Solar Installation Fail. Problem after problem.

Emojii on 05/07/2021 - 14:47
Last edited 12/07/2021 - 22:50

Hi everyone. I just had my solar panel system installed today. Things didn't go well. My ceiling was damaged because they had accidentally dropped a tile on the roof. The installer said he will send someone to fix it.
After they left, I was clearing the rubbish and stuff, I find a cut plastic pipe dumped in my recycling bin. I don't know what that is. I only knew they did not installed the panels according to the proposal plan. Instead of installing a panel around that pipe, they simply cut it off and installed the panel on top of it to save some time.
The outstanding balance is suppose to pay on the day of installation. I don't know if I should pay today. Should I pay after they fixed my ceiling? And can someone please tell me what that plastic pipe is. Thanks.

Update The big boss called me last night to handle my complaint. I requested to move the panel and restore my venting pipe. He didn't say yes. Only said he will think of a solution and call me back today.
Update 2 The plaster guy will be coming tomorrow to fix the ceiling.
Update 3 The installer is currently on my property fixing up. He asked for the vent pipe that he cut off yesterday so he can put it back on. Is that ok?
Update 4 The installer had moved the panel and installed on the other roof. The vent pipe is now restored. But there's another problem. I've just discovered a fine line on one of the solar panel. I don't recall I've seen that yesterday. I tried to clean it with a cloth and soapy water but can't wipe it off. I'm not sure if it's a crack because I can't feel the crack on the surface. Now what do I do?
Update 5 My broken ceiling is finally patched and painted, although the paint job is imperfect because the plasterer did not paint the whole ceiling sigh
I've uploaded some photos of my solar system. Feel free to comment to below.
Inverter
North roof 1
North roof 2
North roof 3
North roof 4
West roof

Home & Garden Solar Energy System

Comments

  • tessel on 06/07/2021 - 17:52
    +2

    That mark is from the aluminium frame of another panel. Was scratched during install. Won't affect performance. Speak to the installer.

  • DiscoJango on 06/07/2021 - 19:29
    +1

    probably a rush job before heading off to the pub. fair dinkum mate.

  • Yawhae on 06/07/2021 - 19:53
    +6

    Hey Emoji, It's really disheartening to see this happen in the industry and alot of Solar Installer are rarely held to account.

    First of all that pipe they cut is vent for your sewage/septic. There is an Australian Standard on how high it must extend through the roof otherwise you might get a smell coming back through the tiles. It is not acceptable to simply cut it and put a solar panel over it.

    A light scratch in the panel will hardly effect performance, however if it's a crack it could have implication on the longevity. The scratch also means the panels could have been roughly handled and/or shipped.

    Personally if you are unsatisfied with the result I would contact an independent licenced electrical contractor with their CEC accreditation to do an inspection and hold off full payment until then.

    If you would like some further advice please DM and I'm happy to look at any other photos for you.

    • Emojii on 06/07/2021 - 20:46

      Thanks Yawhae. Hopefully I won't discover more problems later on. I have had enough 😔

    • MND on 08/07/2021 - 22:41

      If cutting a pipe is a solution, I can only imagine what other installers are doing when there is an obstruction.

      • Zachary on 29/07/2021 - 21:45

        Take the whole roof off! hahahaha

  • endotherm on 06/07/2021 - 22:03
    -2

    As long as the stink pipe is outside your tiles into the fresh air, with enough room to put the perforated cap on, it should still work sufficiently. That is not to say it is in compliance with the building codes. The idea is to get the waste gases into the air stream above the house and have it dissipate. It is usually more than just a few centimeters above the tile line to prevent a concentration of gases building up on the tiles and potentially finding its way back down into the roof space through tile gaps. You'll probably find that there is a fairly constant airflow in the space between the tiles and the panels to vent it anyway.

    From a solar installation perspective, it is probably the better solution. Any pipe above the panel line can cast shadows. This can severely impact the output generated. I have a TV antenna pole near mine, approximately 15mm diameter and a meter high. The original TV antenna was removed from this pole when the panels were installed. Unfortunately for most of the day it casts a narrow shadow across one of the panels. This prevents full generation as one of the "cells" in the panel isn't exposed to direct sunlight. This is a bit like having a dead battery in an appliance with say 5 other good batteries. You aren't getting full power, the bad cell is doing nothing and the other cells are doing all the work. With solar panels it can bring down the total generation 15-20%, which is substantial. Mine is an early 1kW system, 6 panels on a small roof with a single inverter (it's less of a problem if you have multiple micro-inverters on the panels). On a very sunny day I don't exceed 800W, all because of a skinny shadow negating the output from one panel. I'll get around to cutting it off one day. In your case, removing the pipe will ensure the rest of the panels are able to generate near their maximum rated capacity. I'd also advise checking the installation and see if there are other shadows cast on any other panels over the course of a day and remove, relocate or shorten them. Typically things like whirlybirds, TV antennas etc. Even with your original proposal, the chances are high that the vent pipe would have cast a shadow over one or more panels. One of the installers was probably switched-on enough to identify it as a problem, but the solution was a bit rough. It's only a PVC pipe, it really wouldn't be much of a problem relocating it through the roof space and have it exit the roof somewhere else clear of the solar panels.

