“Open Repair” Policy

Where it’s safe and practical, we publish the design files for our plastic parts so you can 3D print a replacement at home, at a maker space, or through a print service — instead of waiting on us, wait by your printer.

Effective May 3, 2026

This policy applies to anyone who downloads or uses files from our “Open Repair” program (the “program”), whether the files come from DartSolar directly, from a community remix of our files, or from a third party entirely. A quick note on terms: when we say “we” or “us,” we mean DartSolar LLC. When we say “your DartSolar,” we mean a unit you bought from us at dartsolar.com. When we say “you,” we mean the human reading this.

At a glance

  • ONLY PLASTIC PARTS HAVE 3D-PRINTABLE EQUIVALENTS. DON’T PRINT SUBSTITUTES FOR METAL PARTS, PCBS, WIRING, OR SOLAR PANELS.

  • 3D-PRINTED PARTS ARE NOT COVERED BY THE LIMITED WARRANTY. THE REST OF YOUR DARTSOLAR STILL IS.

  • DARTSOLAR ISN’T RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A 3D-PRINTED PART YOU MAKE, MODIFY, OR INSTALL.

  • PRINT AT YOUR OWN RISK. USE THE RECOMMENDED MATERIALS AND SETTINGS TO 3D-PRINT EACH PART

The other agreements at play

This policy works alongside the four documents that already govern your DartSolar:T

If anything in those documents conflicts with anything here, this policy controls on questions about 3D-printed and self-fabricated parts. Everything else is governed by the document closest to the situation.

Why we run the “Open Repair” program

A solar system on a roof is a long-term thing. Most small parts are inexpensive to ship, but shipping a small plastic piece across the country to fix a $2,000 system feels backwards — for you, for us, and for the planet. So for parts where it’s safe to do, we publish the source files and let you make your own. The flip side: the moment a part leaves our manufacturing line we lose visibility into the materials, the print settings, the operator’s skill level, and a hundred other variables that affect whether the part is safe to install. That’s why this program comes with the limits below. None of them are arbitrary.

What’s included in the program

Plastic parts only. The Limited Warranty already says it: “All plastic parts are covered for five (5) years, but can also be easily 3D printed and reproduced.” That sentence describes exactly what’s in scope here. Specific files are published in our Open library with the parts they replace, recommended materials, and print settings.

EXCLUDED FROM THE PROGRAM  

DON’T 3D PRINT THESE. SUBSTITUTING A PRINTED PART FOR ONE OF THE ITEMS BELOW IS UNSAFE AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY THIS PROGRAM:

Metal parts. The frame, the telescoping arms, the mounting hardware, the brackets that bear load — any metal component on your DartSolar. The metals we use are specified for static and dynamic loads, fatigue cycles, and electrical bonding that 3D-printed plastics cannot match. Replacing a metal part with a 3D print risks the part failing in transit, on a freeway, or under wind load — with consequences that go well beyond the part itself.

Solar panels and panel laminates. Photovoltaic cells, encapsulants, backsheets, and the assemblies that hold them.

PCB boards and electronics. Anything carrying current, switching power, or controlling the system.

Wiring, connectors, and pass-throughs. The DC wiring on a DartSolar is energized any time the panels see daylight. Substituting a 3D-printed connector or housing for an electrical component is a shock and fire risk.

Sealing components on the primary weather envelope. Where a gasket or seal is the difference between a dry vehicle and a wet one, use the original part.

We’ll publish printable replacements only for non-critical seals.If you’re unsure whether a part is in scope, check the Open library. If it’s not there, it isn’t covered by this program — assume it’s the kind of part we don’t want you printing.

Three kinds of files, three different relationships

Not every printable file you might use comes from us. The program treats three categories differently:

1. Files we publish

The STEP, STL, and 3MF files in our Open library, released under the license posted on that page. We’ve designed these to be reproducible with a typical hobbyist FFF/FDM printer, in materials we’ve specified, with settings that produce a part fit for purpose. We don’t guarantee any specific outcome — what comes off your printer depends on your printer — but these are the files we’ve tested.

2. User-modified versions of our files

If you take one of our files and change it — resize it, alter the geometry, change the infill or wall count, swap to a different material — the modified file isn’t a DartSolar file anymore. It’s yours. We’re not in a position to know what you changed or whether the result is still safe, and we don’t take responsibility for parts that came out of a modification we didn’t see.

