Solar and Battery Error Codes: What You Can Safely Do
A solar or battery error code is your equipment telling you it has lost the grid, lost its internet connection, run low on stored energy, or found a fault. Some codes are just information or clear by themselves, a few have a safe step you may try from the app, your own router or an outside switch our guide names, and the rest need a licensed technician.
What it means
Every brand words its alerts differently, but they tend to fall into four groups:
- Information. A note that needs nothing from you, such as Tesla's Storm Watch or Calibration in Progress.
- Outage alerts. The grid is down and the battery is running the home, or the battery is low. Cutting back on what you run may help.
- Connection alerts. The system lost its internet link, so the app has no fresh data. On several brands the equipment keeps producing while the app is dark.
- Faults. Isolation, ground, arc and grid voltage faults, and every other item our guides mark for a technician. These have no homeowner steps; book a technician.
What you can safely try
Across every brand we service, these are the steps a homeowner can safely take:
- Check the app for the exact alert name or code.
- Check that your home internet is working.
- Restart your own Wi-Fi router.
- Check whether the utility power is out.
- During an outage, cut back on what you are running.
- Wait for the system to retry on its own.
- Use an outside on/off switch, but only where our guide for that exact alert names it.
We do not walk homeowners through breakers, even where a manufacturer says a homeowner may reset one. Any of these steps may clear an alert; none of them is guaranteed to.
When to stop and call
Stop and call us if:
- A burning smell, smoke, sparks, heat, buzzing, melting, water on or in equipment, or visible damage: stay away from the equipment, keep children and pets away, call 911 if there is smoke or fire, and book an urgent technician visit.
- Any alert our guides mark as needing a technician.
- A step did not work, or you are not sure what you are looking at.
More error code help
Brand guides: Tesla Powerwall alerts, Enphase App alerts and SolarEdge error codes.
Single-alert guides:
- Tesla Powerwall Waiting for Solar
- Tesla Powerwall Device Offline
- Tesla Powerwall Overloaded
- Enphase Gateway Not Reporting
- Enphase Microinverters Not Reporting
- Enphase IQ Battery solid yellow light
- SolarEdge no communication
- SolarEdge OFF mode
- SolarEdge islanding codes
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to open my inverter or battery to look inside?
No. Solar panels make electricity whenever the sun is up, even when the system is turned off, so a licensed technician is the person who opens equipment. Homeowner steps stay on the outside: the app, the router and, where named, an outside switch.
Can I reset a breaker to clear a solar error?
We do not walk homeowners through breaker steps, even where a manufacturer allows it. If an alert points to a breaker, book a technician.
Does an offline alert mean my panels stopped working?
Not always. On Tesla and Enphase systems, for example, an offline or not-reporting alert can mean the app lost its data while the equipment keeps running. Checking your home internet and restarting your router may bring it back.
What should I do if I smell burning near my solar equipment?
Stay away from the equipment, keep children and pets away, and call 911 if there is smoke or fire. Then book an urgent technician visit. No troubleshooting.
How much does a solar diagnostic visit cost?
Our on-site diagnostic visit is $395 and includes a written report with photos. Call or text (813) 285-4505 to book.
Send Sunny a photo
Not sure which alert you are looking at? Sunny, the chat assistant on this site, can read a photo of the screen. Open the chat on this page, tap the paperclip, and send a photo of your app or the equipment screen. Sunny can also take your address and a good time for a technician.
Book a diagnostic
If the alert keeps coming back, or the steps above do not clear it, book a $395 on-site diagnostic visit. A licensed technician looks at the system and you get a written report with photos. Call or text (813) 285-4505, or request a visit on our solar repair page or our contact page. To keep a working system in good shape, see our solar maintenance plans.
About us: Fused Solar and Roofing is a licensed electrical, roofing and building contractor (EC13014750, CCC1331058, CBC1252064) serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties since 2007, and certified with Tesla (Tesla Certified Installer), Enphase, SolarEdge, Generac, FranklinWH, SMA and Fronius, and an authorized Chilicon installer.
