# McKnight Solar Diagnostics

> Expert Diagnostics. Reliable Solar & Battery Repair.


## Posts

- [CT Issues in Solar & Battery Systems: How Common Are They?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/ct-issues-solar-battery-systems/): Incorrect CT readings can distort solar monitoring and affect battery operation. Learn why these errors happen, what symptoms to watch for, and how to check your system.
- [SolarEdge Battery Modes Explained: Which Setting Is Right for Your Home?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solaredge-battery-modes-explained/): SolarEdge battery modes affect when your battery charges, powers your home, or saves energy for an outage. Learn how the main settings work and what Sacramento-area homeowners should check before changing them.
- [Solar Inspection vs. Solar Appraisal: What’s the Difference?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-inspection-vs-solar-appraisal/): A solar inspection evaluates a system’s equipment, condition, and performance. A solar appraisal considers how that system affects the property’s market value. Learn why buyers and sellers may need both during a real estate transaction.
- [Winter Solar Production in Sacramento: Will Your PG&E Bill Go Up?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/winter-solar-production-sacramento/): Solar production naturally drops during Sacramento winters, but how much is normal? Learn why winter affects solar output, how it can impact your PG&E bill and True-Up, and when lower production may indicate an actual system problem.
- [Solar CTs in Residential Solar & Battery Systems: Verification Steps for Sacramento Homeowners](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-cts-verification-sacramento/): Solar CTs play a critical role in measuring production, home consumption, grid import/export, and battery behavior. Learn the basic verification steps Sacramento homeowners can use to spot incorrect CT readings—and when the problem requires professional testing.
- [Why Did My PG&E Solar True-Up Bill Suddenly Increase](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/pge-solar-true-up-bill-increase/): If your PG&E solar True-Up bill suddenly increased, something in your solar production, electricity use, rate plan, or usage timing may have changed. Here's how to narrow down the cause.
- [NEM 2.0 vs. NEM 3.0: How to Tell Which Solar Plan You Have in California](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/nem-2-vs-nem-3-which-solar-plan-do-i-have/): NEM 2.0 or NEM 3.0? Learn how to identify which California solar billing plan you have using your PG&E bill, interconnection date, PTO documents and utility rate—and why Sacramento-area SMUD customers are different.
- [Should You Repair a Broken Solar System Before Selling in Sacramento](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/repair-broken-solar-system-before-selling/): Should you repair a broken solar system before selling your Sacramento home? Learn when repair makes sense, when it may not, and why getting the system properly diagnosed before listing can prevent surprises during escrow.
- [Solar Inverter Replacement Sacramento: Can a New Inverter Be Installed on an Older Solar System?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-inverter-replacement-sacramento-older-system/): A failed inverter does not necessarily mean an older solar system needs to be replaced. Learn what determines whether a modern inverter can work with existing solar panels, optimizers, wiring, monitoring, and battery equipment.
- [Do Home Inspectors Perform a Solar System Inspection? What Sacramento Buyers Should Know](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/home-inspector-solar-system-inspection/): A standard home inspection may identify obvious solar issues, but it usually isn't a complete solar system inspection. Here's what Sacramento home buyers should know before assuming their PV or battery system has been fully evaluated.
- [Solar Inverter Lifespan in Sacramento: How Long Do They Last in the Heat](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-inverter-lifespan-in-sacramento/): Solar inverters generally do not last as long as solar panels, and Sacramento's summer heat can add additional stress. Here's what local homeowners should know about inverter lifespan, thermal derating and the signs of a failing inverter.
- [SunPower Bankruptcy: What Sacramento Solar Owners Should Do](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/sunpower-bankruptcy-sacramento-solar-owners/): SunPower’s bankruptcy left many Sacramento solar owners unsure who handles their monitoring, warranty, and repairs. Here’s how to identify who supports your system now and what to do if it stops producing.
- [How to Read a PG&E Bill When You Have Solar](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/how-to-read-pge-solar-bill/): Understanding a PG&E bill with solar can be confusing. Learn what grid imports, solar exports, energy credits and your True-Up balance actually mean—and which numbers can help identify a solar performance problem.
- [Buying a House With a Tesla Powerwall: What Should You Check Before Closing?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/buying-house-with-tesla-powerwall/): Buying a house with a Tesla Powerwall? Here’s what to check before closing, including system operation, backup capability, ownership transfer, solar performance and installation quality.
- [Why Is My Solar System Importing Power From the Grid During the Day?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-system-importing-power-from-the-grid/): Why is your solar system importing power from the grid during the day? Learn when daytime grid usage is normal and when it may indicate underproduction, failed equipment, battery settings or incorrect monitoring.
