Service
Solar Health Check and Diagnostics, Gold Coast
If your solar has stopped producing, is making less than it used to, or has been throwing fault codes for months, the Solar Health Check is the first step. One to two hours on site, a written report you keep regardless of what happens next, and a clear path forward. Whether the answer is repair, warranty claim, replacement, or a different installer than the one you started with, you'll know inside a week.
Symptoms that point to a Solar Health Check
Solar systems rarely fail dramatically. They drift. The most common pattern is six to eighteen months of slowly declining output that nobody notices until a power bill arrives that looks wrong.
The Solar Health Check is the right next step if any of the following apply:
- Production has dropped noticeably compared to the same time last year
- The inverter is showing fault codes, error lights, or has gone silent
- The monitoring app stopped updating weeks or months ago
- The system has been off completely and you don't know why
- The original installer has gone out of business, stopped returning calls, or quoted you a price that didn't match the issue
- You bought the property with solar already installed and have no idea what's actually there
- Your power bills don't match what the monitoring app says you're producing
If you're not sure whether the problem is the panels, the inverter, the monitoring, or something else entirely, that's exactly what the health check is designed to answer.
How the Solar Health Check actually works
A Solar Health Check is a structured diagnostic, not a walkthrough. We work to a written checklist so nothing gets missed and you get a comparable result if you ever need a second opinion. Most checks run between one and two hours on site, depending on system size and access.
The process covers six areas:
1. Visual inspection of the array
Looking for delamination, hot-spot scarring from past arc events, cracked back-sheets, water ingress at MC4 connectors, rodent damage to DC cabling, broken bracketry, and panels that have shifted on their rails. We document every visible defect with timestamped photos. Common Gold Coast finding: corroded MC4 connectors from salt spray on east-facing arrays within five kilometres of the coast.
2. String voltage and current measurement
Open-circuit voltage on each string, measured against the expected value from the panel datasheet adjusted for irradiance and temperature. Short-circuit current measured the same way. Strings deviating more than ten percent from expected values get flagged for further investigation. This is the single highest-yield test on a Solar Health Check, because it tells us whether the panels themselves are working before we even look at the inverter.
3. DC isolator inspection and testing
The single most common point of failure on Australian solar systems. Cracked enclosures, water ingress, terminal corrosion, and (on older installs) products that were subject to a national recall. We open every isolator, photograph the inside, and test for continuity and isolation. Findings here often explain why a system is "off" with no obvious fault elsewhere.
4. Inverter fault log review
Pulled directly from the inverter through Modbus, RS485, or the manufacturer's portal: Fronius Solar.web, SMA Sunny Portal, Sungrow iSolarCloud, GoodWe SEMS, Enphase Enlighten. Each manufacturer has characteristic fault patterns we recognise. A Fronius inverter throwing State 567 means something specific. SMA "ArcDtc" warnings mean something specific. We translate the fault history into plain language and flag anything pointing at a hardware problem versus a settings or environmental problem.
5. Insulation resistance test
DC cabling tested at 1000V to AS/NZS 5033. Required after any disturbance to the array, useful for isolating moisture-related faults. Insulation resistance below the threshold means moisture has entered the DC system somewhere, usually a junction box, a damaged cable, or a failed connector, and the system needs to be isolated until the source is found and fixed.
6. Output comparison against history
Where there's monitoring data, we plot the last twelve months and identify whether degradation has been gradual (typical of soiling or progressive panel failure) or stepped (typical of a sudden component failure). The shape of the decline tells us where to look. A system that fell off a cliff three months ago is a different problem from one that's been slowly dying for two years.
Everything gets photographed. Every measurement gets recorded. The findings go into a written PDF report you receive within five business days, and you keep that report whether you proceed with us or not.
The five most common findings on Gold Coast Solar Health Checks
After enough Solar Health Checks, certain failure modes show up over and over. These are the five most common results we deliver, and what each one typically means for the homeowner.
1. The DC isolator has failed
Found on roughly one in three older systems. Symptoms range from intermittent shutdowns to the system being entirely off. Repair is usually a same-day job (replacement isolator, retest, recommission) for $400 to $800. Warranty status depends on installer and product, sometimes recoverable.
2. One string is producing less than the other
Often a single panel with a failed bypass diode, or a connector that's gone high-resistance. Health Check identifies which string. Repair scope ranges from replacing one connector ($200–$300) to replacing one panel ($600–$1,200) to replacing the string ($1,500+). Decision hinges on how much warranty is left.
3. The inverter has thrown the same fault code 200 times
Indicates a chronic issue the system has been working around. Common patterns: Fronius "Insulation Fault" pointing at moisture in DC cabling, SMA "Riso" warnings, Sungrow temperature derating from poor ventilation. Sometimes a settings change fixes it. Sometimes the inverter is on borrowed time and we recommend planned replacement before it fails outright.
4. Monitoring stopped working but the system kept producing
Wi-Fi dropout, password change, router replacement, dead Datamanager card, or a firmware update that broke the data export. System is fine, the homeowner just lost visibility. Cheapest finding to fix, often resolvable in 30 minutes.
5. The system is fine, the bill is wrong
Less common, but it happens. Solar is producing as it should and the perceived problem is actually a tariff change, a meter issue, a feed-in rate cut, or a high-load appliance the homeowner didn't realise was on. The Health Check rules out the system so the homeowner knows where to look next.
