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How to maintain your solar system

As a solar system owner, it’s important to maintain and monitor your solar system to keep it operating at its best.

Servicing

Like a computer or your car, a solar system runs at its best when it’s properly maintained and serviced. Solar Victoria recommend that your solar system is serviced at least once every two years – your installer can also provide you with a maintenance schedule.

A solar system service should be carried out by a licensed electrician accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia. You can find a licensed electrician on the Energy Safe Victoria website.

Before booking a service, check your warranty terms and conditions in case a service performed by a different company to your installer voids your warranty.

Cleaning

Surface dirt or dust can reduce panel efficiency by up to 50% over time and that’s a lot of reduced renewable energy. Read how to best maintain your solar panels on the Solar Victoria website. 

Monitor and troubleshoot your solar generation

1. Check how much solar you’re generating, consuming and exporting to the grid. It could be that you’re super savvy and taking advantage of your solar as you’re generating it. If this is the case, great work! You will get the greatest return on investment by using your solar as you generate it, rather than exporting it to the grid.
2. Your solar system is switched off or you have lost internet connection. If you have had electrical work done recently or have had internet issues, check that your solar system has been switched back on and reconnected to the internet. Visit your inverter manufacturer’s website for more information to troubleshoot your system. Depending on the issue, your solar installer might need to get your system working again.
3. If it’s on and connected to the internet, there might be an issue with your solar system if you aren’t using much electricity during the day and you’re still not exporting any solar energy out to the grid. In this case, it might be time to contact your installer or a licensed electrician for a service.

For more information, download our solving grid export problems fact sheet (PDF, 180KB).

Your solar responsibilities

Owning a renewable energy solution comes with very specific responsibilities. This is because your solar system or battery is generating electricity and can export to the electricity network – just like solar or wind farms – which can impact the safe and reliable supply of electricity to the community.

Upgrading your renewable energy solution  

So you’ve had solar for a while, or maybe you purchased a property with solar already installed and you’re thinking about the next step. We’re here to support you in your renewable solution journey as we all work towards a greener energy future.

Adding more solar panels or upgrading a current system

• Your solar installer can apply for an upgrade or full replacement. If you have an older system, it may not be solar emergency backstop enabled and compliant with current connection rules. In most instances, it’s best to install a new, compliant system rather than trying to bring an old system up to current standards.
• If you have any questions about adding more solar panels or replacing a current system, email us at preapprovals@ausnetservices.com.au.

 

Adding a battery

Batteries are a great way to store all that renewable energy from your solar system to use at a time that suits you best. If you want to add a battery to an existing system, read the information on Solar Victoria’s website and engage a trusted installer accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia.

If you add a battery to an existing solar system, the inverter settings must be compliant with current standards. If this is not possible, you may also need to upgrade your inverter. Your solar installer must tell us if you make changes to your current system, so we can update the Distributed Energy Resources Register (DERR).

Your installer can do this through the customer portal.

1. Complete the System updates form (PDF, 219KB)
2. Email it to preapprovals@ausnetservices.com.au.

If you’re having trouble submitting an application online, please email us at preapprovals@ausnetservices.com.au.

Manual assessment

A manual assessment may be required if you have not followed the correct pre-approval process, or if your application is not in line with standard terms and conditions, including:

• greater than 10kW generation capacity per phase
• more export capacity than is auto approved
• uses a generation type other than solar without a battery.

We’ll notify you if your application requires a manual assessment. For information on application fees, visit Manual assessment costs.

Joining a Virtual Power Plant

Adding a battery also allows you to join Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). A VPP is a network of connected solar batteries, which can be discharged to the grid in a coordinated way to act as a ‘pop-up power plant’.

If you join a VPP through your retailer and another third party, you are often rewarded through credits on your electricity bill while supporting the grid and your community. To learn more about VPPs and why they matter, visit Solar Victoria.