Solar panel warranties: what they cover and how many types are there?

The warranty of the solar panels varies according to the manufacturer and does not cover every incident.

Therefore, what happens if the components break?

What happens if components break?

What do I do if the energy production has decreased for no reason?

What is the period covered?

And the questions do not end here. Because the guarantee offered by the installation company is not the same as the guarantee provided by the manufacturers.

We understand that both terms can cause confusion and, therefore, in this article we are going to explain them to you:

• What is included in the solar panel warranty

• Types of manufacturer’s warranty

• Installation or labour warranty

• Does it cover other elements of the system?

• In what situations would it be void?

What is included in the solar panels warranty?

When you buy a household appliance or any electrical device, do you take into account the product’s warranty?

The same applies to solar panels.

Guarantees provide financial security against defects in the solar system, performance problems or other types of incidents. So that you can repair your installation or replace parts due to unforeseen faults.

In short, most solar panel manufacturers offer a warranty that protects against imperfections of the product itself (manufacturer) and a performance warranty, i.e. against early degradation of the system.

The warranty is a relevant factor when choosing one manufacturer over another. It gives clues about the quality and performance of these solar panels.

And in this way you can determine the right warranty for your needs.

Be careful, before choosing any manufacturer, read all the details. And yes, the small print too. Don’t you do this with any other type of product? Well, in this case, all the more reason to do so. Solar panels have a 25-year life span and will be with you for a long time.

Types of solar panel warranty

Before delving into the manufacturer’s guarantee, it is important to make a distinction between these and those offered by the installation company, i.e. us. This point will be dealt with in the following sections.

In the meantime, you should know that solar panel warranties are divided into product and performance, as mentioned in the previous section.

“But what is the standard warranty you offer? I would like to get an idea.

Here are the approximate years of warranty that manufacturers provide for their photovoltaic installations:

Note: take this with a pinch of salt, there are manufacturers that exceed these figures.

• Product warranty: 10 – 12 years

• Solar module performance warranty: 25 years

Product warranty (also known as material warranty)

The product warranty guarantees the ability of the solar panels to produce energy.

This means that if there is any damage, premature wear or mechanical failure, this type of warranty covers it.

It is between 10 and 12 years, but don’t forget that this is a standard estimate. Some manufacturers exceed this figure and even go as high as 25 years, for example Hyundai.

If you are itching to know more about Hyundai’s solar panels, just visit this article.

However, it is unlikely that solar panels will fail. A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that only 5 out of 10,000 modules fail. We are talking about 0.05%.

Although this is a small figure, photovoltaic installations require a significant investment and it is worth considering the product warranty. In other words, that it is solid.

That said, imagine that your solar panels break down after 10 years and, unfortunately, that model is no longer manufactured.

Well, don’t panic.

In that case, a large number of manufacturers keep stock for a certain period of time to deal with this kind of situation.

What can I do if they are no longer in stock?

There are two options to be provided by the manufacturer:

• Deliver a compatible model (new, of course),

• Or compensate you financially for the production losses in your system.

Performance guarantee for solar panels

Electrical appliances lose performance over time.

Let’s think about this for a moment.

If you compare the battery life of your mobile phone today versus a year ago when you bought it, it is likely that you have noticed a certain decrease.

It used to last, for example, 2 or 3 days (depending on how you use your device) and at the end of its useful life it goes down.

This is also true for televisions, computers, electrical appliances, etc.

The same applies to solar panels.

The performance warranty of the PV system guarantees that it will not drop below a specificpercentage or certain levels of output after the period stated in the warranty.

The yield decreases over its lifetime. As a rule of thumb, the degradation per year is usually around 0.5%. In this way, the electrical energy production is maintained at approximately 90%.

Therefore, this guarantee would come into operation if the production of the system were to fall below these indicators. In this case, the manufacturer must repair or replace the defective solar panels.

Another important point to take into account is the maintenance of the solar panels.

What is this all about?

Well, if your photovoltaic installation is not clean, the performance levels are reduced.

In other words, electricity production decreases because dirt is blocking solar radiation.

Therefore, the first thing you should do when faced with a drop in yield is to find out if your equipment is clean. You ensure a longer lifetime of the system (it could exceed 25 years) and avoid natural degradation.

What is not included in the solar panel warranty?

Not everything is covered by the warranty for solar panels.

Let’s see in which situations manufacturers set limitations and exceptions.

Installation or labour costs together with the delivery of parts are not covered by the manufacturer. They need to protect themselves from unreasonable claims such as improper use of the system.

These limitations differ from company to company, but broadly speaking, these are the restrictions they set and are not included in the warranties:

• Damage to the installation due to natural disasters such as floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. Damage caused by adverse weather beyond their control is not covered. Solar modules are highly resistant and are prepared for extreme climates, but if they happen frequently, it is advisable to purchase insurance to guarantee their production.

• The cost of labour and shipping of parts in case of replacement.

• Repair of damage caused by improper use of the system, incorrect maintenance or damage caused by third parties such as vandalism, theft, accidental breakage or other situations beyond the manufacturer’s control.

