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Solar FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about solar
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Solar panels and inverters
Yes, solar panels still work on rainy or cloudy days. There is just less solar power produced on these days, as there are fewer particles of light available to create a high flow of electricity.
Some solar panels perform better in low light conditions. While the power output is reduced, you are still saving money whenever power is being generated by your solar system.
Solar panels won’t generate electricity at night because there’s no sunlight. But if you have solar power stored in a battery, you can use that electricity overnight. If you don’t have a battery, at night your house simply draws power from the traditional power grid.
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Most solar systems won’t work in the event of a power outage. This is required by law to protect line workers and property from danger when electricity is sent back to the grid from any rooftop solar generators.
In most cases, only systems with batteries capable of providing emergency power backup can operate in a blackout. Not all battery systems have blackout power protection, so check your type of system and its capabilities.
To speak with the team on how to be completely protected from blackouts, call 1300 447 765.
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Solar panels produce direct current (DC) electricity when exposed to sunlight. However, your home is powered by alternative current (AC) electricity.
A solar inverter will convert DC to AC electricity, ready for use. Any excess electricity can be stored in a solar battery or exported into the electrical grid.
A quality inverter is an essential component for every solar system - small or large, with a battery or without. They come in two kinds: string inverters and microinverters.
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Getting solar installed and connected can take a few weeks to a few months, from start to finish. This depends on your location, readiness for work to begin and many other factors.
- Get a quote
Complete our quote form with your details. One of your solar experts will be in touch, usually within 2 business days. We’ll recommend the best solution for you. We may need to visit and assess your property before providing a final quote.
- Choose a tailored solution
Our team of experts guide you to choose a solar solution that works best for your home or business needs.
- Installation
We’ll schedule installation for a time that suits you.
For most single-story homes, it should take 1 to 2 days for your solar panels to be installed.
For double-story homes, large systems (10kW+), or systems with storage, installation may take 2-3 days. You should expect minimal disruption to your household’s power supply, less than 1-2 hours in most cases.
- Connection
Your electricity retailer and distributor are responsible for connecting you to the grid. They need to do a site inspection, which generally costs between $50 and $200. This process can take 4-6 weeks.
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Solar panels can be attractive in the market since new homeowners won’t need to pay installation costs for the solar system. This means they may benefit from lower electricity bills immediately.
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The orientation of your solar panels will make a difference to the amount of electricity produced.
In Australia, the best position for solar panels to face is north – but don’t stress if this isn't possible on your roof. It’s all about positioning solar panels where they’ll get the maximum daily sun exposure. East- or west-facing solar panels can still be highly effective - particularly if you use more electricity in the morning and late afternoon, when the sun will hit those panels.
Our solar experts will find the best location for your panels based on your property.
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All electrical systems carry some risk and solar is no different. However, our expert team follow all relevant codes and use only premium products and parts for our solar systems. All work is carried out by licenced, vetted technicians.
Remember to follow safety instructions when operating your installed solar system, including shut-down and start-up procedures in the manual. By not following instructions, you can cause faults to your system.
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Battery storage and heat pumps
A battery will store any excess electricity generated by your solar panels. Later this stored electricity can be used when sun exposure is low, like cloudy days or at night. It can also provide emergency backup power during a grid outage.
The length a battery can power your home depends on the type of unit. As a guide, a typical larger battery will hold 50 to 75% of an average homes’ daily electricity usage.
If you don’t have a battery, you may need to reconnect to the main grid when your solar energy is low. This means you’ll be charged for power from your electricity retailer. Whilst you may earn by selling your excess electricity, the cost to reconnect to the grid can be generally higher than the credit you’ll get through a tariff.
Explore our battery storage systems to support your solar panels.
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It’s possible to go completely off-grid, but keep in mind, less electricity may be produced on overcast days.
For homes with a battery storage system, excess electricity from previous sunny days has been stored and can be used. However, if you don’t have a battery, you may need to reconnect to the grid for power.
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A heat pump hot water system works by absorbing heat from air outside and using it to heat your hot water. This works even on cold days.
Heat pumps use up to 80% less energy ^ to heat your water compared to a conventional hot water system.
You can also schedule your heat pump to run during the day on solar power. This is a far more efficient and environmentally friendly hot water solution.
