Janaka's Tech blog: Green Power Co review

Green Power Co - PV System installation review

Introduction
I was looking to install a PV solar system and had done a lot of research, over a period of a month, in to panels, inverters and installation companies. My system requirement were:

Good parts and warranty (Inverter, Panels and other components)
Good installation
Competitive price

With preferences for:

Customisable packages
Local and Responsive installer
Easy payment options

Pre-sale contact
I found Green Power reps to be hassle free and was not pushy like some of the other companies. They just needed few bits of information (i.e.: system size, address ..etc) to give me a quote. Questions I had were answered in a honest and forthright manner (and as an engineer by trade, I had lot of questions).
I wanted to visit and find out about the company and they made up time at short notice to meet me at their warehouse although they were busy preparing for a industry show. They gave me a tour of the warehouse and introduction to various components they used. Also provide information on a range of products they sell and comparative advantages of each. They also showed me the on-site testing facility they have to test various components like panels and inverters.
The sales person used a computer based program to analyse the orientation of roof surfaces and optimal setup for the solar panels. He provided me with PDF copies of the proposed installation, expected PV output during each month of the year, expected usage and expected savings.

Sale
Few weeks after the pre-sales contact, I contacted them for details finalisation. They answered all my technical and pricing question promptly and gave me a competitive price. A $600 deposit started the process and they allowed me to pay the remainder in 3 monthly instalments after the installation of the system. They also offered a 40 month payment plan with industry rates that I did not take up. Number of minor contract changes were promptly addressed. Green power also gave me realistic time-frames for the installation to happen (1 month).

Installation
Green Power operations team prearranged dates and times about a week before installation and was there on time (0800) on the day. It was a awful day with periods of rain, so the installer informed me that the job will not be completed on the same day. Green Power uses in-house CEC accredited electricians and they immediately identified where they can and cant install the inverter (i.e.: restrictions due to proximity to gas supplies and other surroundings).
They arranged for the completion of the installation a week later and had the installation complete by midday on the second day. Green Power installers were very professional around my family and kept to themselves. After the installation they gave me a full run-through of the PV system and answered all my questions.

Post installation and support
After the installation, Green Power arranged the electrical inspector within few days. After the inspection, the inspection paperwork were promptly sent to the power distributor. Green Power has been very responsive to all my post-installation technical and accounts queries since then.

Installation quality
According to the electrical inspector the job was very well done. From my point of view they made the installation a very good one by doing the extra things that highlights the workmanship and quality, such as:

All DC cables were put through PVC piping or conduit to make sure they handled the harsh conditions of the roof and roof cavity and reducing the chance of rodent attack
Added aluminium cover sheets to DC switches on the roof to prevent them from degraded early by the harsh sun
Overall Neat installation
Lead sheets were inserted to where the cables went in to the roof cavity
Left the data (Ethernet) cables where I asked them to in the roof cavity
Added silicon sealant to wall mountings to prevent water leak and pest protection

Room for improvement
Although their installation was very good, there are areas they can improve on:

Cleaned up - They cleaned up all the big things but left some small cut cable pieces in the back yard
Data cable seal - They missed putting in the rubber seal for the Ethernet cable connection on the Inverter (could be because the Conext RL ethernet board installation manual is not that clear on how to do this)
Roof brackets - Their installation left minor vertical spaces between roof tiles (few millimeters gap) where the panel brackets went in to the tile planks. They could have made the roof tiles fit more flush against each other by grinding the tiles where the bracket go.

Summary
Green Power did a very good job and gave me enough information to make a informed choice. Highly recommend them to anyone looking to install a solar PV system. At present, the system produces more power than predicted but will have to see on long term basis how it behaves.

Their web site:
Green Power Co

Installation pictures