Key takeaways
- Check product defects, panel output and installer workmanship as three separate types of cover with different claim routes.
- Ray2Volt quotes panels with 12-year product cover and 30-year performance cover; the latter follows a specified output curve.
- Inverter cover is 8 to 10 years by model, lithium-ion battery cover is 10 years, and workmanship and balance of system receive 5 years of free service.
- Keep invoices and serial numbers. Cleaning damage, unauthorised wiring changes and missing identification can affect a claim.
A rooftop proposal may lead with a 25 or 30-year warranty figure. Before treating that as protection for the whole plant, find out which part it describes. The glass modules, wall-mounted inverter, cables and roof work are covered by different documents. A single output guarantee cannot settle every future repair.
Your system brings together parts from several makers, then an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company fits them to your roof and grid connection. Each maker sets its own conditions and term. If an inverter fails in year five or seven, its own product document and the installer's service promise determine what happens next.
Ask for the terms before signing and save them with your invoice. The same questions apply to a home rooftop system and a plant designed through our commercial solar service: which defect is covered, who visits the site and what evidence must you provide?
The three warranty layers in a rooftop system
Read the quote in three parts: product cover for manufactured equipment, performance cover for panel output, and workmanship cover for installation. Their durations and responsible companies differ. Put the manufacturer certificate and the EPC's written service terms in the same handover file.
A product warranty addresses defects in materials or factory assembly. A shorted bypass diode, failed internal solder joint or dead inverter display may fall here if the maker's diagnosis confirms a covered fault within the term. The maker normally sets the remedy, such as repair or replacement of that component.
Panel performance cover sets a limit on how quickly rated output may decline under the maker's test conditions. It applies to the modules and follows a degradation curve in the document. It is not a promise that glass, wiring or the rest of your plant can never fail.
The installer answers for the work done on site: supports, electrical connections, distribution boards, earthing, conduit routes and roof sealing. If a bad mounting detail causes a leak or a loose DC termination causes a fault, start with the installer. Ray2Volt provides 5 years of free service on workmanship and balance of system.
What panel product and performance cover mean
Put the two panel certificates side by side. On the equipment Ray2Volt quotes, the product term is 12 years and the performance term is 30 years. A sales conversation that mentions only the longer figure leaves out the period for factory defects. Check the actual module model before you accept either figure.
Imagine moisture entering a panel seal in year seven. Brown delamination appears and corrosion opens an internal circuit. That is a possible product warranty claim if inspection finds a manufacturing defect. Under the 12-year product term quoted here, year seven is within the period. After that term expires, the 30-year performance warranty still does not automatically pay for a physical seal defect; the maker applies its written terms.
A performance certificate commonly gives a first-year allowance of about 1% to 2%, then a yearly decline limit near 0.4% to 0.55% for the following 29 years. The example range at year 30 is about 80% to 87.4% of nameplate output. Those are model-specific terms, so ask for the curve printed on the exact panel offered to you.
Proving output loss: A performance claim may need Standard Test Conditions testing by a certified laboratory. A low electricity bill alone does not establish panel degradation. First rule out cloud cover, dirt, shade and grid downtime, then ask the maker or installer how the module must be tested.
Cover for inverters, batteries and supports
Other parts work under heat and electrical load while the modules sit on the roof. The inverter converts panel direct current into 230 V or 415 V alternating current for the building and, on an on-grid system, synchronises with DISCOM. Read its warranty separately from the panel certificates.
The inverters Ray2Volt quotes have an 8 to 10 year manufacturer warranty, depending on the model. Capacitors and semiconductor switches face sustained heat, and an illustrative operating life for a string inverter is 10 to 14 years. Budget for possible repair or replacement during the panels' 30-year performance term, while checking the specific maker's service conditions.
A lithium-ion battery in a hybrid system carries a 10-year warranty in Ray2Volt's quoted terms. For lithium iron phosphate models, check whether the certificate also limits use to about 4,000 to 6,000 full cycles at 80% depth of discharge. An older lead-acid option may have only 3 to 5 years of cover and wears more quickly under daily cycling.
Ask the structure maker or EPC for its own written term; a 5 to 10 year structural warranty is the example in this comparison, while Ray2Volt's workmanship and balance-of-system service is free for 5 years. For monsoon rain and coastal humidity, check for hot-dip galvanised iron with at least 80 microns of coating or suitable anodised aluminium.
| Part or cover | Term to check | Who provides it | Typical covered fault | Typical exclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panel product cover | 12 years | Module maker | Material faults, delamination, junction box or frame defects | External impact, hail or stones, and scratches from poor cleaning |
| Panel performance cover | 30 years; check the model's output curve, about 80% to 87.4% in this example | Module maker | Cell output falling faster than the written degradation limit | Dirt, shade, breakage and losses in external wiring |
| String inverter | 8 to 10 years by model | Inverter maker | Internal PCB, capacitor, MPPT or display fault | Surge without protection, water entry or pest damage |
| Lithium battery | 10 years; check any cycle limit | Battery maker | Capacity retention, often around 70% at year 10, or BMS fault | Unauthorised deep discharge or use outside the stated temperature range |
| Roof structure | 5 to 10 years in this example; confirm the maker's term | Structure maker or EPC | Galvanising, welds and resistance to rated wind load | Unapproved changes, loose anchors or loads beyond design |
| EPC workmanship | 5 years of free service on workmanship and balance of system | Local EPC installer | Cable routes, crimping, earthing, grout and roof leak repairs | Third-party rewiring or neglected site upkeep |
Actions that can make a claim fail
Read exclusions before a fault occurs. The maker may inspect the failed part and ask how it was installed and maintained. Keep your cleaning records and report faults early, because avoidable damage can be excluded even when the certificate is still within its term.