If you’re planning to get solar installed, you can add on a heat pump with RACV Solar. Please note we don’t offer separate heat pump installations.
^Energy usage varies based on individual household requirements and location. Estimate is based on the results of field trials undertaken in Australia across 2018.
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Technical issues and troubleshooting
First check that your inverter is on. If so, it might be an issue with your internet signal, a loose data cable or a password reset is needed.
To resolve this, try addressing the following. If your inverter or monitoring device is connected to the internet via:
- wifi, try reconfiguring your wifi connection
- ethernet cable, check your internet connection and ensure the cable is plugged into the router
- sim card dongle, make sure it’s still plugged in and that your data plan is still active. If it’s been inactive for an extended period, the settings may need to be refreshed.
Still experiencing issues? Give us a call on 1300 447 765 so we can diagnose the issue.
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If your inverter is off, follow the restart instructions in your system’s manual or the steps below. Please read the manual carefully to avoid damaging your system.
Here’s how you can turn off and on your solar system:
1. Switch off solar supply main switch
Open your switchboard and turn off the switch marked 'solar supply main switch'. This is sometimes labelled 'main switch (inverter supply)’.
Note: Keep power to the rest of the house turned on, which is usually labelled 'main switch grid supply'.
2. Switch off AC isolator (if you have one)
Turn off the switch marked 'AC isolator', which should be next to the inverter. Note: If your inverter is within three metres of your switchboard, disregard this step.
3. Switch off DC isolator
At the inverter, find the switch marked 'PV array and DC isolator', which may be underneath. Switch this off (in some cases there may be two switches). It may be hard to turn, but don’t worry, it won’t break!
4. To restart, reverse this process
To restart your system, follow this guide in reverse order, i.e. 1. Switch on the DC isolator at the inverter. 2. Switch on the AC isolator if you have one. 3. Switch on your solar supply main switch at the switchboard.
Your system will now be back up and running.
Once you have followed the correct process according to the manual, check for successful start-up, including:
- lights on
- numbers on the screen
- start-up will take approximately a minute to carry out self-tests, followed up by some ‘clicking sounds’. After the ‘clicks’ the inverter should be producing
- check screen for any error messages.
If you’re having trouble restarting your inverter, or if the issue doesn’t resolve, please give us a call on 1300 447 765.
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It’s likely due to a grid over-voltage or high voltage. This happens when the local grid voltage is too high on your street or local area. As a result, your inverter and accompanying equipment may switch off for safety reasons.
If your system is reporting high voltage, give us a call on 1300 447 765 so we can alert your electricity distributor of the high readings.
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Every system is different and may have its own error codes for a variety of issues. It’s best to check your system’s manual to understand the error better.
If the issue isn’t addressed, give us a call on 1300 447 765 so we can help diagnose and resolve the issue.
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We’re pleased to offer RACV Solar customers our 24/7 service to provide responsive and comprehensive support in emergency situations, no matter when they arise. For example, if a heat pump breaks or inverter is damaged.
- During business hours, call 1300 447 765 and select option 3.
- After hours, call 1300 187 605.
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Cost, savings and rebates
This depends on the size of your house, your energy consumption, and the quality of the system.
When it comes to solar, you get what you pay for. Basic solar systems can range from as little as $4,000 after all the rebates to tens of thousands of dollars for high-specification systems.
High-spec systems will produce more power from the same number of panels and last much longer than cheaper ones, meaning you can save for years and years into the future.
The average starting price for a 6.6kw system on a single storey house is around $5,000-$7,000, after rebates.
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The solar payback time is how long it’ll take for your electricity bills savings to cover the cost of your solar system.
The payback time depends on the size of your solar system, your electricity consumption, and the weather.
For an estimate of the cost and annual savings of a solar system, use our solar calculator. From there you can compare to your average electricity bill to work out how much you could save each year.
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Yes, we’ve partnered with Plenti so you can get your solar system installed with no upfront deposit. You can pay your system off in over 5 years.
Plenti offer their competitive finance rate of 3.99% p.a. and comparison rate of 8.40% p.a.** This is available on all RACV Solar products more than $2000, including solar panels, batteries, hot water heat pumps or electric vehicle chargers.
