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How do I choose a solar system when there are so many companies and brands to choose from?

When choosing your new solar power system it pays to keep in mind that not all solar panels, inverters and solar companies are the same. There are easily three different tiers of solar panels to choose from.

Remember that you do get what you pay for! You wouldn't buy the absolute cheapest car, TV or fridge available with no thought of whether the goods would work in the near future, or cause a fire. Nor would you shop at the $2 shop for all your white goods or hi-fi system. So why cut corners in relation to your new solar power system? Especially when it comes to installing a mini high voltage power station on your roof! There are plenty of companies out there that will sell you products manufactured in China from unheard of manufacturers. These companies often re-badge cheap and nasty products with their own name, which hides the untraceable manufacturer.

Here are a few tips for choosing solar products:

Solar Panels:

Generally speaking there are at least three different tiers of solar panels to choose from.

Tier 1 solar panel: German made, Japanese and some American solar panels.

Tier 2 solar panel: Top end Chinese solar panels, various other European and American panels.

Tier 3 solar panel: Bottom end Chinese and Taiwanese no name panels.

A top end Tier 1 solar panel will be made in a fully robotised factory, from a well established solar company that invests a lot of energy and finance into research and development. There are solar companies that have been in business for 50 years as opposed to a Tier 2 or 3 solar company that has been in business for 12 months or just a few years.There are major differences in quality between solar panels from Tier 1 manufacturers to Tier 2 and 3 companies.

Consumers must always remember that you are having a small power station installed on your home or business and that unless this is installed correctly your photovoltaic system can be dangerous and a fire hazard.

Click on the related media links below:

The ABC Article

The ABC Lateline Transcript

Poorly made Chinese solar panels are hand soldered on production lines with dozens of employees that are prone to mistakes, not highly efficient robots.The solar panels glass, electrical cables, junction box, frame and solar cells are all places that can fail and cause issues. Unless the manufacturer is a known brand name and trusted then a consumer can be left exposed to expensive solar panels that just don't work as promised and installation companies who potentially won't honour service claims.

Inverters:

Just as with solar panels there are different quality tiers of inverters and manufacturers.

Tier 1 solar inverter: German, Japanese or American made

Tier 2 solar inverter: Chinese, Taiwanese or Australian made

Professional grade grid-connected solar power inverters have high grade electrical components, full system performance data displayed to show exactly how your system is performing and good warranties. Poorer quality inverters will only have an LED display not a full LCD graphics display. whilst this saves on cost, how are you meant to know how your system is performing? Is it working as promised?

It pays to purchase your inverter from a respected Tier 1 company. If anything ever goes wrong you will be guaranteed to have good product service and support from your solar company that has been in business for many years.

Warranties:

On paper all manufacturer's warranties virtually look the same but in reality this is one of the most important features of purchasing your PV modules. How long has the manufacturer been in business? Can you even obtain a proper manufacturer's product brochure? Will they be in business in 5 years or 10 years time when you need support?

Many solar installation companies claim to have award winning solar panels but they can't produce the awards that they've won. Consumers are tricked into believing that all solar panels are the same when the differences are vast. Many products are the equivalent of purchasing a toy hobbyist solar system as opposed to a professional grade residential or commercial solar system.

You do get what you pay for, so if a solar companies price seems to good to be true compared to other businesses then take heed, and do your research into better quality products and more professional companies. You will pay more but you will have a renewable energy system that performs well for many years to come as promised, fully supported and backed with warranties that mean the piece of paper that they're printed.

Conclusion:

When choosing a solar power system do your research. Purchase known quality brand names from companies that have been in the industry for many years. Speak to installers that know what they're talking about as many company representatives you call barely know the first thing about solar power. Have a company representative visit your home or business personally, and don't pay deposits without such a site visit.

Call Sun Empire Solar Systems to speak with one of our friendly sales staff to find out the Sun Empire difference. Call: (03) 9005 5307