How bad is SunPower customer service?

[MQGalano]

Sunpower support might not be the greatest but one thing about them is they still stand behind there system. i know a couple of other people who have had problems with there system and if it any other manufaturer they will first tell you to talk to the installer ad blame them for incorrect installation or not even respond to the end user/system owner. As for sunpower if you just keep talking with them and keep track of your system they will take care of the problem.

[J.P.M.]

I agree, chat seems to be limited, but, and it's my experience, SunPower customer service are very professionals and resolve my problem quickly.

I've had little luck with either method. Bunch of 20 something unaware dorks that use english as a second language with little knowledge of what they're talking about. About as useful as legs on a snake.

[plj2828]

SunPower is known for their best panels, I came across this blog post that was informative to make the decision to go with sunpower panels:

MOD NOTE: Please do not attach solar equipment web-links to your post.

[MQGalano]

Ok Sunpowe has replace all of my microinverters and it didn't cost me a dime. They even are sending me a prepaid MC for over $400 because the system underperformed and fell short of what it was suppose to make. I wonder if any other installer has ever done that for someone.

[solar pete]

I just wonder how long it will be before they have to replace the current miro inverters with the next batch that are supposed to be better, well yes we are installers who made the mistake of getting into micro inverters and we have replaced hundreds of them, not anymore though we now refuse to use the crap things

[J.P.M.]

I just wonder how long it will be before they have to replace the current miro inverters with the next batch that are supposed to be better, well yes we are installers who made the mistake of getting into micro inverters and we have replaced hundreds of them, not anymore though we now refuse to use the crap things

While product quality may, in all likelihood have a lot to do with the problem, I've got to see some of this having to do with the idea of doing something in more complicated ways than necessary with more parts when simpler ways would allow leads to more things failing. It's called KISS and probably been around close to forever.

[solar pete]

While product quality may, in all likelihood have a lot to do with the problem, I've got to see some of this having to do with the idea of doing something in more complicated ways than necessary with more parts when simpler ways would allow leads to more things failing. It's called KISS and probably been around close to forever.

Yep I could not possibly agree more, crickey we actually agree on something

[J.P.M.]

Yep I could not possibly agree more, crickey we actually agree on something

So if we agree that adequate resource availability is one requisite for residential PV design, looks like we agree on the blinding flash of the obvious that micros are often and usually counterproductive to good design.

[MQGalano]

the advantage of microinverts is that you have per panel monitoring of production.

[solar pete]

the advantage of microinverts is that you have per panel monitoring of production.

Who cares, its simply not required, all micro do is add more failure points, they keep bringing out new models that are supposed to be better but I think the same issues applies, the roof is not the place to have sensitive electronics, give me a good old fashioned string inverter sitting in the shade any-day, you know what the real advantage of string inverters is.....they just work.

[J.P.M.]

the advantage of microinverts is that you have per panel monitoring of production.

And as we've noted, the shine quickly wears off that apple for most everyone.

Micros can help with shading but putting an array in partial or greater shade may make the whole thing non cost effective or at least make the time to breakeven longer to the point it's counterproductive to do PV in the first place. Some sites are just not good for solar applications. Besides, micros (or optimizers for that matter) can't produce electricity from nothing or create power where solar irradiation is not present.

[Wavelet8]

The micro inverters do increase the number of failure points but they also limit the failure amount on your system. If you loose your string inverter you loose all your solar generation for however long it takes to replace it. If you loose a micro inverter your system generally continues to function with minimal losses for however long it takes to replace it. Replacement times do tend to very wildly from complaining on customer reviews I’ve read.

The string inverters generally had a 10 year warranty that could be extended for for additional cost. The micro inverters had a 25 year manufactures warranty the same as the solar panels.

I went with LG panels and micro inverters because I had tree’s along the side of my house and an enphase combiner box made sense in my application. At the time sun power hadn’t switched over to using the enphase micro inverters. I was told that the sun power micro inverters were less dependable and had higher energy losses than the enphase models? Do not really know if the reliability was really any worse? Just what I was told.

So, i’m Interested in what you all think about the compared energy losses on a solar system using a string inverter vs micro inverters typically.

So, if you don’t mind let’s skip the reasons between installing one type of system vs the other and keep it basic.

if you had two solar systems side by side with the same number of panels each of the same wattage and type.

Generally, Which system would have lower conversion energy losses?
string vs micro’s?

[Mike90250]

...

So, i'm Interested in what you all think about the compared energy losses on a solar system using a string inverter vs micro inverters typically.

So, if you don't mind let's skip the reasons between installing one type of system vs the other and keep it basic.

if you had two solar systems side by side with the same number of panels each of the same wattage and type.

Gotta read the specs on the inverters.. some are 98% some 97% some 99%

[bcroe]

For efficiency, the micros will force you to 240VAC at the panels. My strings run at 400VDC over hundreds
of feet, at far less power loss. This will probably over ride the inverter efficiency differences in the big picture.
And its big buck difference for the extra copper and associated hardware.

I have a problem with micro radio interference generators being spread over hundreds of feet. My
string inverters can afford to spend more at just one spot to contain this. And if that was inadequate,
I could afford to spend more at just one spot to contain remaining interference. Bruce Roe

[Wavelet8]

Those are line or transmission losses. Most solar systems on roofs don’t have to deal with those problems. I’m more referring to conversion losses. Is it more efficient to have have one big inverter or several smaller converters. The efficiency of the inverters does matter but if you believe the micro inverter companies they believe they are generally more efficient. See their info below:

• DC losses in string inverter systems (including those with optimizers) are typically higher than in microinverter systems. This means that string inverter system simulations may show lower clipping losses at a given DC:AC ratio. However, these additional DC losses also impact the nominal DC:AC ratio and result in better nominal DC:AC ratios for microinverters systems for a given pairing.
• Clipping losses in systems are typically very low compared to other sources of losses, such as orientation factors, soiling, shading, and thermal losses. Additionally, clipping losses over time decrease as modules degradation takes place, while other loss factors such as soiling and shading generally increase.