My internet has lost connection to my Inverter.

Once I have accepted a quote and paid a deposit what happens next?

Our customer support team will be in contact within 48hours to advise of the next steps.

If you are applying for the Solar Victoria Rebate, they will assist you with your application details.

I have been approved for Solar Victoria Rebate, what happens now?

Congratulations on being approved.

You would’ve received a QR code , please send this to admin@specsolar.com.au so we can add this onto your account.

A member of our customer support team will be in contact to advise of the next steps regarding your site inspection (if required) or installation date.

Once I have been installed what happens?

Our customer support team will be in contact to with you to complete our “next steps” call.

In this call they will:

  • Confirm payment of final balance (this is required to action the electrical inspection)
  • Setup your inverter monitoring and provide you with access.
  • Explain that due to updated regulations, your solar system is now required to be switched off until the electrical inspection is completed. (electrical inspector is 3rd party and government regulated).
  • Electrical inspections are required to be completed within 7-10 working days.
  • Once the electrical inspection is completed and we have received your Grid Connect paperwork, we will submit this to your electricity retailer and distributor for processing. To ensure our customers are on the same page, we will cc you in on all emails sent for your reference. Once the electricity retailer has received your Grid Connect paperwork, they will action a ‘Meter reconfiguration’. This means they update the software in your smart meter to enable you to send power back to the grid for an agreed Feed in Tariff (usually 6.7 cents per kWh). This process can take up to 21 business days. However, please know when your electrical inspection is completed, your system is switched on and producing Solar. Which means you can generate power for self-use and start benefiting straight away. The only thing that you will not be able to do, is send power back to the grid for a Feed-in Tariff (until the meter reconfiguration process is completed).

How do I know if my Inverter is experiencing High Grid voltage?

The first sign of high voltage issues will be your system’s production going down in the middle of a hot and clear day, particularly when you are exporting power to the grid. Hot, clear days have a higher likelihood of increasing grid voltage as Solar PV systems in the area produce peak levels of energy.

Heat also increases resistance in the grid’s cables, forcing higher voltages out of the inverter than it would normally experience. The inverters must produce higher voltage than the grid itself to return power back to it, but they are not allowed to exceed 255V.

So, if the grid voltage reaches high enough levels, the inverter may need to ramp down or shut off completely as it will not be able to exceed this point and will have nowhere to send the excess power.

What do I do if I am getting High Grid Voltage?

Contact us to confirm who your Electricity Distributor is (as they own and manage the poles and wires).

We will make direct contact with them on your behalf to raise a High Grid Voltage case. They will investigate and contact you to determine the findings.

Powercor PH: 13 22 06
United Energy PH: 1300 131 689
Ausnet Services PH: 1300 360 795
Jemena PH: 1300 131 871

How long does my Grid Connect paperwork take to be completed?

This is completed by our team within 48 hours of receiving all relevant paperwork from your installation. However, it can take up to 21 business days for the Meter Reconfiguration to be completed.

We suggest contacting your retailer/distributor to get an update where possible. As they will not speak to us due to privacy reasons.

I am getting Solar Installed; can I change electricity retailers?

You can, however we highly suggest that you do not change your electricity retailers until your solar has been completed and you have received your first electricity bill.

This will ensure all your Grid Connect paperwork has been processed and completed.
If you happen to change retailers in the middle of your solar installation, this will delay the timeframe of your Grid Connect completion date.

I do not understand my Monitoring Platform

Feel free to contact our Customer Support team on 03 9117 6185 or with email customersupport@specsolar.com.auto book a time to go through your monitoring portal. We will provide you with a tutorial and send you some guides for future reference.

I do not understand the charges on my electricity bill

The best people to discuss this with is your Electricity Retailer. They will be able to run through the entire bill and explain each line item/charge to you in detail. Most of the time, electricity retailers have explainer videos located on their website.

If, for any reason you cannot get through to them, please feel free to contact us and we can run through it with you.

