Enphase Beefs Up Australian IQ8 Microinverter Warranty

Enphase must be very confident in its IQ8 microinverters lasting the distance – the company says it has extended its standard limited warranty in Australia for new installations.

Inverters work day-in and day-out under often harsh conditions, particularly in Australia – and they are the component of a solar power system most likely to fail first. While many solar panels are accompanied by 25-year product warranties these days, inverters lag behind with 10-year warranties common; although some can be extended for an additional fee.

Enphase Energy is the world-leader in microinverters, which are basically a miniaturised version of a string inverter. Microinverters are usually mounted on the racking beneath solar panels; one per panel – although some offer multiple panel support. While protected from direct sunlight, the devices are exposed to high ambient temperatures, and heat and electronics don’t make great bedfellows.

But in a vote of confidence in the robustness of its tech, Enphase announced on Tuesday it was extending the standard warranty in Australia for its IQ8 microinverter product range from 15 years¹ to 25 years. The new warranty terms automatically apply for all IQ8 Microinverters activated on or after 1 October 2024 according to the company.

 “We identified the performance between solar panel and inverter warranties as a quality assurance issue that can compromise ROI for homeowners,” said Enphase Energy Australia General Manager Patrick Matweew. “Enphase is closing that gap to give households that chose Enphase unprecedented solar investment security.”

I went looking for the new extended warranty on Enphase’s Australian website yesterday and again this morning, but was unable to find it – and various mentions of warranty on the site still indicated 15 years.

The new warranty is a document you want to lay eyes on and examine closely before taking the plunge.

UPDATE 9AM: Here’s the new IQ8 warranty document, indicating 25 years.

Australia’s Long Wait For The IQ8

It was back in October 2021 when Enphase announced its IQ8 microinverters were to begin shipping in December that year for customers in North America.

There was plenty of interest in Australia in the devices, particularly given Enphase promoting the IQ8’s ability to form a microgrid during a blackout. This would prevent exports while providing backup power even without a battery – although this was going to require some extra (pricey) kit. However, the “Sunlight Backup” feature proved problematic. It was never released in Australia and has been withdrawn in the USA.

The IQ8’s were originally going to be available in Australia in the second half of 2022, but it wasn’t until June 2023 when the firm started accepting Australian orders.

Why Use Microinverters?

It used to be that microinverters had an edge over string inverters in partially shaded solar installations, but string inverter manufacturers have lifted their game in recent years with improved Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) software, helped along by the prevalence of split-cell (half-cut cell) solar panels.

But they have other advantages – learn about the pros and cons of microinverters here.

SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock is a fan of Enphase microinverter hardware (not so much their software and some other aspects) and has dozens of them on his roof.

“Most people don’t *need* microinverters, but if you want microinverters, there’s nothing wrong with that, and – in my opinion – Enphase are the only game in town worth considering,” says Finn.

You can read his full review of Enphase microinverters here, along with those of other Australian customers.

In this year’s SolarQuotes Installers Choice Awards, Enphase maintained its number 2 ranking from 2022 and 2023 for the best inverters in 2024, as voted by installers in the SQ network. The company also achieved third place in a new category; best after-sales support.

Enphase has shipped approximately 76.3 million microinverters globally since 2008.