By Vvon Engineering Team | Published | Updated
Module product warranty against performance warranty, the shorter inverter term, workmanship cover, and the gap that the building's own fire and property policy is likely to leave open.
Solar EPC & street lighting RFQ checklist (TXT)
Two documents get confused in almost every tender we read. A bidder writes that the modules carry a long warranty, the committee ticks the box, and nobody notices that two different promises with two different durations have been collapsed into one line. When a module underperforms in year nine, that difference is the whole claim.
A product warranty addresses specified defects in materials or workmanship. A performance warranty sets an output obligation under stated test conditions. Coverage, duration, exclusions, remedies and claim procedure vary by model, market and purchase date. Obtain the applicable signed or published terms rather than relying on a headline duration.
| Question | Product warranty | Performance warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Specified defects in materials or workmanship. | Output obligation under stated test conditions. |
| Evidence | Applicable terms, serials and defect evidence. | Applicable terms and the specified measurement evidence. |
| Remedy | As stated in the exact warranty. | As stated in the exact warranty. |
| Costs | Check removal, labour, freight and testing. | Check removal, labour, freight and testing. |
| Exclusions | Read installation and environmental conditions. | Read installation, environmental and measurement conditions. |
Check the exact mounting positions, mechanical load limits and environmental conditions against the selected module manual and warranty. Ask how coastal exposure, ammonia, installation changes and relocation are treated. A certificate or a long duration alone does not establish coverage for your site.
Compare the inverter's standard and optional extended cover with the expected repair cost and service arrangement. An extension is a commercial choice; its value depends on exclusions, labour and freight, response provisions and likely downtime.
Ask for the replacement mechanism in writing. Is a failed unit repaired locally, swapped from stock held in the country, or shipped abroad? Who pays freight in each direction, who pays the labour to remove and refit, and what is the committed response time? A warranty that promises a replacement unit and delivers it in three months has cost you a season of generation. Ask the contractor what stock is held in Bangladesh, and ask the last two clients what happened when a unit failed.
The manufacturer warrants its equipment. Only the installer warrants the installation, and that is where most early faults live: water ingress at a penetration, a badly crimped connector heating up, an under sized cable, an earthing connection nobody torqued.
So a project should carry an explicit workmanship warranty from the contractor, covering the mounting structure, the cabling and terminations, the earthing and lightning protection, and the waterproofing of every roof penetration, with a defined period and defined response times. Tie retention money to it and make sure it survives at least one full monsoon.
A property policy written before installation may not describe the new array or its full value. Notify the insurer and obtain written confirmation of the equipment, declared value, covered risks and exclusions. Whether a claim is covered depends on the actual policy and circumstances.
Check transit, erection or construction risks, third-party liability and worker cover before mobilisation. Ask the broker and contractor to identify which policy applies during delivery, storage, installation, testing and handover, including delays. Do not assume the existing building policy covers every stage.
Ask the contractor for the certificates before mobilisation rather than after an incident, and check the policy period and extension process against the agreed programme.
Consult the relevant edition and the documents for the exact equipment and site: JinkoSolar: model datasheets, certificates, installation manuals and warranties; NREL: photovoltaic and energy storage operation and maintenance.
Share your application, equipment requirements and procurement timeline. Our engineers can help clarify the configuration and scope for your enquiry.