To discuss the right solar solution and finance option, give our team a call on 1300 447 765.
**3.99% p.a. and 8.40% p.a. comp. rate is based on a $30,000 loan for 5-year loan period. See the comparison rate warning on www.plenti.com.au. All applications for credit are subject to approval. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply. Credit provided by Plenti Finance Pty Limited ACN 636 759 861 (supported by its servicer, Plenti RE Limited ACN 166 646 635) or Perpetual Corporate Trust Limited ACN 000 341 533, Australian Credit Licence number 392673 (as custodian).
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There may be a few reasons this could be the case.
- Has your energy retailer increased your rates?
- Are you using more electricity than normal? For example, have you gotten any new appliances that use more energy?
- Is your solar system working properly? Check your inverter is on and your monitoring is working. How much of your solar power are you using or is it all being exported to the grid? To maximise your savings, try using your electricity during the day rather than running appliances at night, such as your washing machine.
If your bills don’t look right, give our team a call on 1300 447 765. We can complete a bill analysis to help better understand what’s impacting your bills.
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In Victoria, the Solar Homes Program provides ongoing rebates to eligible households for switching to solar.
To keep updated on available rebates and check if you’re eligible, visit Solar Victoria.
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When your solar panels generate more electricity than you’re using, your energy retailer will pay you for this additional electricity for the main grid. This payment is called the feed-in tariff.
Even if you have a battery system, where your excess solar energy will be stored for later use, you can still sell your electricity to receive some credit, like when your battery is full.
To keep updated on feed-in tariffs, visit the Victorian government website.
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It can take some months before formal ‘grid-connection’ is achieved for your newly installed solar system. Only then can you start receiving payments, which may appear on your bill as ‘feed-in credit’, ‘solar feed-in', ‘solar contribution’ or similar.
While we submit the necessary documentation as soon as possible on your behalf, sometimes delays happen, including a large backlog in approvals with your electricity distributor and/or retailer.
If it’s been more than three months since your system was installed, call us on 1300 447 765 to check the status of your grid connection.
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No, there are no general Member discounts offered, however, we do run special member promotions from time to time.
Subscribe to our emails to be the first to hear about these offers.
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Aftercare and maintenance
Most quality solar panels should self-clean when it rains.
However, it’s a good idea to get them checked and cleaned regularly, especially in drier months. Over time your panels may collect dust, debris or bird droppings which can reduce electricity production.
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We're sorry to hear you weren't happy with the work or service provided. Please let us know as soon as you can.
- Call us on 1300 481 026.
- Email us at solar_care@racv.com.au.
Our operating hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you can seek an external review of the decision. Contact the relevant organisation directly:
Systems under warranty
Contact Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 558 181
Faulty workmanship of an accredited installer
Contact Clean Energy Council on cleanenergycouncil.org.au
Electrical safety
Contact Energy Safe Victoria on (03) 9203 9700
New Energy Tech Consumer Code
Fill in the online form: NETCC | Make a complaint
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At RACV we stand by the quality of our work with warranties on labour and services. This includes the installation and workmanship:
- Solar panels and battery installation: 10-year warranty
- Hot water heat pump system installation: 5-year warranty
- Electric vehicle charger installation: 1-year warranty.
Each of our partner brands also offer industry-leading warranties on their products.
Check our table below for product warranties.
| Brand |
Product |
Warranty |
|---|---|---|
|
BYD Batteries |
Product Batteries |
Warranty 10-year warranty |
|
Enphase |
Product Inverters |
Warranty 15-year standard warranty, option to extend to 25 |
|
Fronius |
Product Inverters |
Warranty 10-year warranty |
|
GoodWe |
Product Batteries, Inverters |
Warranty 10-year warranty |
|
PowerPlus Solutions |
Product Batteries |
Warranty 10-year warranty |
|
REC Solar |
Product Solar panels |
Warranty 25-year product and performance warranty |
|
Selectronic |
Product Inverters |
Warranty 10-year warranty |
|
Tesla Powerwall |
Product Batteries |
Warranty 10-year warranty |
|
Trina Solar |
Product Solar panels - 445 W |
Warranty
|
|
Trina Solar |
Product Solar panels - 510 W comm |
Warranty
|