    • DoctorCalculon on 07/07/2021 - 16:30
      +1

      One of the installers was probably switched-on enough to identify it as a problem

      I beg to differ with your viewpoint completely. If they were really switched on and not be irresponsible cowboys, they would have come down and given the option to the OP to have a properly licensed roof plumber rectify the issue before proceeding with the install.

      • endotherm on 07/07/2021 - 22:34

        Switched-on to the point of correctly identifying a pipe sitting proud of the panels would cast a shadow and reduce the efficiency of the system. The expertise that they are being paid for in the solar installation. I'm clearly not defending their choice of plumbing modifications. If you actually read what I wrote I already identified a problem with building code compliance, and to modify it correctly would have been a relatively simple job to extend and reroute some PVC pipe. I can't say whether that is an allowable modification by a general builder, or if it requires a licensed plumber to complete. Not sure how any of that opinion negates my viewpoint.

  • Emerald Owl on 06/07/2021 - 23:24
    -2

    imagine if the government just ensured reasonable power prices so people didn't have to mess around with this stuff.

    • Mrgreenz on 07/07/2021 - 06:53
      +1

      Haha, what can't we blame on the government!

  • rickxs on 07/07/2021 - 07:21
    +2

    I'd also be checking for broken tiles or hairline fractures where they have been clomping around the panels , check for leaks with a hose & get into roof cavity with a torch while its being showered…good luck

    .,

    • Emojii on 07/07/2021 - 12:32
      +1

      Yes, I will definitely go up to the roof cavity to check for leaks when a heavy rain comes.

  • bigbadboogieman on 07/07/2021 - 09:01
    +1

    Don't pay until all problems fully addressed. Note down names, date and time of everyone you speak. Take as many photos as you can. Name and shame if not satisfied and go to fair trade.

  • payless69 on 07/07/2021 - 10:04

    I have seen so many dodgy installations that I recomend getting the contract looked over by a lawyer first. So far I had 8 salesmen around, nobody gave me a complete quote.

    • SBOB on 07/07/2021 - 12:13
      +3

      getting the contract looked over by a lawyer first

      for a solar install?
      crazy

      Find a reputable installer based on reviews and word of mouth. Its not hard
      Don't buy purely on price or recommendations by ex cricket players.

      • payless69 on 08/07/2021 - 17:14

        Correct! It is crazy but I know roofers who love to fix damaged roofs from solar installations. I guess it is regional. As a matter of interest solar hotwater installs have have even more issues. In some cases it makes even sense to use PV pannels to heat a stationary well insulated tank. I guess we are having an issue in my town where serious tradies are usually just too busy. Incomplete quotes with drip pricing well when the water drips people open their wallet!

  • DeeTrance on 07/07/2021 - 10:11
    +2

    That's the solar industry for you, where alot of the work is done by a cheap apprentice or for free by a young apprentice on trial. Then signs off by an electrician.

    It's deplorable.

    • slick7 on 07/07/2021 - 17:49
      +1

      Yes - lots of shortcuts to get the price down and forget quality but there's plenty of good installers if you do your research - the problem is customers look at price first and forget about other important factors to consider. I've heard really good things about this comparison site but I've not used them personally - https://www.solarquotes.com.au (their whole site seems to be about vetting installers first to make sure they used decent quality products and actually design solar properly - not just thinking about the lowest price)

      Thinking of price first and forgetting about durability, quality, installation, planning for growing the system, and eventually getting battery, later advice and support if something doesn't work well, etc is very common from what I've heard. But it's the same with buying cars. I'm sure if a new company came out with a $9999 brand new car some people would buy it and forget about other factors in the decision-making process.

      btw I'm in no way associated with the site above

      • yoquierotaco on 08/07/2021 - 14:00
        +1

        I have used solarquotes and I really recommend them. The companies I contacted myself were all really bad and trying to upsell the crap out of me. The ones solarquotes referred me were all really good. as a referece, the first guy I called up tried to sell me "top-of-the-line" stuff which would have costs me $12k for a 6kW system! The ones solarquotes gave me various systems (6-10kW) ranging from $5-10k. I ended up getting a mid-range 10kW system for $6.5k.

