Cali Energy warranties: three layers, every term in writing
Every Cali Energy solar installation carries three warranties: the manufacturers' warranties on the equipment, which we register for you; 25 years on our workmanship from the day the utility grants permission to operate; and 5 years on roof penetrations. The terms are in the contract, and warranty service runs from our Northridge office.
A Cali Energy solar installation is covered three ways. The panels, inverters and batteries carry their manufacturers' warranties, registered by us at handover. The installation itself carries 25 years on workmanship from PTO, with covered repairs carried out at our cost. Roof penetrations carry 5 years from PTO for roof damage within a three-inch radius of any penetration, on a roof with solid life left and no pre-existing leaks. Warranty service runs from Cali Energy's own office in Northridge: +1-323-844-7777.
The three layers
| Layer | Who stands behind it | Term | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment: panels, inverters, batteries | The manufacturers | Their terms | The panels, inverters and batteries, on each manufacturer's certificate; we register every warranty at handover and give you the paperwork. |
| Workmanship: the installation | Cali Energy | 25 years from PTO | Our installation work, to industry standards; a covered repair is done at our cost. |
| Roof penetrations | Cali Energy | 5 years from PTO | Roof damage within a three-inch radius of any system penetration. |
Penetration coverage applies to a roof with solid life left and no pre-existing leaks; if the roof does not qualify, we say so before the install. Routine maintenance, keeping the array clear of debris and shade, stays with the homeowner.
What a manufacturer's warranty does and does not do
A manufacturer's warranty covers its own product on the terms in its certificate. It replaces the part; the labor to diagnose and fit the replacement is a separate question, set by the contract that covers the installation. On our Valley Village project two microinverters were replaced under warranty and the labor reimbursement was its own request, filed after the work. On a Woodland Hills system the inverter was replaced free, the communications device beside it had aged out on its own, shorter clock, and we replaced it on a separate visit. What a solar warranty actually covers
One credential matters here. REC panels installed by a REC Certified Solar Professional carry the REC ProTrust warranty, 25 years, and Cali Energy holds that certification. REC panels · Our credentials
How a warranty claim runs
- Tell us what you see. A screenshot of the monitoring app or the fault on the inverter.
- We read the data first. The monitoring history and the utility meter show whether the system is down or only the reporting is.
- Diagnosis on site, and the manufacturer's claim opened with the evidence it asks for: photos, serial numbers, the claim form.
- Replacement approved and shipped by the manufacturer; the failed part goes back.
- Repair and commissioning, with production confirmed in the app. In North Hollywood the replacement inverter went in during a single morning visit.
Warranty work we have done
Porter Ranch: an inverter replaced under warranty in year six.
An inverter that failed in year six, replaced under the manufacturer's warranty within a week, monitoring restored with the history intact.
North Hollywood: six years in, a new inverter under warranty.
A six-year-old inverter replaced under warranty: the manufacturer shipped the part, our crew fitted it in one morning, and the system has run since.
He read the warranty. Then he asked about the labor.
A module warranty and a workmanship warranty are two documents with two signatures; this Sylmar owner read both at handover and asked which one covered the labor.
The part was free. The labor was a separate conversation.
Two failed microinverters replaced under the manufacturer's warranty, each module reporting again after the swap.
Roof and solar on one warranty
Because Cali Energy holds the C-39 roofing license as well as the C-10 electrical license, a roof we replaced and an array we installed on it sit with one contractor. When a roof under solar leaks, there is one company to call, and we trace the water to the entry before anything is repaired. Roof and solar warranties when a roof leaks · Roof leak repair
Warranty questions
What warranty does Cali Energy give on solar?
Three layers: the manufacturers' warranties on panels, inverters and batteries, registered by us; 25 years on workmanship from PTO, with covered repairs at our cost; and 5 years on roof penetrations from PTO, for roof damage within a three-inch radius of any penetration. CSLB #1032379, based in Northridge; call +1-323-844-7777.
Does the warranty cover the labor to replace a failed inverter?
The manufacturer's warranty covers the part. On a current Cali Energy contract the labor sits under our 25-year workmanship warranty from PTO, on the terms in the contract. On a system we did not install, the labor is set by who installed it, when, and what that contract covers.
Does a module warranty survive if my installer closed?
Yes. A module warranty belongs to the panels, not to the company that installed them. In Reseda the owners of a system whose installer no longer answered found Cali Energy on the manufacturer's authorized list for the removal and reinstallation their re-roof needed.
Where do I send a warranty claim?
To the Warranty Department, Cali Energy, 19201 Parthenia St Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324, or call +1-323-844-7777 with the system address and a screenshot of your monitoring app.
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Warranty service
For a warranty claim on a Cali Energy installation, call or write to the Warranty Department, 19201 Parthenia St Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324. Have the system address and a screenshot of your monitoring app ready.
Request warranty service Call +1-323-844-7777
Cali Energy · Northridge, CA · cali-energy.com