When your solar seems to have stopped, there are three things you can safely check yourself: the monitoring app, the inverter's display or status light, and whether the solar switch at the switchboard is on or tripped. Those checks usually tell you whether you are dealing with a monitoring glitch, a grid outage or a genuine fault that needs a qualified technician. Beyond them, don't open, repeatedly reset or touch any equipment. A solar system carries high DC voltage whenever the sun is up, even when the inverter is off.

First, has it really stopped?

Many systems that look dead are working normally. Rule out these common false alarms before anything else:

• It's night, early morning or heavily overcast. Inverters switch off or show standby when there isn't enough light.
• The monitoring is offline, not the system. A new router, a changed wireless password or an internet outage often cuts the app's data while the system keeps generating.
• There is a grid outage. Grid-connected inverters are designed to shut down during a blackout so they don't send power into lines that crews may be repairing. Unless you have a battery with backup, your solar is off too.
• The bill went up. A higher bill can come from more usage, a tariff change or a lower feed-in rate rather than a fault. Compare production figures, not dollars.

The safe checks, in order

1. Open your monitoring app. Note today's production and the time of the last data. If data stopped at a particular time, write it down.
2. Look at the inverter display or status light without opening or touching the unit. Normal operation usually shows a steady green light or a status reading with power output. A red or orange light, or an error message, indicates a fault. Photograph the screen and any error code.
3. Check the switchboard. Find the switch labelled as the solar supply main switch, or similar, and see whether it is on or tripped. If it has tripped, don't keep resetting it; a trip means something needs investigating.
4. Read the shutdown and start-up procedure on the label near your switchboard or inverter. It is the only switching sequence an owner should ever use, and only when there are no signs of damage.
5. Look for obvious problems from the ground, such as storm damage, a burning smell, scorch marks or water around the inverter. If you notice any of these, keep away and contact a licensed electrician urgently.

Never remove the inverter cover, unplug roof cables, climb onto the roof or operate rooftop isolators. That work is for accredited installers and licensed electricians only.

What the symptoms usually point to

Output also falls slowly with age, as panels commonly lose around 0.4-0.55% a year, so compare with the same month last year rather than with your first summer. Our maintenance checklist explains the routine checks that help you notice gradual declines early.

If you also have a battery

A battery adds a few more possibilities, so check these in the app before assuming a fault:

• the battery may be in a reserve or backup mode that holds charge for outages instead of supplying the home;
• a time-of-use or virtual power plant setting may be charging or exporting at times you don't expect;
• a recent firmware update may have changed the operating mode or reset your settings;
• the battery may have reached its minimum charge level and paused until solar returns.

Never open a battery cabinet or disturb its cables. If the app shows a battery fault, or you notice heat, swelling or an unusual smell, keep clear and contact your installer promptly.

Who to contact and what to send

Start with your installer. They know the system, hold the design records and are usually responsible for workmanship faults. Send them:

• your installation date and the name on the original invoice;
• the inverter model and serial number from the label on its side, read without opening anything;
• photos of the display, any error codes and the switchboard;
• monitoring screenshots showing when production stopped;
• recent events such as storms, blackouts, roof work or other electrical work.

Clear, specific information often lets a technician narrow down the cause before the visit and arrive with the right parts, which saves time and call-out costs.

The warranty route

Which warranty applies depends on what failed:

• Workmanship warranty: installation faults such as loose connections or poorly sealed cable entries, claimed through the installer.
• Inverter warranty: failure of the inverter itself, usually claimed through the installer or directly with the manufacturer, with the serial number and proof of purchase.
• Panel product warranty: manufacturing defects in the panels, claimed through the installer or manufacturer.
• Home insurance: damage from storms, lightning or other events, which warranties generally exclude.

If your installer is no longer trading, contact the manufacturer's Australian support team directly. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law can also apply alongside any written warranty. Keep your invoice, serial numbers and commissioning documents together, because claims move more slowly without them. Our warranty guide covers the fine print, and if an out-of-warranty inverter needs replacing, our guide to the best solar inverters helps you judge the options.

Next steps

Do the safe checks, gather the evidence, then contact your installer. If you need an independent diagnosis, or your installer can't help, request a free assessment from Blue Energy Solar. The energy market lists Solar Fault Diagnosis at $249 for the call-out and first hour, Inverter Inspection & Testing at $199 per inverter, a Replacement Monitoring Gateway from $290 and Inverter Replacement from $1,990 for a 5 kW inverter supplied and installed. These prices are indicative and are confirmed after a site assessment.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I check my solar production?

A quick look at the monitoring app once a week suits most homes, plus a check after storms, blackouts or any electrical work. Many apps can send an alert when production stops or the inverter reports a fault, so switch notifications on. Comparing weekly totals with the same weeks in previous years makes a slow decline far easier to spot than looking at a single day.

Is it worth repairing an old inverter, or should I replace it?

It depends on age, warranty and the fault. Inverter repairs are often impractical outside the manufacturer's service network, and older models may no longer be supported. If an out-of-warranty inverter is near the end of its expected life, replacement is usually better value, and it is a chance to choose a battery-ready hybrid if storage is in your plans. Ask for a written diagnosis first.

Can a blackout damage my solar system?

A normal blackout shouldn't. The inverter is designed to disconnect when the grid goes down and reconnect automatically once supply returns, usually after a short waiting period. Surges from lightning or network faults can occasionally damage electronics. If the system hasn't restarted within a reasonable time after power returns on a sunny day, check the display and switch status, then contact your installer.