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Install nightmare - Breech of contract -- what do we do?
HELP!!!! (Please!)
We are in the middle of a solar install, and we have a BIG problem. We don't know where to turn.
Quick story:
We negotiated for 26 295-watt panels with Enphase Micro inverters M250. Contract is for a 7.6 kWh system, consisting of 26 290-watt panels. (We didn't notice the typo until everything else went wrong). As they were deciding where to place the tracks, the installer realized we could fit more panels on our roof, so we agreed to 29 panels, and to pay for three more panels. Installer put 270-watt panels on our roof.
Concerns:
• We aren't getting what we contracted for.
• We might not have been told about the switch had we not seen the cardboard boxes the panels came in.
• Our roof space is not being effectively utilized for future needs.
• We will have less savings on our electric bill than we contracted for.
• We will have less Renewable Energy Credits than we expected.
• We were expecting the newest technology, yet we have discontinued panels on our roof.
• Contract says one week from start to finish. We are now looking at 26 or more days, with that delay not tied to the rest of the problems. (Electrician needs to return with town inspector).
Now what???
Details:
Early calculations were based on a system with 26 panels at 295 watts. When we gave the go-ahead, we said "Good news!!! Looks like we ARE going to move forward. The 26 panels @ 295. (unless you can fit something bigger up there!)"
When we were given the contract to sign, we didn't notice that the contract was for 290-watt panels, (not 295), although it was for the same price. The contract calls for 7.6 kWh system, which can only be achieved by 26 panels @ $295.
The final Pathfinder report, sent after the contract was signed, lists the panels as LG290N1C-G3.
When they were reviewing the layout before they began the install, they discovered that they had measured the roof inaccurately. We had space for another column, so we agreed to add three more panels, and now have 29 panels on the roof instead of the contracted 26 panels. We now have 29 Enphase Micro inverters M250.
After the panels were put on our roof, we asked to have the cardboard shipping boxes. When we were breaking them down, we discovered that the boxes said that they contained LG270S1C. Our research discovered that the 270 S1C installed on our roof has been discontinued, (as has the LG290N1C-G3 on the Pathfinder Report).
It was only after we asked about the 270-watt panels that we were told that the 290 watt is not available, and won't be for several months. They picked up and installed the discontinued 270 watt panels because of our "desire to move forward as soon as possible."
The tracking is installed, the panels are in place, and the wiring was just completed. We are waiting for the electrician to come back with the town to inspect the work, and then it can be activated.
We have paid 50% of the 26 panel system. Balance is due upon activation, right after the system is inspected.
The switch was made without our knowledge or consent. The Co-owner claims that he wasn't aware of the switch made by his business partner, who opted to pick up, deliver and install the 270 panels.
We live in New Hampshire.
I really want to believe that the contract has a typo, that they thought they were doing us a favor by giving us something rather than nothing, that we would have been told about the switch, and we would have been offered other options.
Our System
Our final Pathfinder (dated the day after our contract was signed, but taken before we removed 30-50 trees), has the trees erased. It shows Unshaded % of Actual Site Azimuth = 180.1, Tilt =35: 92.87% unweighted, with yearly sun hours average: 3.74. (The spreadsheets to help us decide if this would work for us used 4.0 hours.)
We removed a lot of trees, and are currently getting far more than the 4 hours of sun right now.
My daughter and family moved in for 3 months … two years ago. Our consumption is currently averaging 17,324 kWh per year @ $.16 per kWh.
My husband and I averaged 6,444 kWh without the kids. We intend to add a 3-zone Mitsubishi Minsplit heat pump (heat/air), estimated at 1,449 kWh/year. We expect our next car will be electric, and might add 500 kWh/yr. Total: 8,400 kWh to meet our anticipated use, once the kids move out.
We want the South roof to be the only place with panels. (East/West roof lines are shaded by the higher main roof most of the day.) We know we can't produce as much as we would like on just that roof, but we went with this company because they had the best combination of panel size and rates to give us the most value for our limited roof space.
What are our options???
Our home is about 3800 SF, with five bedrooms (plus 2 more rooms that could easily be considered bedroom). Should we decide to sell, this home would appeal to a large family. We can fit a maximum of 29 panels on our south-facing roofline. We have consistently expressed concern that we couldn't fit enough wattage on the roof that we wanted, and have consistently said that we want to utilize that roof space as efficiently as possible.
We know we can't produce as much as we are currently using with just our south roof, regardless of the size, and certainly not what a large family would consume, but we went with this company because they had the best combination of panel size and prices. We would NOT have contracted with them for the 270-watt panels.
