Do not switch a new solar pump system on and hope. Work through the checks in order — wiring, voltage window, protections, then a watched first run — and most first-day failures never happen, because they are caught as checks, not as faults.
What a First Start-Up Checklist Covers
A first start-up checklist is the ordered list of checks between finishing installation and the first real pumping day: connections, voltages, protections, direction, flow and a recorded baseline.
Why the Checks Come Before the First Run
A wiring mistake, a string outside the MPPT window, or a protection left untested will all show up on the first run, and the cheapest moment to find each one is before the pump is under load. The wiring article sets out the connections; this checklist is the order to verify them.
When to Run the Checklist
Run it at first energisation after installation, and again after any rewire, panel change or pump replacement. A seasonal restart is a shorter version of the same list, as the winterize article sets out.
Where to Check: Three Points of the System
At the three points of the system in turn: the panel array, the inverter cabinet, and the pump and tank, so no point is checked from memory alone.
How to Run the First Start-Up
- Check the wiring against the wiring article: panels to inverter, inverter to pump, and earth connections tight and correct.
- Check the string voltage sits inside the MPPT window, cold morning and hot afternoon, using the MPPT window article’s method; for the QB100-PV 400V three-phase models the window is DC 250-900V, as the 380V article sets out.
- Test dry-run protection and level sensors by hand before the pump runs, as the deep-well checklist advises.
- Confirm pump rotation direction on a short test run, and correct it before the first full run.
- Start at low speed and watch flow and pressure build; compare them with the daily-output article’s expected volume for the sun hours available.
- Watch a full solar day once: the pump should start early, track the light, and slow gracefully in the evening.
- If anything stops or alarms, work through the fault-code article and the won’t-start flow before changing settings.
- Record baseline readings — flow, head and running current — so later faults have something to compare against.
Check and Pass Sign
| Check | Pass sign |
|---|---|
| Wiring | Every connection tight, correct and labelled |
| MPPT window | String voltage inside the window at both extremes |
| Dry-run protection | Tested by hand, pump stops as intended |
| Rotation direction | Correct on a short test run |
| Flow and pressure | Build steadily and match the expected volume |
| Full-day tracking | Speed follows the light, no midday flat spot |
Stop Conditions: Do Not Run On If You See These
| Sign | Action |
|---|---|
| Burning smell, smoke or heat at a connection | Switch off, check the connection before restarting |
| Pump runs dry with protection not stopping it | Switch off, test the protection before any further run |
| Repeated fault codes on start | Work through the fault-code article, do not keep resetting |
| No flow with the pump running | Switch off, check the source level and the suction side first |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a first start-up check take?
Longer than a switch-on, shorter than a repair: a watched first run and a full-day tracking check are the slow parts.
Can I skip the protection test if the pump runs?
No: a pump that runs has not proved its protection works, and the first dry source is when it is needed.
What if the pump runs but gives no water?
Switch off and check the source level and suction side first, as the stop-conditions table sets out, before changing inverter settings.
If the pump runs on the first start, is the job done?
No: flow, protection, direction and a full day of tracking still have to be checked and recorded, or the first fault has no baseline to compare against.
What records should I keep from the first run?
Flow, head and running current at known light, plus the protection test result, so later faults can be compared with a known-good day.
Send IDEEI the pump and panel details for a first start-up review before switching on.