How a Permanent Lighting Warranty Works. Per Component Coverage in Plain Words

It is easy to hear one number at the sales visit and file it away. Years later a part stops working, and that is the first time anyone reads the terms. This guide walks through how these warranties are built so there are no surprises on that day.

What does a lighting warranty actually cover?

A manufacturer warranty covers defects in the product. If a part fails because of how it was made, the manufacturer stands behind that part for a stated period. That is the core of it.

It helps to know there are usually two promises in play on a lighting job. The manufacturer covers the product. The company that installed it may offer its own workmanship promise covering the installation. These are separate, they come from separate businesses, and they can run for different lengths of time. Ask about both and get both in writing.

BNLT is a manufacturer. BNLT does not install. The product warranty comes from BNLT, and the installation is done by a certified installer who is an independent contractor.

What does per component coverage mean?

A permanent lighting system is several products working together. There is the hardware fixed to the house. There are the light sources. There are the electronics that tell the lights what to do. Each of those lives a different life. A length of aluminum track has no moving parts and very little to wear out. A controller is a small computer that sits outdoors year round.

Per component coverage means each kind of part has its own term. A single blanket number for the whole system would have to be either too short for the hardware or too generous for the electronics. Splitting the terms is the accurate way to do it.

What this means for you is simple. When someone quotes a warranty length, ask which part that number belongs to. Then ask about the rest.

What are the BNLT terms by component?

These are the BNLT terms, part by part. Every one of them depends on registration within 60 days.

Two points are worth calling out. First, the optional Wi-Fi Gateway is treated as a controller, so it carries the controller term. Second, the repeater sits in the three year group even though it can look like permanent hardware.

BNLT also offers an optional upgrade to five years. It applies to the three year group only, and it moves that whole group together. Bulbs, controller, gateway and repeater all go to five years on an upgraded system.

This table does not list every part in every system. For the full written terms, read the BNLT warranty page. To look up a specific part, use the warranty checker.

Why does registration matter?

Registration is what puts your system on record with the manufacturer.

With BNLT, registration within 60 days is a condition of coverage. It is a requirement, and the window is 60 days. Check the written terms for the date the window counts from, and register the week the system goes in.

The common way this goes wrong is that everyone assumes someone else did it. The homeowner thinks the installer handled it. The installer meant to do it after the final walkthrough. Sixty days pass. Nothing is wrong with the lights, so nobody notices until a claim comes up.

Do not leave that to chance. Before the installer leaves on the last day, ask who is registering the system and when. Then ask for proof that it was done, and put that proof in your file.

What is typically excluded?

Warranties across the lighting trade cover defects in the product. They generally do not cover things that happen to the product from outside. The exact wording differs from one manufacturer to the next, so treat this as a list of questions to check against the written terms. It is a general picture of the trade. For BNLT’s written terms, read the warranty page.

• Physical damage. A ladder against the track, a mower over a fixture, a pressure washer held too close.
• Storms and surges. Lightning, flooding and wind damage are usually matters for homeowner’s insurance.
• Installation outside the instructions. Parts mounted, wired or loaded in a way the manufacturer did not specify.
• Changes made later. Cutting into the system, adding parts from another maker or repairs by someone who is not qualified.
• Labor. Many product warranties cover the part and say nothing about the cost of the visit to swap it. Ask your installer how service calls are handled.
• Normal wear and appearance. Slight color shift over many years or weathering of a finish may be treated differently from a part that stops working.
• A new owner. Some warranties transfer when a house sells and some do not. If you may sell, ask.

None of these should scare you off. They are common in product warranties. The point is to read them while everything is still working.

What should you keep on file?

A warranty claim goes smoothly when you can answer three questions fast. What was installed, when, and by whom. Keep one folder, paper or digital, with the following.

• The signed contract or invoice showing the installation date.
• The registration confirmation and the date it was submitted.
• A list of what was installed. Which systems, how many fixtures or how many feet, and the finish color.
• Whether you bought the five year upgrade, with proof.
• The installer’s company name, phone number and the name of the person who ran your job.
• The written warranty terms as they read on the day you bought.
• Photos of the finished job, including where the controller is mounted.
• A short log of any service visits, with dates and what was replaced.

If you sell the house, hand that folder to the buyer.

What should you ask before you sign?

Bring these to the estimate.

• What is the term on each part, in writing?
• Who registers the system, and how will I know it was done?
• If a part fails, who do I call first?
• Who pays for the labor on a warranty visit?
• Do you offer your own workmanship coverage, and for how long?

For the rest of the checklist, see questions to ask before buying permanent lighting.