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Solar panel warranties are usually the first step to protect your solar investment in case of a mis-happening. Due to the high financial cost of the setup, most of the solar panel setups come with 2 types of warranties on the equipment, so as to increase the reliability of the system for the customer.

Solar panel manufacturers usually provide the following 2 types of warranties:

1. Product Warranty
2. Performance Warranty

What is The Difference Between Product Warranty and Performance Warranty?

Product Warranty covers all kinds of manufacturing defects, excessive wear, and tear and environmental concerns. It usually gives a warranty that all parts of the panel such as the glass covering on the top of the panel, the frame which provides rigidity to the panel, cells which convert sunlight to electricity and all other parts will work as an intended. Product warranty is usually for a period of 10 years from the date of installation.

Performance Warranty provides a cover on the minimum energy that will be produced by a panel after a certain number of years. Performance warranty tells the customer what percentage rate of efficiency will decrease over time.

Performance Warranty is of two types:

Limited Power Warranty which states that energy produced by the panel as compared to the original peak minimum, after a certain number of years. It usually specifies the limited power at the 10 years and the 25-year mark.

Linear Power Warranty gives a linear curve plot of efficiency over the defined period. It is usually given for 25 years. The output power is mentioned as a ratio of the minimum amount of power generated under peak conditions at the time of installation.

Apart from the warranties present on the solar panel, the auxiliary equipment such as inverters, mounts, batteries etc. Are also covered in warranty by their respective manufacturers. Most inverters come with a standard warranty cover of 5 years, with an extended warranty of 7 to 10 years at an extra cost. Mounts and batteries also come with a standard one year warranty. The time limit and the terms & conditions of the warranty usually vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Having panels of a manufacturer who offers good comprehensive warranties can go a long way in getting good returns from the setup. With the warranty cover, a customer can enjoy free power for many years without any major hassles on their part.