Panel and inverter quality price differences.

[Poorbuthappy]

Are the "premium" brands worth the extra? Plenty offering 4kw panel array for £4-4.5k. Had a quote for nearer £6k to include inverter (solar edge) with up to 20 year warranty and panels (JA) with 12 year product and 25 year linear output warranty.

Will I see that back in better output, or is it the warranty "insurance" you're paying for?

 

[f0ster]

if you short of roof space then fit high quality panels, you do get slightly more output, if you have plenty of room then fit cheaper ones and more of them, we have fitted about 20 container loads of panels over the years and not had a faulty one yet, a few inverters but no panels, the solar edge system is better if you have a shading issue, other wise twin tracker inverter and panels, it is usually ok to load up the inverter to about 120%

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Potential bit of shading early part of the day, particularly in winter.
Clear roof space of about 3m x 10-11m.
Have been looking at in roof, as its a new building, but not especially visible so aesthetics are secondary really.

 

[f0ster]

there are solar roof tiles available, if you know exactly where the shading is you can fit micro inverters to the shaded panel only

 

[farmerm]

Is a 20 year warranty worth the paper it is written on, has the company even been trading for 20 years?

 

[Exfarmer]

A warranty is good as long as the company is still trading. Sadly most warrantees are not worth the paper they are printed on.
Whether it is the chip in the inverter only covered for cost of parts, so you have a £150 board costing £500 pound labour to replace, or the faulty panel which you have to return to the maker, to check out, be it Canada , Austria or heaven forbid China, so they can chsnge at their leisure