What is the difference between the system recovery service and a standard annual maintenance visit?

The System Recovery service is a comprehensive one-off engagement for systems with multiple or cascading issues — it covers monitoring transfer, documentation rebuild, warranty escalation, fault diagnosis, and a written condition report. It is appropriate when a system has significant accumulated issues after installer closure. Annual maintenance is a standard scheduled service visit for a system in reasonable condition — checking connections, cleaning panels, verifying settings, and producing a maintenance report.

Moving forward · Installer gone bust

Getting an orphaned solar system
serviced and supported

Q: What workmanship faults most commonly surface years after installation?

The most common late-presenting workmanship faults are: CT clamp miswiring (causes battery to cycle incorrectly, costs hundreds in unnecessary import charges over time), incorrect export limit configuration (system trips off when export exceeds limit), undersized DC cabling (causes heat-related inverter faults in summer), and poor earthing (creates safety concerns and occasional grid-trip faults). Most of these faults are correctable — they rarely require major re-installation.

Q: How do I know if my orphaned system is performing correctly?

Without monitoring access, the only reliable check is the inverter display during daylight hours. With monitoring, you can compare current generation against expected output for your panel size and location. A remote diagnostic can assess whether the system is performing within expected parameters — using historical monitoring data and inverter log access to identify underperformance, even if the system appears to be running.

Q: Is it worth getting a health plan for an older system?

For most systems over 3 years old, yes — particularly if they have no existing support relationship following installer closure. The health plan provides continuous remote monitoring that catches performance degradation early (before it costs you in higher bills), an annual health check that identifies developing faults, and priority response when issues arise. The cost of a single missed month of generation typically exceeds the monthly plan cost.

When your installer closes, you lose your point of contact for questions, faults, and servicing. An independent engineer can step into that role completely — assessing the current system condition, correcting any outstanding installation issues, and setting up ongoing maintenance so the system keeps performing.

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Any MCS engineer can service any solar system
Independent — not affiliated with any manufacturer or installer
Written condition report included with system recovery

Need someone to take over completely?

Our System Recovery service handles the full picture — monitoring transfer, documentation rebuild, warranty escalation, fault diagnosis, and a written condition report. One engagement, all of it covered. We work independently — not affiliated with any installer or manufacturer.

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5.0

Rated 5.0 on Google Read all 48 reviews

Called back within a day and gave good advice.

Rob and Sue Dempster · Jun 2026 Google

What a fantastic service. Had my fault diagnosed within minutes and actually managed to resolve the issue remotely within a few minutes more. This guy is like a “Solar Batman” helping consumers fix their problems using his extensive industry knowledge and expertise. Outstanding service. Thank you so much.

Andrew Palmer · May 2026

I sent a message on their website regarding a problem I have on my Givenergy system. Although not supplied by Ronald, I thought it was worth an email. Within the hour on a Saturday, he phoned and we discussed the problem. He logged in remotely and gave excellent advice. I'm too far away for his on-site help but he did diagnose the problem and was happy also to chat through my thoughts about an upcoming solar/battery install I'm planning. Great bloke.... if only he was nearer!

Philip · Apr 2026

Ron responded very promptly regarding my GivEnergy battery issue, his knowledgeable diagnosis was spot on and resolved the issue on first attempt. Would recommend to any and all.

Simon Hill · May 2026

Massively massively recommended. We had a big battery array (49kW across three phases) put in four years ago. c £35k cost. It’s been a total nightmare for many reasons, not least 1. our installer being totally useless and unresponsive and 2. Givenergy, our battery supplier, going bust. Long story short it had never worked anywhere near properly despite countless hours on phones and emails; the best we’d achieved was one third of the batteries working. Rather than write it off, I asked a PM friend to try to source someone who could come on site and review and revive the system. He found Solar Tech Support and Ron. Ron assured us he was the man to get it going again. After so many years of pain, I was not convinced but, true to his word, five hours later it was up and running. Lovely chap, super knowledgeable with a support team to lean on who are also clearly super technical. I honestly didn’t think there was much chance of getting this array going ever again so was absolutely delighted when Ron and team pulled it off. Bravo!

Will Wynne · Jun 2026 Google

Amazing support, went out of his way to help try and get us back up and running

Paul Smith · May 2026

Philip · Apr 2026

Will Wynne · Jun 2026 Google

The Situation

What installer closure means for your system's support

Some things are genuinely lost. Most things are recoverable. Understanding the difference helps you know what to prioritise.

