faulty solar panels

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burnt4head
Posts: 6
Joined: 21 Oct 2010 20:47

faulty solar panels

Post by burnt4head »

Hi
we own (i think) a house in oroklini and have rented it out for the last 20 months, the house was ready and empty for 18 months before that.

the solar panel and tank were the last items fitted so have been up 3 years and 2 months in total, all part of the house price package.

the agent/developer has told us that the tubes in the panel are leaking and as they cant get new tubes they will have to replace the whole panel at a cost of 1600 euros plus the cost of the temp patch up.

we asked the developer about manufacturers warranty and they tell us the manufacturer did not supply a warranty of any length.

are we being screwed ? do we have to stump up ? what would others do ? any advice about panels and warranty would be appreciated

thanks, scott
Nigel Howarth
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Joined: 24 Oct 2007 14:38
Location: Erimi, Limassol, Cyprus
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Re: faulty solar panels

Post by Nigel Howarth »

Hi scott

I suspect you have a direct system in which the water runs through the tubes to get heated. If the water is hard, calcium deposits build up and eventually cause them to corrode and fail. I doubt if you would have any more than a one-year warranty. I know that many of the developers use cheap fixtures and fittings that are not very reliable or long-lasting. Do you happen to know the manufacturer?

I would have thought a price of around €1,600 would be reasonable.

I bought our system 6 years ago and it is still working fine (we have it serviced regularly). It is made by Solahart in Australia and it cost CYP 1,350 (+VAT). It is an indirect system - the tubes are filled with a special fluid and the heat is transferred to the water in the storage tank. I'm not sure how the system would cost today.

I suggest that you shop around and see what's available.

Regards,
Nigel Howarth
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