3. Third-party and community files

Files hosted on Printables, Thingiverse, MakerWorld, GitHub, or anywhere else that we didn’t publish are not part of this program. We don’t review them, endorse them, or know whether they’re accurate. Some community remixes will be excellent; some won’t. Treat them the way you’d treat a part from any unverified aftermarket source. Nothing in this policy creates a relationship between us and a third-party file host or remixer.

Print specs and safety

Each file in the Open library lists a recommended material, infill, wall count, layer height, and, where it matters, build orientation. Those recommendations exist for a reason. Polycarbonate, ASA, and PETG behave differently in UV and heat than PLA. Honeycomb infill at 30% behaves differently than a 100% solid block. If you can’t print to spec, use the original part. Apply the protective UV and scratch-resistant coating recommended for polycarbonate components annually, the same way our Product Liability Agreement describes for the original parts. A printed part that’s never been coated will degrade faster than the part it replaced.Inspect printed parts more often than original parts. A failure mode for a printed plastic component is delayed delamination — it looks fine for months and then fails suddenly. If you see hairline cracking, surface chalking, or layer separation, replace the part before it fails entirely.

What this means for your warranty

The Limited Warranty covers parts we made. A part you printed at home, had printed by a service, or downloaded from a third party isn’t a part we made — so it isn’t a part we’ll repair, replace, or refund under the Limited Warranty. That’s true regardless of who the file came from, including files we published.

The flip side, and this matters: installing a 3D-printed part doesn’t void the rest of your warranty. If you replaced a plastic end cap with a printed one and your solar panel later fails for an unrelated reason, the solar panel is still covered. The Limited Warranty stays in force on every original component for the period stated in that document. The carve-out is narrow:

  • Your 3D-printed part itself is never covered.

  • Any original component that fails because of the printed part is no longer covered — if your printed bracket fatigues and bends the metal it was bolted to, the metal damage isn’t our problem.

  • Damage caused by attempting to print or substitute a part on the “not in the program” list above isn’t covered, and may end coverage on connected components.

Damage and liability

DARTSOLAR ISN’T RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A PART YOU 3D-PRINTED, HAD PRINTED, MODIFIED, OR INSTALLED UNDER THIS PROGRAM. That includes damage to your DartSolar product(s), damage to your vehicle, damage to other vehicles, property, or persons, and any downstream loss — lost time, lost income, towing, lodging, or anything else. The risk of a printed part is a risk you’re choosing to take in exchange for the speed and cost of printing locally. The full allocation of risk between you and DartSolar is set out in the Product Liability Agreement, including the limitation of liability, the release of claims, and your indemnification of DartSolar for the consequences of your installation choices. This policy doesn’t expand DartSolar’s liability beyond what that agreement allows.

The legal bits

Some of this part has to read a certain “legal” way to do its job, but the gist is straightforward.

Disclaimer of warranties on the files. THE FILES IN OUR OPEN LIBRARY ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, DARTSOLAR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES ON THE FILES THEMSELVES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ACCURACY. WE DON’T GUARANTEE THAT A FILE WILL PRODUCE A PART THAT FITS, PERFORMS, OR IS SAFE IN YOUR SPECIFIC SETUP.

No license beyond the file’s own license. The files we publish are licensed under the terms posted with them in the Open library. Nothing in this policy grants you any right to use the DartSolar name, logo, or trademarks, or to represent that a printed part is a DartSolar part — it isn’t.

Your other rights. This policy gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights that vary from state to state. Nothing here cuts back any non-waivable rights you have under state or federal law, including under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.

Customers outside California

DartSolar ships throughout the globe. Several states and countries impose mandatory consumer protections that may differ from this policy. Where the law of your state or country of residence requires terms more protective of you than what’s described above, those terms apply to your participation in the Open program to the extent required by that law. This policy is not intended, and should not be read, to override any non-waivable consumer-protection right.

Governing law

This policy is governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Disputes arising out of or relating to your participation in the Open program are governed by the dispute-resolution procedures in the Product Liability Agreement, including the informal-resolution period and binding individual arbitration described there.

The fine print

Updates. We may update this policy from time to time. The current version always lives at this URL. Updates apply to files downloaded or printed on or after the new effective date.

Severability. If any part of this policy is held unenforceable, the rest still applies, and the unenforceable part is enforced to the maximum extent the law allows.

No waiver. A failure or delay by us in enforcing any right under this policy isn’t a waiver of that right.

Headings. Headings are for convenience only and don’t affect interpretation.

How to reach us