To get an idea of what to expect from a reputable installer below are some high-quality solar system installation photos, as well as some things to keep an eye out for when your solar power system and panels are being installed.
Solar panel installations
- The panels should be lined up nicely
- The rails cut nice and short
- UV resistant conduit protecting the cabling between the rows
- Be aware of black cables being exposed to the sun
- Panels should not be necessarily close to the ridge so that they catch the wind
Rails nice and neat, shouldn’t be longer than say 15cm, panels line up nicely
Inverter installations
- All cabling is neat and out of the way, so they don’t catch on anything or are easily exposed
- Plenty of ventilation to the sides and especially above the inverter, generally at least 20cm
- No direct sunlight on them between about 8am-4pm
- UV resistant conduit protecting the cabling
- Warning labels attached
- Inverters and isolators aren’t placed where they are exposed to direct sunlight for long durations of time.
- All parts, especially isolators, don’t have any electrically exposed entries from the top that could fill or be damaged by rain
- Your inverter is set to detect if something goes wrong
- The garage is the best location for the inverter if possible
Ideally, the inverter should be in a location where you pass by often so you can see if the warning light is on, which may indicate that there’s a problem with the system.