SolarEdge Based Solar Electric System User Guide

SolarEdge Based Solar Electric System

THANK YOU!

Thank you for choosing to go solar with Maine Solar Solutions. We look forward to maintaining an ongoing relationship with you. Though you can always reach us directly with questions, our team has created this post-install guide to answer our customer’s most frequently asked questions, as well as give you an overview of your grid-tied solar electric system.

MY SOLAR SYSTEM IS INSTALLED.

WHAT’S NEXT?

You will be receiving an email from our team outlining the next steps about your install including:

INSPECTIONS AND UTILITY NET METERING

If required by your town, we will be in touch regarding inspection by your town’s Code Enforcement Officer (CEO). If your utility requires it, we will submit a Certificate of Completion (COC) on your behalf.

SYSTEM MONITORING

You will receive an email from SolarEdge inviting you to establish a username and password to access the system monitoring portal within a week of commissioning your system (make sure to check your spam/filters).

The SolarEdge monitoring portal allows you to monitor the performance of your system and run reports on electricity production. Instructions for accessing any available monitoring platform will be provided if we installed a different inverter system.

FEDERAL TAX CREDIT

After we receive your final payment, we will provide you with a statement that you use to claim the tax credits. If you have questions regarding the applicability of tax credits, please consult a tax professional.

CUSTOMER WEB PAGE

Maine Solar Solutions has a page on our website dedicated to our customers. Our customer webpage contains helpful documents and links regarding your solar electric system. Topics include user guides, warranty information, monitoring, maintenance, troubleshooting tips, and more!

Please save this page in your bookmarks for future reference: mainesolarsolutions.com/customer-success- center/

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SOLAREDGE COMPONENTS

Congratulations again on the installation of your SolarEdge based solar electric system! SolarEdge represents the most advanced inverter system available for converting power from the photovoltaic array to power your house. As you probably already noticed, you have some new equipment in your home.

Common Components of a SolarEdge Inverter Installation

Though system components and location may vary depending on the size of your system or on your electrical service, here is a review of common system components:

A: DC Conduit: This carries the PV power from the solar array to the inverter.

B: DC Switch: This on/off rotary switch on the face of the inverter disconnects the solar array’s DC output from the inverter without shutting the inverter off.

C. Inverter Switch and Indicator:
This red toggle switch will stop the inverter from producing power without shutting off the inverter.

Your inverter also has a switch and three colored LEDs that indicate system information, such as errors or performance. The following table details the possible LED and switch combinations, and what they mean.

Red – There is a fault of the system. Call us to troubleshoot.
Green – The system is producing power. The green light will blink green at night when there is no production.
Blue – The system is connected to the internet and is communicating with the monitoring platform.

If your internet and WIFI are down, it might show your panels as not producing on your monitoring platform. In most cases, your system is still producing energy, just not communicating with the monitoring portal.

D. Junction Box: not always required
E. Inverter connection to outdoor Rapid Shutdown.
F: Inverter AC Breaker: in small enclosure (used for larger inverter and sites with generator hookups).
G: Main Electrical Service Panel

SYSTEM MONITORING

Your solar electric system is designed to operate without user intervention. The SolarEdge system is highly reliable, but in the unlikely event of a performance issue, we recommend that you regularly check in on the performance of your system via SolarEdge’s online monitoring portal.

SOLAREDGE PORTAL

Your SolarEdge system comes with an online, internet based monitoring platform. If your inverter has a reliable internet connection, it will report production data and system status information that can be viewed online. We will “map” your solar array within a week of commissioning your system. This creates a graphical representation of your solar panel layout as it was installed.

Once this is complete, SolarEdge will email your email address. This message sometimes goes to bulk/spam folders, so check there if you don’t see it in your Inbox. Once you’ve received this email, click on the enclosed link and follow the onscreen prompts to set up access to the SolarEdge monitoring portal. If you do not receive this email, don’t hesitate to contact us.

The SolarEdge monitoring portal is available as an App for your phone or tablet. Search your App store under my SolarEdge or visit our customer page for direct links: https://mainesolarsolutions.com/ customer-success-center

The SolarEdge monitoring portal allows you to monitor the performance of your system and run reports on electricity production.

MONITORING ALERTS OR NO PRODUCTION

There are several reasons a panel or system might not be reporting production, and it usually does not indicate a problem with the system. The most common causes are:

• Your internet connection or WiFi is down. Your system is still producing energy, just not communicating with the monitoring portal. You will notice a gray WiFi icon.
• Some or all of your panels are covered with snow. Because system production is less than expected, you may receive a “snow on panels” message on your monitoring platform. This fault will clear once the snow melts off and usually resolves after a few days. However, if it continues for more than five days, please call us to troubleshoot.
• A power outage. This will resolve after grid power is restored.
• If you see the red high alert, please call us.

CONCERNS ABOUT ENERGY PRODUCTION

Energy production varies over the course of the year. During the winter, production will be lower. However, the longer sunny days of late winter, spring, and summer typically yield excess power. Therefore, when evaluating your system’s output, it is best to consider the entire year instead of focusing on a week or month of production. Meanwhile, the best way to ensure the system runs up to expectation is to monitor the array and ensure it continues to run without issue. Even with the clean, abundant energy your system generates, you will still want to keep an eye on the overall energy usage in your household. Energy conservation is the best way to save money and benefit the environment. Ensure that electronics, lights, and appliances are used responsibly and turned off when not in use.

