Re: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim

2022-11-23 Thread August Goers via RE-wrenches 
Hi Danny -

We’ve been a SunPower dealer for close to 15 years and for the most part
their modules have been solid. Thank goodness. However, we have a site
installed in 2010 that is exhibiting “fern crack cell” and encapsulate
browning. This is the first I’ve seen of this, so it is something I’m
watching carefully. The modules are no longer within the original 10-yr
product warranty range, but are still within the 25-yr power warranty
range. In addition the SunnyBoy inverter is shot. So, our first step is to
get them a running inverter which is tricky because the system requires
positive grounding. On a side note, anyone find good inverter replacement
options when positive grounding is required? It seems like either we find
an old transformer based inverter or perhaps try one of the PID boxes on
the market? I’m hesitant to try the PID box until we get official approval
from SunPower.

 Once we accomplish getting them a running inverter, we’ll see how the
system is running and do some basic production vs irradiance tests.
SunPower indicated that Maxeon may replace the modules after we go through
the IV curve testing and/or infrared camera hot spot testing procedure. It
is interesting that now that SunPower and Maxeon are separate companies,
that the warranty holder is actually Maxeon but is facilitated through
SunPower.

Anyway, I don’t have any special tips dealing with SunPower getting back to
your question. What model modules are you dealing with on your warranty
claim and when were they installed, roughly?

Best,

August
Luminalt



On Tue, Nov 22, 2022 at 10:34 AM Daniel Young via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> Hello Wrenches,
>
>
>
> Any experience successfully submitting a performance warranty claim with
> SunPower on their solar modules? Right now, in order to Provide what they
> are asking for, we will likely spend more time/money testing to their
> satisfaction than it would cost for us to likely buy new modules and just
> replace the array.
>
>
>
> Anybody have a similar experience? Or suggestions on how to deal with
> Sunpower?
>
>
>
> Don’t want to bog this down with all the details but suffice to say we I-V
> traced the array at the string level as a sanity check (7-10 % lower than
> anticipated performance), and a random selection of individual modules as
> well and we are seeing roughly 8% lower performance than expected given the
> array age and listed performance warranty. (STC corrected I-V trace is 8%
> lower than it should be for an 8 year old solar module from SunPower)
>
>
>
> With Regards,
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> Danny Young
>
> NABCEP PV Installation Professional #031508-90
>
> Engineering Team Lead
> Solar Energy Solutions
>
> Lexington | Louisville | Bloomington | Cincinnati | Evansville |
> Indianapolis
>
> 513-448-5176 (mobile)
>
> 877-312-7456 (Main Office)
>
> da...@sesre.com
>
>
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> --
August Goers
Luminalt
o: 415.792.
m: 415.559.1525
aug...@luminalt.com
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim

2022-11-22 Thread Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches 
This is why I have an article on my website to explain to prospective
clients why module warranties are mostly useless.

The cost to evaluate most potential problems is prohibitive.  Now if you
have a major manufacturer failure and every module is obviously bad, that
could be grounds for a warranty claim, but for a single module or two, or a
minor deficiency in production - it just will never be worth it. And later
in the life of a system, even a major issue might not be worth
investigating. I can count the successful module warranty claims I have
done in my career on a single hand.

Modules warranties are mostly marketing nonsense, unfortunately, IMO.

Jason Szumlanski
Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group
NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP)
Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956


