Support and Servicing 

Solar doesn’t work at night because the sun isn’t shining! Your solar panels generate electricity when they are hit with sunlight. Solar panels and solar inverters don’t have the ability to store the electricity they produce, meaning that any electricity they produce has to be used immediately for you to make the most benefit. 

This is why it’s important to use your appliances and heavy energy consumers during the day - if you use them at night, there is no solar energy to power it! If you aren’t using your solar energy during the day, it is being sent back to the grid for a feed-in tariff set by your retailer. Feed-in tariffs are pretty low these days, so we always recommend increasing your solar self-consumption by making sure you’re running everything you need to during the day while the solar is producing. 

Solar batteries are available which store your excess solar energy during the day which you can then use to power your home at night. This is the best way to be completely energy independent and make the most of the solar you produce. 

Solar doesn’t work at night because the sun isn’t shining! Your solar panels generate electricity when they are hit with sunlight. Solar panels and solar inverters don’t have the ability to store the electricity they produce, meaning that any electricity they produce has to be used immediately for you to make the most benefit. 

This is why it’s important to use your appliances and heavy energy consumers during the day - if you use them at night, there is no solar energy to power them! If you aren’t using your solar energy during the day, it is being sent back to the grid for a feed-in tariff set by your retailer. Feed-in tariffs are pretty low these days, so we always recommend increasing your solar self-consumption by making sure you’re running everything you need to during the day while the solar is producing. 

Solar batteries are available which store your excess solar energy during the day which you can then use to power your home at night. This is the best way to be completely energy-independent and make the most of the solar you produce. 

If your battery didn’t back up your home through a grid outage, it could be due to a few reasons. The first question we’d ask is, at the time of the blackout, how much power were you using in your home? All batteries have a load capacity - for example, Tesla Powerwall has a storage capacity of 13.5kWh but at any given time, can only provide a maximum of 5kW when providing backup power. 

If your home was using more than 5kW at the time of the blackout in this example, then your battery may turn off completely as it registers that it cannot back up all the loads in your home. This is why it is also important to have a chat about priority circuits with your solar installer, as they can program your battery to only backup those chosen circuits, therefore reducing the possibility of this happening. 

If you think that your battery has switched off due to an exceeded load capacity, you should immediately turn off (at the wall) all your non-essential appliances. Once you’ve done this, attempt toggling the battery back on to wake it up and see if it kicks into backup mode. 

It’s a common misconception that batteries can back up your entire home - unless you have really oversized your battery bank, your batteries are only designed to continue to power your essential appliances, like your fridge, lighting, phone chargers, Wifi, and WFH computers. Therefore, the first thing you should do when you notice a blackout is drop all your loads as much as possible to give your battery a chance to kick into gear, back up your home, and discharge as slowly as possible. 

If you try this and your battery still isn’t working, there may be an issue with the installation or you may have received a faulty battery. If you believe this is the case, give your solar installer a call or submit a ticket below. 

If your home experiences a blackout, there are a few things you should do to ensure that your battery will last as long as possible. Your battery stores a finite amount of energy, and your aim should be to conserve this energy for as long as possible. 

As soon as you notice a blackout has occurred and your battery has switched to backup mode, we recommend that you switch off all non-essential appliances at the wall. This includes your TV, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer, non-essential computers, EV chargers, and the pool. The more energy consumers you have running, the quicker your battery will deplete.  

Your fridge, lights, phone chargers, work-from-home computers and Wifi are the most critical to supply with battery backup power. We recommend continuing to power your Wifi network because this means you can still connect and monitor your battery energy levels. 

If you’re aware of an upcoming planned blackout, you should consider switching your battery to back up reserve mode. This essentially warns your battery of the upcoming outage and it reacts by recharging its reserve capacity to 100% as quickly as possible. You can toggle this feature on your battery’s app or monitoring portal. 

If you have a Tesla Powerwall, the below video will help you navigate how to do this:

[Eddie’s vid]

It is normal for a battery to take a small amount of time to kick in and power your home on backup reserve. In a perfect world, this backup would be instantaneous, but most of the time your battery needs to do some critical checks before it snaps into gear. These checks concern a large number of variables and, depending on the responses your battery receives, will influence how long it takes for your battery to backup.

When grid power fails, your battery will check the following before it switches to backup mode:

• Is the voltage normal?
• Is the current normal?
• Is the temperature normal?
• Are all other grid compliance checks normal?

External forces concerning grid compliance all impact the ability of your battery to back up instantaneously. So, if your battery takes a little longer than normal to backup, chances are that those grid compliance checks came back abnormal because of a major grid outage or a highly unstable network.