Lost

Your point of contact for faults

The installer was your first call for any system problem. That relationship is gone. You now need to establish a new support relationship — either self-managing with manufacturer support or engaging an independent engineer.

Lost

Workmanship warranty cover

Any installation errors that surface now — miswired CT clamps, undersized cables, incorrect settings — are no longer covered by an installer warranty. Corrections require independent engineer time and cost. HIES or RECC protection may partially offset this if the installer was registered.

Intact

Manufacturer warranties and system function

The inverter, battery, and panel warranties remain valid and can be claimed directly. The system itself is yours — its generation data, its physical components, and its performance are all recoverable. An independent engineer can take over full support from where the installer left off.

Important: The most common mistake after installer closure is assuming the system is fine because it appears to be running. A system can appear operational while losing 20–30% of potential generation due to CT clamp errors, export limit misconfiguration, or a fault that only activates under certain conditions. A condition assessment catches these.

Common Faults

Workmanship faults that commonly surface on orphaned systems

Many installation errors don't cause immediate visible failure — they cause slow performance losses or intermittent faults that only become apparent months or years later. These are the most common ones seen on systems that have had no maintenance since installation.

CT clamp miswiring or wrong orientation

The most common and most costly silent error. A CT clamp installed on the wrong cable, or oriented incorrectly, causes the inverter to misread import/export — resulting in the battery cycling in completely the wrong pattern. On a hybrid system, this can cost hundreds of pounds a year in unnecessary grid import without any visible fault on the display.

Incorrect export limit configuration

DNO G98 and G99 connections often require an export limit — typically 3.68kW for most domestic G98 connections. If this is set incorrectly (too low or incorrectly activated), the system trips off at peak production, clipping output at exactly the point where it should be generating most. Common on GivEnergy and Growatt systems where the export limit setting is separate from the main inverter settings.

Undersized DC cabling causing heat faults

DC cables running from roof panels to inverter must be sized correctly for the string current. Undersized cables cause resistance heat buildup — not always visible until summer peak production, when the inverter trips on thermal overload. A one-off fault in a hot June often traces to undersized or poorly terminated DC cabling installed at commissioning.

Poor earthing and bonding

Earthing faults don't always cause immediate outages — they create leakage conditions that trigger occasional grid-trip events and, in some cases, present a genuine safety concern. Symptoms include intermittent grid disconnection on the display with no obvious fault code. An inspection can identify whether earthing is compliant without any system downtime.

Battery charge/discharge schedule errors

Hybrid inverter charge and discharge schedules are set during commissioning. Incorrect scheduling — charging from grid at peak rate, discharging during overnight cheap-rate periods, or setting a minimum SOC that leaves most of the battery unavailable — significantly reduces the financial benefit of the battery. Settings errors are common and easily corrected once identified.

Monitoring never properly configured

Many installers connected the inverter to their company monitoring account without setting up a homeowner login or completing WiFi configuration for the property's router. The system may be generating correctly but sending no data — or sending data that no one is watching. A condition assessment identifies the monitoring status and resolves any configuration issues.

Process

Step-by-step: getting your orphaned system properly assessed and supported

For a system that has had no independent review since installation, this is the recommended sequence.

Remote diagnostic — establish current system condition

A remote diagnostic accesses the inverter monitoring data and reviews current generation performance, active fault codes, battery charge and discharge behaviour, and export configuration. This gives a baseline picture of what the system is doing — and what it should be doing — before any on-site visit is considered. Most issues are identifiable remotely, which saves time and cost.

Free · Written report included · No site visit required at this stage

Written condition report — a documented baseline

The condition report documents the system state: generation data over a reference period, any active or historic fault codes, equipment serial numbers, monitoring access status, warranty status, and any concerns identified. This report serves multiple purposes — it supports warranty claims, HIES or RECC complaints, and provides a benchmark for future performance monitoring. It is included with the System Recovery service and available as an add-on to the remote diagnostic.

Address active faults — warranty, workmanship, or operational

Faults identified in the diagnostic fall into three categories. Component failures are manufacturer warranty claims — supported with documentation. Installation errors (CT clamp, export limit, cable sizing) are workmanship corrections — quoted as independent repair. Configuration issues (schedule settings, firmware, monitoring setup) are operational fixes — often resolvable remotely without a site visit. Each category follows a different route and different cost expectation.

