Solar guide · Punjab
Solar maintenance and troubleshooting guide
A solar system needs little care, but the care it needs matters: clean panels, a monthly reading, and a quick look when something changes. This guide sets out the routine and what to check, safely, when output drops.
RSK Solar Energy, UTL Solar distributor
E-203, Phase 8B Industrial Area, Sector 74, Mohali
+91 90419 96918 · WhatsApp · rsksolarenergy@gmail.com
Solar maintenance and troubleshooting guide
A solar system needs little care, but the care it needs matters: clean panels, a monthly reading, and a quick look when something changes. This guide sets out the routine and what to check, safely, when output drops.
Safety first
The panels make power whenever there is light, and the DC side carries high voltage. Never open the inverter, the distribution boxes or a panel’s connectors. Never step on panels or climb on the structure. For anything beyond cleaning and reading the display, call your installer.
The routine
Every month
- Note the inverter’s total units, and the net meter’s import and export, on the same date.
- Compare this month’s units with the same month last year, or with the estimate in your quote.
- Look at the panels from the roof: dust, bird droppings, leaves, new shade.
- Look at the inverter’s display for warnings.
When the panels are dirty
- Clean them early in the morning or in the evening, when they are cool.
- Use clean water and a soft cloth, sponge or brush on a pole.
- No pressure washer, detergent or abrasive pad.
- Clean more often in dry months, near roads and fields, and in the smoke season.
Every few months
- Check that cables are still clipped in their conduit or tray and not chafing.
- Check the structure’s fixings and the roof sealing after storms.
- For tubular batteries: check the water level and top up with distilled water only.
- Keep the inverter’s vents clear of dust and anything stored against it.
Once a year
- Have the installer check the earthing and the protection devices.
- Check that trees or new buildings have not started to shade the panels.
- Check the warranty cards are still with the invoice.
When generation drops: what to check
| What you see | Likely causes | What you can check safely | When to call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower units than last month | Dust, shorter days, a cloudy or foggy spell | Clean the panels; compare with the same month last year | Panels clean, weather clear, still low |
| Zero units on a sunny day | Grid outage (on-grid switches off), a tripped breaker, an inverter fault | Is the grid on? Is there an error on the display? | Grid is on and the inverter shows an error or nothing |
| Output falls in the afternoon | New shade, or heat | Watch the roof for shade at that time | Shade is not the cause |
| Inverter shows an error | Grid voltage, an earth fault, an internal fault | Photograph the screen | Always; send the photo |
| Battery backup shorter than before | Battery ageing, more load, low water in a tubular battery | What is running in the cut? Tubular water level? | Backup keeps falling |
| Export never rises | You use everything you make, or a meter or wiring issue | Check the net meter’s export total on a bright, quiet afternoon | It stays at zero |
Expect seasonal change. We plan on 102 units a month per kW across the year, with more in spring and early summer and less in foggy December and January. Generation by location shows the month-by-month pattern for your town, and solar output in winter fog explains the winter dip.
Keep a simple log
A notebook or a phone note with four numbers each month (the inverter total, import, export and the date) shows a problem within weeks instead of at the next bill. How to read your solar meter and bill explains the sum that gives your home’s real use.
Warranty claims
Claims go through the manufacturer’s warranty, with the invoice, the warranty card and the serial number. Photograph the fault, note when it started, and send both to your installer to raise the claim.
Batteries
- Tubular: distilled water only, clean terminals, a cool ventilated place, and not run flat every day. See tubular battery care.
- Lithium: no water; keep it out of the heat and recharge fully when you can. See lithium battery care.
Questions we are asked
How often should solar panels be cleaned in Punjab?
When dust or smoke settles on them, which is more often in dry months, near roads and fields, and in the stubble-burning season. Clean water and a soft cloth or brush, in the early morning or evening, is enough.
Why has my solar generation dropped?
Most often dirty panels, a cloudy or foggy spell, or new shade. If the panels are clean and the weather is clear but output is still low, or the inverter shows an error, call your installer.
Is it safe to clean panels myself?
Only if you can reach them safely from the roof without climbing on the panels or the structure. Never use a pressure washer or harsh chemicals, and never open the inverter or the distribution boxes.
Work out your own figures
- Solar generation by location Units a month from a system in your town, month by month.
- Solar calculator Size, subsidy, cost and payback from your PSPCL bill.
Figures on subsidies, tariffs and schemes are as published by the government at the dates shown and can change. Prices and generation figures are estimates for planning, not a quotation or a guarantee.
Questions we are asked
How often should solar panels be cleaned in Punjab?
When dust or smoke settles on them, which is more often in dry months, near roads and fields, and in the stubble-burning season. Clean water and a soft cloth or brush, in the early morning or evening, is enough.
Why has my solar generation dropped?
Most often dirty panels, a cloudy or foggy spell, or new shade. If the panels are clean and the weather is clear but output is still low, or the inverter shows an error, call your installer.
Is it safe to clean panels myself?
Only if you can reach them safely from the roof without climbing on the panels or the structure. Never use a pressure washer or harsh chemicals, and never open the inverter or the distribution boxes.