A solar system fault usually presents in one of three ways. Your electricity bills rise, energy generation drops, or the inverter display shows error codes and error messages. The frustration is that these symptoms do not tell you whether the problem is a warranty claim or a maintenance repair, and the wrong assumption can cost you weeks.
Most homeowners start with warranty. In reality, many common causes of poor energy output are not claimable under warranty, even when the system is relatively new. That is exactly why the installer you choose at the start matters. If the original installer becomes unresponsive, most third parties will not take over the warranty pathway, because manufacturers and distributors expect the installer of record to supply the compliance trail and commissioning evidence a claim requires.
This article is about making that decision early and correctly. It outlines what is usually covered, what is usually excluded, who is responsible for lodging the claim, and why warranty outcomes often still involve out-of-pocket costs such as call-out and re-installation.
Is It a Warranty Fault or a Solar Repair?
When solar systems fall short of performance expectations, the symptoms are usually the same. Electricity bills rise, energy generation drops, and the inverter display starts surfacing error codes and error messages. The mistake is treating those symptoms as proof that the solar panels are defective. They are not. They are only evidence that the system is not operating normally.
In practice, you are usually dealing with one of three categories.
A warranty fault is a genuine product defect or failure in a component, meaning an internal fault that originates inside the panel, inverter, or battery hardware. This is the narrow slice of problems that can qualify for replacement under warranty, subject to the manufacturer’s claim criteria and evidence requirements.
A system repair is where the hardware is fine, but something in the operating conditions is forcing reduced output or protective shutdown. This is where you see recurring alarms linked to connection integrity and system protection, including loosened connectors, wiring/termination defects, and other conditions that trigger safety systems. Shading and site conditions matter here as well. Shading issues can produce chronic poor energy output and lower output during daylight hours without any component being “faulty”.
The third category is wear, ageing, and environmental deterioration. This is not a warranty defect, and it is not always an installation error. It is the normal reality of rooftop exposure over time. Cable insulation and terminations can deteriorate, seals can weaken, and moisture pathways can develop into signs of water ingress. Storm events can contribute, and importantly, panel warranties commonly exclude certain outcomes such as hail damage, depending on the warranty terms. Australia’s combination of high UV exposure, heat cycling, coastal salt air, storms, and rooftop dust can progressively degrade cabling, connectors, seals and enclosures over time, even when the system was installed correctly.
Where this becomes practical is deciding whether you should be pushing for a claim or booking prompt repair. If the pattern points to system condition or wear, you will usually restore optimal efficiency faster through targeted diagnostics and rectification than by trying to force a warranty narrative that does not apply. That matters because the cost of delay is measurable in lost solar savings, weaker return on investment, and a longer payback period.
Typical warranty settings in Australia provide the boundary conditions for that decision. Government guidance notes that solar panel product warranties are commonly 10–15 years, with some manufacturers now offering 25 years or more on product warranty, and that “performance” commitments are separate from product defects. Inverter warranties commonly sit in a broad 5–15 year range depending on brand and model, with extensions often available. Home solar battery warranties are commonly around 10 years, usually tied to an end-of-warranty capacity level.
Who Lodges the Warranty Claim and Why Installer Choice Determines the Outcome
In NSW, warranty claims for solar systems, solar panels, inverters and a solar battery are normally run through the original retailer or installer you contracted, because that is the party the warranty process is built around. The federal guidance is clear that you should contact your solar retailer or installer first for warranty issues, and Australian Consumer Law also draws a line between product issues and installation issues, with responsibility sitting with the business you paid for each part of the supply and install. (energy.gov.au)
Non-installers usually cannot step into the warranty pathway in any clean way because the claim is tied to the original installation’s compliance file and chain of responsibility, not just the failed part. Manufacturers and distributors generally require the installer of record to produce the commissioning evidence, system design details, serial numbers, and the compliance trail that links the fault to a product defect rather than an installation condition or operating environment. Without that documentation, a third party is not in a position to certify what was installed, how it was commissioned, or whether the system has remained compliant, which makes the claim structurally weak and often unlodgable.
This is where installer choice becomes a commercial reality for homeowners, not a brand preference. A reputable installer protects your peace of mind because they are the gateway to support when output falls, electricity bills rise, or warranty is needed to preserve energy generation, solar savings, return on investment, and the payback period. In practice, the cheapest quote can become the most expensive outcome later if the installer cannot be contacted, cannot supply the paperwork, or cannot support the system through faults across panels, inverter, and modern battery technology.
Next Steps: Claim, Repair, or Replacement Without Guesswork
If your solar system is not delivering, the best outcome is restoring safe, predictable performance with the least downtime and the clearest cost path. Error codes and error messages on the inverter display, poor energy output, reduced output during daylight hours, and rising electricity bills are signals that the system is outside normal operation. They are not, by themselves, proof of a warranty defect.
The practical next step is to match the response to the category. A true internal fault may justify a warranty claim, but only when the evidence supports it and the installer of record can supply the compliance trail. Many common issues sit outside warranty and need prompt repair, including shading issues, loose connectors, faulty wiring or termination deterioration, signs of water ingress, hail damage, and safety systems shutting the system down. If performance problems are recurring or degradation is widespread, the decision often shifts to Solar Panel Replacement vs Solar Panel Repair, weighing cost, downtime, and the long-term impact on energy generation.
If you are unsure which pathway applies, start with expert diagnostics and performance testing. Clear reporting protects your peace of mind and helps you act quickly, whether that means a claim, a targeted repair, or a scoped replacement plan that restores optimal efficiency and protects solar savings.
