You open your electric bill and it's higher than you expected. The first worry is usually that the solar has stopped working. Sometimes that's the answer. Often it's something else. A few simple checks will tell you where to look.
Common reasons a bill changes
Your system is producing less
Dust builds up quickly here, and panels produce less as they get hotter. Beyond that, a failed microinverter or optimizer (small inverters, or small parts that help each panel make the most power, fitted under each panel), an inverter fault (the inverter is the box that turns your panels' power into power your home can use), a loose connection, new shade from a growing tree, or birds nesting under the panels can all pull production down. Some of these cut output a little. Some take part of the system offline.
Your monitoring went offline
Monitoring is how you'd normally notice a problem. If the gateway (the internet box that sends your system's readings to us) lost its internet connection, after a new router or a change of internet service for example, the system can keep running with no one watching it. A fault that starts while monitoring is down can go unnoticed for a long time.
Your household is using more
Solar covers part of what your home uses. If use goes up, the bill can go up even when the system is working perfectly. Common causes: summer air conditioning, new appliances, a pool pump, charging an electric vehicle, or more people at home during the day.
Your utility changed your rate or plan
Sometimes the change is on the utility side. If you think that's the case, check your utility's statement or call them about your rate plan.
How to compare what your system produced with what it should produce
- Open your monitoring app. Find the production totals by month.
- Compare the same month, year over year. Production changes with the seasons, so compare this July with last July, not with March.
- Look at a clear day. On a sunny day, the daily production graph should rise and fall in a smooth curve. Flat spots, sudden dips or days with no production at all point to a problem.
- Check the original estimate. Your install paperwork may include an expected production estimate. If this year is running well below it and below past years, the system likely needs attention.
- Check the usage side. Your bill shows the energy you drew from the grid. If production looks steady but you're drawing more, the change is probably in how much your home uses.
If your monitoring app won't load or the numbers stopped updating, that's a finding in itself. Get the system reporting again before you try to judge it.
Net metering is how your power company credits the extra power your panels send to the grid. New to those lines on your bill? Here's how net metering works, with a sample bill.
Want a second look? Send us a recent power bill and we'll compare what your system made with what your home used, month by month. See how the bill check works.
How monitoring helps
With 24/7 monitoring, we usually spot a drop in production long before your bill shows it. Our monitoring means our team sees the alert and calls you. (The Solar Care app is coming soon.) When a system stops reporting, we reconnect the gateway or replace failed communication hardware, and we help with monitoring account recovery where the manufacturer allows it.
How an inspection helps
Monitoring tells you something changed. An inspection tells you why. A technician checks the panels, wiring, connections, inverter and mounts, and you get a written report. Every inspection includes a re-torque of the panels at no charge, which means tightening the bolts and clamps that hold your panels down. If dust is part of the picture, we recommend cleaning at least once a year in our dust.
Not sure where to start? Text us a photo of your monitoring screen or any error code. We can often identify the problem remotely.