Confirm whether the asset is offline or the data path is broken
A PV or battery system can be operating while the BMS, dashboard or export file shows poor data. The first diagnostic split is asset behaviour versus reporting chain.
Check inverter portals, meter readings, BMS points, gateway logs and export files against the same time window. Time alignment matters because delayed or aggregated data can create false symptoms.
Map the control hierarchy
Generation and storage assets may be constrained by export limitation, site load, battery state, grid settings, protection equipment, BMS overrides or vendor controls. A useful review maps which layer is allowed to command, limit or report each behaviour.
This is especially important where PV, BESS, generators and EV chargers share a site. Without a control hierarchy, teams can mistake normal curtailment for asset failure or miss hidden lost generation.
Turn technical evidence into commercial impact
The issue should be translated into impact: lost generation, avoidable import, inaccurate reporting, warranty risk, billing errors, failed handover or operational uncertainty.
That impact view helps decide whether the next action is gateway remediation, vendor clarification, metering review, BMS configuration, commissioning evidence or a broader deep-dive investigation.