How frequently does your solar system need attention?

[S610]

I am trying to get an idea of how reliable properly installed off-grid solar systems from a reputable company are. How different is it from simply depending on the grid?

Under normal usage how often do you need to interact with system to keep it running well? Once a month? Once a year? And is it something simple such as "click to reset" or is it usually more complicated?

 

[SignatureSolarPeyton]

Most off-grid systems require more maintenance than grid-tied systems as they solely rely on solar energy. The maintenance frequency and complexity are determined by the system's size and also the environmental conditions. Most smaller systems generally require less maintenance, while those installed in harsher environments may require more frequent maintenance.

In terms of how often you need to interact with the system to keep it running well, it can vary. The specific maintenance tasks required will depend on the type of equipment used in the system as well as the quality of the equipment.

A few common maintenance tasks for off-grid solar systems are cleaning the solar panels, ensuring secure electrical connections, and testing the battery bank to ensure proper operation. Some of these are straightforward and can be done with a simple "click to reset," while others may require more expertise.

 

[Mattb4]

It gets lonely if you don't checkup on it daily and occasionally schedule fun time.

But seriously if you plan to be your own power company you need to understand that you are the person that must ensure normal operation. It may work just fine for weeks, months or longer but some little thing can stop it that if you are checking up on things regularly you could catch.

Everything needs maintenance and eventual repair.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Sometimes (especially these days now that we see the sun again) I forget I'm on solar. I rarely check on it at all - I've got other things to do with my time.

 

[S610]

It gets lonely if you don't checkup on it daily and occasionally schedule fun time.

Yeah see that's what I am afraid of. I want off-grid solar but I do not enjoy tinkering with that stuff (would rather spend time with the dogs, chickens, grow veggies etc...). Checking on its performance every few days wouldn't be hard though.

Many/most of the discussions here are like going down a dark technical rabbit hole. I am hoping the larger providers (Sol-Ark, Signature etc...) have systems that are user friendly, dependable and don't require hundreds of hours of reading/research to keep them running.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

I've been operating off-grid for 5 years - 71Mwh of PV to date. Overall, it's been hi gain / minimal issues when you compare it to car or home ownership.

However, in that time I've had a couple of major issues.....
- An electrician installed butt-joint burned thru (in a metal connection box) that caused wildly intermittent battery voltages at one of the charge controllers - resulting in erratic charge controller behavior. Took several days to figure this out. The burn was concerning as it could have started a fire if not contained within metal connection box. (Score 1 for conduit/codes!!)

- One of my AIMs 12,000w inverters, after 4.5yrs / 25,000hrs of operation - suddenly starting doing 120v voltage drops every few seconds - causing UPS and ATSs rapid switch-overs. Very hard on loads!!
**Not sure how to protect against this if I was not physically present.


Ongoing attention....
- I use 6 ATSs to enable consumption of off-grid (inverter) power with automatic switching to grid when the battery runs down. I've had to replace 2 of them over the last 5 years as the mechanical relays just stop switching reliably. This didn't cause any issues as it defaulted to grid - but blocked the use of off-grid power till replaced.

- DIY Battery bank balance tweaks every 6-9 months.

- I use an external mechanical relay to turn the inverters on/off by voltage via the Midnite Classic AUX1 internal relay. After 5 yrs it stopped working as mechanical swing action wouldn't finish closing the contacts. Crazy - no obvious reason, just kind of 'hung up'. Replaced the relay.

 

[kromc5]

So far I wash the panels once a year in the fall.

 

[kennyb]

If I had a standby generator likely rarely. As it is with a manual generator, I check battery voltage via a web GUI if it's been cloudy for a few days before sunset and charge as needed. That's mainly during winter.

During spring, summer and fall, I rarely look at the web GUI or even think about the system.

I haven't had to touch a setting in years, I've never washed my panels and I don't even think about the inverter or batteries most days. The system just works like power in a normal house.

 

[Mattb4]

Yeah see that's what I am afraid of. I want off-grid solar but I do not enjoy tinkering with that stuff (would rather spend time with the dogs, chickens, grow veggies etc...). Checking on its performance every few days wouldn't be hard though.

Many/most of the discussions here are like going down a dark technical rabbit hole. I am hoping the larger providers (Sol-Ark, Signature etc...) have systems that are user friendly, dependable and don't require hundreds of hours of reading/research to keep them running.

Like most things in life the more you gain experience and knowledge the less thought you have to put into it. Simply hoping to buy and ignore is a chancy strategy at best. Might work out but than you are dependent on others when things are going sideways. Like needing a plumber for a simple repair.

 

[S610]

@kromc5 @kennyb
What vendor/system did you two go with?

 

[S610]

Like most things in life the more you gain experience and knowledge the less thought you have to put into it. Simply hoping to buy and ignore is a chancy strategy at best. Might work out but than you are dependent on others when things are going sideways. Like needing a plumber for a simple repair.

I don't expect to just buy and ignore it but wanted to know if there is likely to be frequent problems that are hard to diagnose without a ton of research.

I guess these systems are pretty widely used by the general public these days so if they were constantly going down/unreliable the tech support costs would overwhelm the vendors. I am at least as tech capable as the average person when I want to be.

 

[Johneb]

As said by SSP. Quality of components! Buy cheap get cheap. IMOP. Get the best system you can afford.

 

[Crowz]

My older house needs the batteries topped off from time to time (lead acid batteries) but other than that I washed to panels once a year.
If it wasn't for the batteries it would be pretty much maintenance free.

The new house doesn't have batteries yet so its totally maintenance free. When I do head down the battery path it will be lithium so that will be nice to remove the battery hassle this time around.

 

[45North]

I think you'll need to monitor it constantly, recognize when something's amiss and deal with it: either by fixing it yourself or finding someone who can.
Mebbe I'm just pessimistic: I don't believe in "maintenance -free" gardens either.
Remember that most DIY people think this stuff is "fun"!

 

[kromc5]

@kromc5 @kennyb
What vendor/system did you two go with?

I have two 12kw growatt, 4 - eg4 6500ex, 8 growatt charge controllers and I built 4 - 4p16s banks.

 

[kennyb]

@kromc5 @kennyb
What vendor/system did you two go with?

Schneider xw, Enphase iq7+, Recycled ev battery with SIMP BMS. Self install.

I really like the Schneider ecosystem. But the balance of materials really adds up.

 

[HRTKD]

I check mine about once a month. But it's just a state of charge check. I haven't had to do any physical maintenance other than checking connections annually to make sure they're still tight. My system is in an RV, so vibration is a concern. A static implementation wouldn't have such concerns unless you're in an earthquake prone area.

 

[pullin_gs]

Since going online 6 months ago, I had to replace one fan in one of the charge controllers. Nothing else has needed servicing or updating.
I do check DC/AC voltages (large panel meters visible from anywhere in garage) several times a day.
I also shut system down and put circuits back on grid when I am gone for more than two days.
System is a 16Kwh 4KW self-contained solar generator with 8X 250W solar panels.

 

[Q-Dog]

I ran a firmware update a few days ago and probably check battery percentage a couple times a day. Other than that, it just runs.

I almost always check battery charge percentage before we go to bed if we have had a couple of days of clouds, just to make sure we won't have any surprises during the night. For now our system is mainly for critical loads backup. I would probably pay more attention to it if we were totally off grid.

 

[Brett V]

My grid tie system using Solar Edge equipment is totally autonomous. It just sits there and works. My off grid system requires a lot of babysitting but much of that could be minimized or eliminated with better equipment. The Growatt products work ok but can be finicky. If you have the funds for a better product like Victron or Schneider, they work pretty well once they're set up properly.