Trina 235

[SRE]

Has anyone got a Trina TSM 235w stashed in their storage anywhere or failing that anyone know a supplier other than Sundog who might have one??

We're helping out a customer who's original solar company has gone bust. They drilled through slate and he's had to have his slate roof replaced it leaked so much. To add to insult, customer was helping roofer to move one of the panels and between them they've dropped it! Sounds like the Chuckle Brothers.

 

[Gavin A]

nope, but I do have 4 x 235Wp HJ Solar poly that are probably about the same.

 

[SRE]

Thanks Gavin -have gone for 250w Trina replacement from CCL who checked compatibility out for me and discovered they do Solarworld Sunmodule too so a great alternative to REXEL who are doing my head in!

 

[whinmoor]

Be careful with HJ - the panel might be a different thickness. Trina are often 35mm or 40mm. HJ might be 45mm.

 

[whinmoor]

We're helping out a customer who's original solar company has gone bust. They drilled through slate and he's had to have his slate roof replaced it leaked so much.

Guess what. I had a call this afternoon with exactly the same issue. A leaking slate roof and a bust installer. Not sure about the cause or solution at the moment.

Customer is disabled and can't get in the loft to check it out. I'm going round tomorrow to see what's up.

 

[SRE]

This job has been a nightmare. Our roofers got on the roof to remove the panels the connector for the rails hadn't been secured, just slotted in and went flying through a £360 window! We couldn't work out which rail they'd used - it wasn't anything like we'd used before so the customer has had to pay for new rail etc, then today the panel was damaged. The air was blue!

Another one this afternoon - we've strongly advised them to persue the original installer. As nice as these customers are and as sorry as we feel for them - it's costing us time and money to sort out someone else's problems. It's hard to charge someone normal rates when they've been conned!

 

[whinmoor]

Guess what. I had a call this afternoon with exactly the same issue. A leaking slate roof and a bust installer. Not sure about the cause or solution at the moment.
Customer is disabled and can't get in the loft to check it out. I'm going round tomorrow to see what's up.

I just came back from visiting this customer. He's been well and truly stitched up. A list of faults and/or omissions as long as your arm.

The panels are Renesola 250s with a Samil inverter. It's all on one string but I think that's within parameters although we would have done two.

Can anyone identify the rail? He had Renusol paperwork in his folder but it looks more like a Schletter to me.

I doubt we would have gone for vertical rails like this - the trusses never line up with the clamping zones. There are too many loose cables. The whole thing needs shunting across to the left a few inches.

I wasn't really there to look at the electrics but there didn't seem to be an AC isolator near the CU. They had simply whacked an MCB into any old spare slot!

 

[SRE]

We couldn't identify the rail, tried what we thought were the right hooks but ended up replacing the whole roof kit. Fortunately for the customer it was just for 6 panels, but we have hardly charged anything for the labour - just felt so sorry for them for being stitched up. We're trying to avoid others like this but of course because we've sorted one out we've had another call for another one!

I'd use new kit and fit on horizontal rails - as you say, further over. The problem is where do you stop and how to avoid becoming a charity solution.

 

[JulianC]

Can anyone identify the rail? He had Renusol paperwork in his folder but it looks more like a Schletter to me.

Schletter Profi05

 

[Worcester]

Definitely Schletter Rail - and you'll love all the different nuts and bolts Schletter use and even more so when you cross-rail it

 

[The Solar King]

Rectification of someone else's mess is a nightmare. We were caught out on one and wasted a huge amount of time by being involved. Stuff had blown off a flat roof and was originally an insurance job. However we would not reinstate without involvement of our structural engineer and would only reinstate in such a way as to avoid any future failure.

Person paid for structural engineers report and then gave copy to insurer. They took one look at it and disclaimed all liabilty due to negligence by original installer. Then transpires original installer still in business but customer has no confidence in them.

Whilst feeling sorry for the customer, caveat emptor enters in to this. They should have done their due diligence and not signed up with a crumby telesales company. They are now stuck with these comedians.

Not only did I waste time, I also wasted a favour from my engineer who is incredibly busy and did the work at a reduced rate.

Tread carefully if asked to become involved. If they have an insured workmanship warranty, this should be first port of call. Make your terms of engagement completely clear, otherwise it will cost you.