What to do if your Adelaide solar isn't producing what it should

Quick check first

Before booking a repair call-out ($150-$350), do these 4 checks yourself:

1. Check your inverter display for fault codes. Most Adelaide-sold inverters (Fronius, Sungrow, SolarEdge, GoodWe) display fault codes on the screen or app. Photograph the code and look it up.
2. Compare your monitoring app to what your installer said you should produce. Adelaide annual averages: 6.6 kW system ~27 kWh/day. 10 kW system ~42 kWh/day. Below 80% of those numbers consistently suggests a real issue.
3. Check your DC isolators (rooftop and inverter-side). If accessible, they should be in the 'ON' position. A tripped isolator is the most common cause of zero output.
4. Visually inspect the panels for obvious damage, bird droppings, ash deposits, or shading from new growth on nearby trees.

Common causes ranked by frequency

1. Tripped DC isolator (40% of repair calls): A switch in the off position cuts all production. Reset it (carefully) and watch for it tripping again.
2. Inverter fault (25%): Capacitor failure, MPPT board failure, or grid-detection fault. Most inverters self-protect by going offline rather than failing dangerously. Replacement cost $1,800-$3,500.
3. MC4 connector corrosion (15%): The DC connectors on the rooftop degrade over 8-12 years. Coastal salt-air homes degrade fastest. Replacement is a 2-hour job: $400-$800.
4. Panel hot spot or micro-crack (10%): A damaged panel underperforms or fails entirely. Microinverter-system homes can spot this easily (per-panel monitoring). String-inverter systems need IV-curve testing. Replacement panel: $250-$400 plus labour.
5. Soiling (10%): Dust, ash, bird droppings, pollen. Can reduce output by 5-15% over 12 months. Professional clean: $150-$400.

Less common but expensive

• Damaged DC cabling from rodent activity (Adelaide possums sometimes chew cable): $600-$1,500 to replace.
• SAPN export limit changes (if your system was being throttled and you didn't realise): no repair, just contact SAPN.
• Inverter firmware bug: rare but real - check for updates via app.
• Smart meter failure: SAPN replaces these on report.

When to call a repair specialist

• Fault code persists after isolator reset.
• Output consistently below 70% of expected for more than 2 weeks.
• Inverter not powering on at all.
• Visible damage to panels or wiring.
• Smell or smoke from inverter or DC box (call urgently and don't reset).

Our referral network includes 2-3 specialist solar repair companies in Adelaide who carry the test equipment (IV curve tracer, thermal camera, clamp meters) to diagnose in a single visit. Most will quote the diagnostic call-out at $150-$250.