1. I suggested that they order the 290 (or better) panels, and swap them out for the ones that are there. He said, "Panel market is in a turmoil do to tariff from the USA. So some models are depleted and waiting time is 3-4 months." And, in a different email, "Even if we can get 290 watt panels ( which we cant and no distributor want to commit date certan for avaliablity), the entire set up has to be taken down and start from the beginning. This is do racing ( the lay out for the panels) will not fit from one panes size to the next." However, my research shows that the LG270S1C-B3, and all of the newer NeOn panels by LG are all the same size.
2. He offered to do a wall setup 3-panels wide, or 3 layers, one above the other, at no additional charge, which would be 230 watt more than the contract. (That would interfere with future plans of adding a sunroom, at which time we would consider adding more panels to heat that room.)
3. He also offered to install a ground mount unit with 4 panels; we would pay for the charge for two panels and the pole, and they would absorb the labor. (We have less than an acre of land, and a sizable chunk of the front yard is a leach field. The ground mount would be right in the middle of our back yard.)
4. He causally offered to give us a refund for the difference between the 270 and 290 panels. But this is a 25-year commitment. We will have less savings on our electric bill than we had planned, and we will have less income from the Renewable Energy Credits (currently $50 per kW)
Our request
We asked them to complete this install and activate the system, and order 300-watt panels, as they seem more easily available. We would pay $1.50 per watt more. We would pay for the three additional panels. We would pay more upon completion of an amended contract, to bring the deposit up to 50%. When they swap out the current panels for the 300-watt panels, we would pay the balance after the final system is activated.
He says they more than met their obligation with more power on our roof than contracted. (Did he forget that we were going to be charged for the additional panels, that brought it up to that higher wattage?) He has agreed to a "change order request by the client" to increase the size of our system to 8.7kw, with 29 panels @300-watt. We are happy to pay for the extra three panels, and a reasonable upcharge for the increase in wattage. We do not feel we should have to pay for additional labor or equipment rental fees due to their errors.
We feel we should have solar power while we area waiting for the 300-watt panels to arrive; and we shouldn’t have to pay any more until the final system is activated, and we shouldn’t be charged interest for not paying at activation of the temporary system. We shouldn't have to pay or suffer because of their mistake.
Is this fair?
We are somewhat tied to this company for the next 25 years. They have been in business for four years, and have an A- rating with BBB. I already gave them a quote on how nice they were to work with to make our decision on which company to go with.
What should we do???
We are in the middle of a solar install, and we have a BIG problem. We don't know where to turn.
Quick story:
We negotiated for 26 295-watt panels with Enphase Micro inverters M250. Contract is for a 7.6 kWh system, consisting of 26 290-watt panels. (We didn't notice the typo until everything else went wrong). As they were deciding where to place the tracks, the installer realized we could fit more panels on our roof, so we agreed to 29 panels, and to pay for three more panels. Installer put 270-watt panels on our roof.
Concerns:
• We aren't getting what we contracted for.
• We might not have been told about the switch had we not seen the cardboard boxes the panels came in.
• Our roof space is not being effectively utilized for future needs.
• We will have less savings on our electric bill than we contracted for.
• We will have less Renewable Energy Credits than we expected.
• We were expecting the newest technology, yet we have discontinued panels on our roof.
• Contract says one week from start to finish. We are now looking at 26 or more days, with that delay not tied to the rest of the problems. (Electrician needs to return with town inspector).
Now what???
Details:
Early calculations were based on a system with 26 panels at 295 watts. When we gave the go-ahead, we said "Good news!!! Looks like we ARE going to move forward. The 26 panels @ 295. (unless you can fit something bigger up there!)"
When we were given the contract to sign, we didn't notice that the contract was for 290-watt panels, (not 295), although it was for the same price. The contract calls for 7.6 kWh system, which can only be achieved by 26 panels @ $295.
The final Pathfinder report, sent after the contract was signed, lists the panels as LG290N1C-G3.
When they were reviewing the layout before they began the install, they discovered that they had measured the roof inaccurately. We had space for another column, so we agreed to add three more panels, and now have 29 panels on the roof instead of the contracted 26 panels. We now have 29 Enphase Micro inverters M250.
After the panels were put on our roof, we asked to have the cardboard shipping boxes. When we were breaking them down, we discovered that the boxes said that they contained LG270S1C. Our research discovered that the 270 S1C installed on our roof has been discontinued, (as has the LG290N1C-G3 on the Pathfinder Report).
It was only after we asked about the 270-watt panels that we were told that the 290 watt is not available, and won't be for several months. They picked up and installed the discontinued 270 watt panels because of our "desire to move forward as soon as possible."
The tracking is installed, the panels are in place, and the wiring was just completed. We are waiting for the electrician to come back with the town to inspect the work, and then it can be activated.
We have paid 50% of the 26 panel system. Balance is due upon activation, right after the system is inspected.
