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Each type of system operates a little bit differently, but the best way to confirm your solar is producing is to access the proprietary monitoring platform of the manufacturer of your system i.e. Enphase, SMA, SolarEdge, SunPower.

If your system is not connected to the internet there is often a display, or other indicator, usually LED, on the primary unit to verify production or system fault.

Another method is to check your utility meter. PG&E meters will indicate if you are back-feeding power to the grid by showing “Received”, or if you are purchasing power it will show “Delivered”. There are often arrows which will point to the direction of the flow of power, either importing or exporting along with the amount of power flowing in either direction. See image below.

This isn’t always the easiest thing to determine. Upon purchasing a new system there is often an analysis done during the design process that takes many factors into account to calculate expected annual and/or monthly production. It is wise to reference the manufacturer’s monitoring platform to see how much your system has produced the following years and compare them to current production. You can expect to see some degradation in your system over time, as well as shade from trees as they grow larger.

There are multiple factors to consider. Have you added new appliances or other larger electrically demanding items to your home in the last year? Referencing your manufacturer’s monitoring platform is the best way to see comparative data, especially if there is consumption data to reference. These monitoring platforms will also give indications if there have been any errors in your system or faults with any of the hardware that would cause reduced production.

If your primary solar unit has a screen, take note of any fault or error code that shows up on that screen. The next thing to do is to reset the Solar Equipment to see if that clears the error. For instructions on resetting your particular unit, contact us.  

Most PG&E meters will have two indicators of the direction of the flow of power. You may see “Received” or “Delivered” on the screen of the meter. This is from the perspective of the utility company. “Received” means that the utility company is receiving power from your solar. “Delivered” means that the utility company is delivering power to your home, which means purchased power. There will often be an arrow or dots on the screen that either point or move in the direction of the flow of power. Towards the left indicates that you are selling power to the utility company. Towards the right indicates that you are purchasing power. Along with each of these indicators, the meter will flash a number that corresponds to the amount of power flowing in either direction.

Simply, yes. All solar equipment will suffer some form of degradation over time, though the rate of degradation will differ among the wide variety of equipment that exists. The best thing to do is to visit the manufacturer’s website to see if there is data available of what level of degradation is expected. There are methods of calculating the efficiency of the equipment at a given time, either by referencing data on the specific monitoring platform, or by taking measurements in the field on a day with ideal conditions. If you would like to have this service performed, please give us a call.

Cleaning your panels can help to increase production in the system by reducing the amount of particulates on the surface that reduce PV activity. Between pollen, ash, and dust there's a lot that can settle on your panels. Simply hosing them down, or even using a soft mop or brush with water can make a big difference. You should never use soap or window cleaner on the surface of your panels, as well as any stiff bristles or brush that can leave marks on the surface. If you are the type of person that prefers to be hands-off, there are companies that perform professional cleaning services for a fee.

In general, no. Residential solar is most often grid-interactive equipment, meaning it requires an AC source to interact with. Once that AC signal is removed (the grid goes down), the solar is designed to shut down to avoid an instance of back-feeding power to the utility when it’s down, which can result in serious injury or death to utility workers servicing the grid. However, with the right equipment it is possible to become more autonomous and separate from the grid, either partially or entirely.