Client Corner

We currently do not offer monitoring services. However, we do give you the tools to monitor your system independently, giving you full insight into its performance at any time, day or night.

We will send reminders throughout the year to help you ensure that you are monitoring and maintaining your system properly.

Please call 1-800-SUNPOWER and provide them with your address and current e-mail address. They will send you a link with instructions.

You can use the graphs to see how much energy your solar power system produces.

• Energy graph: The energy graph shows how much electricity your system produces over a period of time (measured in kWh or thousands of watt hours). Energy is useful for analyzing the effectiveness of your system, especially over time.
• Power graph: The power graph shows the rate at which your system is converting sunlight into electricity at a specific point in time (measured in kW or thousands of watts). Power is useful when you’re trying to analyze short-term variations in performance due to temporary external factors like weather changes.

1. Check out the green bars to see how much energy your solar power system produces.
2. Hover over any point on the graph to get detailed energy information for a specific date and time.
3. Change the dates and times of the graph.
4. Switch between Energy and Power graphs to see the details of your solar system in action.
5. Download your energy data for analysis offline.

The energy graph shows how much electricity your system is producing over a period of time (measured in kWh or thousands of watt hours). The power graph shows the rate at which your system is converting sunlight into electricity at a specific point in time (measured in kW or thousands of watts).

Generally speaking, energy is more useful than power for analyzing the effectiveness of your system, especially over time. Power helps when you’re trying to analyze short-term variations in performance due to temporary external factors like weather changes.

To download the current graph and time setting you are viewing, click “download ” at the upper right of your graph. Data is saved to your computer as a “.csv” file that you can then view and use in a spreadsheet program like Excel or Numbers.

When you download energy data, the data included depends on the time period you are viewing in the graph:

• 1 to 31 days = hour intervals
• 32 or more days = day intervals

When you download power data, the data included depends on the time period you are viewing in the graph:

• 1 day = minute intervals
• 2 days or more = hour intervals

You can also set up a report to be delivered monthly via email as a PDF.

Note: This process may differ slightly depending on platform and its state of development. Please call the service department at 516-837-3459 for assistance.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard or Settings.
2. Click or tap the gear icon in the header of My Reports and turn reports on.
3. Select the date each month when you’d like to receive your report.
4. Enter additional emails where you’d like to send your report.
5. Once you configure your report, SunPower will send it to you every month via email as a PDF attachment.
6. You can also download your currently graphed energy data.

While inverter performance is important (on its own and as a warning sign of other issues), it is only one of many factors influencing the performance of a solar system. Looking at one or two of these factors in isolation can be misleading, just as calculating fuel efficiency can be misleading without considering traffic conditions, load, route variation, pavement type, driving style, season, tire pressure, and so on.

If there is an issue with your system, an alert bar appears at the top of the screen. Click the alert text or the icon on the left for details regarding the issue and for troubleshooting instructions. If you see an alert bar at the top of the screen, click the alert text or the icon on the left for details regarding the issue and for troubleshooting instructions.

Energy production is expressed in kilowatt hours (kWh) and refers to the amount of energy that your system actually produces.

Power production is discussed in terms of kilowatts (kW) and refers to the maximum output that a solar system can produce under 100% ideal conditions. Peak power production is determined by Standard Test Conditions (STC).

Standardized conditions usually occur for just a few minutes each year, and the power of your array will be affected the following factors:

• Temperature
• Manufacturer tolerance
• Dirt

When sizing your system, we considered all of the factors above, as well as a few others, to ensure that your panels would meet your home energy needs. While your system will produce different amounts of energy each year depending on available sunlight, it will generally remain consistent so you don’t have to worry!

Energy production (kWh) is the most important benchmark of performance. It’s important to consider the kWh your system produces over the year, so please be sure to monitor your system weekly.

You can read more about system ratings and real world expectations here.

You might get this alert because your home Internet network isn’t working. It’s also possible that your monitoring equipment is not connected or functioning correctly. The good news is that your solar system is most likely operating normally.  However, you’ll need to reestablish a connection to verify this and to update your energy charts with any missing information. 

Please follow these troubleshooting steps to reestablish your connection:

1. Check your Internet connection  
2. Make sure you can get online at home using your home Internet network. If you can’t get online at home, disconnect your router cables and reconnect after 10 seconds. Wait 15 minutes, refresh your browser, and sign into https://login.mysunpower.com or https://monitor.us.sunpower.com
3. If you still can’t get online, please contact your Internet service provider (such as AT&T or Verizon).

