That’s a scary photo of a burnt out electrical fitting. What’s going on? Our Sharpe crew was called when a rooftop solar system stopped working. The homeowner noticed a burning smell & a crackling sound coming from the roof.

What happened next? Our technician used thermal detecting and circuit testing technology to make sure it was safe to work on, and diagnosed that stormwater seeped into the isolator’s casing, shorting out the wiring. This also occurs when hail sets and then melts into the internals. We’ve had similar instances where a shoddy installer left loose wires, which shorted out years later.

What are some lessons to be learnt from this? Rooftop solar takes the full force of nature but is often neglected because it’s up high and out of sight. All systems should be checked annually by a qualified expert for both safety and performance. Also industry standards have changed in the past few years. For example we replaced that isolating switch with one that met current waterproofing standards. We can supply and install a new quality switch from $330.

So solar isn’t “set-and-forget”? Certainly not. Yearly inspections often uncover weatherproofing problems like this, storm-damage, inferior-quality panels or even wildlife taking up refuge and chewing wiring. You need your rooftop solar to be harvesting all the energy it can year-round to optimise power bill savings.

Keep your system Solar Safe and operate at Peak Efficiency with an annual test and service.

An annual Evaporative Cooler Open Up, Service and Check will help you avoid safety issues, and ensure the systems are at their most efficient for the hot weather.

A Sharpe Electrician will Inspect, Test & Report on your Evaporative cooler – including filters, fans, pumps, float valves and water feed and drainage.