Service and warranty conditions

KOSTAL inverter replacement warranty

Valid from: 01/11/2022

Dear Customer,

By purchasing a KOSTAL inverter, you have acquired a quality product. KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH guarantees the inverter's full functionality and freedom from material defects. These warranty conditions apply exclusively to the types stated below and not to connectable accessories such as battery, sensors etc. Furthermore, the warranty is excluded should the unit be handled improperly.

Should any problems arise during or following the installation of your device despite diligent processing and monitoring, please contact your specialist company.

Should your specialist company not be able to start up the device without any problems or remedy faults during ongoing operation, our telephone-based customer support is on hand to assist them. The specialist company is your representative who can determine whether the device is defective and therefore needs to be replaced. Please note that only those persons with the necessary specialist knowledge and approval from the mains grid operator responsible for your device may carry out work on the mains grid.

5-year KOSTAL Smart Warranty, plus 5-year Smart Warranty plus

For KOSTAL inverters, you receive a manufacturer's warranty from initial commissioning. You can extend this free of charge to a total of 10 years (5+5) with the KOSTAL Smart Warranty (5 years) and the KOSTAL Smart Warranty plus (additional 5 years; excludes PIKO CI). You can activate the KOSTAL warranty yourself or your installer can do it for you on our KOSTAL Solar online shop. For the 5-year Smart Warranty Plus, you must also register your device in our KOSTAL Solar Portal. This can only be done within the first 6 months after purchase or 12 months after delivery by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH. The statutory warranty is not affected by the Smart Warranty.

Exchange service

Replacing a product is very simple. Your specialist company contacts our customer support hotline and requests a replacement or creates a service request on our website under Service & Support > Contact.

In non-EU countries¹⁵ your specialist company must contact our local partner or, if there is no local contact, must contact the EU dealer. This person will call the customer service hotline and request a replacement and/or repairs to the device.

The following information is required for the claim to be accepted and processed:

Device type and serial number
Copy of purchase receipt
Commissioning report and commissioning date
Error message (where present) and other information concerning the fault
The log data of the inverter (further information on reading the log data can be found in the operating manual of the inverter)
Detailed information concerning the complete system (devices, modules, string wiring, DC input data [currents, voltages] etc.)
In some cases, the service team will send you a registration form. Please complete and return to us.

You will normally receive an equivalent replacement device from us soon after. KOSTAL Solar Electric reserves the right to alter this process in special cases, meaning that your installer first has to send in the defective device. In non-EU countries¹⁶, your device will be picked up from your local partner or the EU dealer for repairs or this person will receive an equivalent replacement device from us. When the replacement device is shipped, the warranty period of your original inverter is automatically transferred to the replacement device. Your specialist company may only use this device for the exchange.

For KOSTAL solar inverters PIKO 3.0-20, PIKO EPC and PIKO BA, the replacement device is usually shipped with a transport cover. This is replaced with the original cover during installation.

In terms of technical performance data, the replacement device rates at least on a par with your original inverter unless a modification was required for technical reasons during further development. Replacement devices are not generally new devices, but repaired devices with a quality standard equal to that of series devices. Replacement devices may occasionally show minimal signs of wear.

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Please note that the actual cause of failure can only be determined by the manufacturer directly. A recommendation of replacement by our customer support team does not therefore automatically imply that the issue is a warranty case. The final decision on whether warranty applies or not lies with KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH.

Your specialist company will remove the defective device and install the replacement device. The replacement device will be commissioned. The defective device is then picked up from your specialist company or from you by our parcel service in the replacement device's original packaging or you will have to organise this with the help of the documents enclosed (PIKO MP, MP plus). KOSTAL Solar Electric reserves the right to alter this process in special cases, meaning that your installer first has to send in the defective device.

In non-EU countries, the defective device must be sent to our local partner or dealer or, in the case of a repair, the defective device is removed by your specialist company and sent to the EU dealer.

The Service guide contains everything you need to know about the process.

