[RE-wrenches] Out of Warranty Inverter Replacements

[Ray Walters]

Hi Mark;

In cases like that, I let the customer decide. My job is to present them 
with two or three streamlined options and let them decide.
It seems it comes down to cost vs continued warranty (and possible 
expandability?). Financial decisions ultimately need to be made by the 
people paying the bill.
 From a technical perspective, I don't ever present an option that I 
wouldn't be comfortable installing, and in the end everyone's happy. 
(hopefully)

Just curious; what are the array sizes relative to the inverter rating? 
I always wondered if inverters that were run at or over their rating 
didn't last as long as inverters that were run well below their rating. 
(just my stupid assumption that: more amps = more heat = less reliability)

Ray


On 8/19/2011 11:03 AM, Mark Frye wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
> Yesterday I took a trip through my service area and initated 3 
> inverter replacement actions:
>
> - A 6 year old Sunnyboy 1100W, 5 year warranty expired, $360 for a 
> refurbished unit w/ 1 year warranty, new replacement not available
>
> - A 2 year old Fronius IG4000 refurbished, sent as warranty 
> replacement for unit failed at 4 years under 5 year warranty, now out 
> of warranty, est. $ 600 to refurbish with 1 year warranty
>
> - A 4 year old Fronius IG3000, under 10 year warranty, warranty 
> replacement and service fee provided by Fronius
>
> I have to decide, what is best for my out of warranty customers:
>
> - Buy the refurbished units w/ 1 year warranty
> - Buy new replacement units with 10 or 20 year warrranties
> - Buy entirely new equipment such as Enphase or SolarEdge
>
> What are other folks experiencing as we move well past the 5 year 
> warranty horizon for many of our earlier customers?
>
> Mark Frye
> Berkeley Solar Electric Systems
> 303 Redbud Way
> Nevada City,  CA 95959
> (530) 401-8024
> _www.berkeleysolar.com_ <http://www.berkeleysolar.com>
>
>
>
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