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My solar isn't producing. What should I check first?

Short answer. Check whether it is really zero or just low, whether the whole house has power, and what your app shows (an alarm or an offline message). Then call us. Everything beyond the app and a look from the ground is a job for a licensed electrician.

Solar output rises and falls all day with cloud, shade, heat and the time of year, so “low” is not the same as “broken”. It can also look low when your battery is full and the house is using little.

Safety first. Stay off the roof and out of the switchboard and inverter. Never open a switchboard, remove a cover from your battery or inverter, or touch any wiring. Anything beyond the app, a light you can read from a safe distance, or your own router is a job for a licensed electrician. If you see smoke, smell burning, hear arcing or see water on or near the unit: keep everyone away, switch off at your main switch only if it is safe to do so, and call 000 if there is any fire or smoke.

What to check, in order

  1. Is the whole house without power? If so it is a grid outage, not a solar fault. Essential Energy’s power outage line is 13 20 80.
  2. Is it low or truly zero? Open your app (mySigen or SEMS+) and look at today’s graph. Cloud, shade, heat, early morning or late afternoon all lower output. Judge it on a clear, sunny day around the middle of the day.
  3. Is the battery full and the house quiet? Then the app can show low solar because there is nowhere much for it to go. That is normal in self-consumption mode. If your site has an export limit, see our export limit guide.
  4. Does the app show an alarm or say offline? Offline only means the app cannot see the system; the system keeps running. An alarm is different: do not try to read the code yourself, take a screenshot and call us. In SEMS+ tap Alarm on the home page; in mySigen look under Notice or Service.
  5. What do the lights say? GoodWe: a red flashing inverter light is a system fault. Sigenergy: check the app. Read them from where you are standing; do not open or touch anything.
  6. Look at the panels from the ground. New shade from tree growth or something that has blown onto the array can cut output. Never climb onto the roof or hose live equipment.
  7. Write down what you see (time, weather, what the app and lights show, and any screenshots) and call us.

Do not do this

  • Do not repeatedly switch the system off and on at the unit or the switchboard.
  • Do not open covers or switchboards to “have a look”.
  • Do not ignore a burning smell, buzzing, heat or water near equipment. Keep away and call us, or 000 if there is smoke or fire.

When to call us

If we installed your system, call us on 0483 903 020. Our service help for existing customers is free: we start by working through it with you by phone. If you are not yet a customer, a service call is $250 + GST, which covers one hour on site within 20 km of Mullumbimby; travel further out is quoted separately. Contact us or call 0483 903 020 (Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7am-4pm).

Quick questions

How much should my solar produce?

It depends on your system size, the season, shade and weather. We do not give a figure from a web page; call us and we will compare against your design.

The app says offline. Does that mean no solar?

No. Sigenergy says its system keeps running offline, and a GoodWe system does too. Offline only affects what you can see. Our Wi-Fi guides cover reconnecting.

Why is my solar low when the battery is full?

In self-consumption mode solar runs the house first, then charges the battery, then goes to the grid. With a full battery, little use in the house and an export limit, there may be less for the system to produce.

Can I check the system at the switchboard?

Please do not. Opening a switchboard or touching the equipment is a job for a licensed electrician.

Sources

Last checked 6 October 2026. Only the manufacturer’s or the network’s own documents are used; app menus change between versions, so if your screen looks different, call us rather than guess.

Related guides

Related: Cleaning solar panels and shading

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