Service Troubleshooting

If the internet connection to your inverter becomes troubled, the solar production data from your inverter is often unable to reach the inverter’s online monitoring portal. When this occurs, you may notice that your “Communication” light on your inverter (often blue or yellow) will no longer be glowing, and your online monitoring portal may stop updating solar production data.

Internet troubleshooting for your inverter

1. Confirm that the internet is working properly on your computer. If not, please contact your Internet Service Provider to help re-establish an internet connection.
   
2. Confirm your inverter is properly connected to your router, and that your router is properly connected to the internet. 
   
3. Determine which of the following connections is applicable for your solar system setup and follow the provided guidance. Reach out to the Service Department if the internet challenge persists.
   • Ethernet connection:
     • If your inverter has a hardline internet ethernet connection – meaning that there is an ethernet cable running from your inverter to your router – confirm that the ethernet cable is fully plugged into your inverter, as well as into your router. Then confirm that your router is plugged into an electrical outlet. 
   • Ethernet bridges/powerline adapters:
     • If your inverter is connected using ethernet bridges, there will be one small rectangular box plugged into an outlet near your router, and another plugged into an outlet near your inverter. Both ethernet bridges should have an ethernet cable running from them – one will be connected to the router and the other to the inverter.
     • Most ethernet bridges have LED lights – confirm that all lights are lit and are the same color (typically green). If one or more lights are not showing, or if one light on the ethernet bridge is a different color, unplug the ethernet bridge from the outlet and plug it back in.
   • Cellular connection/cell-card connection:
     If your inverter is connected through a cellular network, Power Cycle your inverter if you have not done so already. If you have already Power Cycled, contact the Service Department for further guidance.

If none of the above solutions seem to correct your inverter’s internet connection, reset your router: unplug the router from the wall outlet – wait 30 seconds – plug the router back in. 

Many inverters are able to store historical daily solar production data for at least 3-4 weeks, so if the internet connection is re-established during this time, the solar production data will backfill for those “missing days” on your monitoring portal.

In some cases, the inverter’s internet connection is disconnected for longer than the inverter can store this historical data. When this happens, the inverter will “write over” the oldest data – only keeping the most recent 3-4 weeks to upload to the monitoring portal when communications have been reestablished.

In situations where solar production is being communicated through the monitoring portal to a third party for energy credits (SRECs, Carbon Solutions Group, etc.), the “Lifetime Production” can be gathered from the inverter to report to these entities in cases where solar production data was lost due to persistent internet challenges. Please contact the Service Department at service@straightupsolar.com for additional guidance. 

If you have confirmed that your router and inverter have power and are connected to the internet, and you are experiencing no other internet or technical related issues, attempt to Power Cycle the solar system.

Each solar PV system has different Power Cycling procedures. Click on the link below to follow the instructions for your inverter system.

• Enphase Envoy
  • Need more help on your Enphase Envoy system? Go directly to their support page for answers to frequently asked questions.
• Fronius
  • Need more information on your Fronius system? Go to their Support Area for PV Owners for additional answers.
• SolarEdge
  • Need more help on your SolarEdge system? Go directly to their Online Service Center for answers to frequently asked questions.
• SMA
  • For additional information on SMA inverters, visit their on-line Service Center

1. Confirm that all system components are ON, including the inverter, solar breaker(s), and AC disconnect.
2.  Make note of any unusual lights or error codes/messages on the inverter’s LCD screen. (Taking a picture of the inverter screen (if applicable) for documentation works great!)
3. Power Cycle your inverter. See the Power Cycling above.

Finally, if after completing the Power Cycle, a red light or error code continues to be displayed on the inverter, please document this information and contact the Service Department at service@straightupsolar.com. We will gather some information from you including any error codes displayed on the LCD screen and provide further assistance. Depending on the nature of the information, we may need to contact the manufacturer for guidance and/or schedule a service visit for further troubleshooting.

First, ensure all system components are activated. 

• Confirm all solar-related equipment is on:

• • The circuit breaker inside your main electrical service panel or subpanel is not tripped. This will be located toward the bottom of the service panel and may be labeled with a red sticker called, “Solar breaker.” 
  • The  AC disconnect lever outside by the electric meter is up in the “ON” position

• Confirm all of the following:

• • There is sunlight 
  • The electricity in the rest of the building is operating normally (i.e. there is no power outage) 
  • The array is not almost completely covered by snow or other debris

Next, after confirming all of the above, Power Cycle your solar inverter. Power Cycling – also called a hard reset – can resolve many solar-related challenges and is the first step in troubleshooting. See above Power Cycling instructions included. 

Then, once the Power Cycle is completed and the inverter has fully powered back on (this can take up to 15 minutes), check the inverter’s indicators for production. Many inverters display a steady green light when production is taking place – other inverters may have an LCD screen that will show power production read-outs. Additionally, you may check the inverter’s online monitoring portal to verify production.

If after the Power Cycle, the inverter is showing a steady red light or the LCD screen shows an error code, please document this information (a photo works great!) and contact the Service Department for additional assistance.

After that, if the inverter is showing a steady green light but production is not showing on the monitoring portal, refer to the “Internet and Monitoring Portal Troubleshooting” steps above.

Finally, if something still seems to be amiss, contact the Service Department  at service@straightupsolar.com with any error codes or inverter information for additional assistance.

Please do not try to troubleshoot codes, errors, or events yourself – even if you are a qualified electrician. Providing service on this solar system may void one or more warranties.