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What is anti-islanding protection testing?

Anti-islanding protection is a critical safety component of your solar power installation which prevents your inverter from sending electricity back to the grid during a blackout.

Inverters that keep sending electricity back onto the network during a power outage create a serious safety concern called ‘islanding’. Power that your system produces which travels onto the grid can potentially electrocute people such as electricians who are repairing the network. Islanding also affects the quality of the power supply and can damage appliances and network hardware.

We suggest you carry out an anti-islanding protection test on your inverter every 5 years to make sure your system is working properly. (This is often a compulsory requirement for a lot of energy distributors in the ACT and Victoria.)

How long does an anti-islanding test take and what’s involved?

Anti-islanding tests occur in two stages. First we check that your inverter stops sending electricity to the network within 2 seconds of turning off the mains switch.

Then, when we restore the mains power, we make sure that your inverter doesn’t send any electricity to the network within the first minute of turning it back on.

All up, the test generally takes about 15 to 30 minutes, although it can take longer if we detect a fault in your system.

Can I do the anti-islanding test myself?

Anti-islanding testing should only ever be carried out by qualified electricians as it entails working with live AC and DC voltages. For peace of mind, have an accredited Service My Solar technician test your inverter for you.

What will happen if I don’t book my inverter in to be tested?

Some energy providers insist that you have your system tested as part of their contract. By choosing not to have your inverter tested you may also be risking the lives of the technicians carrying out work on the line.

What happens if my inverter fails the test?

After we have tested your system our technician will give you the results. If they happen to find an issue with your inverter and it doesn’t pass the anti-islanding tests, we will provide an explanation of what repairs are needed. Once your system is back up and running, our technician will carry out fresh anti-islanding tests again to make sure your unit compliant.

Would you like to know more about anti-islanding testing?

If you’d like to learn more about anti-islanding protection testing feel free to contact us. We offer FREE anti-islanding protection tests on all inverters booked in for annual solar power system maintenance. Complete the form below to reserve your free test now: