Solar Wiring Repair in Phoenix, AZ

Solar Wiring Repair fixes the cables, connectors, fuses and conduit that carry power from the panels to your inverter and on to the house. A single bad connection can take out a whole string, trip a ground fault or, in the worst cases, overheat. On Phoenix roofs, wiring takes a beating from sun, heat cycles, pigeons and the occasional rodent, and it is out of sight under the panels until something goes wrong.

What damages solar wiring here

• UV and heat. Wire that hangs loose and catches sun can become brittle over the years, and conduit joints and fittings can loosen.
• Daily expansion and contraction. Rooftop parts heat up through the day and cool at night. Over thousands of cycles, connections can work loose.
• Birds and rodents. Pigeons nesting under arrays peck at and tug on wire. Rodents chew insulation. Forbes notes that critters can gnaw on wiring and connections.
• Bad original work. Mismatched connector brands, loose wire left resting on the roof, and missing clips show up on systems of every age.
• Corrosion. Moisture from monsoon storms and corrosive bird droppings attack terminals and connectors.

Symptoms

• A ground fault or isolation error on the inverter
• A string that drops to zero or flickers on and off
• Production that cuts out during or after monsoon rain
• A burnt smell, melted or browned connectors, or discolored wire
• Blown string fuses in a combiner box
• Wire you can see hanging under the panel edge

How we repair it

We isolate the system safely, then test each string to find where the fault sits. Damaged runs are replaced with wire rated for the job. Connectors are replaced in matched pairs from the same maker, since mixing brands is a common cause of hot connections. Loose wire is secured off the roof surface with proper clips, and damaged conduit and fittings are replaced. When a fuse has blown, we find out why before replacing it.

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Safety

Solar panels make power whenever light hits them, and turning off a breaker does not de-energize the wiring on the roof. A panel string can carry hundreds of volts of DC. Please do not cut, pull or tape damaged solar wiring yourself. If you see melted connectors, smoke or sparking, shut the system down using the steps in your owner's manual, keep people away and call.

Permits and code

Replacing damaged wire like for like is ordinary repair work. Adding circuits, changing wire routing or adding equipment may need a permit from the City of Phoenix or your town. We confirm what applies before work begins.

Pair it with bird proofing

If birds or rodents caused the damage, wiring repair alone will not last. The usual plan is to repair the wiring, clear the nests and close the gap under the array with mesh on the same visit.