Solar Power System Servicing: Make The Safe Call

A public safety campaign in Victoria — the core message of which applies everywhere — is urging households to have their rooftop solar systems inspected regularly.

More than 833,000 small-scale (<100 kW capacity) solar power systems have been installed across Victoria; around 500,000 of those more than 5 years ago. While rooftop solar doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance, it’s important to have systems appropriately serviced to pick up on any problems.

“Rooftop solar is constantly exposed to the elements and over time, components like wiring, switches and isolators can deteriorate,” said Energy Safe Victoria CEO Leanne Hughson.

‘Make The Safe Call’ Recommendations

Energy Safe and Solar Victoria have teamed up for a new campaign to encourage solar owners to have their systems inspected on a regular basis. The campaign recommends:

• Booking a maintenance service at least once every 2 years. SolarQuotes currently recommends solar system servicing every five years; assuming a quality installation. In South Australia, the ACT, and Victoria, Distributed Network Service Providers (DNSPs) *require* system inspections every five years.
• Using a licensed A Grade electrician.
• Obtaining a Certificate of Electrical Safety for any wiring repairs made.

It’s important to engage a suitably qualified professional, and to sight their credentials.

“Unqualified operators offering so-called ‘maintenance’ services are often just cleaning panels,” said Ms. Hughson. “They’re not trained to identify and fix faults and might even cause damage or increase fire risks.”

The campaign also urges solar households to be on the lookout for system changes or warning signs, such as burning smells or unusual noises.

The original solar retailer can be a first port of to arrange an inspection. But if you’re looking elsewhere for a suitably qualified professional for whatever reason, SolarQuotes can recommend tradespeople we know and trust via our quoting system.

“While the risk of these systems failing is relatively low, safety should never be left to chance,” said  Solar Victoria CEO Stan Krpan. “With proper maintenance, homeowners can enjoy the benefits of solar with peace of mind.”

Servicing can also help ensure a system is performing at its best, maximising electricity bill savings. The cost of an inspection done right is currently in the range of $300 – $550.

Energy Safe Victoria is the state’s energy safety regulator; responsible for electricity, gas and pipeline safety. Solar Victoria oversees the state’s Solar Homes program that offers — among other incentives — Victoria’s solar panel rebate.

Solar Power System Fires In Victoria

According to Energy Safe, it has received reports of 138 solar-related house fires across the state in the past 3 years; many of which it says were preventable with regular maintenance. Given the number of installations in the state, it’s a tiny proportion, but still 138 fires too many.

While a breakdown of the causes of these fires wasn’t provided, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest a significant proportion involved faulty rooftop DC isolators.

Rooftop DC isolators *were* a mandatory requirement and meant to be an added fire safety mechanism, allowing solar panel arrays to be safely switched off by fire service personnel battling a blaze to minimise the risk of electrocution. Australia was the only country with this requirement.

Ironically, rooftop DC isolators have been responsible for a bunch of fires across Australia where the units were of poor quality, or not properly installed/ maintained.

After years of pushing from the solar industry, an update to the AS/NZS 5033:2021 standard in late 2021 meant in many cases rooftop DC isolators were no longer mandatory. An alternative option is a disconnection point, which appears to be the preferred choice among solar installers.

Under the standard,  isolators still installed must comply with requirements including a non-combustible mounting and weather protection.