What is Generation?

Generation is the electricity created by your Solar PV System.

What is Export?

Export is the excess electricity created from your solar PV system that you do not consume within the household. This excess electricity is sent back to the grid via your smart meter. In most case, when you send electricity back to the grid, you will receive a Feed-in Tariff. (This is usually 6.7c per kWh).

What is Import?

Import is the electricity you use from the Grid when your homes consumption is higher than your Solar generation. This is shown on your electricity bill as a peak or Off-peak charge.

What is Consumption?

Consumption is any electricity/power that is being used within the household. This could come directly from your Solar system, or from being imported from the Grid.

My neighbour has solar installed, and they are generating more than my system, Why?

Every system is not the same. It depends on the location of your panels, if there are any shading in your area, such as trees, a tv antenna, and in some cases clouds or the direction of the sun.

Panels also vary in size so you could possibly have a 300w panels installed but your neighbour could have a 330w panel installed. However, you can see your Generation, Consumption, Export and Import via your monitoring portal.

I have been provided with a panel layout in my quote, but I would like to make changes prior to being installed.

This is not a problem at all. Most changes can be made depending on your roof. If you would like any changes made, please speak with your Sales Representative or the electrician on site to see if the changes you are wanting to make can be completed. Once a design has been agreed, the electrician will ask that you sign a copy of the checklist on site confirming the panel layout design.

When do I need to make payment for the final balance?

We require payment on the day of installation. You will be sent your final balance the day before your installation by our Operations Team. Once your installation has been completed, our Customer Support team will contact you to finalize the payment (please ensure you use the customer reference provided if making a bank transfer).

Once a payment has been made, please send confirmation of the transaction to admin@specsolar.com.au

Do I need to get my Solar PV system serviced?

Yes, we recommend getting your solar system serviced every 12 months. This is a service we do offer, please contact our customer service team and they will be able to organise this for you.

How do I clean my Solar Panels?

You can clean your panels with warm water and a soft bristle brush. We do however offer this with our Service options.

I have two meters on site, will I require a truck appointment?

Yes, if you have two meters in your switchboard, they will be required to be consolidated into one.
Pricing is a case by case basis (dependent on distributor) but in most cases it will cost between $500-$800.

I have moved into a new home and I do not have an internet connection. What can I do regarding my inverter monitoring?

If you do not have internet on the day of installation, that is okay. We can still install your Solar PV system and have it connected but unfortunately, we will not be able to provide you with access to the monitoring platform or remotely monitor it for you. Once your internet is connected, we can send you a guide to connect the inverter to the internet and set it up for remote monitoring. But if you require us to reattend to assist a call out fee will apply.

My system was installed a while ago, am I able to add additional panels?

Yes, depending on the current size of your system we may be able to add additional panels. Please call the office on 03 9117 6185 and we can get you in contact with one of our sales consultants to discuss your options.

What is export limitation and what does it mean for me?

Export limiting is determined by your local electricity distributor and involves using additional hardware to limit the amount of power your Solar inverter can export back to the grid.

To be completely clear, export limitation only limits the amount of energy you can send back to the grid, not what you can consume at any given time.

If you have a 6.6 kW Solar system installed and the electricity distributor has approved a 0kw export, this will mean you will be able to generate and consume 6.6KW of power within your household (or store in a battery) but you will not be able to export any power back to the grid for a Feed-in Tariff.

Why do I need a WIFI EXTENDER?

Having a strong internet connection to the inverter will ensure you have access to your systems generation and consumption data in real time (via a mobile app or web browser) and most importantly, we are able to remotely access your system to troubleshoot any future issues and provide you with the after sales service you deserve.

Internet connection and WIFI strength is the owner’s responsibility.

If you believe your wi-fi strength is not strong enough to connect to the inverter we suggest installing a WIFI extender.

https://www.centrecom.com.au/tp-link-av500-300mbps-wifipower-line-extender-starter-kit