Image: Melinda Gimpel
It's inevitable that some solar resellers will go out of business, well before the lifetime of your solar system. So what should you do? Is there cause to worry? If you're a solar orphan, read on for next steps.
First off, rest assured that whether your solar reseller is operating or not, your solar panels, inverter and monitoring equipment (such as Solar Analytics), is still covered by their manufacturer warranty. This means that if any of the components of your solar system stop working within the warranty period, they will be replaced by the manufacturer. For solar panels, this can be up to 25 years and for inverters and monitoring devices, this is generally 5 to 10 years, depending on the manufacturer. The exception to this, is if your failed reseller was the importer of the equipment that needs replacing.
Secondly, your relationship with Solar Analytics monitoring is directly through us, so you will continue to receive active monitoring of your system, monthly performance reports, alerts and notifications about your solar.
What if....
I've received an alert that there may be a problem with my solar system. What are my next steps?
Normally, Solar Analytics would also send your solar reseller an alert about your system. If your reseller is no longer in business, we recommend that you contact our Support Team in the first instance and let them know that your situation. Our team will then provide you with a diagnosis of your performance issue, and put you in contact with another reseller close to you that you can contact to help resolve your issue. Other resellers may have a call-out fee.
A part of my solar system has malfunctioned. What do I do?
If the Solar Analytics support team identifies a malfunction with a part of your system, we will recommend that you contact the manufacturer of that part (solar panel, inverter or third party system) to organise replacement under warranty. You can find your solar system manufacturer name, system configuration and part numbers in the Customer Site section of your Solar Analytics dashboard.
The exception to this is when the failed reseller was the importer of the item that has malfunctioned. In that case, you would need to take the warranty case up with the international manufacturer, which is not often resolved well. If this is the case, call Solar Analytics, and we can recommend a reputable reseller near you that can provide a quote to you for replacement parts and installation.
I'd like to buy more solar panels or a battery. Who should I talk to?
Call our Support Team and we would be happy to recommend a reputable reseller near you to provide you with a quote.
My Solar Analytics dashboard doesn't look right; who should I contact to fix it?
Always call our Support Team first; they will assess any issues you may have with your Solar Analytics dashboard or Solar Smart Monitor device. If there is a wiring issue or any other concern with the device, we offer a 5 year warranty, and will recommend a local installer fix the wiring or to remove the device and send to us. There may be a charge for the call-out. Please don't attempt to remove the device yourself.
My solar reseller went out of business before they finished commissioning my Solar Analytics device and dashboard.
Call our Support Team and we will recommend an experienced installer near you who can complete the commissioning process. There may be a charge for the call-out.
The bottom line is that some solar resellers will go out of business; that's unfortunately the case for many industries. If you have a Solar Analytics monitoring subscription, we've got your back. We can set your mind at ease by keeping your solar monitored for any issues, and providing you with advice on next steps if there is a problem.
If you haven't yet bought solar for your site, we encourage you to buy from a reputable, long-standing company. Do some research to understand their supply chain and where they source the panels and equipment. And if you can, you'll have less issues in the long-term with Australian manufacturers as they are under the jurisdiction of Australian Consumer Law.
Please call us if you are a solar orphan and you are concerned. You can also find more information on the CHOICE website.
