[RE-wrenches] Dual Channel Inverters; Hosed By Fronius

[Dave Click]

Another option would be to compensate the customer for lost production 
until you're out there to replace a second inverter. You can credit this 
against Jason's diagnostic fee idea and/or the $150/unit reimbursement 
from Enphase. Each unit down is about $30-60/year depending on location. 
Could help those of you working on tough multi-row installations on 
steep roofs, especially with larger systems and more units to fail.

Downsides:
some customers will insist on individual replacements as needed-- the 
"let's just wait for the second inevitable domino to fall" approach is a 
tricky sell...
weighing $150/unit now vs unknown future Enphase policy
may not be compatible with your warranty policy



On 2013/5/9 11:51, Jason Szumlanski wrote:
> Why would you "rip apart an array?" We only remove one module in 
> almost every case, replace the WEEBs, replace the inverter, and we're 
> done. If there are more than two rows of modules, you might need to 
> remove an additional module or two, but that takes almost no time. Our 
> steepest roofs here are typically 6:12, with many shallower, so you 
> folks up north probably find it much more difficult, and I understand 
> that.
>
> Also, there isn't any rule that you can't charge the customer a 
> diagnostic fee. We don't because the reimbursement does adequately 
> compensate us, but if your costs are legitimately higher, recover them 
> from the consumer like most appliance warranty service companies do.
>
> *Jason Szumlanski*//
>
> /Fafco Solar
> /
>
>
>
> On Thu, May 9, 2013 at 10:54 AM, Troy Harvey 
> <taharvey at heliocentric.org <mailto:taharvey at heliocentric.org>> wrote:
>
>
>
>>     but it also takes MUCH less time in most cases and can be done
>>     much more easily by one service technician. It's not a money
>>     maker, but it covers cost in our neck of the woods.
>>
>
>
>     How is that possible?
>
>      I get a lousy $150 dollars from enphase to rip apart half of a
>     array just to get at the micro inverter. Then I have to put the
>     array back together. Its an all day activity for two people for 1
>     inverter. And then I have to do it on the same array the next year
>     again. With a string inverter the swap is simple.
>
>
>
>     thanks,
>
>     Troy Harvey
>     ---------------------
>     Principal Engineer
>     Heliocentric
>     801-453-9434 <tel:801-453-9434>
>     taharvey at heliocentric.org <mailto:taharvey at heliocentric.org>
>
>
>
>
>
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