Guarantee of the installing solar energy company

This guarantee includes the necessary labour costs.

Therefore, it is important to differentiate between the guarantee offered by the installation company and the guarantee of materials or products, i.e. the one that supports the panels themselves, the inverters, etc.

And what is the guarantee that we offer at SolarMente?

Depending on the type of financing chosen, you can find different terms:

• Our solar subscription model (or solar panel rental) has a 20-year guarantee.

• The cash purchase has a 2 year guarantee from the moment we start the installation.

In the case of leasing, the system is owned by SolarMente and, for the same reason, you will have a 20-year warranty without having to worry about it. You gain peace of mind and pay a fee starting from 46 euros per month. The amount varies depending on the size of the installation and the power.

Let’s recognise that the examples visualise the situation better. Let’s do it then.

Imagine that the panels are working properly and are faultless, but there is a problem with the energy production. It does not generate what it should.

It could be because of incorrect installation or wrong placement of the system.

What happens in this situation?

The installation company’s warranty would be triggered as it is a workmanship-related fault, so if you notice via the mobile app that the installation is not producing at the indicated levels, you should call the company.

And very important: do not try to tamper with the system, it could void the warranty or even cause unexpected accidents.

As soon as you contact the installer, the appropriate inspection will be carried out and the problem will be checked in order to solve it as soon as possible and maximise performance again.

The guarantees of our solar panel manufacturers

Each installation company works with one type of manufacturer. As solar experts, we only work with manufacturers that produce solar panels with outstanding material quality and guarantee a good performance throughout their lifetime.

In short, these are the three manufacturers we work with:

• Hyundai

• JA Solar

• Longhi

In the following table we show you the performance and product guarantee offered by the solar panel manufacturers we work with at SolarMente:

When does the warranty become void?

In certain situations, in addition to improper use or incorrect maintenance, the solar panel warranty is void for the following reasons:

• You hire an unregistered installer to install the solar modules.

• If you install the photovoltaic system yourself, without professionals.

• If a worker is unlicensed and carries out repairs to the installation.

• If you manipulate the solar panels without the authorisation of the installation company.

• In the case of hiring a different company from the one that carried out the installation if you are going to make repairs.

Does the warranty on the solar panels cover other parts of my solar energy system?

The warranty does not only cover the solar panels, but also the rest of the components that make up the system. These components are the inverters, the structure and other equipment.

An inverter has a standard warranty of 5 to 7 years, but some manufacturers extend it to 12 or even more than 20 years.

As for solar battery warranties, they range from 5-10 years.

For example, at SolarMente we work with Huawei and they guarantee 10 years, but other brands offer 5 years with the possibility of extending the period if you register the installation from the mobile application. In any case, download cycles also have an influence.

>> If you want to know what warranty our manufacturers offer on their products, just click on this link.

We will answer all your questions. We don’t want you to have any doubts before taking the step towards self-consumption.

Is it necessary to take out solar panel insurance to protect the entire installation?

As a general rule, solar panel insurance is included in the home insurance policy to protect the entire installation.

But here we must make a small note.

If the installation suffers a breakdown that is not covered by the guarantee, this does not mean that the policy will cover it.

How do we differentiate?

In this sense, it depends on whether the insurer includes the photovoltaic system as part of the structure of the property (building) or if it is considered a contained element.

Each policy is different. Consequently, it is important to consult with the provider and make sure in which cases they cover the guarantee of the solar panels.

In any case, it is an advisable alternative that will be able to protect your system against adverse weather or other reasons that do not include the manufacturer’s or installer’s warranty.

The importance of reviewing solar panel warranties (and the manufacturer’s track record)

Don’t forget to check the solar panel warranties, but don’t forget to check the manufacturer’s track record either.

Its solvency and consolidation in the solar energy market is as important as the guarantees it offers.

If you’re wondering why, we’ll tell you briefly and clearly: a manufacturer can provide many years of warranty, but if they are not available when we need them, it’s not worth much.

It is therefore necessary to assess factors such as the company’s experience.

Find out how many years they have been in business, whether they are financially sound, what kind of technology they use and, of course, whether they have a good after-sales service.

It is important to be able to complain in a simple way and that they solve the problem as soon as possible so as not to paralyse the energy production in your home.

Go for consolidated companies in the sector that guarantee their availability when you need them.

And if you want to ask for advice in terms of guarantees, you can always consult the installation company.

Do you want to resolve your doubts?

>> Here you can contact us, write to us and we will see you.

Frequently asked questions

Is the warranty of a solar panel transferable?

If you bought the system and sell the house, the guarantee of the solar panels is transferred to the new owner in most cases.

However, it will be necessary to contact the installation company to make a correct transfer to the new owner.

In the case of leasing the PV system, the warranty is transferred to the new tenant when the lease begins.

However, the best option is to consult with the installation company to follow the correct steps and avoid problems in the future.

What is the lifetime of a solar panel?

The useful life of solar panels is approximately 25 years. However, if the installation is properly maintained, it is possible to extend its use up to 30 years.

In the same way, the quality of the panels and the rest of the components will have an impact on its duration.