Clean hot modules only after they cool. Cold water on afternoon glass may cause thermal stress and fine cracks. Scouring pads, strong acids and a pressure jet beyond the maker's limit can damage the anti-reflective surface or seals. Use clean, low-mineral water and a soft brush in the early morning, and follow the model's care sheet.
Do not let an unqualified person alter the solar wiring. Adding loads at the DC distribution box or bypassing the AC surge protection device can create a fault that the installer and inverter maker will treat as outside their work. Call the solar service team before changing any connection or protective device.
Keep serial labels readable. Panel identification may appear under the front glass and on the frame, linking that module to its factory flash test. Paint, removal or damage to the label can make verification difficult and put a claim at risk. Photograph serial numbers at handover before weather or roof work obscures them.
Keep protection in service: Ask the installer to document Class-II surge protection and dedicated earth pits, with a measured resistance below 5 ohms where the design specifies it. Missing or disconnected earthing after a surge can affect an inverter claim. Have a technician test it rather than assuming the pit is sound.
How to prepare and file a claim
When output falls sharply or the inverter shows a persistent code, record the problem before anyone swaps parts. Good handover papers and clear fault evidence help the installer and maker decide whether the problem sits in the equipment, wiring or grid supply. Use this order:
- Capture the evidence: Photograph the code on the inverter, the suspect panel and its barcode. Save monitoring app logs showing when output changed, along with the weather and any grid outage you noticed.
- Call the EPC service team: Ask for an on-site diagnosis. A qualified technician can measure open-circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current (Isc) on the strings with calibrated test equipment and check external connections.
- Submit the RMA: Once a covered equipment defect is identified, the installer can send the maker a Return Merchandise Authorisation request with invoice, commissioning sheet, photographs and recorded readings.
- Confirm the remedy: An inverter maker may send a PCB or refurbished unit. Allow 7 to 14 business days as an illustrative dispatch window, then check the maker's actual process. A panel maker may first send a field engineer to inspect the module before approving replacement.
Keep the GST invoice, equipment serial list, DISCOM net-meter approval and electrical single-line diagram (SLD) in one commissioning folder. Add the maker's warranty certificates and service reports. These records connect the failed item to its original sale and make a claim much easier to trace.
Why local service matters during a claim
The manufacturer may be far from your site, while the first inspection has to happen on your roof. A local EPC can test an intermittent inverter trip, remove a suspect module safely, file the maker's claim and reinstall the replacement. Ask who will do each task in Srikalahasti or Tirupati before you choose an installer.
If the original EPC closes after two years, maker warranties may still apply, but someone must handle RMA forms, freight and the high-voltage work. Check the installer's registered office, local technicians and service process. Keep your own document set so another qualified firm can help if needed.
Ray2Volt service route: Our registered office is in Srikalahasti, with branches in Tirupati, Nagari and Puttur. Contact our team for on-site testing, manufacturer claim paperwork and a component swap when the claim is approved. Keep the service ticket with your warranty records.
At handover, collect a booklet or digital folder listing every model, serial number, maker's service contact and escalation route. For a subsidised home installation, use our PM Surya Ghar guide to check the scheme steps; see our on-grid home systems for the equipment layout. Subsidy figures are indicative, schemes can change and you should confirm eligibility. Ray2Volt does not give tax or investment advice.
Before accepting handover, test the monitoring login and ask the installer to show you the normal inverter display. Photograph the labels on the inverter and battery while they are easy to reach. Write down who pays for labour, transport and a temporary replacement during a claim, because the maker's equipment warranty may treat those costs separately.
Questions about solar warranty claims
Does 30-year panel performance cover every defect?
No. It sets a model-specific output curve, with about 80% to 87.4% at year 30 in the example here. Ray2Volt's panel product term is 12 years and addresses covered manufacturing defects. Broken glass, external wiring and accidental damage are assessed under the relevant terms, not the output figure alone.
Whom should you call about an inverter fault in year four?
Call your installer first. The technician should separate an internal inverter fault from grid voltage or external wiring trouble, then help with the maker's RMA if it is covered. Ray2Volt quotes inverter warranties of 8 to 10 years depending on the model.
Can borewell water affect a panel warranty claim?
Hard borewell water can leave mineral scale on the glass. If the maker finds cleaning damage rather than a factory defect, it may reject that part of a claim. Use soft or filtered water, a microfibre brush and a cool panel surface, and follow the module's care instructions.
Do maker warranties survive if the installer closes?
The maker's product documents may still support a claim when you have the invoice, serial numbers and commissioning papers. You will need a qualified service firm to diagnose the fault and may have to arrange test data and freight yourself. Check the manufacturer's exact claim route.
What cover applies to the mounting structure?
Ask the EPC or structure maker for written terms; the comparison here uses a 5 to 10 year example for defects and corrosion in HDGI or anodised aluminium. Ray2Volt separately provides 5 years of free workmanship and balance-of-system service. Unapproved changes or loads beyond the rated design may be excluded.
Ray2Volt Solar Private Limited
We design, install, and service rooftop solar for homes and businesses across Tirupati district and Andhra Pradesh, from PM Surya Ghar residential systems to commercial and industrial plants. Every enquiry starts with a free power audit.
Ask for the warranty terms with your solar quote
Ray2Volt can give you the specified equipment models, their maker certificates, a roof structure design and the local service terms before you decide.
