Solar Panel Maintenance

flatcat

Our PV system has been installed for over a year and a half now and just before Christmas stopped producing. No idea why so rang our installers expecting to get a plumbers call-out kind of rate to come and fix it.

Imagine our surprise when they said £300(excluding VAT) for call out up-front before they touch anything. So we reckon it would be something in the region of £500 to fix. Gasp!

It feels wrong and I am really unhappy with our installers. They are not offering guarantees or anything so this might be the first of some stiff charges to come. Brings the whole thing into cowboy territory.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or resolved it any better? I would be interested to hear. We will be ringing round tomorrow hopefully and getting a better picture of what's out there.

Any help gratefully received.
Thanks:eek:

spgsc531

hello flatcat

have you checked your paperwork to see what guarantees you have?

Sounds odd that you haven't got any. First thing to check I would say.

spgsc

flatcat

Good point.

I have checked. We have one year guarantees for installation and then separate guarantees for the hardware like inverter and panels etc.
So we are passed the year mark and so I think our installer has effectively washed their hands of us. I wonder if this is standard practice?

spgsc531

I would suggest reading through your paperwork in detail to see exactly what is covered. For example, if it's a faulty inverter that it covers labour costs as well. I am no expert, but if you are not covered you may have grounds on goods fit for purpose (I think that's the term). Someone may come along here and give more detailed advice, or you could approach Citizens advice or a solicitor if you have access.

I would also stress to the installers that it is not that long since installation to try and get good will from them.

There is an installer that joined this forum recently, I'm sure he can advice, Energetic. Probably others around too. Good luck.

spgsc

Martyn1981

flatcat wrote: »

Our PV system has been installed for over a year and a half now and just before Christmas stopped producing. No idea why so rang our installers expecting to get a plumbers call-out kind of rate to come and fix it.

Any help gratefully received.
Thanks:eek:

Hiya flatcat. I'm sure you've covered the basics already, but at the risk of pointing out (eliminating) the obvious first - have you checked for any breakers on your consumer unit(s) that have tripped?

My smallest system has tripped twice due to mini power cuts both times. Switching the trip back re-started the inverter, but both times missed it for a day. Not suggesting you play around with any of the kit, just worth checking nothing has simply tripped out.

Best of luck.

Mart.

rogerblack

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Hiya flatcat. I'm sure you've covered the basics already, but at the risk of pointing out (eliminating) the obvious first - have you checked for any breakers on your consumer unit(s) that have tripped?

Read all the supplied manuals in detail.
If you have no manual for the inverter, then see if you can download one.
It should contain a troubleshooting section.

flatcat

Thanks everyone - good solid advice.
I have checked and re-started the system - dead as a Dodo so it's not breakers. The manuals we have are for the Inverter.

My wife has spent alot of time today checking with some other installers/maintainers. We are being told conflicting advice about the company that installed our system and whether we have a 1 year or two year guarantee.

I think we might have to bite the bullet and get someone else out. Don't mind paying for it if they are reputable.

I will keep you posted as to what happens.

scotsblood

flatcat wrote: »

We are being told conflicting advice about the company that installed our system and whether we have a 1 year or two year guarantee.

How about naming the company concerned, just getting ready to install ourselves and wouldn't want to get tied up with a similar problem.

Sounds like plain and simple poor service and an outfit to be avoided.

Cardew

flatcat wrote: »

Our PV system has been installed for over a year and a half now and just before Christmas stopped producing. No idea why so rang our installers expecting to get a plumbers call-out kind of rate to come and fix it.

Imagine our surprise when they said £300 for call out up-front before they touch anything. So we reckon it would be something in the region of £500 to fix. Gasp!

It feels wrong and I am really unhappy with our installers. They are not offering guarantees or anything so this might be the first of some stiff charges to come. Brings the whole thing into cowboy territory.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or resolved it any better? I would be interested to hear. We will be ringing round tomorrow hopefully and getting a better picture of what's out there.

Any help gratefully received.
Thanks:eek:

Presumably the high charge is for the possibilty of having to get on the roof??

I suspect Health and Safety regulations require scaffolding or a 'cherry picker' platform??

flatcat

We have just had an "independent" guy come out to inspect. Note: no call charges.
He seems to know what he's doing. He told us it's the inverter and he can send this back. The panels are fine which was a main worry. We might be covered by the inverter manufacturer's warranty once they have autopsied it - we'll see.

Otherwise, he's charging us for his time and we will probably get some kind of voltage regulator fitted as well because a spike might have knocked the inverter out.

So at the moment it's costing us less than £100 which is fair and an order of magnitude less than what those cowboys were charging.

spgsc531

flatcat wrote: »

We have just had an "independent" guy come out to inspect. Note: no call charges.
He seems to know what he's doing. He told us it's the inverter and he can send this back. The panels are fine which was a main worry. We might be covered by the inverter manufacturer's warranty once they have autopsied it - we'll see.

Otherwise, he's charging us for his time and we will probably get some kind of voltage regulator fitted as well because a spike might have knocked the inverter out.

So at the moment it's costing us less than £100 which is fair and an order of magnitude less than what those cowboys were charging.

Like I said, did you check the inverter warranty to see if it will cover labour costs? If not, you could approach the inverter company perhaps?

Out of interest which inverter was it? and where is it located in your home?

At least it should be covered by warranty.. and your 47p a unit will soon cover your other losses