- [The Hidden Problems Found During Real Estate Solar Inspections](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/real-estate-solar-inspections-hidden-problems/): A solar system can be producing while still having missing equipment, failed components, unsafe connections, monitoring errors, or years of underperformance. Learn what real estate solar inspections can uncover before a Sacramento property changes hands.
- [Solar Inverter Replacement: DIY or Hire a Professional?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-inverter-replacement-diy/): Can you replace a solar inverter yourself? Learn what the job involves, how to safely de-energize the system, what tools are required, and when professional inverter service is the better choice. The phrase solar inverter replacement is the strongest primary target because it closely matches the article’s subject while also carrying more service-related intent than a purely informational phrase such as “can I replace my solar inverter myself.” It also gives you room to rank for related DIY, repair, safety, and professional-service searches
- [Seven Solar Problems That Commonly Get Missed During a Home Inspection](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-problems-missed-during-home-inspection/): A solar system can look normal while panels are offline, monitoring is disconnected, or production is well below expectations. Here are seven solar problems that commonly get missed during a standard home inspection. 
- [PG&E Solar True-Up Explained: A Sacramento Homeowner’s Guide](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/pge-solar-true-up-explained-sacramento/): Confused by your PG&E solar true-up bill? This Sacramento homeowner’s guide explains how annual solar billing works, why true-up balances can be unexpectedly high, and what to check before assuming your solar system is the problem.
- [Solar System Inspection Cost in Sacramento: What Should Be Included?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-system-inspection-cost-sacramento/): Solar inspection prices can vary widely depending on what is actually included. Here is what Sacramento homeowners, buyers and real estate professionals should expect from a proper solar system inspection.
- [NEM 3.0 for Residential Solar & Battery Systems in Sacramento. What Is It and How Does It Affect My Electric Bill?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/nem-3-0-sacramento-electric-bill/): NEM 3.0 changed how many California homeowners are credited for excess solar energy, but the rules differ between PG&E and SMUD customers. Learn how solar production, battery storage, export credits and time-of-use rates can affect your electric bill in the Sacramento area.
- [Orphaned Solar Systems: What Happens When Your Installer Disappears](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/orphaned-solar-systems-installer-disappears/): Orphaned Solar Systems: What Happens When Your Installer Disappears? Solar panels are designed to operate for decades, but the company that installed them may not last nearly as long. Across the Sacramento region, many homeowners are discovering that their original solar installer has gone out of business, stopped servicing older systems, or simply no longer answers the phone. When that happens, the solar system is often described as an orphaned solar system. The equipment may still be installed and producing power, but the homeowner no longer has the company that designed, commissioned, monitored, or serviced it. That can create confusion when […]
- [CT's in Residential Solar & Battery Systems: Diagnostic Steps for Electricians](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/ct-diagnostic-steps-for-electricians/): CT’s in Residential Solar & Battery Systems: Diagnostic Steps for Electricians Current transformers, usually called CT’s, are one of the most important and most overlooked parts of a residential solar or battery system. When they are installed correctly, they let the inverter, battery, gateway, or monitoring platform understand what is happening at the service, solar production, battery output, backup loads, and sometimes additional generation sources. When they are installed incorrectly, the whole system can look confused. You may see negative solar production, battery charging when it should be discharging, import/export numbers that do not match the utility meter, flickering or erratic […]
- [Basic Troubleshooting of Solaredge Inverters and Battery Systems](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/basic-troubleshooting-of-solaredge-inverters/): Basic Troubleshooting of SolarEdge Inverters and Battery Systems SolarEdge systems are common throughout the Sacramento area, and when they are working properly, they usually do a good job of giving homeowners visibility into solar production, battery status, and system alerts. But when something goes wrong, the app does not always tell the whole story. If your SolarEdge inverter is showing an error, your battery is not charging, your monitoring has gone offline, or your electric bill is still higher than expected, there are a few basic things you can check before assuming the worst. Some issues are simple communication problems. Others […]
- [Solar System Not Producing? 7 Common Causes in Sacramento Homes](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-system-not-producing-7-common-causes-in-sacramento-homes/): Solar System Not Producing? 7 Common Causes in Sacramento Homes There’s nothing quite as frustrating as opening your monitoring app on a sunny Sacramento afternoon only to discover your solar system isn’t producing any power. Whether production suddenly dropped to zero or gradually declined over time, the good news is that many solar failures follow predictable patterns. As someone who diagnoses residential solar systems throughout the Sacramento region, I’ve seen the same issues come up time and time again. While some problems require professional troubleshooting, understanding the most common causes can help you identify what’s happening before scheduling service. 1. Your […]
- [The Most Important Part of Your Solar System You've Never Heard Of: Current Transformers Explained](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/current-transformers-explained/): The Most Important Part of Your Solar & Battery System You’ve Probably Never Heard Of If your solar or battery system isn’t performing the way it should, the problem may not be your panels, inverter, or battery. It could be something much smaller: Current Transformers (CTs). CT issues are one of the most common causes of poor performance, inaccurate monitoring, unexpected utility bills, and batteries that don’t behave the way homeowners expect. The surprising part? Most homeowners have never even heard of them. What Is a Current Transformer (CT)? A Current Transformer is a sensor that measures the flow of electricity […]
- [Sacramento Solar Repair: When to Repair, Replace, or Upgrade](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/sacramento-solar-repair-when-to-repair-replace-or-upgrade/): If your solar system isn’t performing the way it used to, you’re probably wondering whether it makes sense to repair it, replace equipment, or invest in an upgrade. As someone who spends a lot of time troubleshooting solar and battery systems throughout the Sacramento region, I’ve found that many homeowners are told they need a complete replacement when the actual problem is much smaller—and much less expensive.
