Section 7: Finding the right installer and steps to installation

You can be more confident in a solar retailer or installer if they provide you with a written quote and undertake a detailed generation analysis onsite, as part of a free ‘no-obligation’ quote. You should ask about the maintenance and operation requirements of your system, and don’t be rushed into making a decision.

You could also search for a potential retailer or installer online to see if there are complaints from other consumers or ask for references.

A warranty is only as good as the company that provides it. If the company disappears in a few years, you might have difficulty making a warranty claim should failures occur. It’s not possible to know the future of any solar panel manufacturer or installer, as some of the biggest players over the years have simply disappeared. Seeking out a retailer or installer with a long history in the business helps.

Also, be aware that under Australian Consumer Law, warranties are required to be honoured by product manufacturers even if retailers have gone out of business, so make sure you receive and keep information about the manufacturers of all the different components of your system, and the different warranties on each component.

Consumers have specific rights under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), regardless of any other warranty provided by the supplier or manufacturer. For more information about your rights visit the Consumer Affairs Victoria website.

Installing a solar PV system is something that you want to get right: after all, you only get one shot at the rebate, and a well-installed system with quality parts can continue to save you money for many years to come. A poorly-installed system or one with cheap components can be nothing but trouble.

Don’t buy a solar panel (PV) system from a door-to-door salesperson, or from a salesperson who cold calls you on the phone. If you have signed a contract in this way, take advantage of the 10-day cooling off period under consumer law to cancel the contract, and then take your time to do your homework, plan your system and find a quality installer.

Do not make any payment to a solar provider until your eligibility has been confirmed by Solar Victoria.

There are a number of details to check in any quotation for a new solar PV system. Check the panel’s performance specifications are what you’re after (see Section 4: Finding the right solar panels for your system).

Other factors to consider include construction quality, frame type and colour, panel dimensions and weight. Some panels may be more suited to your roof shape than others, especially when used on small buildings such as sheds.

Also bear in mind that different types of solar panels look different. Thin film panels have a uniform, plain appearance, while crystalline panels have distinct cells – sometimes quite obvious (they may have dark coloured cells on a white background, for instance), while others are designed to make the appearance of the cells less obtrusive. If appearance is a concern, make sure you see good photos of the panels before purchasing. Ask the installer if they have any photos of complete installations with those panels.

Check datasheets carefully for information on different versions of the same panel, and make sure you will be buying panels with all the features you are expecting to get. Talk to the supplier/installer and get a full part number for the panels, including any part number suffixes—that way you can be sure you know which variation of panel you are receiving. Also check out the manufacturer. Refer to the information in the Advice on panel quality and selection section for further advice).

Obviously, you want a long warranty. Pretty much all panels now have at least a ten year materials warranty and 25 year power warranty. Find out more about warranties in What warranties are available.

Inverters have their own separate warranties, usually between two and ten years. Ten year warranties are becoming more common, and while these inverters will probably be a little more expensive than ones with shorter warranties, it could well prove worth it in the long run.

Regardless of warranties, you can expect that the inverter will fail at some point, probably well before the panels do. You can also be reassured that if an inverter does need out-of-warranty replacement after ten years, the solar system is likely to have already paid itself back and saved you more (through lower bills) since reaching payback than the inverter replacement cost.

Also consider the mounting system and how it will appear on your roof, if that’s an issue for you. Systems that use racking usually have the rack rails extending past the edges of the solar array, and this can look unsightly if the array is in an obvious position. Mounting systems that require no rails might be the better option, but these may be available only for certain panels that have the appropriately designed frames. But this choice depends on what your chosen installer usually uses for panel mounting—they will have a preferred system and may be reluctant to use anything else.

• What is the total purchase price for a (XX) kW system?
• Is there a deposit required?
• Does someone inspect the property first to check the site is appropriate and whether extra installation costs might apply?
• What is the total waiting period from sign-up to installation?
• How many panels are required for a (XX) kW system and what size is each panel (in watts)?
• How many square metres will the panels require? What is the length/ width of each panel?
• What is the brand and type of solar panels and where are they made?
• What is the average daily and yearly kWh production for this system?
• What brand is the inverter and what’s its rated capacity?
• Does the inverter have a smaller or larger capacity than the panels or are they size matched?
• What does the inverter display show?
• What accessories, such as remote displays, are available for the solar system?
• Is there a monitoring service so I can check how my system is performing? Is there an extra cost for this?
• What is the warranty on panels, inverter, mounting frame and installation?
• What is the performance warranty on the system?
• How long is the warranty on the selected inverter?
• Are the solar panels and inverter made by the brand name company or are they made by a different manufacturer and relabelled? If so, who is the original manufacturer of the panels and inverter?
• Does the solar panel brand name company that honours the panels’ warranty have a base in Australia that I can contact if there are any issues with the panels? Also are there details of the company that honours the inverter warranty, if different? What are the phone numbers and addresses?
• For how long have the solar panel and inverter brand name companies been selling these products?
• How does the panel efficiency compare on quoted systems?
• What power tolerances are offered on panels within quoted systems?
• If the system is significantly cheaper or more expensive than average, why?
• What is the total cost of any insurance coverage before discounts and rebates? (Find out more about insurance in the Panel warranty from manufacturer section).
• What sort of after-sales service is available for trouble-shooting issues?
• What is the CEC accreditation number for solar installation?
• Do the panels have Clean Energy Council approval?
• Will the installer organise metering and switchboard modification, including the inspection and paperwork?
• Does the installer organise the application for the Federal Government STC subsidy? The business owner will need to apply for the Victorian Government’s Solar Panel Rebate.
• Is the installation work contracted out?
• For how long has the company been installing solar photovoltaic systems?
• Can the installer/company provide contact details of people who they have installed solar systems for, who would be happy to give a reference about their work?