Townsville solar guide

Solar installation day in Townsville: what to check before, during and after

Solar installation day is easier when the design, access and handover are clear before anyone arrives. For a Townsville home, check the agreed equipment and layout, ask about power interruptions, and understand what still needs to happen with Ergon and your electricity retailer before normal grid-connected operation.

What should be agreed before installation day?

Start with the written proposal, not a verbal description of a package. It should name the panel, inverter and any battery models, show the layout, and explain any switchboard or metering work. If something has changed since you accepted it, ask for the revised detail in writing.

  • Confirm the installation date and who needs to be home.
  • Ask how the team will access the roof, switchboard and equipment location.
  • Check whether the work needs an electricity interruption and what that means for your household.
  • Discuss pets, gates, parking and anything that could make access difficult.
  • Ask what weather or roof conditions could delay the work.

Do not move electrical equipment or climb onto the roof to help prepare. If access is a problem, discuss it with the installer.

What about the switchboard and equipment locations?

A recent switchboard photo helps identify work that may be needed, but it does not replace the electrical checks on site. Ask whether the proposal allows for the upgrades your property needs and how any unexpected issue will be explained before additional work goes ahead.

Confirm the inverter and battery location before they are fitted. Battery placement has safety requirements, including clearances and restrictions around doors, windows and habitable rooms. The installer must check the location against the product instructions and applicable rules. An empty wall is not automatically a suitable battery location.

Can the system export as soon as the panels are fitted?

Do not assume installation and final connection happen at the same time. The Ergon connection requirements and any retailer metering changes must be dealt with. Ask the team what has been approved, what the export limit is, and whether any further metering or commissioning step remains.

Your panel capacity is not the same as your permitted export. A system can use solar in the home while exporting only within its approved limit. Our Ergon solar guide explains the difference.

What should the handover cover?

The handover is your chance to understand what has been installed. Ask questions while the equipment and documents are in front of you.

  1. Equipment and layout: confirm that the installed models match the agreed proposal, or an agreed written change.
  2. Monitoring: ask what the app measures, how to access it and whether it shows household use as well as generation.
  3. Normal operation: ask what the usual indicator lights and app readings look like.
  4. Shutdown instructions: have the installer show you where the system-specific instructions are. Do not rely on a generic online switch sequence.
  5. Documents: ask for the relevant installation, warranty, compliance and connection information, and a support contact.

If a battery is included, will it run the whole house in a blackout?

Only if that is part of the designed and installed backup arrangement. Ask which circuits or phases have backup, the equipment's power limit, and how to manage loads during an outage. Do not assume an air conditioner, oven or EV charger will keep running just because a battery is fitted.

Ask the installer to explain the backup reserve and any internet requirements for monitoring or special operating modes. The right settings depend on your equipment and goals.

What should you check in the first week?

Learn the pattern in the monitoring app rather than judging the system by one cloudy afternoon. Check that you can sign in, that the readings make sense and that any promised household monitoring is present. If you see an error or an unexplained gap, note the time and message and contact the installer. Do not open equipment or attempt electrical repairs.

Planning a system? Start with our solar panel guide or home battery options. Send a recent Ergon bill and a switchboard photo through our contact page so we can discuss your property.

Sources and further reading

Checked 6 November 2026 (Australia/Brisbane). Your installation and product instructions take priority over general guidance.