Samil Power SolarRiver 4000TL-D failure, warranty

[TAP]

I have the Samil Power SolarRiver 4000TL-D on a 4Kw home system.( UK)
Recently had an EV home charger fitted and unfortunately the installer cut the solar panel wiring and i am hoping to get someone back to make the wiring safe as was not reconnected properly.The solar guy that did the wiring inspection for me mentioned the inverter i have has issues and that the manufacturer has ceased trading and just wondered if anyone else with same inverter has encountered any problems, i have had the unit 5 years now so i am guessing my warranty is now up especially if manufacturer is no more…I just want a back up plan in place IF it does fail as i may decide to replace the solar river model with a new inverter,I have looked at EV / solar inverters but cannot justify the cost as still very expensive when you have to add the extras (EV cable alone is almost £600) and i had a free pod-point Home EV charger installed recently so happy to stay with that for the next few years.Just looking for inverter recommendations for a bog standard 4kw system ( 16 x 250 w panels).I do think initially the SP 3680TL inverter may have been more than adequate for my system and that is what is listed on my receipt /paperwork but i remember being told something about that model being out of stock so they gave me the next model up at no cost increase.

[Marty]

Hi @TAP

Samil happens to be one of the reasons I started Clean Energy Reviews. The first solar company that I worked for sold Samils, and we installed hundreds of them. I thought they were a good quality, low cost inverter. I even went to their headquarters in China, and got shown around and taken for lunch. But then, unfortunately, after a couple of years they started dropping like flies. That’s when I realised that I didn’t know what a quality panel and inverter was, so I started CER in order to get feedback from installers and try to spread the knowledge about what are quality products, and what don’t make the cut.

It’s been a long time since those problems with Samil, and even some other low cost inverters that were having problems around the same time have really cleaned up their game. For a like for like exchange, I think you could comfortably choose any of these inverters.

Sungrow vs Goodwe vs Growatt vs SolaX vs Solis | Best value solar inverters

Hi all A lot of people on our forum want to know if they are getting a good deal with their solar quotes, because most of us don’t have endless money to spend on a solar system. I would generally recommend considering top quality panels, like LG, and inverters like Fronius or Enphase, because they do often work out to be the best option financially in the long run. However, I’d like to answer the question here about what the best “value” solar system is. If you are on a tight budget, and can’t …

I’ve seen the occasional SolarRiver still functioning in Australia, but to be honest, I think it’s most likely going to stop working sooner rather than later. You could preempt it and replace it asap, or keep a close eye on it and just replace it when it gives up.

I hope that helps.

Cheers
Marty

[raga]

Hi all
I am in similar situation. My Samial Power inverter has stopped working after 5 years since the installation. I have got the paper work to say that Samil inverter is covered by 10 year (126 Months) warranty. I have tried contacting Samil Power by email and phone, unfortunately no reply.

Has anyone been able to claim and get the inverter replaced or repaired please.

Thanks in advance.

[Marty]

Hi @raga

I’m afraid I don’t like your chances. I don’t think it’s worth the effort you might spend to try and get a replacement, in the meantime your solar system will be down and costing you money. I think you’re better off paying for a replacement inverter. Which in itself can be quite difficult to get someone to do. Most installers unfortunately just want to install new systems.

Good luck
Marty

[raga]

Thanks for your help Marty.