Help with my 3 kw solar panel quote please

Salim

Yes sure my panels were Yingli 250watt, the biggest problem was trying to deal with Yingli, I had to deal with everything myself as the company who fitted my panels had disappeared. They have a shocking customer service and were not willing to help me.
The best advice I can give you apart from avoiding Yingli is to use an established company and not a newly registered company. You can check companies on the MCS directory. Companies that have been around from the beginning of the FIT and have got through the difficult times recently will be around if you have problems, which you will with Yingli. New companies are going to struggle in the current climate, which is why you need an insurance backed warranty on all work.
I ended up with Mitsubishi panels as they are black, I really wanted same as my fathers but didn't want to wait for them as I was losing money the whole time it wasn't working.
I kept my FIT that's no problem but just wish I didn't try and penny pinch in the first place, the Yingli panels are very cheap, the installers must be making a fortune fitting them. Now a cheap system is a very expensive system as I had to replace all my panels. :-(
If you have already signed up with a company check they are established and get some references, if they are a good company they will give you plenty of their customers who you can call and more than anything tell them to get you different panels.
Hope this info helps you.
Good luck

shafeeq

Hi Salim

Thanks for your input. As for YingLi Panels I have requested them. They only providing them at my request. Even the inverter SMA was at request. They recommended Fronius IG30 Inverter.

In your first post you said "they never gave me an insurance backed guarantee. Which I found out after they legally have to provide."

I need to ask the company about this? where does it state that legally they have to provide this? Also at what cost?

Thanks
Shafeeq

EricMears

Salim wrote: »

I have read this thread with some interest, I had a Yingli system fitted and was very disappointed with it.
After the 1st year it had hardly touched on the amount of KWH's it was supposed to do. As it turns out some of the panels had gone faulty.
I changed the entire system and it is now doing very well.
The company who fitted the Yingli have disappeared and they never gave me an insurance backed guarantee. Which I found out after they legally have to provide.
It is essential you get this guarantee, if one company is offering you a 10 year warranty with insurance your in safe hands.
I believe Aurora inverters also carry the 10 year warranty.
My father had Sunrise panels fitted, black with black frames, they look great and are generating much more than estimated. I couldn't find anyone local to fit sunrise, I now wish I had taken more time to source a company who could get me them.

To quote the old military maxim "time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted" !

Taking time to suss out the company(ies) you ask to quote and the quality of the equipment they propose to fit is an essential part of evaluating quote(s) for SPs - or indeed anything else.

Any 'warranty' will only ever be as good as the company providing it and if it's a company that was set up last week and might disappear next month their bit of paper won't be a lot of help in ten years time. 'Insurance backed' warranties are usually better - but only if it's an insurance company in which you have confidence.

It helps if you pay (at least some of) the costs with a credit card. If the worst happens, they at least will certainly still be around.

Can't say that I've ever heard of 'Yingli' or 'Sunrise' but I'd want to (and indeed did) take a lot of trouble to choose my installer and would (again - did) expect them to convince me that their choice of equipment was justified.

Julie-H_3

shafeeq wrote: »

Bit update on my system

I have been told they are hoping to start installation on my system on Monday 4th June. EPC will be done on same day. I have been informed they have spoken to the EPC person and he says my house should easily make Grade D.

Shafeeq

Surely the EPC should be performed the week before the installation, in case there are any problems. If you do have a problem and your 7 day cooling off period is over, you will be stuck with a system that only pays 9p - the installers should have made you aware of this.

We finally confirmed our Sunrise system on Monday, and have received our insurance for our deposit . The EPC is being done tomorrow, and the installation has been confirmed for 11th June - cant wait.
I will let you know how it all goes.

shafeeq

Hi Julie

All the best for your system.

I have made it clear that if my house does not make Grade D or above I will not want to go ahead. I have a record of it in writing Via Emails.

On Monday I will be still in my 7 days.

Shafeeq

Julie-H_3

shafeeq wrote: »

Hi Salim

Thanks for your input. As for YingLi Panels I have requested them. They only providing them at my request. Even the inverter SMA was at request. They recommended Fronius IG30 Inverter.

In your first post you said "they never gave me an insurance backed guarantee. Which I found out after they legally have to provide."

I need to ask the company about this? where does it state that legally they have to provide this? Also at what cost?

Thanks
Shafeeq

We received details about the insurance when we were first quoted. I believe all companies must provide the insurance as part of their regulatory requirements. Our insurance is with QANW which having just checked is the associate insurers through REAL Assurance. From having spoken to REAL, I believe the installers must provide this for you to cover the deposit and the workmanship warranty, and are not allowed to charge you for it.
Your installers should already have put your insurance in place when you paid your deposit, as it is meant to protect your deposit, otherwise you may have problems if your EPC doesn't come out as they told you it would.
I am sure everything will be OK if they are established installers though it does seem peculiar that they haven't mentioned insurance.
Fingers crossed, let us know how you get on.xxx

Julie-H_3

shafeeq wrote: »

Hi Julie

All the best for your system.

I have made it clear that if my house does not make Grade D or above I will not want to go ahead. I have a record of it in writing Via Emails.

On Monday I will be still in my 7 days.

Shafeeq

They shouldn't be installing the system within 7 days of receiving the deposit, as it infringes on your statutory rights. Unless of course you have signed a disclaimer. We were given this option but i preferred not to rush into it, and wanted to be in receipt of the EPC first, and have all the insurance in place before the installation date, which is why we chose the week after next.

shafeeq

Hi Julie

Thanks for your input. I was informed that my deposit will be held in the protected account. The Company is registered with REAL. So any issues I will be able to raise.

As I said I have made it perfectly clear about EPC, that if my house does not make the rating then I will not go ahead with they system.

Too be honest I will be tottally suprised (shocked) if it does not make grade d, but I am not sure what the requirement for grade d is. I have been assured that they have spoken to EPC person about my house and it should be fine.

Shafeeq

shafeeq

Hi Julie

I requested the install to be ASP but again made it clear that I only want it if my house makes grade d or above for EPC. If I have to spend any money to make it Grade D then I will not go ahead.

Shafeeq

Julie-H_3

Is your insurance in place? - It may be an idea to take it out yourself if the installation company have not (for your own protection). Like i say they are obliged to take insurance out for you and pay for it as part of the regulations, but from having seen Salim's problems, it would appear to be the smaller companies / cowboys who dont.
I cant post links but if you Google QANW you can take insurance out with them.