To give your battery the best chance to backup as quickly as possible, drop as many energy loads as possible in your home as soon as you notice a blackout. If you have too many loads vying for backup at the time of the blackout, it can overwhelm your battery and prevent a hasty response time. 

Also, if you’re aware of incoming adverse weather or a planned blackout, make sure you are monitoring your battery’s charge and toggle it to 100% backup reserve in preparation for a blackout. Your battery won’t be able to backup your home if it isn’t charged!

If your suburb or your neighbourhood has lost power, it is highly likely that you will also lose power even if you have a solar energy system. Unless you have a battery, your solar system will do nothing to prevent your lights from turning off alongside everyone else. 

In most cases, solar systems are designed to disconnect the power supply during a blackout, meaning that your system will switch off automatically and won’t reconnect until you manually turn it on once your power is re-supplied. 

And this is a good thing, for one main reason: safety. 

If you have a grid-tied system, your solar is fed to your home first and then any excess energy is sent to the grid for a feed-in tariff from your retailer. Now let’s say a storm has blown a tree into a powerline. The damage has compromised the line’s power supply and your entire suburb has lost power to the grid. To keep the electricians safe as they work to rectify the powerline, all power connected to the line must remain switched off. This includes outbound grid electricity from the plant and inbound solar energy from homes to the grid. 

That’s the reason your solar switches off during a blackout - to keep everyone safe from live electricity on a compromised circuit. This is programmed by your solar installer and the DNSP upon installation. 

The only way around this is to install battery storage and an inverter that allows you to isolate power from the grid. A battery will allow you to use any stored solar power during a blackout while your solar panels aren’t operating. 

If you have a battery system, you can use your solar to charge your battery if you’ve instructed your installer to wire it that way. Most batteries will only allow a 1:1 charge during a blackout. For example, a single Tesla Powerwall with a 5kW output can only charge with 5kW input. It’s important to note here though that if your battery is already 100% charged at the time of the blackout, your solar will run the loads in the house automatically and won’t charge the battery because it isn’t technically required. The solar will charge the battery eventually once your battery has begun to deplete, but this may take a bit of time. 

*If you have a three phase inverter and a single phase AC-coupled battery this cannot be charged during a blackout.

If you’ve experienced a blackout, your solar energy system has likely switched off as per DNSP requirements to maintain safety for powerline workers. You can easily check whether your system is turned on by doing the following:

• Check whether your inverter’s light is green/blue or the display indicates regular functioning. If your inverter light is flashing or is any colour other than green/blue, this is an indication that your system is off. If this is the case, simply try switching it off and then on again - this will reset your inverter and your system will start producing power again like normal. 
• Login in to your monitoring app or online portal. If there is no data displayed or it says “offline”, this means your system is disconnected from your internet. If this is the case, we first recommend switching off and on your Wifi modem. If your app still displays no data or “offline” after that, try turning the solar inverter off and on. If that still doesn’t work, you will have to reconfigure your wifi. This is a different procedure for every inverter, so click your relevant inverter brand below to find exact details. 

If the grid is unstable following a blackout, your solar inverter may be intermittent or may not turn back on. Try fixing it with the above steps but if none of the above works, it is possible that the inverter was damaged due to the storm event. Call your installer as they can check this remotely.

First, check whether your solar system is turned on. If you've experienced a blackout, there's a good chance that your system has simply switched itself off automatically as per DNSP requirements. If your inverter isn't displaying a green/blue light or any other display, try turning it off and then on again, as this will reset the inverter after a blackout and your system will start producing power again like normal. 

If your inverter still isn’t displaying any lights after turning it off and on, there may be some other issue caused by the storm. If it hailed at your property, this could have damaged the system. If you suspect it may be hail damage, we do not recommend checking your roof yourself - please give us a call. 

Power surges and lightning strikes are rare but can happen, and will impact your system. If in doubt, contact us to arrange a service electrician. 

The Clean Energy Council recommends that solar panels should be professionally cleaned and serviced every two years. We never recommend that you clean your panels yourself as it can be dangerous. 

For the most part, rain will clean your panels of dust and debris so it isn’t something you need to think about regularly. If you think that your panels may need a clean because you’ve noticed that production has decreased or you can see debris on your roof, we recommend reaching out to a professional solar panel cleaner.

Springers Solar offers system servicing but we don’t offer a cleaning service. If you would like to book your system in for a service from our dedicated service electricians, please contact us using the ticket below. Please note that our technicians are prioritised for our customers with a Springers Solar system.

