How to Prepare Your Solar System Before a Storm or Heavy Rain Event in Singapore

Singapore's Weather and Your Solar System

Solar panels are engineered to withstand tropical weather — including heavy rain, strong winds, and high humidity. A well-installed Sunollo system will handle the vast majority of Singapore's weather events without any action from you.

However, during Sumatra squalls (sudden intense storms), monsoon season heavy downpours, or any weather advisory issued by the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS), taking a few precautions can prevent unnecessary system trips and give you peace of mind.

Before the Storm: Quick Preparation Checklist

1. Clear the Roof of Loose Objects

Your solar panels are fixed and safe. The risk during high winds is from other objects on your roof — satellite dishes with loose mounts, potted plants, stored items — that could blow into panels and cause physical damage. If you can safely access your roof, secure or remove loose objects.

Do not climb on your roof during wet or windy conditions.

2. Check Your Switchboard — Know Where the Solar Breakers Are

Before the storm, identify your solar RCCB and AC/DC isolators so you can act quickly if you need to shut the system down. See the guide: Step-by-Step: How to Reset Your Solar System After an RCCB Trip.

3. Should You Turn Off Your System Before a Storm?

In most cases, no. Modern solar inverters and panels are designed and certified to handle Singapore's tropical storms. Turning off and restarting the system unnecessarily introduces more risk than leaving it running. The system's built-in protection will automatically shut down if it detects any unsafe condition.

Exception: If MSS has issued a Severe Weather Warning or if you are in the direct path of an exceptionally rare strong tropical storm, you may choose to switch off your system as an extra precaution. To do so: turn the AC isolator off, then the DC isolator off.

4. Secure Your Monitoring

Note your current monitoring app status before the storm — particularly today's yield and system status. This gives you a baseline to compare post-storm. If the system goes offline during the storm (due to RCCB trip or grid outage), you will be able to confirm recovery quickly.

During the Storm: Do Nothing

Stay indoors and away from electrical equipment. Do not attempt to check on your panels, reset breakers, or inspect your roof. If your power cuts out during the storm, this may be a grid outage — wait for SP Group to restore power before troubleshooting your solar system.

Post-Storm Checks (After the Weather Has Fully Cleared)

1. Visual Inspection from the Ground

Walk around your home and look up at your roof from a safe distance:

Are all panels visibly in place with no obvious displacement or cracking?
Is there any debris (branches, tiles) resting on the panels?
Are the mounting rails and clamps still secure (look for any panels sitting at odd angles)?

If you see any physical damage or displaced panels, do not restart the system — contact Sunollo for an inspection.

2. Check the Monitoring App

Once the weather has cleared and the sun is back, open your monitoring app:

Is the system back online and generating?
Is production consistent with the current sunlight level?
Are there any active fault alerts?

3. Check the Switchboard

If the system has not automatically restarted after 15 minutes of sunny weather, check whether the RCCB tripped during the storm and reset it if necessary (following the step-by-step guide).

4. Schedule a Post-Storm Clean if Needed

Heavy rain can actually clean your panels — a good storm often removes accumulated dust and haze. However, if leaves, dirt, or debris have settled on your panels, schedule a cleaning within 2–4 weeks.

When to Call Sunollo After a Storm

Visible physical damage to panels, mounts, or wiring
System fails to restart after the grid is restored and weather has cleared
RCCB trips repeatedly after the storm
Monitoring app shows significantly lower output than before the storm on clear post-storm days