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Bill,<br>
Because of our long shared history with Dankoff Solar Products
(became Conergy US), which was an original "BP Partner" distributor
beginning in 1997, we installed quite a few BP modules. I have no
love for BP: we have had a lot of module failures, mostly of the
72-cell 160 and 170W poly modules. But BP does respond to warranty
claims pretty promptly, sending replacement modules (that never
match, of course) and paying for replacement. In a few cases BP has
replaced entire arrays where the number of failed modules was
excessive. <br>
<br>
Like you, I share concern about this, especially given the number of
defective modules that we will continue to have to replace. But at
least we do receive support.<br>
Allan<br>
<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><font
color="#000099" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><u>Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</u></font></a></small><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><br>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic
Installer<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
<b>Positive Energy, Inc.</b><br>
3201 Calle Marie<br>
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
<b>505 424-1112</b><br>
<a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/" target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><o:p></o:p></span></font>
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<br>
On 12/21/2011 2:43 PM, Bill Brooks wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:00ff01ccc029$85df7c70$919e7550$@com"
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Marco
and Randy,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">I
just went to the BP Solar website and they have a legal
notice that states that BP Solar is a wholly owned
subsidiary of BP. There is no liability separation. When
their drilling rig blew up in the Gulf, they didn’t run for
cover even though the drilling rig could have been a
subsidiary of the main company.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">That
being said, it has rarely been easy to get a warranty
replacement out of BP when they were making PV modules, so
now that they have stopped, it is not going to be easier
than before. I’m sure when you have a warranty claim that
you will get the run around from whomever you contact, but
with a loud enough voice, they will have to respond.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">There
is no parallel here to AstroPower and the way GE bought
their module manufacturing equipment to avoid liability.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">If
you bought Shell monocrystalline modules back 8 years ago,
the warranty on those modules are currently being serviced
by Solar World. However, if SolarWorld were to go out of
business, the warranty obligation would have to shift back
to Shell because their name is on it. I’m sure it would be
difficult to get a claim serviced, but that is generally how
warranties work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">If
GE makes an appliance, then they sell that appliance line to
another company that goes out of business, and the product
fails, then GE is going to stuck with the warranty claim if
it is still in the specified warranty period. That is one
reason why most equipment has fairly short warranty periods.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">This
is why it is critical whose name is on the back of them
module. There may be 5 different module names made at the
same factory, but if one of those names is a major
multi-billion dollar company, and the other 4 are no-names,
the big company is the better buy (assuming similar costs)
since their warranty is more likely to have value.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Bill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
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medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color:
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;
font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Randy<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 21, 2011 10:36 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] a PV titan is to be no
more<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Bill<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">I am
not sure you are correct but I hope you are right. I would
like to know how it works - if the “legal” corp “BP Solar”
that carries the warranty obligation ceases business and
the shareholder writes off the investment, then there will
be no one to answer the phone. That is why corporations
form separate legal entities – to separate the risk.
Someone should call BP Solar and find out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Randy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;
font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";
color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Randy Sadewic</span><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New
Roman","serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;
font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";
color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Positive Energy</span><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New
Roman","serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;
font-family: "Times New
Roman","serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;
font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";
color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Office: 505 424-1112</span><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New
Roman","serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(31, 73,
125);">Cell: 505 570-0137</span><span style="color:
rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border-right: medium none; border-width: 1pt
medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color:
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;
font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Bill Brooks<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 20, 2011 7:44 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] a PV titan is to be no
more<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Marco,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">With
“BP” on the module, it means a lot more than some no name
brand. Just because they are not producing anymore does not
have any impact on their warranty obligation unless BP goes
out of business—that is not likely to happen in your
lifetime.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Bill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border-right: medium none; border-width: 1pt
medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color:
rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color;
padding: 3pt 0in 0in;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;
font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Marco Mangelsdorf<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 20, 2011 6:38 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] a PV titan is to be no
more<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-20/bp-to-shut-down-solar-power-unit-exit-business-spokesman-says.html?cmpid=yhoo">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-20/bp-to-shut-down-solar-power-unit-exit-business-spokesman-says.html?cmpid=yhoo</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Anyone
know what this means for the warranty coverage for all those
BPS mods in the field?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Oh
dear….<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">marco<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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