In short, a solar system service is important to ensure that your system is producing solar energy for your property optimally and safely. It isn’t too dissimilar from a car service - if you take the time to have it checked over by a professional, you are investing in the longevity of your asset. 

Regular services and maintenance generally result in increased productivity over the long term, meaning you are still able to achieve the maximum amount of production that your system can produce. At the end of the day, services help ensure that your system is still saving you as much money as possible on your electricity bill. 

The Clean Energy Council recommends a solar system service every two years. If you’re due for a service, please contact us using the ticket here. 

A Springers Solar service inspection is conducted by our in-house team of service electricians and technicians. 

Our service electricians will test the circuit breaker and solar inverter, and visually inspect the solar panels, cabling, connections, and terminals. 

They will complete a report for you, detailing their findings and will provide recommendations if needed. They will leave your report on-site or hand it to you in person to discuss. If there are any faults, we will be able to service it for you on the spot, otherwise, we will arrange further servicing if required. 

Please note that commercial sites will receive their report via email within a few days of the inspection.

The Clean Energy Council recommends you service your solar energy system every two years to maintain optimal performance. 

Large commercial sites are recommended to receive annual solar system services due to their size. 

At Springers Solar, we charge our customers with Springers systems $250 for a standard service inspection. 

If you had your solar system installed by someone other than Springers Solar, but wish to receive a service from our technicians, you will be charged $295. 

If you have a commercial site, please contact your Springers Solar Project Manager for your commercial service rate. 

Springers Solar does not offer solar panel cleaning services. We recommend you reach out to a professional solar panel cleaning company if you wish to have your solar panels cleaned. We do not recommend you do this yourself, as it can be dangerous. 

Unfortunately, solar panels can’t be repaired once they are damaged. This is because the damage can be so microscopic that it is impossible to fix the cells once they are compromised. 

Solar panels can be subject to water ingress, dents, micro-cracks, and delamination, all of which would affect the performance of your solar panels. If this is the case, then you would have to replace your panels as they cannot be repaired. 

It is possible to refurbish solar inverters but it can be a lengthy process and in most cases, it’s more worthwhile and more cost effective to purchase a new inverter outright as it means you will renew your warranty.

All in all, if you have a damaged solar energy system, it’s time to look into purchasing a new system as it’s very unlikely (or impossible) to repair your existing system. Go ahead and take advantage of new technologies available on the market and renew your warranties - it’s the most cost-effective option to you.

The QLD Solar Bonus Scheme was an initiative launched by the QLD Government over a decade ago. New solar energy customers were able to apply for the scheme and they received a 44 cent per kilowatt-hour feed-in tariff. 

This Scheme has ended and is not available to new customers. 

Existing customers with the 44c FIT will lose this benefit on the 1st July 2028 when the Scheme expires. 

You can learn more about the QLD Solar Bonus Scheme here. 

That’s fantastic! Solar energy is an affordable way to reduce your electricity bills long-term and transition your home to clean energy. 

To help you determine whether a solar energy system is a viable investment for your family, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• How long are you planning to stay in your home? Payback periods are generally three to five years for a residential property, so if you are planning on selling your home earlier than that, then it may be worth reconsidering. However, solar panels add value and may help with the sale of your property.
• Is your roof suitable for solar panels? Some rooftops are more suitable for solar panel installation than others. Have a chat to your solar installer about this.
• Is there shading around your property? If there is, you will want to mitigate that as much as possible, whether you remove large trees that directly shade your roof or you invest in microinverters/optimisers to improve performance in shaded areas. 
• How much power is used in your home on a daily basis? Think about what appliances you run and how long you run them for. If you can give your solar installer a detailed description of what energy usage in your home looks like, they can size the solar system to suit your needs and ensure you get more bang for your buck.

Every home is different, so we recommend reaching out to your trusted solar installer (like us!) for an on-site analysis to have a conversation about how viable solar is for your home. Contact us here.

Some landlords like to install solar systems on their investment properties as a way to attract tenants or increase resale value. At the end of the day though, you, as the landlord, won’t actually reap any of the benefits of the solar system on the property. If the tenant is paying their own electricity bills, they are the one who will benefit from reduced power bills.

Therefore, if you install a solar system on your investment property, you aren’t receiving a return on investment. However, you are making your property far more attractive for prospective for tenants or to retain existing tenants. If this is something you can afford, sure, why not! 

Yes, a solar system is an asset and can increase resale value. It does depend on the age of the system though - a new system that is within warranty will add significantly more value than an older solar system with dated technology and an expired warranty. 