If you have a “Ethernet Over Powerline Adapter” located near your router make sure that:  

1. It’s plugged directly into a wall outlet (not power strip or surge protector)
2. It’s connected to your router by an Ethernet cable 
3. All three lights are lit (either solid or blinking)
4. Wait 15 minutes, refresh your browser, and sign into https://login.mysunpower.com or https://monitor.us.sunpower.com
5. If you still can’t see your energy information, please contact us. 

If you don’t have a  “Ethernet Over Powerline Adapter”:

1. Make sure an Ethernet cable connects your SunPower monitoring enclosure (mounted in your garage or on the side of your home) to your router. Wait 15 minutes, refresh your browser, and sign into https://login.mysunpower.com or https://monitor.us.sunpower.com
2. If you still can’t see your energy information, please contact us. 

You might get this alert because your home Internet network isn’t working. It’s also possible that your monitoring equipment is not connected or functioning correctly. The good news is that your solar system is most likely operating normally. However, you’ll need to reestablish a connection to verify this and to update your energy charts with any missing information.

Please follow these troubleshooting steps to reestablish your connection:

1. Check your Internet connection
2. Make sure you can get online at home using your home Internet network. If you can’t get online at home, disconnect your router cables and reconnect after 10 seconds. Wait 15 minutes, refresh your browser, and sign into https://monitor.us.sunpower.com.
3. If you still can’t get online, please contact your Internet service provider (such as AT&T or Verizon).

If you have a “Ethernet Over Powerline Adapter” located near your router make sure that:

1. It’s plugged directly into a wall outlet (not power strip or surge protector)
2. It’s connected to your router by an Ethernet cable
3. All three lights are lit (either solid or blinking)
4. Wait 15 minutes, refresh your browser, and sign into https://monitor.us.sunpower.com. If you still can’t see your energy information, please contact us.

If you don’t have a “Ethernet Over Powerline Adapter”:

1. Make sure an Ethernet cable connects your SunPower monitoring enclosure (mounted in your garage or on the side of your home) to your router. Wait 15 minutes, refresh your browser, and sign into https://monitor.us.sunpower.com.
2. If you still can’t see your energy information, please contact us.

If you have a SunPower system, there is not currently an option to receive error alerts if there is an internet outage or other issue with your system. We suggest you check on your system regularly – at least once a month to make sure that your system is working as expected. However, SunPower has enabled monthly reporting which allows you to receive an email recap of how much energy your system produced over the course of the month. Here are instructions to set that up:

Steps to setting up SunPower Monitoring Reports

1. Log in at https://login.mysunpower.com or https://monitor.us.sunpower.com
2. Select the “Settings” menu option
3. Navigate to “my reports” section and select “turn on”
4. Select “turn on reports now” and choose your preferred settings – date and email
5. Click “update” to save

There are a few ways to determine if you have a net meter installed on your home.

• Does your meter have a “net meter” sticker on it? See example here.
• Is the meter number different from what was on your old electric bill?
• Are the kWh readings significantly different or lower than your pre-solar electric bill? Shortly after installation your meter reading should be +/- 100 kWh compared to what was listed on your old electric bill.

The energy production of solar energy systems varies according to the time of year. Due to the amount and intensity of sunlight, a system will produce much more power in June than in December. Additionally, the electric usage of most homeowners varies according to the time of year. Most homeowners will use more electricity in August than April due to air conditioning, pools, etc.

Because of these two factors, a solar energy system will rarely produce the exact amount of electricity that a homeowner uses in any given month. To compensate for this, your utility gives each solar client an “Energy Credit Bank.” The bank is shown on your bill and stores extra credits during months of high production/low usage and uses them in months of high usage/low production.

You can note the direction of power flow by looking at your newly installed Net Meter. A series of indicator bars will move across the screen from left to right to indicate power is being purchased. Movement from right to left indicates you are sending credits back to the utility. The speed at which these bars move indicates how much power is being exchanged at that time.

If your system was installed before 2018, you have a “net meter anniversary date” in which the utility will cancel out any credits you have built up and give you a check or monetary credit value for them.

If your system was installed during 2018 or 2019, you are permitted to rollover your credits month to month for a period of 20 years from your installation date. After that, you will be entered into whatever the net metering program is at the future date.

If you require additional assistance, please contact us at feedback@empower-solar.com or 516-837-3459.

Let’s get your home set up with a battery system! Contact service@empower-solar.com to add a Tesla Powerwall to your existing system.

Please contact service@empower-solar.com or call 516-837-3459 x3. If urgent, please email feedback@empower-solar.com.

You can begin by power cycling the inverter, or trying the “test” and “reset” buttons. For more information on using your daytime power supply, please refer to this document.