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How to Find Out if Your Solar Panels Are Working Properly in 2025
Switching to solar energy is a big step that helps in reducing electricity bills and carbon footprint, but installing solar panels is just the beginning. To enjoy their benefits, you must make sure that your solar panels are working in their best condition.
But the question arises how to find out if your solar panels are working properly? How do we know if there are any issues that are affecting its performance? And if there are, how can you correct them to improve solar panel efficiency? Getting answers to these questions is very important for homes and businesses relying on solar energy.
In this guide, we will tell you how to find out if your solar panels are working and spot their issues. It will help you identify any problem beforehand and get it solved before it becomes too big.
Why Monitoring Solar Panel Performance is Important?
Solar panels are made of silicon, which lasts for more than 25 years and offers great performance. However, factors like weather, dirt, the orientation of panels, or any issue in other equipment can affect it. Regularly monitoring the performance of solar panels helps in identifying issues early and provides you time to take action early and avoid costly repairs.
Which Factors Are Affecting Solar Panel Performance?
Some factors that mainly affect the performance of the solar panel are:
Factors Affecting Solar Panel Performance
Change in Seasons: Solar panels produce more energy during summer due to more sunlight hours. However, they produce less energy in winter when sunlight is weaker and days are shorter. New users have expectations and may not understand these fluctuations.
Tilt Angle and Orientation of Solar Panels: The position of your solar panels highly affects their efficiency and performance. According to solar experts, panels must face south (in the northern hemisphere) to maximize sunlight exposure. If panels are not tilted properly in the right direction, it may affect their performance, reducing energy production.
Energy Losses During DC-to-AC Conversion: Solar panels use an inverter to convert DC (direct current) to AC (alternative current), which is used in electrical equipment. There can be some minor energy loss during the process that can affect the efficiency of the panel.
Dust, Dirt, and Cloudy Weather: The performance of solar panels can be affected by dirt, dust, or debris that accumulates on their surface. Besides this, heavy snowfall, cloudy weather, and foggy days reduce the sunlight hours and decrease energy production.
How to Tell If Something Is Wrong With Your Solar Panels?
Over time, solar panels can cause potential issues that might sometimes go unnoticed. These issues can affect their performance and reduce the overall efficiency of panels. Here are some issues that can be alarming:
How to Find Out if Your Solar Panels Are Working
Decreasing Energy Output: If you see a sudden drop in the amount of power produced by your solar panels even when there is minor/no change in the weather, there can be a possible error affecting it.
Red or Orange Inverter Lights: If your inverter lights suddenly turn orange or red, there is an issue in the system. Especially the red lights and alarming and expect immediate actions. However, if your inverter lights are green, there is no issue.
High Electricity Bills: If you are connected to an on-grid solar power system and you notice a rise in your electricity bills, there can be an error in the system’s efficiency.
Dirty Solar Panels: Dirt, snow, bird droppings, or growing leaf branches are a major reason for the reduced efficiency of solar panels. If you notice it, make sure to clean your solar panels after turning them off.
Odd Sounds or Damage: Cracks or damage also affect the performance of the system. So, if you notice any damage or sudden sounds, it’s time to take necessary actions.
Worn-Out Components: Parts of solar panels such as inverters, batteries, and connectors work best when they are new. If they are getting old, make sure to maintain them properly.
5 Tips to Help You Monitor Your Home Solar System’s Performance
If you are wondering how to find out if your solar panels are working, staying proactive can help you catch issues in advance and keep your system efficient. Here are some tips to follow beforehand:
Do’s and Don’ts: How to Find Out if Your Solar Panels Are Working
1. Check the Inverter
The inverter plays a main role in converting solar energy from direct current (DC) to usable alternating current (AC). In fact it is so important that it can be considered as the brain of the whole solar panel setup. So, checking its health is most important while checking your solar panel performance.
Problem: Inverter contains lights to signal any issue it is facing. For example: the green light indicates that everything is good, but an orange or red light indicates that there is any fault or issue. If there is a flashing red light, it means the issue needs immediate action.
Solution: If you detect any fault in the inverter, we recommend checking any tripped circuit breakers or just restarting it. If the issue is still not resolved, then you must contact your solar panel installer.