WHY ARE MY SOLAREDGE PRODUCTION NUMBERS NOT MATCHING MY CENTRAL MAINE POWER BILL?

Most solar users like to compare their Central Maine Power (CMP) bill to the solar production numbers on the SolarEdge online monitoring platform. However, confusion commonly arises when they see that the value CMP refers to as “Gen” or generation does not match the production numbers indicated on the SolarEdge monitoring portal.

The SolarEdge monitoring platform shows the total number of kWh produced by your solar electric system. CMP’s bill shows the excess solar production (in kWh) being exported to the grid.

CMP’s bill confuses the issue by referring to the excess exported solar produced power as “GEN” or generated power. CMP does not measure your solar electric systems production or generation. CMP only measures the excess solar power that is exported to the grid.

CMP’s bill also shows how much electricity you purchase or import from the grid. If you subtract the CMP “GEN” number from the total production number reported via the SolarEdge monitoring platform, you can calculate how much solar electricity you are self-consuming.

Visit the online Customer page for more details on:

• An explanation of how net metering works
• Configuring your SolarEdge monitoring reports to match your utility bill.
• Troubleshooting tips on how to reconnect your WIFI to your monitoring platform when you see the icon.

Solar Panel Maintenance

Fortunately, your solar electric system does not require any ongoing or seasonal maintenance.

I Have Snow On My Panels. What Should I Do?

Nothing! Snow covering your panels is a normal part of having a solar array in New England.

We do NOT recommend clearing snow from your panels. Solar panels shed snow easily – similar to a metal roof. Although snow coverage may cause a short- term drop in electricity production, the percentage of overall annual production due to snow coverage is very small.

Do I Need To Clean My Panels?

Typically it rains often enough here in Maine to keep your panels free of dust or pollen. We don’t recommend physically cleaning your panels, as that could void your warranty. However, if dust or pollen accumulates, you can hose them off.

IF MY POWER GOES OUT DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING?

You need to do nothing with your solar array during an outage. As soon as your home loses power, the inverter automatically shuts down. When power is restored, your system will start up automatically. As you can see, systems installed with a battery backup operate automatically.

Your system is installed in accordance with the national electric code (NEC). Solar systems connected to the utility grid are required to shut down automatically upon loss of utility-supplied power. Upon restoring utility power, the system will wait 5 minutes for stable power and then resume operation. The system will not produce electricity during a power outage(the exception is grid-tied systems with integrated battery backup).

GENERATOR USE

If your home has a backup generator with either a generator interlock switch or an an automatic generator transfer switch, your solar electric system most likely has been installed to run the generator without having to turn off the solar electric system.

If you decide to install a generator after your solar electric system has been installed, don’t hesitate to contact us. We may need to rewire how the solar electric system back feeds your electric service panel to allow for the safe operation of your new generator.

BATTERIES

If Maine Solar Solutions installed a battery backup system in combination with your SolarEdge system, your solar consultant will answer all questions related to backup power during utility power failures.

TESLA POWERWALLS are monitored with the Tesla App on a phone or tablet and can be the one-stop shop for electrically everything going on electrically in the house. In the event of a power outage, the Tesla Powerwall system will pair directly with your phone. This pairing can be done ahead of time for a smoother experience. While we are always here to help, any issues with the Powerwall should be brought directly to Tesla Tech support at 650-963-5655.

WHAT IS THAT NEW SWITCH?

Per the national electric code, your system includes an outdoor PV disconnect switch. This switch provides a means for emergency responders to turn off their solar electric system in the event of an emergency.

WARRANTY

Where Is My Warranty Information?

Links to system component warranties can be found on our Customer page. If your panel is not listed, let us know, and we will get you the link.

REFERRAL

Join Our Referral Program

Thanks so much for being a solar customer of Maine Solar Solutions. Please share your solar experience with friends and family! Visit the Customer page to submit referrals, and if your friend/family/neighbor decides to install solar, you will earn $250 after the installation is complete!

Refer A Friend Here:

https://mainesolarsolutions.com/maine-solar-referralprogram/

QUESTIONS?

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Our Customer Success Page contains FAQs and troubleshooting information for common system performance issues.

• You can always contact us directly by phone at 207-871-7191 ext. 4 if you have any concerns regarding the system.
• You can contact our support team via our Service Request form online or email support@mainesolarsolutions.com with a detailed description of the issue and photos of any error codes, lights, or other visual information about the problem.
• Our in-house support team will initially attempt remote diagnostics to correct the issue and, if necessary, contact you to schedule a service call.
• While we are always here to help, any issues with the Tesla Powerwall should be brought directly to Tesla Tech support at 650-963-5655.
• Do not open any electrical enclosures within the system; there are no user-serviceable components inside. Doing so may void the manufacturer’s warranty.

CUSTOMERS SUPPORT

Fins us on

207-871-7191 ext 4
support@mainesolarsolutions.com
www.mainesolarsolutions.com

References

• Solar Panels Maine | Solar Power Maine | Maine Solar Solutions
• Solar Panels Maine | Solar Power Maine | Maine Solar Solutions
• Solar Panels Maine | Solar Power Maine | Maine Solar Solutions
• Solar Panels Maine | Referral Program | Maine Solar

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