How to make a solar warranty claim in Perth: panels, inverters, and workmanship

A Perth solar system carries three different warranties from three different parties. If something goes wrong, work out which warranty applies first. That determines who you call and what the process looks like.

Short answer: contact your installer first, whatever the issue. They can triage it and point you at the right warranty path. Read on for the full picture.

---

The three warranties on a Perth solar installation

1. Panel product warranty (manufacturer)

What it covers: Manufacturing defects in the panel itself: premature delamination, frame corrosion, junction box failure, defective cells.

Who provides it: The panel manufacturer (REC, Jinko, Trina, Canadian Solar, and others).

Typical term: 10–15 years (some manufacturers offer longer on premium product lines).

What it means in practice: Once this period expires, you can no longer claim a manufacturing defect. Your performance warranty and Australian Consumer Law rights remain active.

2. Panel performance warranty (manufacturer)

What it covers: Minimum output over the panel's lifespan. Most manufacturers warrant at least 97% of rated output in Year 1, with annual degradation caps (typically no more than 0.45%/year for PERC panels). These are datasheet-typical figures, not a universal standard. The 25-year endpoint for most manufacturers is around 80% of original rated output.

Who provides it: The panel manufacturer.

Claim trigger: Output measured under Standard Test Conditions falls below the warranted minimum for that year of service. Monitoring data from your app is useful for spotting trends, but it is directional only. A certified STC measurement is required to prove a performance claim. That testing is expensive.

Practical reality: Performance warranty claims are hard to prosecute. Most Perth households dealing with underperformance resolve it through the product warranty (a defect claim) or the installer workmanship warranty, not a performance claim.

See solar panel degradation: what to expect from your Perth system over 25 years for a full breakdown of what normal degradation looks like and when a drop signals a real problem.

3. Workmanship warranty (installer)

What it covers: Defects in the installation work itself: incorrectly routed cables, improper weatherproofing of roof penetrations, faulty connections, systems not commissioned correctly.

Who provides it: Your solar installer.

Minimum term: Five years, under the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC) for Approved Sellers. Some installers offer longer.

Claim trigger: Installation-related issues: roof leaks at panel penetrations, loose connections, panels installed in unsafe or non-compliant configurations, monitoring not commissioned correctly.

---

Inverter warranty

The inverter carries its own product warranty, separate from the panels:

• Standard inverter warranty: 5–10 years (varies by brand and model; most major tier-1 brands sit at the 10-year end)
• Extended inverter warranty: 15–20 years (optional purchase at installation, available from most major brands)
• Microinverter warranty (Enphase): 25 years

Who provides it: The inverter manufacturer: Fronius, SMA, Sungrow, SolarEdge, Goodwe, Enphase, and others all have Australian-based warranty support.

Claim process: Contact the inverter manufacturer directly or through your installer. Most can remotely diagnose fault codes via the monitoring portal. Warranty replacements are typically shipped and installed by an SAA-accredited installer (Solar Accreditation Australia, the current accreditation body for solar installers in Australia) or a WA-licensed electrician.

---

Step-by-step: making a warranty claim

Step 1: Identify the issue category

Performance problem (not generating expected output): Start with your monitoring data. Compare to expected generation for the season. If the underperformance is consistent and not weather-related, investigate further. Solar panel degradation has a month-by-month Perth context guide.

Equipment fault (error codes, inverter not running, visible damage): Inverter faults go to the inverter manufacturer or your installer. Physical panel damage goes to your installer for initial assessment.

Installation defect (roof leak, loose panels, cable issues): Installer workmanship warranty. Call your installer.

Step 2: Contact your installer first

For most issues, the installer is your first call. They have your system documentation and can pull performance records. They also have existing relationships with panel and inverter manufacturers, which speeds up claims. If the issue is installation-related, they're on the hook under their workmanship warranty. And they can tell you plainly whether you're looking at a manufacturing defect (manufacturer's claim) or an installation defect (workmanship claim). That distinction matters for who pays.

What to have ready:

• Monitoring data showing the performance issue (screenshots from your monitoring app)
• When the issue started, or when you first noticed it
• Any visible damage or error codes
• System details: installation date, panel model and serial numbers, inverter model

Step 3: Panel manufacturer direct claim (if needed)

If your installer can't resolve the issue, or is no longer trading, contact the panel manufacturer directly. You'll need proof of purchase (original invoice showing panel model and serial numbers), the installation date and location, a description of the defect with photos, and your system documentation: the Certificate of Compliance or Notice of Completion, issued by Building & Energy WA.

Most established panel manufacturers have Australian contacts or local distributors. Find the manufacturer's Australian warranty support contact, not a generic overseas address.

Step 4: Inverter manufacturer direct claim

For inverter faults, the typical process runs three steps:

1. Diagnostic via the monitoring portal: most manufacturers can remotely diagnose fault codes
2. Service agent assessment (may involve a site visit or a data request)
3. Warranty replacement decision: most modern inverters are replaced rather than repaired

Fronius, Sungrow, SMA, SolarEdge, Enphase, and Goodwe all have Australian-based warranty support.

---

If your installer has gone out of business

This happens. Some Perth solar companies don't last. Panel and inverter manufacturer warranties remain in effect regardless. Contact them directly. Your workmanship warranty, though, has no party to enforce against. That's the core risk of choosing an installer without long-term stability, and it's one reason checking credentials before you sign matters. See how to check a solar installer's credentials in Perth before signing.

If the fault is clearly a panel or inverter defect, the manufacturer warranty is your path. If it's clearly an installation defect (a roof leak, say), you'll likely need a new SAA-accredited installer to make good at your own cost. Document the failure carefully and seek redress through Consumer Protection WA (part of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, DMIRS) if the defect is significant.

A note on dispute routing in WA: Consumer Protection WA (not EWOWA) handles solar installation disputes. EWOWA deals with electricity retailer billing disputes, not solar installation issues.

Keep these documents accessible: Original invoices, Certificate of Compliance / Notice of Completion, panel and inverter model numbers, serial numbers, and warranty certificates. Store digital copies somewhere other than your email inbox.

---

Consumer protection under Australian Consumer Law (ACL)

Australian Consumer Law provides consumer guarantees that sit independently of any manufacturer warranty. The ACL guarantee applies automatically and cannot be taken away: goods must be safe, lasting, and free from defects, and do what a person would normally expect them to do.

For solar panels, "lasting" means lasting for a reasonable period. Panels are marketed with 25-year performance warranties. A panel that significantly fails in years 3–5 may not meet the ACL guarantee of acceptable quality, even if it's outside the manufacturer's stated product warranty period.

Under the ACL, your seller (the installer) is the primary responsible party, not the manufacturer. The installer must not simply redirect you to the manufacturer. If the installer is no longer operating and the loss is substantial, you can make a claim against the manufacturer. Seek legal advice for high-value ACL claims.

---

For more on what the warranties cover before you buy, see solar panel warranties explained: what Perth buyers actually need to know and solar battery warranty in Perth: what the fine print actually means.

Choosing a system? Buying solar in Perth: a 12-step pre-purchase checklist covers the full pre-purchase process, including warranty questions to ask your installer.