Commissioning is the stage between ‘installed’ and ‘complete’. It is where the system is proven safe, configured correctly and documented, and it is the part customers rarely see.
Testing the array
Before the inverter is switched on, each string is tested. Checks typically include polarity, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current and insulation resistance, confirming the wiring is correct and the cabling is undamaged. AS/NZS 5033 covers installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic arrays.
Configuring the inverter
The inverter is set to the grid settings required for the connection, along with any export limit. Hybrid systems also need battery limits, charging behaviour and backup circuits configured.
Proving the system
- Isolation points operate and are labelled
- The inverter starts, synchronises and exports as configured
- The battery charges and discharges as intended
- Backup circuits transfer correctly during a simulated outage
Monitoring and handover
Monitoring is connected so generation, consumption and battery state can be seen from day one. Handover should cover how to isolate the system, what the indicators mean and what to do if something looks wrong.
Records
The electrical work is certified and the system details recorded for your file and, where required, for the network. Keep these records, they matter for future work, insurance and when selling the property.
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