Do you see or smell smoke, burning, scorched/melted housing, or hear arcing/buzzing from the inverter or disconnects?

These indicate an active electrical hazard on a live system.

What is the inverter showing right now?

Most inverters use a green light for normal, and a red/orange light or a fault code on the display or app for a problem.

Is the AC disconnect switch ON and is the solar breaker in your main panel set (not tripped)?

Only operate clearly labeled AC switches/breakers — flipping a breaker is fine; opening enclosures is not. Do NOT operate the DC isolator under load.

Is the grid power to the house normal, or is there an outage / recent voltage problem?

Grid-tied inverters stop producing during an outage or out-of-range grid voltage (anti-islanding) to protect line workers — this is required behavior, not a defect.

Look up the exact fault code in the inverter manual or app. Does it describe a clearable condition (e.g. grid waiting/reconnect) or a hardware fault (ground fault, arc fault, isolation, over-temperature, internal)?

Ground-fault, arc-fault, and isolation faults indicate a wiring/insulation problem on the DC side and are NOT homeowner-clearable.

solar troubleshooting

Inverter shows fault or no output

Common symptoms: inverter fault code; inverter no output; inverter offline; red light on inverter; no solar production at all

Stop and call a pro if:

PV conductors are energized in daylight even when the inverter is off — never open DC connectors or the DC isolator under load (arc-flash)
AC and DC sides can both be live; treat all conductors as energized
leave fault clearing on hardware inside the inverter to a licensed installer

Step-by-step diagnostic flow

Step 1
Do you see or smell smoke, burning, scorched/melted housing, or hear arcing/buzzing from the inverter or disconnects?
These indicate an active electrical hazard on a live system.
Step 2
What is the inverter showing right now?
Most inverters use a green light for normal, and a red/orange light or a fault code on the display or app for a problem.
Step 3
Is the AC disconnect switch ON and is the solar breaker in your main panel set (not tripped)?
Only operate clearly labeled AC switches/breakers — flipping a breaker is fine; opening enclosures is not. Do NOT operate the DC isolator under load.
Step 4
Is the grid power to the house normal, or is there an outage / recent voltage problem?
Grid-tied inverters stop producing during an outage or out-of-range grid voltage (anti-islanding) to protect line workers — this is required behavior, not a defect.
Step 5
Look up the exact fault code in the inverter manual or app. Does it describe a clearable condition (e.g. grid waiting/reconnect) or a hardware fault (ground fault, arc fault, isolation, over-temperature, internal)?
Ground-fault, arc-fault, and isolation faults indicate a wiring/insulation problem on the DC side and are NOT homeowner-clearable.

Possible outcomes

Stop — possible electrical fire hazard

high confidence

Smoke, burning, melted housing, or arcing from inverter/disconnects is an active hazard on an energized system.

Safe next steps

Trigger rapid shutdown if you can reach it safely
Keep clear of the equipment
Call your installer; call the fire department if there is smoke or heat

Active electrical/thermal hazard

AC disconnect/breaker was open — output restored

high confidence

A tripped solar breaker or an open AC disconnect stops the inverter from exporting; resetting it restored production.

Safe next steps

Confirm production resumes within a few minutes
If the breaker trips again, stop resetting it and call your installer — repeated tripping signals a fault

What to document for a pro

Whether the breaker has tripped more than once
Inverter make and model

No output is expected during a grid outage (anti-islanding)

high confidence

Grid-tied inverters without battery backup are required to shut down during an outage or out-of-range grid voltage to protect utility workers.

Safe next steps

Wait for grid power to return — the inverter reconnects automatically after a stabilization delay
If output doesn't return well after the grid is stable, re-run this workflow

What to document for a pro

Whether you have battery backup
Times the grid went down and came back

Self-clearing grid/reconnect condition

medium confidence

Grid-waiting and reconnect codes clear on their own once grid conditions are back in range.

Safe next steps

Give the inverter its full reconnect delay (often several minutes)
Verify grid voltage looks normal at the house
If it persists for hours with a healthy grid, contact your installer

What to document for a pro

The exact code shown
How long it has persisted

Hardware fault — call your installer, do not clear it yourself

high confidence

Ground-fault, arc-fault, isolation, over-temperature, and internal faults indicate a DC wiring/insulation or equipment problem that requires opening live equipment and is not homeowner-serviceable.

Safe next steps

Do not open the DC isolator under load or open any enclosure
Photograph the fault code and indicator
Schedule your installer; reference the warranty

What to document for a pro

Exact fault code and inverter model
When the fault started and whether it repeats
Any recent roof/electrical work or weather event

DC-side hardware faults are not DIY

Code unknown — have your installer interpret it

low confidence

An uninterpreted fault code can't be safely acted on; some codes indicate dangerous DC-side conditions.

Safe next steps

Photograph the code and the model/serial label
Contact your installer or the manufacturer's support line

What to document for a pro

Exact code text/number
Inverter make, model, and serial number

Acting on an unknown fault could be unsafe

Diagnostic guidance only. If unsure, stop and call a licensed professional — gas, electrical, and refrigerant work is hazardous to untrained users.

Pro launch updates

Get notified when Pro launches, plus a monthly code-change digest. Email only — no account required.