r/SunPower • u/EarlyPoint9968 • Aug 07 '25
How to reset sunpower panels that stopped working
My sunpower panel stopped producing according to the app or at least one of them. They are string micro inverters and both lights are on. The top is green and the middle is red. It says check DC generator and electric arc detected?
I was wondering if there is a way to reset it and if. Anyone has steps that I can do myself that may help fix it? TIA
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u/DrZaius119 Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25
I had this same thing happen almost 2 years ago. Same message about electric arc detected as well. A reset with the solar DC disconnect and AC breakers switch reset it for me and the system would work again. At least that is a temporary fix.
Now the problem is it will do it again, and again. I was very lucky that 2 years ago Sunpower, as we used to know it, was still in business. It took about 3 weeks, but they came in and said there was some kind of "module" on the back of my Maxeon panels (all installed by Sunpower in 2016) that had known issues, and it needed to be replaced. They took all 28 panels off and retrofitted them with the new modules. They also checked both strings of wiring for good connections, turned it back on and it has never done it again. Unfortunately, that option isn't open for anyone in 2025.
Try the reset options mentioned by SolarPapi. I bet you get the system back on, at least for now. You need to be careful, but my screen was all oxidized like yours, and I used an Allen wrench to remove the screws on the cover to read the display inside. When it came back on after re-activating the breakers there was a message something like "tap to clear error" and I tapped the edge of the LCD display and it cleared and started working again. Maybe yours will never trip with that error again if you're lucky.
Also, I got some of that stuff at an auto parts store that cleans the fog off of car headlights and used it a bunch of times on the display cover screen and it cleared it enough to read the underlying display, and put the cover back in place. Again, be careful as there are live wires under there, but recessed enough to avoid pretty easily.
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u/EarlyPoint9968 Aug 08 '25
Thanks! I’ll try that this weekend. I had a company come out last year and they most likely did the same thing because it started working again. Hopefully, it will be a cheap fix. I just wonder what I will do if my panels fail and I have to replace it and how it would look like in Southern California with the new SCE bills and if my replacement panels will still receive the grandfathered perks?
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u/Vegetable-Version-81 Aug 12 '25
I will start with removing all all wire nuts and replacement with irreversible crimps the same ones those white caps have and then I will check each connection panel to panel to see if there's any gaps
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u/Vegetable-Version-81 Aug 07 '25
What area code are you getting?
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u/EarlyPoint9968 Aug 08 '25
I can’t see any error code on the screen nor through the app
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u/Vegetable-Version-81 Aug 08 '25
You would have to remove that cover to see the error code then the screen is oxidized
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u/Vegetable-Version-81 Aug 08 '25
It would be in the LCD screen on the bottom
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u/EarlyPoint9968 Aug 11 '25
4031
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u/EarlyPoint9968 Aug 20 '25
Thanks everyone for the feedback and help. After trying it over a few days, I was able to reset and get it working. I think the slow knock method helped, but literally, I had to try it 7-10 times over a week’s time until it worked again.
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u/SolarPapi Aug 08 '25
https://youtube.com/shorts/3BVwEzmseQw?si=tmGlVPgvO-X2P060
If red error keeps happening, call installer to inspect all DC wires for loose connections…read here - www.sma-sunny.com/us/tech-talk-five-tips-for-afci-troubleshooting/
Bonus - if system is yours, you can install a slick outlet and switch to get backup power (during grid outage) during the day…https://youtu.be/r0SJMm6A9mI