always safe for your home or office, and does not pose any danger to those using the system or other crews who may need to work on the power lines.
Get the ‘anti-islanding’ test
The ‘anti-islanding’ test is an important safety test that should be performed annually, as outlined in the Australian Standards (AS 4777). In the event of a network power outage, your inverter should shut off to stop electricity from flowing to the grid, so that crews can repair the fault safely. This test ensures that the inverter does that.
The ‘anti-islanding’ test should only be conducted by a licensed electrician or a Clean Energy Council-accredited solar panel system installer, unless you as the owner have been trained by a professional.
Avoid disconnection
If your system fails to comply with the Electricity Distribution Code, Australian Standards, Electricity Safety Act, or other safety regulations, it will be disconnected from the network.
Should this happen, the issue will need to be rectified before you can apply to your energy delivery service to reconnect your system.
Who should perform the maintenance?
Maintenance on your solar system should always be done by a licensed electrician or an accredited solar panel system installer.
Total Solar Solutions Australia is a Clean Energy Council approved solar retailer, and our team includes Clean Energy Council accredited installers. We offer solar panel maintenance and safety check services, which include:
- Checking the solar panels for any discolouration, chips or cracks
- Observing the display panel on the inverter to see if the inverter is functioning properly and ‘Anti-Island Safety Check’ on shut down
- Ensuring that all switches, connections and wires are secure and operating correctly
- Making sure the structural integrity of the panels is achieved, and that the system is performing according to safety standards
- Providing some quick troubleshooting tips
To find out more about our solar panel maintenance services, please contact Total Solar Solutions at (03) 9729 0894 or email [email protected].