A solar owner was fed up after customer service failed to replace inverters under warranty for five months. They chose an upgrade, despite being happy with their solar setup otherwise.
Here's what to know
The homeowner explained in Reddit's r/SolarDIY that they had designed and installed a grid-connected setup with 7.8 kilowatts of combined capacity across 30 panels on a carport. For nine years, it had worked beautifully, but the microinverters began to fail over the summer.
With the equipment under warranty, they emailed the provider every week for a resolution, but after months passed, they decided not to wait any longer to optimize their system.
"With the availability of new hybrid inverters that integrate battery management and backup cutover, I decided to purchase a 12kW EG4 Hybrid inverter and 15kWh worth of battery backup," they shared. "None of this is enough to run off-grid, but it's enough to keep my house powered for 10-20 hours depending on load."
For households considering solar, potential electricity savings can make the investment appealing, and some $0-upfront solar leases may save hundreds of dollars. EasyHome's free explorer tool helps estimate possible savings and find vetted local installers, with actual savings depending on the home and arrangement.
More background
Along with replacing the failing equipment, the purchase adds something the original grid-tied system did not offer: stored electricity.
Pairing battery storage with solar is one of the best ways to manage electricity costs and provide backup during outages, improving comfort and potentially preventing hundreds of dollars in losses in spoiled food and medications.
For readers weighing a similar change, EasyHome also offers options to explore battery storage alongside solar, with equipment choices shaped by which appliances a household wants to keep running.
Crushed by your bills? See instant solar savings from vetted installers in just a few clicks With energy prices through the roof, there's never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area. EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy. |
Where can I learn more?
Other solar owners have had to decide whether to repair failing equipment or replace it.
• After their solar company collapsed, a homeowner's free replacement inverter wasn't plug-and-play.
• A UK homeowner replaced aging solar, with three-year payback potential for the upgrade.
• An 82-kWh solar reading led a homeowner to suspect years of solar system failures.
• In North Carolina, a homeowner traced a $10,000 repair quote to one bad microinverter.
• A solar owner said their system works fine offline despite the manufacturer's bankruptcy.
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