[RE-wrenches] Fronius warranty payment

[Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems]

What a surprise to receive a phone call from Fronius after 5 months and numerous promises to return calls and emails. I'm guessing they got wind of recent complaints on this list. The tech, after making a few more excuses, did say that the payment will now be processed. So, in fairness, I am reporting this. Hmmm?….motivated by "public bitching"?

Larry 


On May 7, 2013, at 1:21 PM, "Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems" <larry at starlightsolar.com> wrote:

Bob-O,

Fronius is not good for reimbursement anymore. While they used to be, Fronius has refused to pay for warranty service. Since December, 2012, they have refused to reimburse me for an inverter swap that THEY told me to make. The display had an intermit ant problem. When I swapped out the display board, it had the same issue. SO THEY shipped out a replacement and asked me to change it out. When they got it back, they claimed that there was no problem found and so far have refused to pay.  I made three trips to the site without reimbursement. 

BTW, this is the third time this inverter has had a problem. Fronius….no more sold by me.

Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems




On May 7, 2013, at 12:14 PM, Bob-O Schultze <bob-o at electronconnection.com> wrote:

Jason,
I'm one of the many installers who still won't touch a micro yet. It's not so much that there were failures early on, it's how companies like Enphase HANDLED them. My understanding is that you basically got a replacement inverter and got stuffed for your time and travel. That may have changed a bit by now but I'm betting that the reimbursement is still pretty pitiful.
It's the same with most central inverter failures during warranty with the exception of Fronius. There are failures to be sure, BUT Fronius' compensation for my time and travel is better than any other manufacturer I've heard about. You won't make much money occasionally replacing their failures, but you won't get hosed either. And that, fellow Wrenches, is why I use Fronius almost exclusively.
Any equipment manu who wants my biz needs to make me whole if/when their product bites it during the warranty period. It's bad enough when a product that I recommend to my clients goes belly up. Even though it is the product's fault, that reflects directly back on ME not the manu. If they won't at least compensate me fairly to fix their screw ups, they can just bugger off. 

Bob-O