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Get a tailored quoteDo you have an issue with your solar system?
Sometimes, a problem can be solved quickly and easily by reading the answer to one of the questions below.
IMPORTANT: When turning on or off your solar system, including the inverter, follow the shut-down and start-up procedures in the manual. Not following the instructions can damage your system.
It may be an issue with the quality of your internet connection such as low wi-fi signal strength from your router, a reset password or a loose data cable connection. Check the following:
Step 1 – is the inverter switched on?
If no, see our other help topics.
Step 2 – what type of data connection do you have?
- Hard-wired data cable between inverter (or monitoring device) and modem/router: If hard-wired, check internet connection and ensure the ethernet cable is plugged into the router.
- Dongle with sim card plugged into the inverter (or monitoring device): If you have a sim dongle, make sure it is still plugged in and that the data plan is still active. If the data subscription was inactive for an extended period, the settings may need to be refreshed and or the sim card replaced before we can start collecting data again.
- If you have a wi-fi connection between your inverter (or monitoring device) and modem/router: reconfigure your wi-fi connection. If you are still having problems, check the inverter to see if any error codes are displaying.
Step 3 – troubleshooting
Watch the following video that is relevant to the inverter you have installed
SolarEdge HD Wave (residential):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZGCZW4Ydxs
Fronius Inverters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKdXLEbyNRI
If still experiencing issues, or your inverter brand is not listed above, proceed to Step 4.
Step 4 – if still experiencing issues
Best to give us a call us so we can try and diagnose the issue. We'll attempt to fix the issue remotely first if we can.
As a last resort we can book you in for a service call out. The call out fee is $264 inc. GST (includes first hour) plus $88 per hour after the first hour. If our technician reveals that the issue is a legitimate fault rather than an issue with the internet/wi-fi connection, the call out fee will be waived if the respective system component(s) are still under warranty.
Note: We will need to remove the system alerts from our monitoring platform until you are able to re-establish your connection. Remember to contact us to confirm it has been re-established so we can reassign the alerts to our system again and we can resume monitoring it for you.
Caution: when turning on or off a solar system including the inverter you must pay close attention to the shut down/start up procedures as per the systems owner’s manual provided upon installation. If you're unsure of how to do this please find and carefully read the manual. Not following the instructions can damage your system.
Once you have followed the correct process according to the manual, check for successful start-up:
- Lights on
- Numbers on the screen
- Start-up will take approximately a minute to carry out self-tests
- Followed up by some ‘clicking sounds’
- After the ‘clicks’ the inverter should be producing
- Check screen for any error messages
If grid over-voltage occurs, specific error codes are usually displayed on your inverter or monitoring portal to help you to diagnose the issue.
This is usually because the local grid voltage is too high (on your street or group of houses connected to the nearest transformer). Contact your Electricity Distributor (e.g. Ausnet) to let them know about the issue and ask them to investigate the voltage level in your area. If the voltage is deemed to be too high, they may reduce grid voltages in the local area for you.
In some instances where a particular brand of solar monitoring device was installed and is correctly reporting, RACV Solar can remotely check on the voltage for you.
Otherwise we can send an electrician to check it and provide evidence of the high voltage for you to present to the Distributor. However, because grid voltages are entirely managed by the Distributor and are beyond our control, we may need to charge a call out fee to do this.
Unfortunately high voltages (also known as ‘grid over-voltage’) can result in your system periodically switching off and on to protect itself, your property and the grid. This usually occurs during the summer months but can happen at other times too. If this happens to you, see our answer above on high voltage/grid over-voltage.
Call us on 1300 447 765 and we'll help to diagnose and resolve the issue.
They are a variety of reasons why this could be the case.
- Ensure the system is working by checking the inverter is on and monitoring system (if installed) is operational.
- Check your Electricity Retailer hasn’t increased your electricity rates.
- Check your monitoring system (if installed) to see how much solar energy you’ve produced.
- Check your bill to see how much solar power you’ve exported to the grid. This will show you that it is operational.
- Think about when and how often you are using power. If you have recently installed new appliances or equipment since installation, this might have increased your power consumption. Or perhaps an appliance is operating inefficiently due to old age or malfunction.
- To get the most savings from a solar power system, try to use more of your electricity through the day, rather than running appliances at night – such as dishwashers, driers, washing machines, heating/cooling, pumps and so on. Generally, the more you shift your consumption to the daylight hours, the more you will save with a solar power system.
It can take some months before formal ‘grid-connection’ is achieved for your newly installed solar system. You can only start receiving a feed-in tariff credit once ‘grid-connection’ has been approved.
Sometimes on your bill it is listed as “feed-in credit”, “solar contribution”, “solar feed-in” or similar.
IMPORTANT: If your solar system is switched on, you’re still receiving the vast majority of the benefits of your system, but not the feed-in tariff contribution of your excess solar power that’s fed back to the grid.
RACV Solar always endeavours to submit the necessary documentation as soon as possible on your behalf. Sometimes there can be delays for various reasons, including a large backlog in approvals with your Electricity Distributor and / or Electricity Retailer.
If it has been more than 3 months since your installation date:
- Check you haven’t missed an email or letter from your Electricity Distributor or Electricity Retailer regarding signing a ‘feed-in tariff’ agreement or other instructions. A formal agreement needs to be signed before you can start earning feed-in tariff credits.
- Call RACV Solar on 1300 447 765 to check on the status of the grid connection paperwork and when it was submitted.
- Call your Electricity Retailer to check on the status of the paperwork and approval process at their end.
Unfortunately, most solar systems won’t work in the event of a power outage. This is required by law to protect line workers and property from danger when electricity sent back to the grid from any rooftop solar generators.
Only systems with battery storage are capable of providing emergency power backup can operate in a blackout. Not all battery systems have blackout power protection as it is an added feature that comes with additional installation costs. However, not battery systems also turn off during a blackout, unless they are equipped with extra hardware and electrical switchboard modifications. Make sure you are aware of the type of system you have installed and its capabilities.
Call our team at RACV Solar if you’d like to get complete protection from blackouts.
Still can’t find the answer?
Call our Technical Support team on 1300 447 765 and we’ll help you over the phone, or arrange for a technician to investigate further.
