The potential benefits of solar energy are appealing, saving money while positively impacting the environment is a great thing! However, if your solar power system doesn’t work as it should, it can detract from both your savings and environmental benefits. Rather than replacing entire panels, you might consider inverter repairs, and exploring if they’re a possibility for your situation. Solar inverter problems are well understood, which means there are several solutions to explore. 

Solar inverters are crucial to the operation of your solar panels, and can usually last anywhere between 10 and 12 years. Inverters generally need to be replaced at least once throughout the lifespan of the panel due to electro-mechanical wear. Generally speaking, inverters have a shorter lifespan than the panels themselves.

There are two primary types of inverters: string inverters and micro inverters. The latter can last nearly twice as long as the former: up to 25 years. Despite their extended longevity, the technology behind micro inverters is still new, and the promise of their longer lifespan has yet to be completely fulfilled.

It’s important to note that while solar panels have a collective lifespan of 10 to 25 years, there are environmental factors that can shorten this lifespan significantly. Remember that your solar system is exposed to the elements, including bad weather.

An efficient inverter that’s working as it should is critical; it is how the system converts the DC energy from the panels into AC energy that can be used within your home.. do you have solar inverter problems

Solar inverters and inverter for solar power system can fail for a wide variety of reasons, and when they do, it’s going to impact your solar panel capacity and how much electricity you’re able to generate in the system as a whole.

We list and expand upon the reasons as to why your solar inverter could be failing:

• Heat
• Faulty installation
• Humidity
• Poor maintenance

Heat and electronic systems have been enemies for as long as electronics have been around. Extended periods of direct sunlight can cause solar inverters to wear out prematurely; install your inverters in cool, dry places with plenty of fresh air.

Most electronic systems already tend to run several degrees hotter than room temperature with higher heat densities due to today’s smaller circuit sizes; prolonged heat negatively affects the inverter’s functionality. This is especially true in areas that are not temperature-controlled with air conditioning, e.g., outside.

Your solar panels must be matched with properly sized inverters; solar panel capacity should not exceed 133% of inverter capacity. A bad installation can lead to issues in the future, including grid fault and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) errors. There should also be plenty of clearance in multi-inverter installations, to avoid heat transfer between units.

High humidity can degrade solar panels, negatively affecting the inverter’s ability to output proper current and voltage. Because the percentage of water vapour in humid air is higher than usual, incoming radiation from the sun refracts off this water and decreases inverter efficiency, potentially causing inverter failure.

Such water vapour can decrease your inverters’ energy output by as much as 30%.

Maintenance and cleaning is just as much a part of the solar process as the original installation. A well-maintained solar systems preserves your investment, and poor maintenance can cause your solar inverter system to fail. Inspect the outside of your inverter regularly for physical damage; clean regularly to ensure that dirt and dust are not clogging their cooling fins and vents as well.

Consider scheduling professional maintenance once every five years, wherein the inside of your inverter is inspected by a professional for corrosion, pests, and other signs of damage.

Remember that a failing battery can also just be a sign that it’s come to the end of its lifespan. Batteries are fickle, and battery storage issues in hybrid inverters are common as well.

Keep your inverter clear of debris as much as possible. These tiny maintenance tweaks aren’t just for show; they really do protect your inverter!

solar inverter problems and Repairing a solar inverter will require a BEPEC trained professional well versed in solar technology, or a representative of the manufacturer.

There are, however, still some troubleshooting measures you can take, including the points outlined below.

If you have some working knowledge of electrical systems, you can reset the inverter yourself. As this is a detailed process, it’s important to realise that you must be as careful as possible to avoid risking danger to yourself as well as further damaging the system.

Only attempt to reset the inverter if you know the process involved. You can always refer to a professional if you’re uncomfortable doing this yourself; this piece of troubleshooting is completely optional.

If your unit is displaying fault codes, it’s important to record them and save that information for a professional to review later. Since their job is to maintain solar inverters and other solar equipment, chances are, they’ll be able to use the information to determine what repairs are needed, or if the inverter needs to be replaced completely.

Repair is often the first thought homeowners have when it comes to a failing solar inverter, but in many cases you may need to replace it completely. If you find that your item is just plain faulty, it’s time to review your options.

