Recall Date: August 21, 2014
Recall Number: 14-260

SolarWorld Recalls Solar Systems with Copper Grounding Lugs Due to Electrocution, Electric Shock or Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Recall Summary

Name of Product: SolarWorld Solar Systems

Hazard: SolarWorld solar panels installed with bare-copper grounding lugs can corrode which could result in a faulty ground circuit, posing an electric shock, electrocution or fire hazard.

Remedy: Repair

Consumer Contact: Contact SolarWorld toll-free at (877) 360-1787 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at www.solarworld-usa.com and click on the “Product Safety” tab for more information.

Recall Details

Units: About 1.3 million in the U.S. and 210,000 in Canada

Description: This recall includes SolarWorld solar systems installed with bare-copper grounding lugs installed after June 1, 2010. These solar systems use energy from the sun to generate electricity within a system circuit. The installation instructions for SolarWorld solar systems sold after June 1, 2010 called for the use of GBL-4DB lugs for grounding. SolarWorld has revised these installation instructions to explicitly call for tin-coated lugs, specifically Ilsco part number GBL-4DBT. “T” is for tin-coated and indicated by the silver color of the lug.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received one report of corrosion related to the bare copper lugs. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy: Customers may be able to identify from the ground whether a tin-coated lug (silver) or a bare-copper lug (brown) has been used on their solar panels. Consumers who can identify the improper lugs should contact SolarWorld for replacement. If customers cannot determine which grounding lugs were used, they should contact SolarWorld to have an authorized SolarWorld agent inspect the installation and replace the lugs with tin-coated grounding lugs or equally safe alternative remedy at no cost to consumers. SolarWorld is requesting that distributors and others remove SolarWorld’s installation instructions dated before June 2014 from their websites or other commercial information sources.

Sold by: SolarWorld installers and distributors, or other distribution companies from June 2011 to June 2014 for about $1,000 to $10,000 depending on system size.

Distributor: SolarWorld Americas, of Camarillo, California, a subsidiary of SolarWorld AG, of Bonn, Germany.