2. Check the Electric Meter
Net metering measures the extra power sent to the electricity grid that helps to reduce your electricity bill. If you notice any change in it like a sudden rise in bills or any feedback from the grid even when there is no change in power consumption or weather, it can be an alarming situation.
Problem: Does your electric meter show that you are drawing more power than usual? If it is so, then your solar panels may not be generating enough electricity.
Solution: You must check whether your kilowatt-hour reading is steadily increasing during the sunlight hours. If it is not, then you can get it checked and call a solar technician to fix it.
3. Analyze the Impact of Weather
As we discussed earlier, weather changes can impact the efficiency of the solar panels. However, if you have good types of solar panels, the output can be reduced by 10–25 %.
Problem: If you are facing sudden fluctuations (more than expected) in your solar power generation during cloudy weather or low sunlight hours, there can be an issue with the panels.
Solution: You can keep a record of the output of your solar panel performance during different seasons, maintain a record, and compare it yearly. It will help you predict your reductions in advance and understand the reason behind the dips.
4. Inspect Your Electric Bills
Electricity bills are the best indicator of solar panel efficiency. If you notice a sudden fluctuation in your electricity bills, then there might be an issue with your solar panels.
Problem: A rise in bills means that your solar panels are underperforming and producing lower energy than expected.
Solution: You must make sure to monitor your electricity bills over time. If you notice a sudden rise, check your solar panels and other components.
5. Look for Physical Barriers
Things like dirt, bird droppings, and shading from trees can block the sunlight and lower the performance of your solar panels.
Problem: If your solar panels are dirty or shaded, they cannot capture enough sunlight, resulting in lower solar energy production.
Solution: Check your solar panels, clean them regularly with water, and schedule a deep cleaning at least once a year. You must also trim your branches so that it shouldn’t block the sunlight.
What to Do If Your Solar Panels Are Not Performing Well: Final Solutions
If you notice that your solar panels are not performing well, even after following all the tips, you can consider scheduling regular maintenance with the help of your solar panel provider or install monitoring tools:
How to Find Out if Your Solar Panels Are Working
1. Schedule Regular Maintenance
Schedule regular system checkups with the help of a certified solar technician. You must inspect and clean them to maintain their efficiency and performance. 2. Add Monitoring Tools
When you install solar panels, there is an option to add monitoring tools at an extra cost. If you want to monitor the performance of your system, you can consider installing the monitoring tools. They alert you to problems as soon as they occur.
3. Contact Your Solar Panel Provider
Lastly, we recommend you contact your solar panel installer for timely maintenance services during the warranty period. You can reach out to them for a professional inspection to identify hidden issues.
Want to make solar monitoring easier for your customers? Learn more about how Sunlead’s innovative solutions can enhance efficiency and boost satisfaction!
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FAQs: How to Find Out if Your Solar Panels Are Working Properly
What causes a reduction in power output from a solar panel?
There are several factors that reduce the power output from a solar panel like shading, dirt, aging components, and weather conditions like snowing, hailstones, and low/ no sunlight. Besides this, over time aging also reduces their output and efficiency. How long do solar panels last?
Solar panels last for 25 to 30 years. Although their efficiency decreases at the rate of 0.5% to 0.8% per year, they continue to generate power throughout this span.
What is the maximum efficiency of solar panels?
The maximum efficiency of the best types of solar panels like the PERC panels is around 25%. However, for other panels, it lies between 6 to 20%. Their efficiency is affected by factors like high temperature, dirt, improper orientation, etc.
How can I tell if my solar inverter is working properly?
To check if your solar inverter is working properly, you can look at the indicator lights:
If it is Green: Everything is functioning well.
If it is Red/Orange: A fault has occurred.
If it is Flashing Red: Immediate troubleshooting is needed.
How can I test my solar panels at home?
There are some easy steps to test your solar panels at home such as:
Checking the inverter and meter readings: Ensure energy generation aligns with expected levels.
Using a multimeter: Measure the voltage and current output from the panels. Compare the readings to the specifications provided by your installer.
Monitoring your energy bills: Sudden increases might indicate underperformance.
Do solar panels work at night?
No, solar panels do not work at night because they rely on sunlight to generate electricity. However, systems with battery storage can provide power during the night by using the energy stored during the day.