There are more good reasons than not - a solar energy system to suit your family’s needs and installed by a reputable, trusted installer (like us!) will make a world of difference to your electricity bills. Solar energy reduces your power bills long-term, and with payback periods for residential systems typically around three to five years, the savings that you generate is cash straight back in your pocket. 

It’s important to engage a reputable solar installer to complete an on-site assessment of your property. This ensures that you are investing in a system that has been tailored to your family’s specific energy needs which will grant you the most benefit. 

With a solar energy system, you are also contributing to Australia’s Net 0 target by switching to renewable energy. The less reliant you are on traditional coal-fired power plants, the more you decrease your carbon footprint.

If you are purchasing a solar battery, it is more than likely that you will not be off-grid unless you have specifically requested a stand-alone system which is independent from the grid. 

This is called an off-grid system, and it is completely separate from traditional grid electricity. You would typically have a backup generator in this instance to power your home if your batteries were to discharge completely during inclement weather. 

A hybrid system is what we refer to as a battery-connected on-grid system. These systems are designed to deliver solar power to your home first, then draw power from your battery when the sun isn’t shining, and as a last resort, if your batteries are depleted, import energy from the grid. If your solar panels are producing more electricity than you require, and your battery bank is full, the excess energy will be exported to the grid, earning you a small income. Hybrid systems have limited capability during a power outage but they are more affordable than a complete stand-alone off-grid system.

This entirely depends on your family’s circumstances and budget. Batteries are still a large investment, and for many families, simply changing energy use behaviour (such as load shifting and improving self-consumption) is enough to substantially reduce electricity bills with solar only. 

Batteries are fantastic for those who: 

• Seek a greater level of energy independence;
• Wish to supply their own backup power at night or during blackouts;
• Want to completely eliminate their electricity bills;
• Have a better system than your neighbours (it’s super cool);
• Have the budget.

We recommend speaking with a reputable solar and battery installer (like us!) to help you determine whether a battery is a worthwhile investment for your family. Solar batteries aren’t for everyone, at least not yet, so it’s a good idea to learn more about them and how they would function in your home so you can make an informed decision. 

A standard battery-connected solar energy system works like this:

​ ​1. DC solar power is generated by your solar panels during the day 

​ ​2. The DC solar power is converted to AC power via your solar inverter

​ ​3. The inverter directs the AC power to appliances in your home as it is needed

​ ​4. Excess DC power that isn’t being used by your home during the day is directed to your solar battery for storage (DC-coupled systems)

​ ​5. At night, during a power outage, or during high periods of energy consumption, power stored in your batteries is accessed to power your home.

If you have a hybrid battery system, grid electricity will be accessed when needed to supplement your power supply if your battery doesn’t have enough stored power. 

There are a number of solar battery manufacturers on the market, and each has its own app and monitoring portal. It’s important you familiarise yourself with your battery’s monitoring data so that you can ensure you are making the most of your stored energy and can shift energy consumption behaviour when needed. 

Generally speaking though, you should pay attention to:

• Production: this is how much solar energy is being produced by your system for your home. 
• Consumption: this details how you are consuming or using your solar energy in your home. It should break it down so you can see how much you are consuming directly from the system during the day, how much you are using from your battery, and even how much energy you draw from the grid. 
• Self-consumption: this should be a percentage to let you know how much of your solar energy you are using. The higher the percentage, the better, as it means you are consuming the solar energy you generate rather than exporting it back to the grid.
• State-of-charge: this lets you know how charged your battery is at any given time. If you are aware of an upcoming blackout or storms, we recommend you focus on increasing the state of charge to 100% so you have as much energy storage as possible.

If you have logged into your app or monitoring portal online and no data is displayed, your system may just be disconnected from the internet. 

We recommend that you try resetting your internet. Turn your modem off and on and see whether your battery reconnects automatically. If that doesn’t work, then try turning your solar system off and on. 

If you have recently changed internet providers, changed your modem/router, changed your Wifi password or extender, then you will need to reconnect your system.

We also strongly recommend logging out of your app often so that it can perform updates. Leaving the app running in the background will prevent it from automatically updating. Just like any app, if it can’t perform updates, sometimes old versions break. Check your app settings to see if any updates are available and make sure you keep it up to date to prevent issues.

If your solar inverter isn't connected to your Wifi, it will display as 'offline' in your monitoring app or website portal. Don't stress! This error means that the inverter has lost connection to the internet, but it is likely still generating power. 

You could have lost power for a variety of reasons, including: 

• Changed internet provider
• Changed your modem/router
• Changed your Wifi password
• Changed your Wifi extender
• Internet outage or blackout

Every inverter is different and will have different Wifi configuration steps. Please click on your relevant inverter brand below to be redirected to your Wifi guide.