Hi,
We are about to install our Victron solar system, and apologies if this sounds unusual, but I would like to be certain that our Victron products (Inverter, MPPT, Lynx Distributor, Cerbo GX MK2, Energy Meter ET112, etc.) are brand new and have not been previously used, returned, or partially cycled by another client.
This is particularly important for warranty purposes.
Is there a way to verify the serial numbers of the components to confirm their status?
Thank you for your help!
Alina
Unfortunately no - you can verify the serials themselves by entering them one-by-one into the Victron Support page, but that won’t tell you whether they were previously used or returned components. Victron does not sell directly to the consumer, so they don’t track consumer sales or returns.
The best way to ensure your components are new and unused is to purchase directly from an authorized dealer or distributor rather than from sites like Amazon or eBay.
Thanks Justin!
Doesn’t Victron have logs to confirm if the unit has been registered for warranty?
I’ve also read that an authorized Victron distributor might be able to provide confirmation that it’s unused. The seller we bought from unfortunately is not an authorized Victron distributor.
Another solution I’ve read about is to hook it up to VictronConnect and look at runtime hours or logging data + date of first power-up?
Not sure if any of that is possible. But we’ll try everything for sure. There must be a way.
There is no registration process for warranty, so such a log doesn’t exist. Warranty on initial product is based on serial number and original sales date, but there’s no registration needed.
I am an authorized Victron distributor, and short of having sold it myself, as new, directly from a Victron shipment (as we do, other than our “Bargain Bin” section), there is no way for me to confirm it’s unused.
VictronConnect can be useful in this event, but in many cases history and other data can be cleared, so that isn’t an end-all answer either.
Why you have doubts that the devices aren’t new?
What components do you have?
The serial number (HQXXYY) tells you the production year XX and the week YY.
With a production date in late 2024/early 2025 it should be a new product.
It takes a few weeks/months from the factory to the Victron warehouse → from there it might take a few weeks until it’s sold to a distributor → then it might be a few weeks in the warehouse of the distributor → the distributor sells it to a B2B customer → he has it a while in his warehouse → then it’s sold to you.
So there can be a gap of a few months between production date and shipping to you.
The Victron Support page tells you who the distributor for the unit is, you could contact them.
Thank you very much Justin and Matthias for your replies!!
Our equipment list in mentioned here: Victron Solar System - Configuration, Fire Protection, and Monitoring
Unfortunately, we’re not using a Victron-authorized company — somehow it wasn’t easy to find the list with Victron-authorized sellers for our area. We had previously spoken with this seller about non-solar-related work, like replacing a gas water heater, and he mentioned he might provide a used unit for free if another client was replacing theirs soon. Not sure if he can do the same with our solar equipment and charge us for it and none would know.
It seems reasonable to check all equipment if it’s simple and possible, especially as there are major risks for us if not done well + we don’t know much about this seller + is not vetted by Victron. But apparently this isn’t possible to check with Victron. I’m curious why, as permitting such checks could better protect clients and also be helpful for warranty purposes.