[RE-wrenches] Request for Enphase inverter comments

[Bill Brooks]

Mark,

I'm surprised that you are disappointed and put so much stock in warranties.
Working with any new product and new company requires a go-slow mentality at
the start to establish a track record and field experience. A warranty is
only as valuable as the company behind the warranty. Enphase is a promising
new company, but installers do both Enphase and themselves a disservice if
they go whole hog after this technology and treat it like other more-mature
options. Installations should be close to the shop on roofs that are easily
accessible.

Expecting a warranty beyond 10 years is excessive. Quite frankly, warranties
beyond 5 years don't make any sense to me (but the law is the law). We will
not fix long-term performance with warranties. Remember that a 25-year
performance warranty on modules is really not what most people think it is.
It is a good failure warranty and a terrible performance warranty. Long-term
performance comes from quality equipment, quality design, quality
installation, and good maintenance.

Keep up the quality work.

Bill.

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Mark Frye
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 6:28 PM
To: 'RE-wrenches'
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Request for Enphase inverter comments

I was disappointed by the Enphase warranty and service support program.

I would expect something better than the industry standard 10 year warranty
for a product like this.  I would take a really strong warranty and service
support agreement out to at least year 15 to inspire confidence in  the
product.

The customer could be sucking wind after years 13 or 15.  The cost of going
out and replacing failed inverters piece meal as they go thru the failure
bell curve is really unsupportable.  We may all be off the hook for CSI
warranties but it is real trouble for the customer who has an array with a
25 year service life.

If Enphase really believes that these inverters will be running fine out at
year 20, they should indicate that thru the warranty.  If not, folks should
do some real careful life-cycle cost accounting before they go out and start
selling these things.

Hey, if you are delivering a system with a 10 year design life, fine.  But
if you are working on 25 year designs like I am, then the Enphase won't cut
it without much stronger commitment to long-term performance from the
vendor.

:-)
 
Mark Frye
Berkeley Solar Electric Systems
303 Redbud Way
Nevada City,  CA 95959
(530) 401-8024
www.berkeleysolar.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Bill Loesch
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 6:49 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Request for Enphase inverter comments


Hi Gang,

For the number of ads I've seen for the product, I am surprised that there
has been no discussion of the benefits/disadvantages of this micro inverter
product.

TIA,
Bill Loesch
Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar
314 631 1094

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