warranty issues [RE-wrenches]

[Marco Mangelsdorf]

Costs, gentlemen, costs...so what are you figuring as a flat rate or
percentage of the cost of the system or as a yearly amount set aside to deal
with warranty liability that you're taking on? 

marco

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Frye [mailto:markf at berkeleysolar.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 5:37 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: RE: warranty issues [RE-wrenches]


Geoff,

Here is the warranty language from the CSI Handbook:

"2.4 Warranty Requirements
In 2007, all systems must have a minimum 10-year warranty provided in
combination by the manufacturer and installer to protect the purchaser
against defective workmanship, system or component breakdown, or degradation
in electrical output of more than fifteen percent from their originally
rated electrical output during the ten-year period. The warranty must cover
the solar generating system only, including PV modules (panels) and
inverters, and provide for no-cost repair or replacement of the system or
system components, including any associated labor during the warranty
period.
Self-installed systems must have a minimum 10-year warranty on the equipment
to be installed to protect the purchaser against breakdown or electrical
output degradation of major system components. In this case, the warranty
need not cover the labor costs associated with removing or replacing major
components because any repairs would be done by the self-installer or at the
self-installer's expense.
For the 2007 program year, meters must have a one-year warranty to protect
against defective workmanship, system or component breakdown, or degradation
in electrical output of more than fifteen percent from their originally
rated electrical output during the warranty period. On or before January 1,
2008, the warranty requirements will be increased to a minimum of 5 years
for meters, unless the CEC establishes alternate requirements."

What am I doing?

1- I use an established cell technology, produced by large, established
manufacture and vended by people I trust.
2- I pay extra for inverters that have the highest overall yield, the lowest
instance of product failure, and very strong institutional commitment to
supporting warranties.
3- I always us a flashing on every roof penetration.

BTW, I have asked folks at the CSI on several occasions about the scope of
the warranty.  I always ask, "If the system is producing the energy, but the
roof is leaking, is that a CSI warranty problem?"  I have always been told
"no", but you can't really rely upon that.

MPF

-----Original Message-----
From: Geoff Greenfield [mailto:Geoff at Third-Sun.Com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 7:14 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: warranty issues [RE-wrenches]



Does the CEC 10 year warranty req. spell out what and how etc etc?  If so -
can someone point me to it?  In OH we have a 2-yr req. with no fine print...
the fine print is where it's at... I could give you a 100 year warranty with
fine print that will keep Marco behind a desk and out of the hammock - but I
wouldn't be proud of it and it wouldn't buy me long term customers...

We have been left hanging too many times as customers' expectation meet with
manufacturer warranties' fine print ("yes the part replacement is covered
but not our two trips to replace it...").  We now are making our own fine
print... then putting it is plain-speak and bold so we are all on the same
page.  We offer a 100% warranty on any faulty workmanship on our part, no
questions asked... but component failures that are not our fault get the
service rate, including drive time.

What are the rest of you wrenches doing?

For a brighter energy future,

Geoff Greenfield
President
Third Sun Solar & Wind Power Ltd.
340 West State street, Unit 25
Athens, Ohio 45701
(740) 597-3111   fax: (740)597-1548
www.third-sun.comwarranty


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