Confirm monitoring access is linked to your account

Before ongoing remote support is effective, monitoring must be linked to an account you own and can access. If it's still registered to the installer's company account, this is resolved as part of the System Recovery service or separately via the monitoring transfer process. Once your account is set up, you can view generation data and we can monitor the system remotely going forward.

Set up ongoing maintenance or a health plan

With the system assessed and any immediate issues resolved, the final step is establishing ongoing cover. An annual maintenance visit checks connections, verifies settings, cleans panels if needed, and produces a maintenance report. The Solar Health Plan adds continuous remote monitoring, annual health check, and priority response — catching issues early before they cost you in generation losses or emergency call-out fees.

Service Options

Choosing the right level of support for your system

The right option depends on the current condition of the system and how much has accumulated since installer closure.

For known faults

Remote Diagnostic

If you have a specific fault you need diagnosing — a fault code, an underperformance issue, battery behaviour you don't understand. Free remote diagnostic — written report included. Most issues identifiable without site visit.

Remote diagnostic →

Recommended starting point

System Recovery Service

For systems with multiple or cascading issues after installer closure. Covers monitoring transfer, documentation rebuild, warranty escalation, fault diagnosis, and a full written condition report. One engagement, everything covered. Quoted after initial diagnostic.

See CTA below for details

For ongoing protection

Solar Health Plan

Continuous remote monitoring, annual health check, and priority response. Replaces the support relationship that was lost when the installer closed. Catches performance degradation before it costs you in higher bills or missed generation.

See CTA footnote below

Our recommendation: For most homeowners in the installer-gone-bust situation, the System Recovery service is the right starting point — it handles everything in one engagement and leaves you with a fully documented, monitored system with an established support relationship. The Solar Health Plan is the recommended next step once recovery is complete.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can an independent engineer service a system installed by a different company?

Yes, completely. There is no legal or technical restriction on which MCS-accredited engineer services a solar system — it does not have to be the original installer. An experienced independent engineer can assess, repair, and maintain any system regardless of who installed it. They may need additional time to review the installation specifics on first visit, but this is normal and factored into the site assessment cost.

What workmanship faults most commonly surface years after installation?

The most common late-presenting faults are CT clamp miswiring (causes battery to cycle incorrectly — costs hundreds per year in unnecessary import), incorrect export limit configuration (system clips generation at peak production), undersized DC cabling (causes heat-related inverter faults in summer), and poor earthing. Most are correctable without major re-installation.

How do I know if my orphaned system is performing correctly?

Without monitoring access, the only check is the inverter display during daylight. With monitoring, you can compare current generation against expected output for your panel size and location. A remote diagnostic assesses whether the system is performing within expected parameters — using inverter log access and monitoring data to identify underperformance that isn't visible from the display.

What is the difference between System Recovery and annual maintenance?

System Recovery is a comprehensive one-off engagement for systems with significant accumulated issues — covering monitoring transfer, documentation rebuild, warranty escalation, fault diagnosis, and a written condition report. It's the right service when a system has had no independent review since installation and multiple issues have built up. Annual maintenance is a scheduled service visit for a system in reasonable condition — verifying connections, settings, and performance, and producing a maintenance record. See our annual maintenance visit service for details.

Is a health plan worth it for an older system?

For most systems over 3 years old without an active support relationship, yes. The health plan provides continuous monitoring that catches performance degradation early — before it costs you in higher bills — plus an annual health check and priority response. The cost of a single missed month of generation typically exceeds the monthly plan cost, particularly on hybrid systems where battery scheduling errors can be expensive over time.

My system seems to be working — do I still need a condition assessment?

A system that appears to be running may still have significant issues that are invisible without monitoring data. Underperformance of 20–30% is common on systems with CT clamp errors or export limit misconfiguration — the system generates, but far less than it should. A CT clamp installed in the wrong direction can cost a household with a battery hundreds of pounds a year in unnecessary grid import. A condition assessment establishes what the system is actually doing, not just whether it's on.

System support

Ready to get your orphaned system working again?

We handle the full picture — monitoring access, documentation, warranty escalation, fault diagnosis, and ongoing support. Independent, transparent, and written up so you know exactly what you have.

Independent — not tied to any manufacturer or installer
Remote triage from £75 · System recovery from £195
Covers all major brands and system types

Call 07944 877 329 Book free diagnostic