Cheap Solar Panels Systems
The High Cost of Cheap Solar Systems or “How do some companies sell systems at such jaw droppingly low headline prices?”
The best deal is very rarely the cheapest deal. This is something we all understand intuitively. So why do consumers get so easily seduced by unbelievably cheap solar deals that appear so totally believable?
On the other hand, if you use Watts up Solar and Electrical you get great deals on quality TIER 1 panels and inverters, that are installed with care by professional accredited installers. The prices are competitive, because we are competing in the market, but you’ll almost always be able to find a cheaper, lower quality system elsewhere.
You see, while the front-end purchase may be cheaper with these systems, they end up being more expensive to them in the long run. While they’re being seduced by the low price, they’re getting sucker punched because they don’t know the ramifications of choosing that cheap option – a low-quality system that will need replacement in a few years, or even a few months in a worst-case scenario.
In the end everyone loses. The consumer loses, the industry loses, and the companies with the razor thin margins lose too – because the problem with a race to the bottom of a market is that you might just win.
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So how do some companies sell systems at such jaw droppingly low headline prices?
Here are some of the ways I’ve seen people getting burned by dodgy solar companies:
Bait & Switch V1
They use quality components as the bait, advertising genuine Tier 1 panels and a top end inverter. They put in their conditions of sale that they reserve the right to swap out the inverter and panels for ‘equivalents’. Then, they install a really cheap inverter and panels instead.
Bait and Switch V2
They don’t advertise the brand of panels and inverter, just a really low price. When the customer makes an enquiry, they upsell them to better hardware, with the end result that customer pays much, much more than the price that was originally advertised.
Cut corners on the Install.
I was shown a job ad on Gumtree last week. It was asking for backpackers who wanted to earn $17.50 per hour wiring up switchboards and panels for a solar company. It said they needed their own ABN but didn’t need an Australian Electrical Licence. This is a recipe for disaster (and illegal).
Cut corners on the install V2
Some companies have reputations for paying the lowest install rates in the industry. Guess what – they also have a reputation for really poor installations. Most solar systems operate at high voltage DC. If installed well, high voltage DC is safe. If it is not installed well it is very dangerous. Here’s what happens when high voltage DC goes wrong:
1. They use crappy panels
They use crappy panels but claim they are the absolute cream of the crop. Some companies claim their panels are Tier 1, but they are nothing of the sort. Cheap panels do not last in the Aussie sun. Good panels should last 30 years plus. The recent import statistics show that around 60% of panels coming into Australia are not Tier 1. That’s a worry. These low end panels will start failing and it can be really hard to get a low-cost solar company to honour the panel warranty for these reasons.
2. They use a crappy Inverters
They use a crappy Inverters and claim it is the best quality money can buy. A really cheap inverter will be unlikely to last 3 years. Inverters are easier to replace under warranty than panels, but still some manufacturers will blame the failure on ‘grid spikes’ and you’ll either have to fight, or pay $1500+ for a new inverter. Hey inverter manufacturers! If you want to sell into the Aussie market, then you have to cope with grid spikes because our grid voltages are all over the place!
3. They hire commission only salespeople treat them like crap
They hire commission only salespeople treat them like crap and fire them if they don’t reach their quotas. If the salesperson is under constant threat of being fired, do you think they might be more likely to oversell the benefits, exaggerate the quality and push for the sale there and then? Of course. These guys are under the pump.
4. They do not have offices in your state or area
They do not have offices in your state or area and there installers are subcontractors generally outside your area or state and are not easy to contact after the job has been installed and provide very crappy after sales service.
5. They void your warranty unless you have their regular maintenance on your system, usually around $385-$500 yearly !
If you want a system that is well designed for your roof and your consumption patterns;
- One that is genuinely designed with a view to adding batteries in the future
- One that uses good quality panels, inverters, racking, wires and isolators
- One that is installed by trained Master electricians who are paid a fair wage and given the time to do things properly
- One that will make you happy for decades to come and give you a well optimised return on your investment
- One that will be supported into the future if there is an issue
Then please be wary of the ‘too good to be true’ offers online, in the papers and on TV.
All the information you need to make an informed choice is on our website www.wattsupelectrical.com.au and you are absolutely welcome to contact me 0409 140 247 if you need any help,