On Tue, Nov 22, 2022 at 1:50 PM Scot Arey via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> I agree that the time to process warranty the module to a manufacturer’s
> desires is cost-prohibitive. Of all the component’s we use, this warranty
> almost seems the least valuable for this very reason. We stopped one case
> for this very reason as I didn’t want to do a PhD dissertation for a single
> module.
>
>
>
> Was surprised by one manufacturer who advised us to read that bypass
> diodes were not an warranty defect even though the module was making half
> power.
>
>
>
> Good luck, look forward to hearing how your case goes.
>
>
>
> Scot Arey
>
> Solar CenTex
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches  *On
> Behalf Of *Daniel Young via RE-wrenches
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 22, 2022 12:34 PM
> *To:* RE-wrenches 
> *Cc:* Daniel Young 
> *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim
>
>
>
> Hello Wrenches,
>
>
>
> Any experience successfully submitting a performance warranty claim with
> SunPower on their solar modules? Right now, in order to Provide what they
> are asking for, we will likely spend more time/money testing to their
> satisfaction than it would cost for us to likely buy new modules and just
> replace the array.
>
>
>
> Anybody have a similar experience? Or suggestions on how to deal with
> Sunpower?
>
>
>
> Don’t want to bog this down with all the details but suffice to say we I-V
> traced the array at the string level as a sanity check (7-10 % lower than
> anticipated performance), and a random selection of individual modules as
> well and we are seeing roughly 8% lower performance than expected given the
> array age and listed performance warranty. (STC corrected I-V trace is 8%
> lower than it should be for an 8 year old solar module from SunPower)
>
>
>
> With Regards,
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> Danny Young
>
> NABCEP PV Installation Professional #031508-90
>
> Engineering Team Lead
> Solar Energy Solutions
>
> Lexington | Louisville | Bloomington | Cincinnati | Evansville |
> Indianapolis
>
> 513-448-5176 (mobile)
>
> 877-312-7456 (Main Office)
>
> da...@sesre.com
>
>
> _
>
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim

2022-11-22 Thread Sam Haraldson via RE-wrenches 
*> Was surprised by one manufacturer who advised us to read that bypass
diodes were not an warranty defect *
*> even though the module was making half power.*

Forgive me if I'm daft but someone please tell me WHAT IS a module defect
if a failed diode ISN'T?!?

Unacceptable.
Sam Haraldson 
Installation & Service Manager



| o. (406) 551-6135






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Re: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim

2022-11-22 Thread Scot Arey via RE-wrenches 
I agree that the time to process warranty the module to a manufacturer's
desires is cost-prohibitive. Of all the component's we use, this warranty
almost seems the least valuable for this very reason. We stopped one case
for this very reason as I didn't want to do a PhD dissertation for a single
module.

 

Was surprised by one manufacturer who advised us to read that bypass diodes
were not an warranty defect even though the module was making half power.

 

Good luck, look forward to hearing how your case goes.

 

Scot Arey

Solar CenTex

 

From: RE-wrenches  On Behalf Of
Daniel Young via RE-wrenches
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2022 12:34 PM
To: RE-wrenches 
Cc: Daniel Young 
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim

 

Hello Wrenches,

 

Any experience successfully submitting a performance warranty claim with
SunPower on their solar modules? Right now, in order to Provide what they
are asking for, we will likely spend more time/money testing to their
satisfaction than it would cost for us to likely buy new modules and just
replace the array.

 

Anybody have a similar experience? Or suggestions on how to deal with
Sunpower?

 

Don't want to bog this down with all the details but suffice to say we I-V
traced the array at the string level as a sanity check (7-10 % lower than
anticipated performance), and a random selection of individual modules as
well and we are seeing roughly 8% lower performance than expected given the
array age and listed performance warranty. (STC corrected I-V trace is 8%
lower than it should be for an 8 year old solar module from SunPower)

 

With Regards,

 

--

 

Danny Young

NABCEP PV Installation Professional #031508-90

Engineering Team Lead
Solar Energy Solutions

Lexington | Louisville | Bloomington | Cincinnati | Evansville |
Indianapolis

513-448-5176 (mobile)

877-312-7456 (Main Office)

 <mailto:da...@sesre.com> da...@sesre.com

 

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[RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim

2022-11-22 Thread Daniel Young via RE-wrenches 
Hello Wrenches,

Any experience successfully submitting a performance warranty claim with 
SunPower on their solar modules? Right now, in order to Provide what they are 
asking for, we will likely spend more time/money testing to their satisfaction 
than it would cost for us to likely buy new modules and just replace the array.

Anybody have a similar experience? Or suggestions on how to deal with Sunpower?

Don't want to bog this down with all the details but suffice to say we I-V 
traced the array at the string level as a sanity check (7-10 % lower than 
anticipated performance), and a random selection of individual modules as well 
and we are seeing roughly 8% lower performance than expected given the array 
age and listed performance warranty. (STC corrected I-V trace is 8% lower than 
it should be for an 8 year old solar module from SunPower)

With Regards,

--

Danny Young
NABCEP PV Installation Professional #031508-90
Engineering Team Lead
Solar Energy Solutions
Lexington | Louisville | Bloomington | Cincinnati | Evansville | Indianapolis
513-448-5176 (mobile)
877-312-7456 (Main Office)
da...@sesre.com

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