A U.K. farmer had already put £65,000 ($86,800) toward a solar project and was still waiting for a completed system eight months later.
An inspection revealed problems that could require dismantling and rebuilding the rooftop array.
Here's what to know
Content creator Jordan, of U.K. solar firm Artisan Electrics, documented the problems in a YouTube inspection video. The system that farmer and lodging-business owner Luke commissioned was quoted at £100,000 ($133,500) and included 120 kilowatt-hours of battery storage.
Artisan Electrics documented sagging panels and tangled wiring at a U.K. farm's unfinished solar-and-battery installation.
Damage extended to Luke's CCTV cable, which the team found had been pierced by a screw. The inspection also uncovered trunking crowded with cable connections. A plumbing waste pipe was also being used to carry cables.
"That's a rat's nest," Jordan said while examining the wiring.
Missing and unsecured components added to the rooftop concerns. Jordan found an absent end clamp and connectors that should have been secured beneath the panels, away from water.
Luke said the panels still sagged after the original installer had tried three times to level them.
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More background
Manufacturer instructions prohibited walking on the panels, but Luke said workers had done so during installation. He also said the original installer had approved the roof without first conducting a structural survey.
Jordan questioned the placement of clamps near a panel's edge, while panel installer Tom raised concerns about what the team might find underneath if they dismantled the array.
The app's record of approximately 17 megawatt-hours of lifetime generation showed that the equipment was producing electricity despite its faults. Jordan said the property ran on solar and batteries most of the time.
Without a grid tie to sell surplus electricity, however, generation was curtailed once the batteries filled, Jordan said.
What's being done?
Luke hired a solicitor to explore leaving the contract or pursuing further action. He said the certification body had declined to help because the installation exceeded its 50-kilowatt scope.
Replacing the DC cabling with continuous runs would eliminate the repeated joints Jordan identified as a potential fire risk. He warned that a poorly assembled connection could arc, setting the surrounding plastic alight near the building's timber.
Jordan also suggested checking whether the promised insurance-backed warranty and deposit protection had actually been registered.
The team identified a mismatch with the 100-kilowatt inverter that required changes to the electrical arrangement. Artisan Electrics' proposed work also included new DC cables, cable trays, isolators, and an outdoor grounding electrode.
For homeowners weighing storage, EasyHome also helps compare battery-storage options. Pairing appropriately designed solar and batteries can help manage electricity costs and provide backup power during outages. The functions Luke's installation was intended to deliver depend on the equipment being correctly installed.
One commenter on the YouTube video wrote:
"Wow! This demonstrates why quality installers are always banging on about using a quality installer. The customer can research the products and equipment being installed, but with a bad installation, all that research counts for nought. A reputable installer should be the first research you do! Great vid again Jordan 👍"
Where can I learn more?
Other U.K. solar customers have reported poor workmanship and unfinished installations like Luke's.
• A U.K. homeowner said a 13-panel installation left scratches and crooked rows, prompting talk of starting over.
• A U.K. solar buyer paid more for support, then faced silence and considered plug-in panels.
• A U.K. homeowner's solar installation stalled amid battery WiFi problems, panel scratches, and missing bird protection.
• A U.K. solar owner said an installer drilled into the panels for bird mesh, invalidating the warranty.
• A U.K. care home spent heavily on solar before an inverter caught fire twice.
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