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For most people, going solar is a serious investment, even at our low prices. Expecting the equipment to work for its full lifetime is a basic right of the customer, and we get that.
From the onset, we design your solar project with the best Tier 1 equipment. Our standard panel equipment includes black-on-black, monocrystalline panels rated to IEC 61215 (see an explanation of our panel philosophy here), and for the inverter, we use Enphase microinverters—the best of the best.
Panel Warranty
Panels are rarely ever an issue. They are built incredibly strong and designed to withstand the harshest winds, snow, heat, and cold. Even hail that damages cars rarely damages your panels—while it's not covered under warranty, the panels are designed and tested to withstand hail approximately an inch in diameter.
Over time, a panel's quality can fluctuate, and these changes are taken into account when we talk about performance longevity. This is degradation—the amount of reduction to wattage output over time.
Some panels out there degrade as much as 50% over a 25-year period. At Project Solar, we only use Tier 1 panels that have, at minimum, a guaranteed ~84% of their rated production level by year 25 (depending on the exact panel used).
This base number is guaranteed, but our preferred panels have a historical record of 85-6%. Some of the most expensive panels on the market (often costing 2x as much per watt) boast a 92% performance record (a 6-7% difference). We try and find the sweet spot—the best-bang-for-your-buck panel that will do the job at the highest-yielding ROI over 25 years.
In short, we almost never have issues with panels. They keep chugging along, exceeding their performance rating throughout the life of the warranty.
Making a Claim
If you opted for our full-service installation, and you have a panel issue that was caused by labor, the repair would be covered by our workmanship warranty.
If it has been longer than the warranty term, or the issue was caused by a defect in the equipment, you can replace the panel yourself or hire a handyman to do it for you. Everything just clips into itself, and no splicing of wires is required for a panel change. The hardest part is getting on the roof and positioning yourself to reach the screws and place the new panel.
If you did DIY, you're already a pro, and this shouldn't be a concern.
For more information on the claim process for panels, check out our article "Panel and Microinverter Replacement."
Microinverter Warranty
If people complain about system downtime or system issues, it's almost always because of old-school technology like string inverters. In a string inverter system, all panels in a system/string pass their DC power to one central inverter, are notorious for being short-lived and finicky. They are usually only warrantied for 10-12 years and create a single point of failure for the entire system.
Microinverters, specifically Enphase microinverters, are considered the best of the best in the industry. Typically, the only complaint people have with them are the price, but we include them standard in our kits, and you already know our builds are the lowest price in the industry.
Enphase, besides having the best and most reliable tech, is also the only large-scale manufacturer that honors warranties directly with the end user. They have a great support team that actually takes customer calls, while most only work with the installer. We recommend contacting Project Solar with any warranty issues, allowing us to set up three-way communication to keep everyone informed and involved. We won't just dump you off to the manufacturer--we back all our warranties fully. Enphase's willingness to work with customers is also a huge vote of confidence by the manufacturer in their own product.
Making a Claim
Enphase provides a fantastic warranty and customer support.
To review their warranty information, click here.
In summary, the equipment will work as intended or a replacement/refund will be provided. . . for 25 years. This is more than double the projected lifespan of string inverters, including those of Tesla (12.5-year warranty).
In the event of an installation-caused microinverter issue within the workmanship warranty period (for full-service install customers), repair or replacement labor will also be covered under warranty.
For DIY install microinverter replacements, you would simply perform the swap yourself, which would just involve unplugging and unscrewing the microinverter from the racking and connecting a new one.
For more information on the claim process with Enphase, check out our article "Panel and Microinverter Replacement."
Workmanship Warranty
Here at Project Solar, we partner with top-notch, NABCEP certified installers to provide additional warranty services for full service installations.
If you opt for a full-service installation, you will have a 10-year workmanship warranty and a 25-year production guarantee with your installer. This means that in addition to your system’s 25-year manufacturer's warranty, you are also covered if the installer makes a mistake.
We want to ensure that any issues caused by your solar installation are taken care of in a timely and efficient manner. To guarantee this, we double back all our warranties. We call this the Project Solar Warranty Triangle.
This means that you, as the customer, will always go through us if you experience any issues caused by the install. You won’t be left to fend for yourself with the installer. We will work as your advocate and try to enforce the installer’s contract/warranty, but ultimately, we take full responsibility and get the job done if the installer doesn’t pull through.
For example, if your installer goes out of business, we, at our own expense, will find a new installer to make the warrantied repairs.
One of homeowners' biggest concerns is that there will be leaks in areas where installers have drilled into the roof to mount solar panel rails and anchors. However, racking technology has come a long way, so installers’ methods are nearly foolproof and unlikely to cause leaks. That being said, things happen, so we make sure that your installation will be securely warrantied through the installer and through Project Solar.
