[RE-wrenches] Warranty replacements

[August Goers]

Hi Rebecca,



Good topic.



As we build up our repertoire of installed systems we’re finding exactly
what you describe below – more and more product failures, particularly with
inverters. We have been very cautious to select products that we think have
the highest chance of being reliable. Monitoring has been our biggest
warranty issue to date followed by microinverter failures. I’m *really*
worried about potentially selecting equipment by a manufacturer which might
go out of business and won’t be around to support us. Luckily that hasn’t
happened yet.



In our market (SF Bay Area) almost everyone offers 10 year installation
warranties or longer which include repair and replacement of equipment at
no cost to the Owner. So, we have to bake some O&M projected expense into
our pricing. Putting together a process for following up with manufacturers
to obtain their service reimbursement money is important. I’ve also found
that some manufacturers will pay extra money if their equipment has caused
us an exceptional hassle. It just takes a lot of negotiating and diligence
to get the money from them! Our older systems are no longer in warranty so
now we have to broach the subject of charging for service work. As others
have mentioned, I’ve found that people are okay with paying for service
work as long as the rates (typically T&M) are discussed up front and
expectations are clear.



Just like Jason mentioned, staffing and coordinating for service work is
not easy. Larger companies have dedicated service teams. Our company has
enough service work at this point to keep two people busy for about half of
their week each. It is always a challenge to keep all the work scheduled
and moving forward but we’re getting better as we do more of it.



Not easy!



Best,



August



Luminalt





*From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On
Behalf Of *Rebecca Lundberg
*Sent:* Wednesday, October 15, 2014 1:40 PM
*To:* re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
*Subject:* [RE-wrenches] Warranty replacements



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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