My SolarEdge inverter has failed: what are my options now?

If your SolarEdge inverter fails, start with the warranty, because most SolarEdge inverters in Australia are still inside it. SolarEdge is closing its Australian operations, but it says the warranty stands and claims now go through its international support centre. If the inverter is out of warranty, you have three choices: another SolarEdge inverter while stock lasts, a different brand with the optimisers taken off the roof, or a new system. Which one makes sense depends mostly on how old the system is.

Is the inverter really dead?

Often it is not. A SolarEdge system reports a fault code on the inverter and in the mySolarEdge app, and many of those codes point to something other than the inverter itself: grid voltage outside the limits, a tripped breaker, a lost internet connection, or a single optimiser on the roof that has stopped talking.

What an owner can safely do:

• read the screen or the app and write down the error code and the date
• check that the solar main switch in the switchboard has not tripped
• check that your internet is working, since a lost connection only stops the reporting, not the power
• follow the shutdown and restart steps printed on the label on the inverter, once

Leave it there. Do not remove covers, and do not touch the wiring or anything on the roof. A SolarEdge system holds the roof cabling at a low voltage when the inverter is off, but that safety feature depends on every part working, and a faulty system is the one time you cannot be sure it is. Everything past the label is a job for a licensed electrician.

Is a failed SolarEdge inverter still covered by warranty?

Usually yes. The standard SolarEdge inverter warranty has been 12 years, and some owners paid to extend it to 20 or 25. The optimisers carry 25 years. SolarEdge has told installers that eligible products stay covered after it leaves.

The claim goes like this:

• Ring the business that sold you the system. Under Australian Consumer Law they are responsible, whatever SolarEdge does. A good installer will test the system, lodge the claim and fit the replacement.
• If that business has closed, go to SolarEdge. It lists 1800 465 567 and customercareaustralia@solaredge.com for Australian owners. From late 2026 those lines are answered by its International Tech Centre.
• Have the facts ready. The inverter serial number, the error code, the install date, your invoice, and any earlier case numbers.
• Ask who pays for the labour before anyone starts. A product warranty covers the part. Who pays the electrician to swap it is a separate question, and the answer should be in writing.

SolarEdge's Australian website says it generally ships a replacement within 48 hours once a claim is approved. We do not yet know whether that holds now that the local team has gone. If your claim drags, put your complaint to the seller in writing and ring Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 558 181.

What if the inverter is out of warranty?

Then you are buying an inverter, and the choice is between staying with SolarEdge and leaving it.

Another SolarEdge inverter. This is the simplest swap, because the optimisers on the roof stay where they are. The catch is supply. SolarEdge takes its last Australian orders on 20 November 2026 and delivers the last of them by 18 December 2026. After that, what is in the country is what wholesalers have on the shelf. SolarEdge has also said it will stop renewing its product certifications. Networks only let approved inverters be connected, so ask your electrician to confirm the model is still on the Clean Energy Council's approved list on the day it goes in.

A different brand of inverter. This is where SolarEdge differs from most systems. The optimisers under each panel only talk to a SolarEdge inverter. Without one they hold each panel at about one volt, so another maker's inverter would see nothing to work with. Moving to another brand means lifting the panels, taking every optimiser off, and rewiring the panels into strings the new inverter can use. That is roof work on top of the inverter swap, and the design has to be checked: SolarEdge systems were often sold for roofs with shade or panels facing several ways, and a plain string inverter needs that thought through again.

A new system. If the system is getting old, think about where the labour is going. Taking the optimisers off means lifting every panel, which is a good part of the work of fitting new ones. Modern panels make far more power from the same roof space, so it is worth asking for both prices before you decide.

Can I keep my panels if I change inverter brand?

In most cases, yes. The panels are ordinary solar panels and do not care which inverter they feed. What has to be checked is their age and condition, whether they suit the voltage range of the new inverter once they are wired in strings, and whether shade on part of the roof will drag down the rest. Where shade is the problem, optimisers from a maker that works with other inverters can go on just the shaded panels.

Should I replace a working SolarEdge system before it fails?

No. A working inverter with years of warranty left is worth more than the worry. The time to make a decision is when a fault appears, or when you are changing the system anyway, for example to add a battery. If that is what you are planning, read our guide to adding a battery to a SolarEdge system first, because the battery choice can settle the inverter question for you.

What about a single failed optimiser?

A failed optimiser takes out one panel, not the system, and the app shows you which one. Optimisers carry a 25 year warranty, so it is a warranty claim through the same path as the inverter. The part is small, but someone has to go on the roof and lift a panel to change it, so ask about the labour here too.

Getting it looked at

We are Trentham Energy, licensed electricians and solar installers based in Trentham. We work across Central Victoria and the Macedon Ranges, and we have installed SolarEdge ourselves. If we put your system in, ring us and we will run the claim. If your installer has closed, send us a photo of the inverter label, the error code and what the app shows, and we will tell you plainly whether it looks like a warranty claim, a repair or a replacement: get in touch.

The background to all of this is in our article on SolarEdge leaving Australia.

Questions

How long is the warranty on a SolarEdge inverter?

The standard warranty has been 12 years, with paid extensions to 20 or 25 years. Optimisers carry 25 years. Your own documents are the final word, and SolarEdge's website has a warranty check by serial number.

Can I use SolarEdge optimisers with a Fronius, Sungrow or GoodWe inverter?

No. SolarEdge optimisers only work with a SolarEdge inverter. Changing brand means removing them.

Who pays to replace a SolarEdge inverter under warranty?

The warranty covers the product. Labour depends on the warranty terms and on what the business that sold you the system agreed to, so ask before work starts and get the answer in writing.

Can I still buy a SolarEdge inverter in Australia?

For now, from stock already in the country. SolarEdge's final orders close on 20 November 2026. Check the model is still on the approved list before it is installed.