Five monsoon checks that protect your solar investment

Earthing, cable glands and drain paths: a 20-minute walk-round before the rains saves expensive repairs later.

Monsoon is when installation shortcuts show up. Before the first heavy rain, walk your terrace with this list.

1. Earthing pits Pour a bucket of water into each earthing pit and check that its cover is intact.

2. Cable glands and conduits Look for cracked conduits and gaps where cables enter the inverter.

3. Drain paths Make sure structure legs are not blocking the terrace drains.

4. Lightning arrester Check its down-conductor is still firmly clamped.

5. App alerts Turn on low-generation alerts so you hear about a tripped inverter the same day.