[RE-wrenches] SR-100/KC120 low power warranty claim-

Wallace Stahle wstahle at pacific.net
Mon Sep 28 11:26:07 PDT 2009


Mick,

Do you really " want to help the customer initiate a warranty claim."
"Based on some primitive
 field testing "?

Is the testing yours or the customers?

Is it based on battery monitor readings or or individual modules or series
pair testing?

Have all the connections been inspected from PV to CC to verify proper
ampacity?

After dealing with the KC120 solder failures of early 2000s vintage, it is
discouraging to ponder another product model based failure trend.

Kyocera was good and quick on array replacement for the one and only KC120
install I did in 2000 as well as an other installed system I replaced
batteries for last year. When told of the module type, I advised customer of
likely problems with output and sure enough, when monitored (TM500) by
customer, charging was pitiful. When replacing the ten modules, only one
appeared to be "normal" with volt and amp output at module while charging.
Kyocerea was quick with replacement modules and replacement labor costs.
However the true cost to customer was in premature battery failure and
excess gen run time. Of course his lack of knowing what to look for to
verify "normal" charging was what allowed it to persist for so long in the
first place. Years I suspect.

So while honored warranties are great, I wonder how many faulty arrays are
giving their owners a false sense of relying on the sun.

Has anyone on this list ever been told by Kyocera that their early vintage
KC120s might need to be replaced?

Just curious.
Wallace Stahle
Future Electric Energy Co.
P O Box 236
Willits, CA 95490
Lic# C10-762093
future at pacific.net
707-459-0474











----- Original Message -----
From: "Mick Abraham" <mick at abrahamsolar.com>
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2009 5:42 PM
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Siemens SR-100 low power warranty claim--who do
Icall?


> Greetings, Mechanics~
>
> A client has six SR-100 modules, about 1999 vintage. Based on some
primitive
> field testing, I think all six are slumpy on power delivery so I want to
> help the customer initiate a warranty claim.
>
> I'm aware that SolarWorld is the latest name for that product line, but
> S-World seems to not have a representative on the Wrench List.
>
> I don't know anyone at SolarWorld to whom I could submit this claim. If
any
> of you might have a name to suggest, kindly notify me on-list or off. I'm
> sorry to use up some Wrench bandwidth for this request, but this group
comes
> up as my first choice for those who are "likely to know".
>
> If I do locate a customer service person at SolarWorld, I'll ask him or
her
> to make application for Wrench List participation. If we could get
> manufacturer representation across the "full spectrum", that seems like a
> good long term goal that would make the List even more valuable. I often
> search the member list page (http://members.re-wrenches.org/) to figure
out
> "who to call"...but it didn't help this time.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Mick Abraham, Proprietor
> www.abrahamsolar.com
>
> Voice: 970-731-4675
>


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