How to Tell if Your Solar Panels Are Underperforming
Solar panels are designed to reduce energy costs and provide reliable clean power. However common issues creep in over time and systems gradually underperform without the homeowner realising it. A homeowner who spent $45,000 learned this firsthand when 12 panels failed and the battery stopped charging, cutting their independence to 65% and driving up their bills. Underperforming solar panels rarely show obvious warning signs. Their decline hides in rising bills, fluctuating charts, and gradual drops in output. Here’s how to recognise these warning signs before they impact your investment. Your system produces less power than usual, even on sunny days You open your solar monitoring app and notice your system is producing only half its normal output, even though the weather has been clear all week. Yesterday’s production graph shows 15 kWh when it normally averages 30 kWh this time of year. This kind of drop can be caused by partial shading from new tree growth, ac...
