What are the guarantees for PV modules and inverters?

The warranty of a solar system involves solar panels, inverters, installations and various other components. Owners always want to be effectively guaranteed throughout the life cycle of the solar system, and they know that it is important to choose the right solar panels and inverters. , it is also important to know that these components are properly installed. But when it comes to warranty, there is always a gap between reality and aspiration.


If the solar system stops working for some reason, or encounters other problems, the owner wants the supplier to cover it all. This involves the issue of warranties for these items, and there are actually four separate warranties to consider as a PV system supplier.

1. Solar panel performance guarantee

The performance warranty for solar panels is usually claimed to be 25 years, although some manufacturers increase the warranty to 30 years. When installation companies talk about a 25-year warranty on a solar panel, it usually only considers its performance and doesn't cover other aspects of the system or the panel itself, and many more solar panel suppliers are committing to 20 years.

2. Solar panel product warranty

Typically, unlike performance warranties, most component products are warranted for 5 to 10 years, depending on the company installing the component and what product it offers. This is a far cry from the Component Performance Warranty, and much shorter, but many people mistakenly believe that the Component Product Warranty is the same as the Component Performance Warranty. This may make them think their guaranteed coverage is more than it actually is, and for a longer period of time.

3. Inverter Warranty

Inverters are almost always warranted for five years, but there are sometimes upgrade options that extend the warranty to 10 years or more. These upgrades are usually not free and may be offered at the time of sale or at installation. Other guarantees can offer higher value if they cost less, but it's important to understand how much the cost can go up.

4. Installation Guarantee

The warranty for the installation is provided by the installer, not by the manufacturer of the solar panel or other system components. Typically, this warranty is for one or two years. In some cases, the installation warranty may be 10 years, but this is not common. Asking the installer about the duration of their warranty is essential to gaining knowledge of the system.

- What warranty terms should you ask the installer about?

Specifically, before choosing an installation company for your solar panels and inverter, be sure to ask the company about the warranty. The installer might say there's a 25-year warranty, but it's important to know if it covers everything. While it may cover component performance, the warranty period may be much shorter elsewhere. It is important to know exactly what products and services you are getting.

- Who should you talk to about product issues or security risks?

If you have a problem with a product, or discover what you believe to be a safety hazard, usually the first step is to contact the installer. They are very knowledgeable about the work done for you and also have all the information about the manufacturer of the product installed. Regardless of whether your components or inverters are still under warranty, it is important to address safety risks and other issues in a timely manner.

- Actively learn photovoltaic operation and maintenance

Choosing the right installer, module manufacturer and inverter supplier is almost the core quality aspect of a solar system, but it does not represent everything that runs after that. During operation, performance is often degraded due to non-product factors, and power generation is not as expected. Owners need to actively learn some common sense of photovoltaic operation and maintenance.

In addition, photovoltaic technology is updated almost every day, and some product design problems may be unpredictable by product suppliers and installers at the beginning of installation, but there are often new technologies that can make up for them later.

For example, for the owners of industrial and commercial rooftop photovoltaic power plants, it is often encountered that the power generation is not as expected, and it is often caused by the most common dust accumulation and frame mud belt occlusion, which are not within the scope of the system's quality assurance.

Service providers often suggest that owners use frequent cleaning to solve this problem on their own, but if owners often care about the industry, they know some of the latest small ideas, such as automatic drainage and desilter, which can solve the problem of dust accumulation and mud belt blocking at very low cost. big problem. However, because such small ideas are often not the mainstream technology that the photovoltaic industry is most concerned about, the owners need to learn and understand by themselves.