Quality is where your values and your rating meet. Once you cross 250 portal installations and apply for a Tier II rating, 5% of your sites are picked at random for a physical inspection, and the score goes into your rating. You will not know which roofs. So every roof has to be one you would be happy to show.
What the inspectors carry
MNRE's framework lists the tools inspectors are expected to use. The list tells you exactly what they check:
| Tool | What it checks |
|---|---|
| Compass | Which way the panels face |
| Angle measurement tool | Panel tilt |
| Torque tester | Whether structure bolts are tightened properly |
| Clamp meter | Current flowing in the cables |
| Electrical tester | Wiring and connections |
| Earth pit resistance tester | Whether the earthing actually works |
| Handheld irradiance meter | Sunlight, to judge whether the system performs as it should |
| Measuring tape and camera | Layout, clearances, and a record of what they saw |
The framework says the quality score covers engineering compliance, standards, installation quality, materials, processes, system performance, safety and after-sales service. None of this is secret. It is simply a list of things done properly.
The site survey checklist
A job goes wrong at the survey more often than on installation day. One page, used on every survey:
- Roof type and condition, and whether it can take the structure
- Shade from water tanks, trees, neighbouring buildings, at morning and evening sun
- The best direction and tilt for the panels
- Sanctioned load and the last few electricity bills
- Where the inverter, meter and earth pit will go, and the cable route between them
- Photos of the roof, the meter and the planned inverter spot
The installation checklist
Signed by the site lead on every job, before the team leaves:
- Structure anchored, and every bolt tightened to the right torque
- Panels facing the direction, and at the tilt, planned in the survey
- DC cables clipped, protected from sunlight, with no loose loops on the roof
- Earthing done, and earth pit resistance measured and written down
- Inverter mounted with space for air to flow, away from water
- Every connection checked with a tester
- Labels on the inverter, the isolators and the meter
- The roof cleaned of offcuts, packaging and screws
The same photos on every job
Take the same set of photos, in the same order, every time: roof before, structure, panels, cable run, earthing, inverter, meter, and the finished roof. When a question comes up months later, from a customer, the electricity department or an inspector, the photos answer it.
Hand over like it matters
Before leaving, walk the customer through the system. Show them how to read the inverter display, how to clean the panels safely, who to call and what the warranties cover. A customer who understands their system complains less and refers more.