If your inverter is still under warranty, then you are usually spared from a significant bill to replace it. The manufacturer may not replace it for free, but you typically pay a lot less than the full price for a replacement outside of the warranty period.

Check the paperwork that came with your inverter to see where you are within the warranty period. As you might imagine, the warranties vary between manufacturers, so it’s important to check your specific system.

The cost of replacing a solar inverter varies depending on the size and brand. A 3-phase inverter will typically cost at least £1,000, while the cost of a single phase inverter will be less.

If you are looking at replacing a solar inverter, you may even consider a full system upgrade. After all, if the difference in price isn’t significant, committing to an upgrade holds more benefits than just replacing the inverter. Do your calculations before committing an entire new system though, to ensure it is worthwhile.

Not every installer will agree to upgrade your system, some may have some reservations. There are liability issues at play and the installer may be concerned that they will be held responsible for the original installer’s work.

Depending on the age of your system, it may be difficult, or not viable, to upgrade.

In some instances, upgrading your system may mean that you lose your premium feed-in tariff (FIT). Whether you lose your premium rate or not depends on what you have in place as well as the size of your solar panel system and the one you are upgrading to. For example, if you’re on the G98  feed-in tariff rate and want to upgrade your inverter to a larger one and add more panels, you’ll likely lose your tariff.

Don’t be wasteful

For many solar enthusiasts, the environment is the prime objective for going solar. Faulty solar inverters end up somewhere, but simply discarding them isn’t always the best idea. It’s best to look for ways to recycle the various solar panel system parts appropriately.

Is your solar inverter faulty? solar inverter problems? Wave will replace the unit with a state-of-the-art inverter complete with free monitoring and a fresh 10 year warranty.

Our basic pricing for single-phase (domestic) solar inverter replacement (up to 4kW) starts at £630 (inc. VAT) for 1kW inverters and is capped at £875 (inc. VAT) for 3.6kW dual MPPT models (excluding optional add-ons, upgrades to premium brands and surcharges for installs more than 120 miles from our home).

The replacement of a solar inverter is a straight-forward process that can typically be completed in 1-2 hours by a qualified technician. Beware of companies charging inflated fees for this service. 

We only install the latest models from the leading inverter manufacturers.

Honest and open pricing with no hidden extras.

Standard 10 year warranty on most products.

Subscription free monitoring available on all inverters.

Our installers are all fully qualified electrical engineers.

We’ll replace your inverter in under one hour.

Service contracts available for extra peace of mind. 

solar inverter problems? The first thing to check (if possible) is if there are any errors displayed on the inverter screen. These error codes can often determine the nature of the fault. If there are no errors, or if the error is suggestive of an AC fault, please check to see if the solar PV MCB (fuse) has tripped. This will be located either in your main consumer unit, or in a separate sub-board installed when the system was first commissioned. These are basic checks. Beyond that, we would suggest that you get in touch. We can often determine if the inverter is at fault by asking a few basic questions and gathering information over the phone. We may also talk you through a system reset. Where it is not possible to establish the exact nature of the fault/issue, we can arrange an on-site system check (see question below). 

 We are happy to do a site visit but do not typically carry out site surveys for inverter replacements. The information we require can be gathered remotely and it is usually possible to determine if the inverter is faulty by asking a few basic questions. This enables us to minimise costs and speed up lead times. Where we cannot be sure, we can arrange for an engineer to carry out a quick on-site check. Please call for more information. 

How quickly can you install?

Typically, we work to a maximum one week lead time for installation. This may vary during busy periods. Where possible, we will try to install within 3-4 working days. 

How long does installation take?

 The installation will usually take no longer than one - two hour to complete, but this may vary depending on ease of access and other factors. We suggest you allow up to two hours for the installation 

Can you install all models of inverters?

 Yes, we can install any inverter brand (subject to suitability) on request. We recommend Fox and SolaX owing to the long warranty, excellent aftersales support and competitive pricing. All quotations provided will be based on SolaX products initially, but a bespoke quotation can be provided for alternate brands if required. 

When do I pay you?

We do not require deposit payments and the full amount is payable on the day once the installation is complete