When using an off-grid solar installation or even a grid-tie inverter installation, in some cases, the LED lights in your house or cabin may flicker.
Not only can you find this irritating, but it can also lead to frustration because stopping the flicker is not always straightforward.
After all, it is not your typical fault, when all the lights stop working but rather one when some appliances work and others not so well making it a more difficult fix.
If you find yourself in this situation and need guidance on possible causes of flickering and what you can do to stop the flicker then read on.
Can Solar Panels Make Lights Flicker?
Many causes of flickering lights are usually associated and can be traced to problems with the wire connection, the inverter, or the type or quality of the LEDs connected to the inverter.
Why your Lights may Flicker after a Solar Installation
If the house or cabin LED lights flicker, it may be because of the following:
#1. Type of LED bulb used. Some types of LED bulbs are more susceptible to flicker as a result of voltage fluctuation.
Check if all the bulbs connected to the installation are of the same type or different and if they all flicker. If different, and only some flicker or all lights flicker then consider replacing the light bulbs with a reputable brand.
Check if this clears the flicker. Do the lights have dimmer controls? Some inverters struggle to supply a consistent power output to lights with dimmer switches.
You may have to experiment with newer dimmer switches from a reputable brand to see if this clears the problem.
#2. Appliances with a high surge power draw may be connected to the inverter. Check if there are inductive appliances such as a water pump or a fridge whose initial power draw can be substantial.
One possible cause is that the initial power surge results in the battery voltage dropping momentarily, causing the lights to dim before they stabilize hence the flicker.
Check and confirm if it only happens when appliances with a high initial power draw are switched on.
#3. Solar system inverter might be in energy saver, search, or eco mode and requires a certain minimum appliance load for its power output to be steady.
Some inverters have an energy saver mode that detects whether there is an appliance connected to it (at the particular threshold – watts of mA current draw) and only then the inverter is fully switched on.
If the appliance power consumption is close to the energy-saver threshold, the inverter continues sending small pulses intended to detect whether the appliance is switched on or not hence the flicker in the lights.
Do the lights stop flickering when appliances with a higher power draw are connected and switched on? Does the flickering stop if the inverter energy saver mode is switched off?
If so, then this is probably the reason why the lights are flickering. If the inverter has the option to adjust the sensitivity of the detection circuit, change it to a lower settling otherwise contact the manufacturer but in the meantime, you might have to switch off the energy saver mode.
#4. Fault with the wiring or the inverter. Contact the solar system installer to check the inverter or its wiring, especially its ground connection.
Perhaps the inverter voltage output is not “clean” and “noisy?”. This can be determined with an oscilloscope. Contact the system installer or the inverter manufacturer for support.
Closing Thoughts
Light flicker in solar installations is usually a result of the interaction between the inverter and wiring, an issue with the inverter or the type of LED lights used with the inverter or inverter settings, or the power draw by other connected appliances.
If you can, check the above to see if it clears the fault. Also, do not hesitate to contact a professional solar installer.