What happens after the diagnosis
Every Health Check ends with a written report and a recommendation. The recommendation falls into one of four categories, and we'll tell you straight which one applies.
Repair
The system has a specific, identifiable fault that's economic to fix. We provide a fixed-price repair quote alongside the report. If the repair work needs SAA accreditation (anything that involves the grid-connection point or panel removal and refit), we coordinate it through an accredited partner installer. If it's downstream of the inverter or DC-side only, we handle it directly.
Warranty claim
The fault is covered by manufacturer warranty (panels typically 25 years, inverter 5–10 years, DC isolator usually 5 years) and the original installer is contactable. We give you the documentation needed to lodge the claim and walk you through the process. If the original installer is gone, we explain how to claim against the manufacturer directly.
Replace
The system is past economic repair, the inverter is end-of-life, or the panels have degraded beyond useful output. We'll say so in plain language and explain the sizing and equipment options for a replacement. The Solar Health Check fee credits 50 percent against any replacement work we deliver, the same as our larger audits.
No action needed
The system is fine. Sometimes the problem is somewhere other than the solar. We'll explain what we found, what's normal, and what to monitor going forward.
Whichever category your system falls into, you walk away with a report you can take to any other installer, builder, or manufacturer. The work has its own value regardless of whether you hire us next.
Available packages
Solar Health Check, from $250 (Zone 1)
1 to 2 hours on site, written PDF report, photo documentation, fault diagnosis, and a clear repair path. Fee credits 50 percent against any installation or repair work delivered within 90 days.
Price shown is Zone 1. Zone 2 is $300, Zone 3 is $400. See /pricing/ for the full structure. Repair work is quoted separately after diagnosis.
Make sure your installer is SAA accredited (formerly CEC)
Australia's Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme provides Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), the federal solar rebate that takes $3,000 to $5,000 off a typical residential system. To claim STCs, your installer must hold current SAA accreditation in the relevant class:
- Grid-Connected Photovoltaic (GCPV) for standard rooftop systems
- Grid-Connected Battery Storage (GCBS) for residential batteries on grid-tied systems
- Stand-alone Power Systems (SPS) for off-grid setups
SAA replaced CEC as the accreditation scheme operator in February 2024 under the Clean Energy Regulator. Existing CEC accreditation transferred across, but new accreditation is issued by SAA.
Always verify before signing a quote: ask for the installer's SAA accreditation number and check it on the SAA register at saaustralia.com.au. Without it, you cannot claim STCs and you may not be eligible for state rebates either.
For a full explanation of how this works and what to watch out for, read our guide: SAA Accreditation Explained.
Why solar systems fail, in plain language
Solar is sold as set-and-forget. The reality is that every component has a service life and most failures are predictable if you know what you're looking for. This section is the technical context most homeowners never get.
Panels degrade slowly, then fail suddenly
A good Tier-1 panel loses about 0.5 to 0.7 percent output per year. After ten years it's producing 93 to 95 percent of its original rated output. That's normal. What's not normal is a panel that drops 20 percent in a single year, or a string that suddenly stops producing. Those are usually a failed bypass diode, a delamination, or moisture ingress. The Health Check distinguishes between normal degradation and active failure.
Inverters are the most common point of failure
Most string inverters are designed for 10 to 15 years of service life. Many fail earlier, especially if installed in direct sun or poor ventilation. The internal capacitors dry out, the cooling fan seizes, or the firmware develops bugs that aren't worth patching. Replacement is usually cheaper and more reliable than repair on inverters older than eight years.
DC isolators are a known failure mode in Australia
A category of DC isolators sold in the early 2010s was subject to a national recall after multiple residential fires. Even isolators not part of the recall fail at high rates due to UV degradation, water ingress, and thermal cycling. Australian standards now require periodic isolator inspection. Many older systems have never been checked.
Monitoring is fragile
The monitoring layer (Wi-Fi card, cellular dongle, cloud account) is independent of the actual power generation. When monitoring stops, the panels usually keep working. When the panels stop, the monitoring usually keeps reporting (often the wrong number). Don't assume the app is telling you the truth without testing the system directly.
SAA accreditation matters for repairs, not diagnostics
Diagnostic work is electrical work and falls under standard electrical contractor licensing. Anything that touches the grid-connection point or involves panel removal and refit requires SAA accreditation under the Clean Energy Regulator's small-scale renewable scheme. Iron and Air operates as a licensed Queensland electrical contractor, and SAA-required repair work is coordinated through an accredited partner installer until our SAA accreditation issues. The Health Check itself does not require SAA. Only the repair work might.
For a deeper look at any of these topics, see our guides on Why Your Solar Stopped, Inverter Fault Codes, and SAA Accreditation Explained.
Frequently asked
▸ How long does the Health Check take?
▸ Do I need to be home for the visit?
▸ What if the fault is on the roof?
▸ Will you fix it on the day?
▸ Can I claim the report against my warranty?
▸ What if I want a second opinion before I commit to repairs?
▸ My original installer has gone out of business. Am I out of options?
Book a Solar Health Check
Most enquiries get a response within four business hours. Bring the inverter make and model if you know it, the year of installation if you have it, and a screenshot of the monitoring app if it's still working. Anything you can't find, we'll figure out on site.