My solar monitoring isn’t working, what do I do?

This is the most common reason people reach out to Axium Solar’s service department, so we’ve dedicated a page to it!

The reason that your solar monitoring may have stopped working could be related to your network.  In other words, something has changed with the connection that is preventing the monitoring from working.  This does not necessarily mean that your solar has stopped creating energy, just that a network change has occurred which is preventing the communication of the data to the portal you login to.

Here are some first troubleshooting steps you can take:

1. Verify that everything is plugged in and working, especially if you recently had a visit from your Internet or cable company  Perhaps, they unplugged, moved or cut a cable or wire.  Make sure your router or modem is plugged in, that the communication device (Envoy or another device) is plugged in and connected to your router or modem and that all cables (if applicable) to the inverter are plugged in.  If they are plugged in, make sure that each is on.
2. Can you access the internet using your phone, computer or other device?  If not, check to see that your ISP is not experiencing an outage and double check to see that your modem or router is functioning properly.
3. Have you recently changed your network?:  Changed Internet Service Providers, bought a new modem or router, changed your network name and password, changed to MAC filtering or have applied DNS & firewall rule changes?  If so, you’ll need to update your phones, computers and mostly likely your solar communication devices.  Please visit the System Info section of the knowledgebase for next steps or reach out to our service department who can schedule a visit to update things for you (Service fees will apply.)
4. Try rebooting your router or modem and your communication device (Envoy or other device.)  Sometimes a reboot is all it takes to resynch things.
5. Try restarting your solar array & reboot your router/modem and communication device.  Follow these steps, in this order, to restart your inverter:

   a.)  Restart the inverter by turning the DC disconnect switch OFF.  Note, the DC disconnect is often located towards the bottom of the inverter itself.
   b.)  Turn the AC disconnect switch OFF.  The AC disconnect is often on an outside wall.
   c.)  Wait five minutes.
   d.)  Turn the AC disconnect back ON.
   e.)  Turn the DC disconnect back ON.
   f.)  Restart your router/modem and communication device.

   

6. If you can login to the monitoring portal and some, but not all, of your solar array’s information is appearing – It is likely that you have a weak connection or something in your home is interfering with the connection.  This can and does happen even if you’ve never moved your modem, router or communication device!

a.)  Make sure your modem or router and communication device (Envoy or other device) is as close to your solar array and/or inverter as possible.  Interference can come from walls, microwaves, metallic objects, radios, computers, appliances and other forms of technology, so you’ll want to limit these items near the communication device.  
b.)  Piggybacked internet.  We see this most commonly in rural areas.  It is where the modem or router is in the home and another device is added to a barn or shed that other devices, including the solar communication device or string inverter’s comms are connected into.  By the time this “piggybacked internet” gets to the communication device or inverter the signal is usually weak or only sometimes works (depending on where and how the internet is being used elsewhere on the property.)  We don’t advise this type of connection, as it’s best to connect the inverter or communication device directly to the modem or router for more “open” internet both ways.

7. Squirrels or other rodents may have chewed on wires.  Luckily, this is not a common occurrence, but it does happen enough to warrant a service call and the installation of Critter Guard.
8. The communication device has failed or malfunctioned.  It’s rare, but a comm card or Envoy or Zigbee (and other such devices) do fail from time-to-time just like any other electronic device.  If you’ve ruled out all of the above mentioned, there is a chance that this is what is going on.

If you are unable to resolve the issue and would like our service team to schedule a visit, just let us know by completing this form.