- About
- Fees / What is Included
- Why Maintenance is Important
- New Property / Old System
About our Maintenance Programs
Set and forget your annual solar power system service
We are your one stop shop for all of your solar power requirements. As a leading provider of solar panel systems on the Gold Coast and across South East Queensland we can help you achieve energy freedom. Generating your own solar power is a top quality solution that genuinely pays for itself. As with any capital expense much like a vehicle, we should upkeep regular maintenance. An effective safe guarding routine will not only prevent but ensure your system is operating efficiently.
Our subscription service was developed in order for you to shorten your to-do list. We as a society have become 'extremely busy', more than 85% of our service calls are due to reactive maintenance issues. Preventative maintenance addresses possible issues before they occur and reduces the chances of unexpected equipment failure. Preventative maintenance includes cleaning and visual inspection of equipment to detect and correct problems or faults before they become ‘bigger’ problems. Being ‘proactive’ will improve both equipment longevity and serious safety outcomes.
SERVICE PROVISION
1. One annual service of solar panels; hard brush, water, detergent substance, high pressure machine may be used and assessed case by case.
2. Visual inspection of solar panels for damage, fractures or corrosion.
3. Visual inspection of inverter for damage and or fault codes / errors.
4. Visual inspection of junction boxes and or isolators for water ingress and heat stress.
5. Check for correct operation of solar power system.
6. One annual wifi re-connection to inverter.
PAYMENT
1. The annual charge for the service supplied is a subscription and will automatically deduct from the customers associated bank card annually on the reoccurring date in which the service was initially subscribed. For example; January 1st 2021 was the initial date of service subscription. Each consecutive year post 2021 your subscription will automatically debit on January 1st.
2. The overall service price is dependant on the amount of solar panels installed at the premise.
3. Satellite imagery software may be used to remotely verify the amount of solar panels installed on the premise as advised on your subscription.
4. The service price is applicable to the premise being within the geographic area as prescribed on the 4shore website.
5. Annual services take place in September unless otherwise notified by 4shore Solar.
6. Payment must be made in full previous to August 31st 16:00 for services to take place in September.
7. The subscription can be cancelled at anytime by advising the 4shore Solar office in writing at info@4shore.com.au.
8. Subscriptions cancelled previous to September in any calender year understand the annual service will therefore not take place.
9. If it is verified either remotely or onsite that the amount of panels installed on the premise does not match the subscription paid for. The customer will be debited the outstanding difference of balance.
FEES + CHARGES
This subscription service is a contract with legal terms and conditions attached.
Please click the appropriate link to read its provisions in full >> Subscription Service : Terms and Conditions.
Some reasons annual maintenance is a must!
- The build-up of dust, dirt and grime = reduced solar panel efficiency.
- Fallen debris such as leaves, even branches which may have caused fractures on your solar panel.
- Natural Disaster damage ; hail, freak storms, bush fires.
- Deterioration of components.
- Poor installation quality.
- Product Recalls
- A sneaky little home invader such as a possum taking a nibble on cable.
DC Isolator Safety Concerns
Water ingress in DC Isolators is the biggest safety risk associated with rooftop solar PV. Unfortunately, Standards Australia mandated the use of these devices which saw a direct rise in solar-related fires post mandate. Rooftop DC Isolators were implemented to serve and protect emergency services workers. Touche!
The ACCC has issued product safety recalls on various isolators over the years you can visit the Clean Energy Council to view a full list of Product Recalls.
Obvious signs your solar system may require a tune up!
- Increased energy bills.
- Red or Orange light flashing during daylight hours.
- Noticeable obstructions, mainly dirt build up.
- Warnings or Alerts generated by the monitoring software.
Purchasing a new property with an existing solar system.
Usually when it comes to purchasing solar a lot of research and consideration is taken into account. Purchasing a system that best reflects your investment and properties consumption is a capital investment. When purchasing a property with an existing solar system, you by-pass the initial process.
After the dust has settled and you have made your new house a home we recommend a thorough inspection of the solar panel system. You may also elect to wait until you receive your first electricity account to thoroughly gage the system meets your families requirements.
Purchasing a property with solar definitely adds value. However, there are many differing factors that may have you re-assess whether the existing system will alleviate your families requirements.
Why the home may have outgrown the solar power system.
- Initially when solar was a ‘new technology’ it was very expensive. The going rate for a 5-6kw system was about $25,000. Not many systems of this size were installed back then. Common systems were 3kW or below. This size system is rarely installed today.
- Advances in technology over the years have grossly improved. Higher wattage panels mean less panels need to be installed on the roof, larger systems are more frequently sort after.
- Home renovations and the installation of larger electrical appliances such as air-conditioning units lead to an increase in the homes consumption.
- The inverter and or panels may have reached it’s life-cycle, now is a good time to think about upgrading the whole system. We advise at least getting a price comparison when replacing an inverter vs upgrading the whole system.
Overall, when purchasing a new property with solar already existing, look into it thoroughly. Sort the original documentation. Make sure the inverter is functioning at the time of sale. If there are less than 10 panels on the roof an upgrade is likely imminent. Have a certified solar technician inspect the system thoroughly. There’s no harm in being cautious.