        The site does a really good job of educating you on the solar industry as well. So it gives you knowledge to talk to these salesman, even if you don't use them for referrals.

        • Emojii on 08/07/2021 - 14:45

          $6.5k for a 10kw system? That's very cheap! Is that before or after rebates?

          • yoquierotaco on 08/07/2021 - 22:45

            @Emojii: All the prices I referred are after rebate. The company organized all the rebate so I only paid the price quoted. Going from 6.6 to 10kW was not that much more. Basically paying for a few more panels if you have the roof space.

            I also had multiple quotes for similar systems and played them on each other. Saved about $500 as the original quote was $7k. This shows that there is quite a bit of room to budge with quotes.

  • BOOOWA on 07/07/2021 - 21:00
    +5

    i work in the solar industry myself. That fine line is a scratch caused by the installer dragging something along the surface of the solar panel. It could be a tool or the corner of another solar panel. It will have nearly no effect on the performance of the solar panel. But you have the right to complaint and get that panel replaced if you are not happy..

    • Emojii on 08/07/2021 - 10:39

      With your professional knowledge, is it a common practice to cut off the pipe and places a panel on top? My installer had cut it off to 100mm.

  • FareEvader on 08/07/2021 - 00:07

    Good on you for doing your due diligence

  • CI on 08/07/2021 - 03:11

    Thats a dwv vent pipe. Asper as nzs 3500.2 must be exposed to atmosphere 300 affl. It's to keep your sanitary drainage odors from escaping into your home.

    • Emojii on 08/07/2021 - 10:35

      Just received a reply from Victorian Building Authority. The minimum height for a sewer vent above its point of penetration through a roof is 150mm. My installer had cut off the pipe to 100mm which was not up to standard.

  • kaleidoscope on 08/07/2021 - 09:14

    dont pay till everything else is completed, if they threaten file a complaint. name and shame the installer to save someone else from going through this shit.

  • PlagueistheCheap on 08/07/2021 - 11:24
    +3

    I am in Melbourne and looking at getting solar next week. Id really like to know who this was to avoid a potential headache.

  • bamzero on 08/07/2021 - 14:29

    That line on the panel shouldn't affect the performance noticeably.

    That said, you might have luck removing it with an eraser or if that doesn't work one of those magic eraser sponges will probably do the trick.

  • nikey2k27 on 08/07/2021 - 19:58
    -1

    you hire shit cheep guy you need rain and lot of it now why show them (profanity) up your room

  • Philthy on 09/07/2021 - 00:02

    im assuming they didn't even bother telling you about the pipe.. dodgy alert.

    better get all your paperwork ready and get the owner to come by

  • Emojii on 10/07/2021 - 11:17

    I've just uploaded some photos on update 5. Feel free to comment.

    • SBOB on 10/07/2021 - 13:50
      +1

      That is a very dodgy poor looking vent pipe 'fix'

      And I would be annoyed with a fix that results in a single panel off on an adjacent roof surface. Just really poor aesthetics (not that panels are attractive anyway)

  • rav_stk on 18/07/2021 - 20:40

    I had a similar experience with a solar installer. They also cut the vent pipe without telling me. I only found it lying on the ground. Also, the work was so substandard that it caused roof leaks. Luckily, the house was new so the builder fixed it under warranty. And it was not a cheap quoted job.I am in Victoria too. Are there any place where such shonky installer should be reported?

  • Emojii on 18/07/2021 - 22:13

    @rav_stk Shouldn't be your solar installer responsible for the repair? How come it's your builder fixing up?

    • rav_stk on 19/07/2021 - 08:49

      Yes, it should have been the solar responsibility. There was water leakage from the room which was dripping out of the bathroom heat lamps. The builder, sentt the roofing guy to fix up the issue, only then we found out that, it was due to the substandard work done by the solar installer. How did you get them to fix up the vent pipe? Is that something you think I should be following up on as well?

      • DoctorCalculon on 20/07/2021 - 00:44

        Who was the installer?

        You guys should name and shame for the benefit of other OzBargainers.
        These cowboy installers should not get away with charging exorbitant fees for such shonky work.

  • Zachary on 29/07/2021 - 21:43

    lol that lonely panel randomly by itselfs…

    Also I like your nice clean tiles, mine are like all broken and chipped.

    • Emojii on 29/07/2021 - 22:21

      Thanks for the compliment. I like the clean tiles too. The house I lived in previously has a lot of lichens on the roof.

  • Isla Brown on 30/07/2021 - 01:24

    Speak to the solar installer and don't pay until they complete your work because once you pay they might not complete your work.

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