Solar panel and inverter warranty claims in Perth: what you need to know

Short answer: for product defects (panel stopped producing, inverter failed, physical manufacturing fault), contact the manufacturer's Australian support line or distributor. For installation defects (water ingress, cable fault, bracket failure), contact your installer first, then escalate to the Clean Energy Council if needed. Both warranty types require your commissioning certificate, original invoice, and evidence of the fault before anyone will progress a claim.

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Two types of warranty: and why it matters which one applies

Two separate warranties apply to any Perth solar system. Which one covers your problem depends entirely on what failed and when.

Product warranty (manufacturer)

This one sits with the manufacturer. It covers the product's materials and performance, not how the installer fitted it.

Panel product warranty

• Duration: typically 10–15 years (materials and workmanship)
• What it covers: manufacturing defects, delamination, cell failure, glass cracking under normal use
• What it doesn't cover: physical damage (hail, impact), incorrect installation, modifications, or use outside specifications

Panel performance warranty

• Duration: typically 25 years (linear performance warranty)
• What it guarantees: that the panel retains a specified output percentage over time. A benchmark for modern panels is about 90% at year 10 and 80% at year 25, though exact thresholds vary by manufacturer and model. Check the warranty certificate for the specific guarantee. If measured output falls below the guaranteed level, the manufacturer replaces or compensates for the underperforming panel.

Inverter warranty

• Duration: typically 5–10 years (some premium brands extend to 15 years)
• What it covers: electronic component failures within the inverter
• What it doesn't cover: damage from installation errors, incorrect input voltage, or lightning surge (check your home insurance policy)

Workmanship warranty (installer)

This one sits with the installer. It covers the quality of their work, not the equipment itself.

• Duration: typically 5–10 years; the New Energy Tech Consumer Code (NETCC) mandates a minimum five-year whole-of-system warranty covering operation, performance, and workmanship
• What it covers: installation defects, including water ingress from improperly sealed penetrations, cable failures from incorrect terminations, bracket failures from incorrect mounting
• What it doesn't cover: manufacturing defects in the equipment (those go to the product warranty)

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Who to contact for each type of claim

For product defects (panel stopped producing, inverter failed, physical defect in the panel):

Go straight to the manufacturer's Australian support line or their warranty email. Profiles drawn from CEC-approved manufacturer data:

• Fronius (inverters): dedicated Australian office in Melbourne, local service network, CEC-approved since 2009
• Sungrow: Sydney office with direct installer support, CEC-approved since 2012
• BYD (batteries): Australian distributor network, in the AU market since 2013
• Most other panel and inverter brands: contact their regional Australian distributor; panel serial numbers from your commissioning documents are sufficient

For installation defects (water leak from roof penetration, cable fault, bracket failure):

Your installer is first. If they're unresponsive, escalate to the Clean Energy Council via their complaint process.

Before choosing an installer, verifying their SAA accreditation helps you understand what warranty obligations they're committed to upfront.

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Documentation you need before making a claim

Have these ready before you contact anyone. Missing even one can stall a claim.

1. Installation documents: the original commissioning certificate or Certificate of Electrical Compliance
2. System specifications: the quote or invoice showing panel model and serial numbers, and inverter model
3. Proof of purchase: the installer invoice with date of installation
4. Evidence of the problem: screenshots from your inverter monitoring app showing the performance drop, photos of visible damage, or an error code from the inverter display
5. Generation history: your monitoring app's historical data shows what output was normal before the issue. Manufacturers often request this

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What happens when an installer company closes

Perth has seen installers close after the rapid growth phase. If yours is gone:

For product warranties: manufacturer warranties survive installer failure. Contact the Australian distributor directly. Panel serial numbers and your commissioning documents are enough. You don't need the installer involved.

For workmanship warranties: harder. A warranty from a company that no longer exists is difficult to enforce. Three paths forward:

• Claim under Australian Consumer Law: goods must be fit for purpose and durable for a reasonable period. The panel or inverter manufacturer may carry some liability even if the installation company has closed.
• Check whether your installer sold a third-party Extended Warranty product. Some insurance products cover installer company failure.
• Contact Consumer Protection WA or the ACCC if you believe your statutory rights aren't being upheld.

Get a new licensed solar installer to assess the fault first. An independent written assessment tells you whether the problem is a manufacturing defect (manufacturer's responsibility) or an installation defect (more complex to recover from a closed company). Before the same situation arises again, checking your next installer's credentials and their warranty obligations is worth doing before you sign.

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Common warranty claims in Perth

Inverter failure within the warranty period

Inverter failure is the most common claim. Most inverters carry a manufacturer's warranty of 5–10 years, and when one fails inside that window the manufacturer typically provides a repair or replacement unit. Response times vary: some manufacturers maintain local stock while others source replacements from interstate warehouses.

For Fronius and Sungrow specifically, see their Australian service network links in the relevant inverter guides: Fronius Gen24 in Perth and Sungrow inverters in Perth.

Panel delamination

Delamination (where the EVA encapsulant separates from the cells) reduces output and counts as a manufacturing defect. It's a legitimate panel product warranty claim. You'll need the panel model and serial numbers from your original commissioning documents.

Roof penetration leak

Water entering through a solar mounting penetration is a workmanship issue, not a product defect. Contact the installer first. If they've closed, you'll need a licensed roofer and a licensed electrician to assess the mounting before you can determine the fault and pursue ACL remedies.

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Before making a warranty claim

Check these three things first. They can save a lot of back-and-forth.

1. Rule out a settings or configuration issue. Many apparent performance problems are resolved by a remote diagnostic from the inverter manufacturer's support team. No claim needed.
2. Confirm no unauthorised modifications. Adding appliances to inverter output circuits or reconfiguring settings outside manufacturer guidelines can void warranties.
3. Document with timestamps. Screenshots and timestamped export history from your monitoring app form the evidence base for any claim. Get this together before contacting anyone.

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Adding a battery alongside your existing solar? Battery warranties work differently: they specify cycles, throughput, and minimum capacity retention, not just years.

Still in the buying phase? The solar pre-purchase checklist for Perth covers what warranty commitments to verify before you sign.

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Australian Consumer Law protections apply regardless of manufacturer warranty terms. Contact Consumer Protection WA or the ACCC if you believe your statutory rights aren't being upheld.