Understanding your monitoring portal is important to ensure your system is operating at peak efficiency. Below are monitoring resources for the inverters we install.

SolarEdge

• My SolarEdge app overview
• Connect to your inverter with the SolarEdge app
• SolarEdge YouTube channel

SunPower

• Overview of the SunPower online monitoring system

SMA

• How to set up your Sunny Energy Portal account
• Overview of the SMA Energy App

Sometimes when your monitoring goes down, it's because of internet connectivity issues. In these cases, we recommend power cycling your router by hitting the on/off button and waiting 30 seconds before turning it on again.

If that doesn't solve the issue, the next step is resetting your router and modem. For this, unplug your router and modem, then wait 30 seconds before plugging it back in. Wait at least 2 minutes before checking to see if your monitoring is reconnected to the internet and running again.

Blue light: Your inverter is communicating with your monitoring system.

Green light: Your system is producing and operating normally.

Flashing green light: Your solar energy system is connected to the grid, but is not producing energy.

Red light: There is a system error. We recommend power cycling your inverter or calling our service department at 480-689-5050.

Visit the SolarEdge Inverter Status and System Performance Indications for more information.

Sometimes turning your SolarEdge inverter on and off can help resolve issues. To turn off your system, follow this video from SolarEdge's Learning Lab.

To turn your SolarEdge inverter back on to complete its power cycle, first turn your AC disconnect back. You'll then want to reverse the steps in the video above. After about 5 minutes of the inverter powering up again, check your system. You should hear a faint clicking noise, which indicates your solar panels are producing power.

No, unless you have a fully off-grid system, your solar panels are integrated with the utility grid and will not operate if the grid is down. The reasons for this are both technical and regulatory.

From a technical perspective, as long as the sun is shining overhead, solar panels generate power regardless of how much electricity your home is actually consuming. In a grid connected system, excess solar power is sent back into the grid for a credit, and any additional power you need beyond what your panels are producing is pulled from the grid. It’s a constant push/pull. Panels reduce the amount of energy you need to purchase, but their production changes as the sun moves across the sky, clouds roll in, or night falls. Since your appliances require constant/predictable energy, the grid/solar interconnect creates a leveled power delivery throughout the day and night.

Safety regulations are the second reason. During outages, repair crews could be jeopardized if there is a local power generator (like a solar array) leaking power back into the grid lines. For this reason, utility rules mandate that solar arrays must automatically shut down during outages. Solar systems have devices that sense whether power is coming across the grid, and when that’s disrupted, the local solar array is automatically shut down for safety.

The only way to avoid all these things is by completely disconnecting from the grid. A fully off-grid solar energy system generally requires numerous batteries, generators, and other ancillary devices to provide 24/7 power regardless of weather conditions.

We recommend yearly cleanings to keep your panels dust and debris-free and operating at peak efficiency. Every once in a while, such as after a really bad dust storm, you may need to augment that yearly cleaning schedule. It is also important to inspect your panels for bird infestations. Occasionally, birds will nest in the shaded area under the array. This can cause problems with proper water shedding which can, in turn, damage roof underlayment. 

Your system will function on cloudy days, but it will produce less electricity depending on the density and duration of the cloud cover. At night your system will not have enough light to convert into electricity. During nighttime hours, your house will rely exclusively on grid energy.

We run a full in-house service team consisting of field technicians, as well as two project coordinators and three dedicated case managers. We are available M-F 7AM-4PM at 480-689-5050, or via email at service@sunvalleysolar.com. Limited after-hours and weekend emergency services are available by calling our main line 480-689-5000, extension #4.

Our service department offers removal and reinstallation of solar arrays for any type of roofing work. Our service team will work with you to create a customized quote for your removal and reinstall project. To learn more, visit our Removal and Reinstallation page.