Before the season, not before the storm
- Photograph the array, the collectors, the inverter and the battery while the weather is good. Undamaged photographs with a date on them are what an insurer wants and what nobody has.
- Write down or save your equipment makes, models and serial numbers.
- Know where your solar disconnects are and where the battery isolation is. Find them in daylight, not with a torch during a squall.
- Keep your interconnection agreement, warranty documents and installation paperwork somewhere you can reach without power.
In the days before a storm arrives
- If you have a battery, charge it fully and raise the reserve setting where your platform supports it.
- Confirm which circuits are actually on backup so nobody is surprised at 2am.
- Bring loose items near the equipment inside. Debris does more damage than wind alone.
- Do not go on the roof. Nothing up there needs adjusting, and this is the worst possible time to be there.
- Do not cover or tarp panels or collectors.
After the storm
- Look from the ground first. Missing or shifted panels, hanging wiring, a collector out of position, or debris on the array.
- Treat any hanging or exposed wiring as live and keep everyone away from it.
- Check the inverter display for codes and photograph what you see.
- For pool heating, watch for water on the roof or a pool level dropping when the system runs, which suggests a broken collector or coupling.
- For water heating, look for leaks at the tank, at the relief valve and in the attic.
- Photograph everything before anybody touches it, including debris and damage.
If your system is visibly damaged, leave it isolated and have it inspected before restarting it.
Insurance and warranty records
A storm claim goes better when you can produce the original installation documents, equipment details, dated photographs from before the event and dated photographs from after it.
It is also worth knowing that warranty coverage often behaves differently around named storms. AllSolar's own 25 year solar electric penetration warranty, for example, is suspended during a named storm watch or warning in your county and for 72 hours afterwards. Terms vary between companies and products, so check the documents that apply to your own system.
Common questions
Should I turn my solar off before a hurricane?
For most grid tied systems there is no need, and the system will shut itself down when the utility goes out anyway. If you have specific shutdown instructions from your installer, follow those. If the equipment is visibly damaged, isolate it and leave it off.
Will my panels blow off?
Properly permitted and installed mounting in Florida is engineered for high wind. The more common storm damage is impact from flying debris and water intrusion around damaged roofing, not the array lifting.
My system will not restart after the outage. What now?
Check the alternating current breaker and the inverter display first, and give it time, because many inverters wait several minutes after the grid returns before reconnecting. If it stays down, photograph the codes and request service.