Solar not producing? Start with these safe checks.
A production drop doesn't always mean something expensive is broken. Before you call anyone, run through these safe, from-the-ground checks. If they don't solve it, our licensed Colorado technicians will.
Safety first: every check below can be done from the ground with equipment covers in place. Never climb on your roof, open an inverter or electrical panel cover, or touch wiring — solar equipment carries lethal voltage even when the sun is down. When in doubt, just call us.
Safe checks you can do yourself
Check your monitoring app first
Open your monitoring app (Enphase, SolarEdge, Tesla, etc.) and look at today's production compared with the same time last month. A gradual seasonal decline is normal in Colorado — shorter winter days can cut production 40–60% versus summer. A sudden drop to zero, or one section of panels flatlining, points to a real problem.
Look at the inverter status lights from the ground
Walk to your inverter (usually mounted near your electrical panel or in the garage) and note the color of its status lights. Solid green typically means it's working; red, orange, or blinking lights usually indicate a fault. Take a photo of the lights and any error code on the display — it helps us diagnose faster. Do not open the inverter cover.
Check the solar breaker in your electrical panel
Open your main electrical panel door (just the door — never remove the panel cover) and find the breaker labeled 'Solar' or 'PV'. If it's tripped (in the middle or off position), you can flip it fully off and then back on once. If it trips again, stop and call us — a repeatedly tripping breaker means an electrical fault that needs a licensed electrician.
Look for obvious shading or debris — from the ground only
From the ground or a window, look for new shading (a tree that's grown, new construction), heavy snow cover, or debris on the panels. Snow usually slides off on its own within a day or two of sun. Never climb on your roof, and don't try to hose off or scrape panels — you can crack them or void warranties.
Give it 24 hours if you just had an outage or storm
After a grid outage, most inverters wait five minutes to several hours before reconnecting — that's a built-in safety feature, not a fault. If your monitoring still shows zero production a full sunny day after power was restored, it's time to call.
When to stop and call a pro
Solar equipment carries high-voltage DC — beyond these visual checks, diagnosis and repair belong with a licensed electrician. Call us right away if:
- Production is still zero after the checks above and a full sunny day
- The solar breaker trips again after resetting it once
- The inverter shows a red light, fault code, or is completely dark on a sunny day
- You smell burning, hear buzzing, or see scorch marks near any solar equipment — turn the solar breaker off and call immediately
- Panels look cracked, discolored, or shifted from the ground
Still stuck? We'll fix it.
Our licensed Colorado technicians repair every major brand — even systems we didn't install. Call and a real person on our Denver team picks up.