My system isn't generating
Simple, safe checks if your panels seem to have stopped producing electricity.
If your panels don't seem to be producing electricity, these checks often explain why. None of them need you to open or touch any equipment.
Is it the weather or the time of day?
Solar panels make very little early in the morning, late in the evening, or under heavy cloud. In winter, even a sunny day can produce a fraction of a summer day. Snow on the panels stops them working until it clears. All of this is normal. See How much should my system generate?.
Is there a power cut?
Your solar inverter switches itself off when the grid goes down. This is a legal safety requirement, so that no electricity flows back into the power lines while engineers are working on them. It starts again by itself a few minutes after the power comes back.
If you have a battery with backup, some of your home may stay on. See the article for your battery for how this works: Duracell Energy or Tesla Powerwall.
Is it only the app?
If your app shows no data, your inverter may just have lost its Wi-Fi connection. This doesn't stop it generating. Look at the inverter itself, and see My Monitoring Is Offline for how to reconnect it.
Check your inverter
- Look at the screen or lights on the inverter. A green light usually means it's working.
- A red or orange light, or an error code, means it needs attention. Take a photo of the screen for us.
- If it says No AC connection or Grid lost, see My inverter says "No AC connection" or "Grid lost".
Check your consumer unit (fuse box)
- Look for the breaker labelled for solar, PV or inverter, and check it hasn't tripped.
- If it has tripped, you can switch it back on once.
- If it trips again, leave it off and contact us.
Check the isolator switches
Your system has isolator switches on the wall next to the inverter, or built into it. Check they're all in the ON position.
Is anything new shading the panels?
A tree that has grown, scaffolding or a new building can cut your generation a lot, even if it only shades part of the panels.