When the savings stop and the inverter shows zero, the cause is usually one of a handful of things. Work through these in order — most can be ruled out in a few minutes without opening anything.
1. No grid supply
On-grid inverters switch off when the grid fails (anti-islanding). If there is a power cut or the grid voltage is out of range, the inverter waits. Check whether the grid is present before suspecting the solar system.
2. A breaker or isolator is off
The AC breaker in the ACDB and the DC isolator next to the inverter are the two most common culprits — often tripped during cleaning, maintenance or a minor fault elsewhere.
3. Isolation or earth fault on the DC side
Water in a junction box, damaged DC cable or a burnt MC4 connector drops insulation resistance below the inverter's limit and it refuses to start — classically on humid mornings.
4. Grid voltage too high
At midday, inverter export raises the local voltage. If it crosses the inverter's upper limit, generation is throttled or shut down. This shows as grid over-voltage and is a site/wiring issue, not an inverter defect.
5–8. The remaining causes
- Heavy shade or dirt — output falls, sometimes to near zero
- Damaged or cracked panels — one string can drag the whole array down
- Blown string fuse or failed MC4 connector — that string goes silent
- Internal inverter fault — display shows a red code or stays blank
Safe checks you can do yourself
- Confirm grid supply is present
- Check AC breaker and DC isolator are ON
- Note any error code on the display or app
- Compare string currents in the monitoring app if available
- Do not open the inverter or DC box — DC from panels is live even when the inverter is off
Frequently asked questions
Solar panels are fine but no power in the meter — what now?
If the inverter shows generation but your import meter doesn't show export, the issue is usually net metering configuration or CT direction — an electrician or we can verify it.
Does rain stop solar generation?
Heavy rain reduces output but rarely to zero. Generation usually returns as clouds pass — and rain often cleans panels, improving output afterwards.
Need a solar inverter repaired?
Share your inverter brand, model and error code — our technicians will guide you and share an estimate before any repair starts.