Solar Panel Guide Discussion

digitaltoast

Kevinf wrote: »

I've been working on a scheme for ages in Gloucestershire that is just ready to launch, funding solar panels on community buildings through a community share issue...

Will the panels and installers be MCS certified?

John_Pierpoint

Beware of sales agents collecting and selling on potential customers with an up front fee.
The problem seems to be with houses that the installer decides are not suitable, but the up front fee has gone.

[I suppose this is a bit like the Tesco business model?]

Dozens of consumers who have struck deals to rent their roofs to companies who supply solar panels say there's been no sign of the panels and they haven't been able to claim back hefty fees they have paid up front.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014pw4f

Kevinf

Yes of course, and we always specify panels that are built in factories with the highest environmental and labour standards or made in UK/Europe as cheap can mean that someone's life was ruined in the process.

digitaltoast wrote: »

Will the panels and installers be MCS certified?

keith_r59

Cardew wrote: »

I tend to be very sceptical about 20 year warranties.

Firstly will the firm be in business, with the same name, in 20 years?

Fronious as a company has been in business since 1945. I'm interested to know why you think it may not be here in 20 years time?

digitaltoast

Kevinf wrote: »

Yes of course

OK, just checking! I didn't want anyone to get caught out by not having a fully MCS certified install, as the extraordinarily generous FiT bribes then wouldn't get paid, hence massive loss for community.

keith_r59 wrote: »

Fronious as a company has been in business since 1945. I'm interested to know why you think it may not be here in 20 years time?

I suspect people may remember the tactics of double glazing companies with "lifetime guarantees" that they avoided fulfilling by recycling the company to a new name every few years.

keith_r59

digitaltoast wrote: »

I suspect people may remember the tactics of double glazing companies with "lifetime guarantees" that they avoided fulfilling by recycling the company to a new name every few years.

What like Everest and Anglian who have been in business since 1965 and 1966 respectively?

s2art

keith_r59 wrote: »

Fronious as a company has been in business since 1945. I'm interested to know why you think it may not be here in 20 years time?

One possibility is if the micro-inverter companies take off. I am sure that there were plenty of valve radio companies that went to the wall when the transistor radio came on the scene. That is just one example of the introduction of a so-called disruptive technology. So it depends on what Fronious do, SMA bought a Dutch micro-inverter company two years ago so they are looking to keep the low end market.

Cardew

keith_r59 wrote: »

Fronious as a company has been in business since 1945. I'm interested to know why you think it may not be here in 20 years time?

I didn't say I thought they might not be here in 20 years - I merely posed the possibility.

These days firms get bought out, go bankrupt etc. We all know of major firms in that category. It's only Banks that get rescued by the Tax Payer!

My main point is that there is little merit in having warranty on, say, a motor on my washing machine, if I have to pay for the diagnosis, removal, dispatch and refitting of the said motor by an approved fitter!

keith_r59

Cardew wrote: »

I didn't say I thought they might not be here in 20 years - I merely posed the possibility.

These days firms get bought out, go bankrupt etc. We all know of major firms in that category. It's only Banks that get rescued by the Tax Payer!

My main point is that there is little merit in having warranty on, say, a motor on my washing machine, if I have to pay for the diagnosis, removal, dispatch and refitting of the said motor by an approved fitter!

Anything is a possibility but the terms and conditions of the warranty are the important point in all this.

For example, here is an extract from the SMA website about the warranty on their inverters:

SMA factory warranty
Our inverters come with a five-year warranty as standard. If a repair is needed during this time, we will immediately send you a replacement device with all the necessary updates and we will perform the replacement.

Extension of warranty
You have the option of extending the factory warranty within 5 years from the invoice date of the end customer to 10, 15, 20 or 25 years. The warranty extension includes a device replacement service for your inverter.

Something tells me that they don't expect their inverters to break down within the warranty period that often.

MBlair

Tesco's are currently offering 20% off solar panels, but appear to be using an "out of date" price as their starting point. If you request a quote you will be offered 20% off, but if you go to the website of the company who actually do the work, Enact Energy, you'll find they're offering the same product at less than Tesco's "20% off" price. I find this at the very least misleading and possibly dishonest. Some may say you'll get Tesco Clubcard points, but you'd be paying more than their value for the privilege!