- [A Homeowner's Guide to Troubleshooting Solaredge Inverters](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/troubleshooting-solaredge-inverters/): A guide for Sacramento area homeowners that covers basic troubleshooting of solar systems with Solaredge brand inverters.  
- [What Is a Solar Performance Inspection and Do You Need One?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/solar-performance-inspection/): What Is a Solar Performance Inspection and Do You Need One? Most homeowners wouldn’t ignore a strange noise coming from their car’s engine. They wouldn’t skip a home inspection before buying a house, either. Yet many solar systems operate for years without anyone ever verifying that they’re producing the amount of energy they were designed to generate. That’s where a solar performance inspection comes in. Your Solar System May Be Working… But Is It Working Well? Solar equipment doesn’t always fail dramatically. More often, performance declines gradually due to equipment faults, communication issues, failed optimizers, shading changes, or system configuration problems. […]
- [Why is my electric bill still high after solar?](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/electric-bill-still-high-after-solar/): Why is my electric bill still high after solar? One of the most common questions I hear from homeowners throughout the Sacramento region is: “Why is my electric bill still so high when I have solar?” Many people assume that once solar panels are installed, their electric bill should disappear. Unfortunately, that’s not always how it works. If you’re seeing unexpectedly high PG&E bills despite having a solar system, there are several possible causes. Your Solar System May Not Be Producing What It Should Solar panels naturally lose a small amount of efficiency over time, but significant drops in production are […]
- [A Realtor's Guide to Selling a Home with Solar in the Sacramento Region](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/selling-a-home-with-solar-2/): REALTOR RESOURCES A Realtor’s Guide to Selling a Home with Solar in the Sacramento Region Solar and battery storage systems are becoming increasingly common throughout the Sacramento region. While they can be valuable selling points, they can also create confusion during a transaction when buyers, sellers, and agents don’t fully understand the equipment. This guide covers the basics every realtor should know. As a solar diagnostic technician working throughout the Sacramento area, I’ve seen solar systems help close deals and I’ve seen them become unexpected obstacles. Most of the issues stem from a lack of information rather than actual problems with […]
- [Selling a Home With Solar? What do I need to know? - Sacramento Solar Inspections...](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/selling-a-home-with-solar/): REAL ESTATE SOLAR Selling a Home with Solar? What Do I Need to Know? – Sacramento Solar Inspections… Solar can be a major selling point, but it can also create questions during a real estate transaction. Here’s what Sacramento-area homeowners, buyers, and realtors should know before a home with solar hits the market. Over the years I’ve seen countless solar systems become the center of confusion during a home sale. Buyers want to know if the system is working. Realtors want to know how to explain it. Sellers often assume everything is fine because the lights are still on. The reality […]
- [Buying a Home with Solar? What to watch out for...](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/buying-a-home-with-solar/): Buying a Home with Solar? What to watch out for… Buying a home with solar? Solar can be a great selling point when purchasing a home, but not all solar systems are created equal. As someone who diagnoses and evaluates residential solar systems throughout the Sacramento area, I’ve seen plenty of situations where buyers assumed everything was working properly—only to discover costly issues after closing. Before purchasing a home with solar in the Sacramento area, here are a few things worth checking. 1. Verify the System Is Actually Producing It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many systems have inverter […]
- [Monitoring Solutions for Orphaned Solar Systems](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/monitoring-solutions-for-orphaned-solar-systems/): Lost access to your solar monitoring? Orphaned systems often go unchecked, costing homeowners money. Learn how modern monitoring solutions can restore visibility and performance.