The switch was made without our knowledge or consent. The Co-owner claims that he wasn't aware of the switch made by his business partner, who opted to pick up, deliver and install the 270 panels.
We live in New Hampshire.
I really want to believe that the contract has a typo, that they thought they were doing us a favor by giving us something rather than nothing, that we would have been told about the switch, and we would have been offered other options.
Our System
Our final Pathfinder (dated the day after our contract was signed, but taken before we removed 30-50 trees), has the trees erased. It shows Unshaded % of Actual Site Azimuth = 180.1, Tilt =35: 92.87% unweighted, with yearly sun hours average: 3.74. (The spreadsheets to help us decide if this would work for us used 4.0 hours.)
We removed a lot of trees, and are currently getting far more than the 4 hours of sun right now.
My daughter and family moved in for 3 months … two years ago. Our consumption is currently averaging 17,324 kWh per year @ $.16 per kWh.
My husband and I averaged 6,444 kWh without the kids. We intend to add a 3-zone Mitsubishi Minsplit heat pump (heat/air), estimated at 1,449 kWh/year. We expect our next car will be electric, and might add 500 kWh/yr. Total: 8,400 kWh to meet our anticipated use, once the kids move out.
We want the South roof to be the only place with panels. (East/West roof lines are shaded by the higher main roof most of the day.) We know we can't produce as much as we would like on just that roof, but we went with this company because they had the best combination of panel size and rates to give us the most value for our limited roof space.
What are our options???
Our home is about 3800 SF, with five bedrooms (plus 2 more rooms that could easily be considered bedroom). Should we decide to sell, this home would appeal to a large family. We can fit a maximum of 29 panels on our south-facing roofline. We have consistently expressed concern that we couldn't fit enough wattage on the roof that we wanted, and have consistently said that we want to utilize that roof space as efficiently as possible.
We know we can't produce as much as we are currently using with just our south roof, regardless of the size, and certainly not what a large family would consume, but we went with this company because they had the best combination of panel size and prices. We would NOT have contracted with them for the 270-watt panels.
1. I suggested that they order the 290 (or better) panels, and swap them out for the ones that are there. He said, "Panel market is in a turmoil do to tariff from the USA. So some models are depleted and waiting time is 3-4 months." And, in a different email, "Even if we can get 290 watt panels ( which we cant and no distributor want to commit date certan for avaliablity), the entire set up has to be taken down and start from the beginning. This is do racing ( the lay out for the panels) will not fit from one panes size to the next." However, my research shows that the LG270S1C-B3, and all of the newer NeOn panels by LG are all the same size.
2. He offered to do a wall setup 3-panels wide, or 3 layers, one above the other, at no additional charge, which would be 230 watt more than the contract. (That would interfere with future plans of adding a sunroom, at which time we would consider adding more panels to heat that room.)
3. He also offered to install a ground mount unit with 4 panels; we would pay for the charge for two panels and the pole, and they would absorb the labor. (We have less than an acre of land, and a sizable chunk of the front yard is a leach field. The ground mount would be right in the middle of our back yard.)
4. He causally offered to give us a refund for the difference between the 270 and 290 panels. But this is a 25-year commitment. We will have less savings on our electric bill than we had planned, and we will have less income from the Renewable Energy Credits (currently $50 per kW)
Our request
We asked them to complete this install and activate the system, and order 300-watt panels, as they seem more easily available. We would pay $1.50 per watt more. We would pay for the three additional panels. We would pay more upon completion of an amended contract, to bring the deposit up to 50%. When they swap out the current panels for the 300-watt panels, we would pay the balance after the final system is activated.
He says they more than met their obligation with more power on our roof than contracted. (Did he forget that we were going to be charged for the additional panels, that brought it up to that higher wattage?) He has agreed to a "change order request by the client" to increase the size of our system to 8.7kw, with 29 panels @300-watt. We are happy to pay for the extra three panels, and a reasonable upcharge for the increase in wattage. We do not feel we should have to pay for additional labor or equipment rental fees due to their errors.
We feel we should have solar power while we area waiting for the 300-watt panels to arrive; and we shouldn’t have to pay any more until the final system is activated, and we shouldn’t be charged interest for not paying at activation of the temporary system. We shouldn't have to pay or suffer because of their mistake.
Is this fair?
We are somewhat tied to this company for the next 25 years. They have been in business for four years, and have an A- rating with BBB. I already gave them a quote on how nice they were to work with to make our decision on which company to go with.
What should we do???
We have an odd roof, so it's 2 rows of 9 panels, with the bottom row being 11 panels wide. I'm guessing the top is equal to the peak, and we have about a foot on either side of the 2 rows of 9. On the bottom row, it is lined up on the left, with about a foot; there is probably about 3 feet on the right of the 11-panel row.
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