I signed up for a solar lease and I actually feel I got a very good deal on the 15 year lease. The lease has cut my energy bill down by a lot.

After 1.5 years of the panels on my roof I got on top the other day to wash them down. I do this every few weeks mostly from the ground. This time I decided to get the ladder out and get on top of the roof because the wind was blowing and I couldn't reach the top panels. I noticed flaws in most all of the panels. It looks like in just about every panel there is explosions under the top of the glass. From what I'm told the extreme heat causes the silicon within the solar cell to expand and then explode. I seem to be seeing that.

I contacted SolarCity and the panels come with a 5 year manufacturer warranty. But the problem is they are still producing what is expected from the lease so they aren't going to do much but document. I'm curious if the flaws weren't there what could the panels be putting out?

I know they padded the lease when I signed up for it to probably cover this type of thing. But why when there are manufacturer defects and the panels are still under that warranty you would not fix it?

He comes my dissappointment in the lease. Even with the defects and flaws they aren't concerned because the panels are putting out still. You would think beings how they are less then 2 years old and the flaws are there the manufacture would be contacted.

One of my reply emails told me how much better I put out May 2012 compared to May 2011. Really??? May 2011 weather was nothing like May 2012 so you can't even compare I'm not that stupid. May of 2011 we had days in the 60's and more clouds. So yea the panels didn't do so well last year.

So when you lease panels be prepared to settle for things like this. When and if you find flaws in your systems it's up to the lease owner to decide if they want to fix it.

Update: Technicians came out and actually said the shattered looking spots under the glass is how the panels are manufactured? Yes he used the word shattered.
I honestly don't think I saw these when the panels were first installed or I would have noticed something like this. But they are stil putting out the power the lease agreement says.