[RE-wrenches] Warranty replacements

[Jason Szumlanski]

Frankly, our issue is the UNsteady stream of service issues with both
string and microinverters. There isn't enough warranty or non-warranty
service work and it is too unpredictable to justify a dedicated PV service
department with dedicated personnel that can run economically. As a result,
we have to pull install crews from active installations to handle these
issues, which is neither economical nor good for our installation business.
As much as PV service is an annoyance for system owners, it's a huge
distraction for a small dealer. In fact, one competitor refuses to service
the systems they install. We have been picking up service business as a
result (we have a reputation for doing so and manufacturers call us), but
it's still not steady enough to handle well.

Jason Szumlanski
On Oct 15, 2014 4:41 PM, "Rebecca Lundberg" <
rebecca.lundberg at powerfullygreen.com> wrote:

> We are starting to see a fairly steady stream of various solar electronics
> needing replacement under warranty, including micro-inverters, AC modules
> (microinverter failing), and even modules with an integrated DC electronic
> component failing to work from the get go. I work with residential
> customers and care about doing right by them, and of course they expect
> that their warrantied part will be replaced at no cost to them, they have
> already invested a lot in their solar project. Sometimes the manufacturer
> has a stipend which at least offsets the cost of gas but does not cover
> time to travel to the site and do the replacement, but I have recently come
> across several manufacturers who do not give any stipend at all and I am
> surprised at that. Replacing a module in the middle of a pitched roof is no
> small feat, and getting to micro inverters on a steep pitch is always a
> challenge. As the code requires more safety features down to the module
> level, I suspect we will see more and more of this, and the electronics are
> no longer at ground level and easily accessible. What ideas do you have
> about how to deal with this? Must we have an O and M contract with every
> customer given current product choices?
>
> A similar question relates to a particular module having issues
> with delamination and failed diodes. We have been called out to several
> sites where this has caused the inverter to sense a fault, and testing
> showed the module leaking voltage to ground. Who is responsible for getting
> the inverter up and running when it clearly stems from the module? I
> suspect the module manufacturer's warranty legally exempts them from
> responsibility, but again it is reasonable for the customer to expect a
> warrantied system to be up and running.
>
> Thoughts from the field?
>
> Sincerely,
> Rebecca Lundberg
>
>
>
> --
> Rebecca Lundberg
> NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer ®
> Owner/President
> *Powerfully Green*®
> 763.438.1976 | Rebecca.Lundberg at PowerfullyGreen.com
>
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