1.8.3 Solar systems aren't fragile

A home system has three core parts: panels, inverter, battery. As long as the installation is up to code, the hardware itself is very stable.

Think about it this way: TVs and refrigerators — which run all day, every day — usually come with a 1-year warranty. Why do solar manufacturers offer 5, 10, even 25 year warranties? Because the equipment really doesn't break that often.

But the "premium" brands need to justify a premium price tag and a long-term contract. So the sales script starts with "the equipment breaks, the system fails, repairs are expensive and hard to find, you absolutely need a big-name installer," and ends with you signing up for an inflated bid and maybe an extended warranty. The entire framing exists to get you to pay more.

In reality, big-company warranty service is often *worse* than the alternatives. We'll cover this in Chapter 2.