Besides solar panels, solar inverters and the monitoring they provide are the most important measuring tool for your solar array. Being able to identify problem areas with your system is an important part of owning a solar home, and will provide the peace of mind needed for this investment. When you sign up with Rooftop Solar, you will be automatically registered with your solar monitoring system. Read on to learn what solar monitoring is, how it works, and the advantages it provides. These include troubleshooting, investment and value tracking, battery monitoring, and whole home monitoring.
What Solar Monitoring Is
Solar monitoring is one of the most important components of a solar system and allows you to keep an eye on your system’s production as well as on your investment. Solar monitoring can then be viewed through a website and a mobile app.
How Solar Panel Monitoring Works
The monitoring software you access will be through the manufacturer of your microinverters. MyEnlighten by Enphase is one of the premier solar monitoring products, and one the Rooftop Solar uses in nearly all of our systems. The microinverters are the component that converts your direct current solar energy into alternating current energy which can be used by your home.
These same inverters then record and report this information back to you through your monitoring software. Solar monitoring software provides several advantages with a solar system as outlined below.
Troubleshooting
Solar panel monitoring through Enphase provides a birds-eye view of the home and shows production information for each panel. Seeing production per panel for a selected time period is the key to identifying panels that may not be functioning properly.
Production can be viewed long-term or by month, day, or hour, and even down to the 15-minute period. Another cool feature is the ability to compare current production against historical weather data. Finally, you can produce reports out of this data for any of the same time periods.
If something does go wrong the Enphase system will send you an alert. Enphase’s app also allows Rooftop Solar to monitor your electric production and we will also be alerted if any of your panels are not producing what they should be. If Rooftop Solar finds any problems we can alert you right away, and order a new part as quickly as possible if need be.
Of course, almost any issue would be covered by Rooftop Solar’s 30-year parts and labor warranty. Read more about our premier 30-year warranty here: Solar Blog
Investment and Value Tracking
Solar monitoring is important for keeping track of your system’s energy production as well as your monetary savings. Enphase offers an option to input the cost and value of energy for your local utility. After doing this, the app will report to you all of the same data and metrics as they convert and relate to your energy cost and solar payback.
Additionally, Enphase offers you the option to view your production and energy metrics as they convert to positive impacts on the environment. Showing these equivalents can really quantify the results of your decision to go green.
Battery Monitoring
The Enphase monitoring system also allows you to monitor the performance of your Enphase battery. If you have a battery with your system you will be able to view its energy input and output alongside that of your home and the grid. Battery technology is constantly improving and is one of the most interesting things happening right now in solar.
Whole Home Monitoring
In addition to batteries, whole home monitoring is one of the most exciting new features available through Enphase. This technology will allow for the management of loads between the solar, the grid, and batteries. This kind of control allows for the most savings from the utility company and the most efficient use of solar production.
Reach Out Today
Reach out today and Rooftop Solar can give you the best recommendation for inverters and solar monitoring. The right solar monitoring technology can allow the homeowner to utilize troubleshooting, investment and value tracking, and battery and whole home monitoring.
