Solar system recovery when everything has stopped working
When your solar system has completely stopped generating. Remote fault triage, full fault log review, and a remote recovery attempt — with a fixed-price on-site scope if hardware intervention is needed.
Triage call (30–60 mins) — gather error codes and system logs
Remote recovery attempt (2–4 hours) — settings reset, firmware, configuration
If on-site needed — fixed-price scope provided before any commitment
What total failure looks like
Book system recovery if any of these match your situation.
Inverter is powered on but producing 0W — no output from any string or battery discharge
Won't charge from solar or grid. BMS may be locked out or communication between inverter and battery lost
Won't clear after multiple restarts — indicating a hardware or firmware-level failure rather than a temporary trip
Firmware corruption or a failed update has bricked the inverter or battery controller. System won't start at all
Hasn't worked since the installer left or went bust. May need full recommissioning from scratch
No display, no communication, no response to restart attempts. Possible internal hardware failure or blown component
When you need system recovery
System recovery is for situations where the system is broken or abandoned, not just underperforming.
System was left incomplete, misconfigured, or never properly commissioned. No handover documentation. No one to call when something goes wrong.
Installation doesn't meet UK Building Regulations. No MCS certification. System may be unsafe or uninsurable. See installer gone bust for your options.
Various engineers have tried to fix the system but left it in a worse state. Incorrect configurations, poor documentation, conflicting settings from different attempted fixes.
Your system has been down for weeks or months while you tried to get support. No one has been able to diagnose or fix it. Complete system reset and recommissioning needed.
New battery or battery expansion added but never properly set up, tested, or balanced. System won't charge the battery or BMS is throwing constant warnings.
You have no visibility into what your system is doing. Can't see generation, battery status, or alerts. System may have been broken for months and you didn't know.
See also: Warranty claim support — if your system failed within warranty, we can help gather evidence and documentation needed for a manufacturer claim.
What system recovery involves
Physical inspection of all components — panels, inverter, battery, wiring, earthing, isolators, monitoring. Photograph all connections and settings. Pull complete system logs and firmware versions. Create a baseline of what we're working with.
Cross-reference system with relevant standards and the original design spec (if available). Flag any safety issues, regulatory breaches, or settings drift. Identify which faults are hardware-level and which can be fixed remotely.
Detailed report listing all issues in priority order. Separate safety-critical work from performance improvements. Fixed-price quote for each phase. You approve the scope and budget before any work begins.
Execute the approved scope: replace failed components, reconfigure settings, reprogram firmware, balance battery cells, retest DC strings. Bring the system back to working condition and manufacturer specification.
Verify all work with comprehensive testing — inverter efficiency, battery charging/discharging cycles, export registration, fault code clearing, safety shutdowns. Document all results.
Install fresh monitoring account in your name. Verify you have full access and can see all data. Provide complete documentation: system spec sheet, inverter manual, battery manual, commissioning certificate, and contact details for ongoing support.
Recovery vs standard repair
Fixes one specific fault. Diagnose a single issue such as an inverter error or panel failure, replace or repair that component, test that the fault is cleared, and leave the rest of the system as-is.
Best for systems that were working well before one component failed.
Complete rebuild and recommission. Full diagnostic audit of all systems, identify all faults and non-compliance, repair or replace everything that's broken, then recommission and test the entire system end to end.
For neglected, abandoned, or previously misconfigured systems that need a fresh start.
When to choose each: Use standard repair if you know the fault (inverter won't start, panel is broken) and the rest of the system is working. Use system recovery if the system has been abandoned, is offline for unknown reasons, was badly installed, or multiple problems have piled up. See solar system repair for single-fault pricing.
How system recovery works
Tell us what's happened — no generation, fault codes, won't boot, etc. Note any error messages from the inverter display or monitoring app. We'll confirm same-day availability.
We gather system logs, review the fault history, and understand the failure sequence. If monitoring access is available, we review the full event log. We then form a diagnosis.
Where safe to do so, we attempt remote recovery — settings reset, firmware reload, BMS recalibration, CT clamp correction. Many total failures are caused by settings corruption or firmware issues that are recoverable remotely.
If remote recovery doesn't resolve the fault, we give you a precise on-site scope and fixed price before any engineer is booked. You approve the cost before anything moves forward. See solar system repair for on-site pricing.
Frequently asked questions
No generation from the inverter, battery showing zero and won't charge, persistent fault codes that won't clear after a reset, system won't boot after a firmware update, or a system that simply hasn't worked since the installer left. If your system was working and now produces nothing, that's total failure — start here.
Often yes. If the system is running but badly misconfigured, remote recovery can usually fix it. If the system won't boot or has a hardware fault, we'll scope the on-site repair at a fixed price before any commitment. See also our installer gone bust guide for what your options are.
If remote triage identifies a hardware fault — failed inverter board, damaged battery module, blown DC component — we'll give you a clear written quote for the on-site repair before any engineer is booked. Parts are priced separately from labour. No surprises.
If your system is partially running but producing less than expected or has a single fault code, the remote diagnostic at £75 is the right start. System recovery is specifically for complete failures — where the system isn't generating anything at all, the battery is dead, or it won't communicate.
Remote triage takes 30–60 minutes. If recovery is remote-only (settings, firmware, configuration), that's typically 2–4 hours. If on-site work is needed (component replacement, wiring repairs, recommissioning), the engineer visit will be scheduled within a fixed-price scope that we agree with you first. Most recoveries are complete within 2–3 days from the initial call.
That depends on what needs to be fixed. If the system has always been registered with the DNO (Distribution Network Operator) and we're just repairing components, no new paperwork is needed. If export registration lapsed or never happened, we'll help you get it sorted and reactivated — our team can coordinate with your DNO. If major changes were made since original install (new inverter, new battery, extra panels), we assess whether a G98/G99 application is needed and advise you accordingly.
If the failed component is no longer available (inverter model discontinued, battery module obsolete), we have several options: source a compatible replacement from manufacturer inventory, use a certified equivalent from another manufacturer, or upgrade to a newer compatible model. We'll present all options with pricing before any order is placed. In rare cases where no direct replacement exists, we'll advise on whether the system can be retrofitted with newer components. This is all discussed in the written recovery scope before work begins.
System failed after installer went quiet?
We'll work through what happened, attempt remote recovery where possible, and give you a fixed-price scope before any engineer visit. Same-day triage availability.