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Warranty exclusion

However, we have to reject warranty claims in the following situations:

Improper installation, maintenance or operation of the device
Software updates have not been carried out (see Software updates)
No or incorrect maintenance (e.g. inadequate inspection and cleaning of the fans)
Improper use or incorrect installation site
Installation or operation in a country not approved by KOSTAL (see "Geographical validity")
Interventions, modifications or attempts to repair the device
(for PIKO IQ, PLENTICORE and PIKO CI 50/60 inverters, only the terminal compartment may be opened)
Transport damage
Insufficient ventilation
Failure to observe valid and recognised good engineering practice, defining specifications relating to installation and safety (e.g. international DIN-IEC, European DIN-EN, in Germany DIN-VDE)
Damage caused by force majeure or external influences, e.g. storm damage, lightning strikes, overvoltage, fire, pollution, hail, flooding, line defects and animal bites
Incorrect layout or configuration of the photovoltaic system
Malfunctions or damage that have been caused by the use of unapproved third-party products
Devices in which no defects can be detected in the factory during checking

Please note that damage of any kind, resulting from the reasons stated above, on the object covered by warranty or other equipment (e.g. on the solar system, automotive vehicles) is not covered by the warranty.

The warranty obligation does not apply to and no liability is accepted for transport damage as well as all other damage caused following the point when risk was transferred. The same applies to damage due to the use of incorrect packaging by the orderer.

Nor does the replacement warranty include any aesthetic defects that do not impact on the energy supply.

Alongside safe operation, you yourself are responsible for correctly setting up, extending, modifying and maintaining the electrical system downstream of the house connection fuse. One thing you will need to do to ensure this is to make sure that the electrical system complies with recognised good engineering practice. We can only be held liable here when we are co-responsible for the damage as defined by statutory provisions. However, we can only be held liable in proportion to our contributory negligence.

Claims extending beyond the rights stated in the warranty conditions are not included in the replacement warranty if KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH's liability is not prescribed by law. This is the case in particular for claims for compensation for damages arising directly or indirectly from device defects, for costs arising due to removal and installation or for claims for compensation for lost grid feed-in or lost self-consumption, etc. Any claims in accordance with the German Product Liability Act remain unaffected.

Software update

For the PIKO, PLENTICORE plus, PIKO IQ and PIKO CI product series first brought into circulation after 1 January 2021:

if the warranty beneficiary has agreed to online access by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH, updates can be carried out automatically by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH. Online access requires the establishment of a network connection with the recorded product, complete commissioning including linking to the KOSTAL Solar Portal and the free maintenance and provision of an Internet connection by the warranty beneficiary.
As soon as a fault is diagnosed which requires intervention by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH in order to avoid a defect, this can be remedied by remote maintenance if necessary. Consequently, further technical problems and damage to the product can be avoided and also, depending on the malfunction detected, initial countermeasures can be initiated online.
If the warranty beneficiary has not agreed to online access by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH, as an alternative the software updates can be installed independently by the warranty beneficiary. For this purpose KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH only makes the software update available, free of charge. The additional costs incurred for updates undertaken by an installation company (travel costs, working time, etc.) are not borne by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH and must be borne by the warranty beneficiary.
Software updates are always published by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH at www.kostal-solar-electric.com > Download > Product > Update. The warranty beneficiary is responsible for regularly (at least every 3 months) viewing the publications and ensuring that the necessary software updates are installed. Software updates include not only adaptations of relevance to security and function, but also improvements to interfaces, known bug fixes and new functions on an ongoing basis. The timely installation of software updates therefore ensures the best possible performance and service support for the recorded product. Failure to update may invalidate the warranty. With our hybrid inverters (PIKO IQ and PLENTICORE plus, PLENTICORE BI), use the auto-update function to ensure that you never miss an update. It is the responsibility of the warranty beneficiary to ensure that the Internet connection is maintained during the warranty period.

Replacement costs for EU countries with Smart Warranty (1-5 years)

You will receive the replacement device free of charge within the first 5 years with the Smart Warranty if the defective inverter is sent to us within the specified period after receipt of the replacement device and the defect is covered by the warranty in accordance with the above conditions. In this case, the parcel service is also arranged by us at no cost to you. However, we do not cover transport costs and customs charges from or into EU overseas territories, as well as from and into countries outside of the EU if there is no KOSTAL Solar Electric sales company in the territory or country (see "Geographical validity"). Special regulations also apply for all islands (please enquire).

In addition to this, we will also reimburse your specialist company as goodwill with a fixed sum for replacing the inverter. You can view the current amount at any time on our website at www.kostal-solar-electric.com > Download > Product > Country > Service > Service Information and Prices. Please note that this fixed sum only covers the costs of the nearest specialist company. The warranty does not cover travel and accommodation costs resulting from engaging a specialist company that is not local to you. We are very happy to help you select a suitable specialist company.

KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH may only be charged higher fixed sums by prior arrangement and in cases where special justification can be given. If this is not the case, we reserve the right to reduce the invoice amount accordingly.

Replacement costs for EU countries with Smart Warranty plus (6-10 years)

From the 6th year after initial commissioning, you have a repair warranty for the defective device. The replacement device will be repaired free of charge within the 6th to 10th year if the defective inverter is sent to us at your expense and the defect is covered by the warranty in accordance with the above conditions. The replacement costs, freight costs for outward and return transport and other costs of the specialist company are not covered by this Smart Warranty plus.

Replacement costs for non-EU countries¹⁹ with Smart Warranty (1-5 years)

You will receive the replacement device at no charge if you have sent the defective inverter to our local partner within the specified period following receipt of the replacement device and if the defect is covered by warranty according to the conditions stated above.

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Replacement costs for non-EU countries²¹ with Smart Warranty plus (6-10 years)

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In principle

However, we do not cover transport costs and customs charges from or into EU overseas territories as well as from and into countries outside of the EU if there is no KOSTAL Solar Electric sales company in the territory or country (see "Geographical validity"). Special regulations also apply for all islands (please enquire).

The warranty does not cover travel and accommodation costs or on-site installation costs resulting from engaging a specialist company that is not local to you.

In the event that a defect occurs during the warranty period for which we cannot be held responsible (exclusion of warranty), we shall invoice you for a flat-rate repair fee and shipping at a preferred price. You are however only entitled to this preferred price if the defective device is sent back to us and can be repaired. The original warranty of course continues to apply to the replacement device to the same extent.

Should we not receive the defective device, we will invoice you for the device price plus transport costs. In this case, you will only be entitled to the statutory warranty for the replacement inverter instead of our warranty.

All reimbursements can only be provided if the work to be done has been agreed in advance with KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH and if it is submitted within 6 months of receiving the results of the analysis.

Geographical validity

These warranty conditions apply to all approved countries in accordance with the list of countries provided by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH. You can view the list of countries at any time on our website at www.kostal-solar-electric.com > Download > Product > Country > Operating manual > Released countries.

Transfer of ownership

KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH retains ownership of the replacement device until the defective device is returned to us or, if the customer purchases a replacement device, until payment of the invoiced purchase price. In all cases, ownership of the defective device is transferred to KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH when the replacement device is received.

Purchase of a replacement inverter

You have purchased a replacement inverter after expiry of the warranty. For this device you are entitled to the statutory warranty starting from the date of delivery. The submission of a signed order form is a prerequisite for the purchase of a replacement inverter.

Fixed sum for inspection

In the case of devices which are replaced within the warranty period as part of our exchange service, but upon inspection or analysis do not reveal any problems, we will apply a fixed inspection sum. You can view the price currently applicable on our website at www.kostal-solar-electric.com > Download > Product > Service > Service Information and Prices. Please note that the actual cause of failure can only be determined by the manufacturer directly. A recommendation of replacement by our hotline does not therefore automatically imply that the issue is covered by our warranty conditions.

Fixed sum for cleaning

Please return the defective device in clean condition. Devices contaminated by dust, paint, spores, mould, plant growth, ammonia gases, etc. can only be analysed and repaired once they have been cleaned. In such cases we will charge you a fixed cleaning sum.

Liability

For compensation for damages only, we limit our liability, including the liability of our employees or agents, to intentional damage or damage due to gross negligence. However, this limitation of liability does not apply to personal injury (bodily injury or death). It also does not apply when we would be held liable in accordance with contractually invariable, i.e. compulsory legal provisions, even in the event of absence of fault.

Warranty extension applies only to PIKO CI

Do you want even more peace of mind? No problem. For your PIKO CI, within the first 2 years after the purchase date we offer you a warranty extension of 5 years with preferential conditions. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please take out a warranty extension via the KOSTAL Solar online shop. You will find this on our website at www.kostal-solar-electric.com. The warranty extension document can then simply be printed out. Please always store this in a safe place together with the purchase receipt for your inverter.

The following must be noted for KOSTAL inverters of the PIKO CI series. With these inverters, if you have registered with the KOSTAL Solar online shop within 6 months of the purchase date or 12 months after delivery by KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH, we reward you with our free KOSTAL Smart Warranty extension of another 3 years and you can therefore take advantage of a 10-year warranty for your inverter.

We hope that you are very pleased with your device!

KOSTAL Solar Electric GmbH

Frank Henn (Managing Director)

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