- [What Is an Orphaned Solar System? | Sacramento Solar Help](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/what-is-an-orphaned-solar-system-sacramento-solar-help/): If you have solar on your home but no one to call when something goes wrong, you may have what’s called an orphaned solar system. This is becoming increasingly common across Sacramento and Northern California, especially as solar companies go out of business or stop servicing older systems. Here’s what that means—and what you can do about it. What Is an Orphaned Solar System? An orphaned solar system is a solar (or solar + battery) installation that no longer has an active company supporting it. That means: The system still exists—but you’re effectively on your own. Why Orphaned Systems Are So […]

## Pages

- [Solar Resources](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/resources/solar-system-guides/): Solar System Guides Explore solar resources by topic. Browse field-informed resources covering solar inspections, troubleshooting and repairs, system performance, optimization and lowering electric bills. Solar Inspections & Real Estate What buyers, sellers, and agents should know before a solar-equipped home changes hands. Solar Troubleshooting & Repair Clear explanations of system faults, monitoring problems, and the diagnostic path to a reliable repair. Solar Performance & Electric Bills Understand production, energy use, utility bills, and why a system may not be meeting expectations.
- [Solar Inverter Repair and Service](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/sacramento-solar-repair/inverter-repair-and-service/): Solar Inverter Repair and Service in Sacramento Solar Inverter Service, Repair & Replacement Is your solar inverter showing an error, repeatedly shutting down, failing to report production, or producing less energy than expected? McKnight Solar Diagnostics provides independent solar inverter troubleshooting, fault analysis, and repair support for homeowners throughout the greater Sacramento area. We focus on finding the actual cause of the problem before recommending replacement. No solar sales pitch. No automatic assumption that you need an entirely new system. Just careful diagnostics and practical next steps. Request Inverter Service View Diagnostic Services Common Inverter Problems We Diagnose Inverter fault codes […]
- [Solar Inspection Sample Report](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/inspections/sample-report/): Solar & Battery System Inspection for Real Estate – Sample Report
- [Real Estate Inspections](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/inspections/real-estate-inspection/): Inspection Service for Real Estate Transactions
- [Contact](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/contact/): Contact McKnight Solar Diagnostics Independent Sacramento Solar Expert +1 (916) 524-9640 ryan.mcknight@mcknightsolardiagnostics.com
- [Services](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/): Editable services page draft based on the clean visual design, rebuilt with Gutenberg-friendly sections for easier manual editing.
- [About](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/about/): Clean rebuild draft for the About page using a simpler, controlled structure to avoid editor/preview layout conflicts.
- [Solar Diagnostics and Repair](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/sacramento-solar-repair/): When a solar or battery system isn’t performing as expected, guessing costs time and money. This service is built to identify exactly what’s wrong, why it’s happening, and what to do next—whether the issue is obvious or buried deep in system behavior. From intermittent production drops to complete system failure, every diagnostic is approached methodically and documented clearly. Comprehensive Solar Repair and diagnostic service for the Sacramento Area We evaluate all major components and system interactions, including: A Structured, Data-Driven Approach to Solar Repair Throughout Sacramento Initial Solar and Battery System Inspection Review system history, known issues, and available monitoring data. […]
- [Inspections](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/inspections/): What You’ll Receive Clear, professional documentation of system condition, performance, and risk—built for homeowners, buyers, and real estate professionals. Each report is structured to give you clarity—not just raw data. Click here for FULL SAMPLE REPORT Built for Real Estate Transactions Solar systems can complicate a deal fast—especially when no one involved fully understands them. This service is designed to give buyers, sellers, and agents confidence: If a system is underperforming, partially offline, or unsupported (“orphaned”), you’ll know before it becomes your problem. Avoid Costly Surprises A system that “looks fine” isn’t always working properly. Common issues we uncover: Without a […]
- [Monitoring](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/solar-monitoring-in-sacramento/): Solar Monitoring in sacramento Lost access to your solar monitoring platform? System no longer reporting? You’re not alone. Many homeowners are left in the dark when installers go out of business, apps stop working, or legacy systems lose support. Without monitoring, there’s no way to know if your system is producing what it should—or silently underperforming. We install independent monitoring solutions that bring your system back into view. What this service solves What We Provide Independent Monitoring Installation We install third-party monitoring hardware that works alongside your existing system—no dependence on the original installer or platform. Real-Time Production Tracking View system […]
- [Solar & Battery System Optimization](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/services/optimization/): Are your utility Bills higher than they should be after installing Solar? You invested in solar to reduce your energy costs—but many systems underperform without the homeowner ever realizing it.Production losses, poor system configuration, and bad usage habits can quietly eat away at your savings. Most homeowners never get a clear answer to one simple question: “Is my system performing the way it should?” Common Issues We Find Most systems we evaluate have at least one of these: This service is a strong fit if: You want to verify system performance before selling Your electric bills seem too high Your installer […]
- [Resources](https://mcknightsolardiagnostics.com/resources/): Solar Diagnostics and Repair Resources This resource hub covers common solar diagnostics and repair topics including battery issues, underperforming systems, lost monitoring access, solar inspections for real estate and troubleshooting steps. Whether you’re a homeowner, home buyer or seller, these guides are designed to help you understand your system and make informed decisions. Articles by Category Latest Posts

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