If your Generac PWRcell solar system experienced SnapRS failures, fires, overheating, or a PVRSS lockout, you may be eligible for compensation. A class action settlement has received preliminary approval. Claims period is open.
Settlement Preliminary Approval Issued — Claims Period Open
A proposed class action settlement in MDL 3078 received preliminary court approval on April 22, 2026. If you owned a Generac PWRcell system with SnapRS components, you may be eligible to file a claim. Deadlines apply — do not wait.
When homeowners invest in solar energy, they are making a bet on the future — on cleaner power, on energy independence, and on the promise that the system they are buying will work as advertised. For thousands of homeowners who purchased Generac’s PWRcell solar energy system, that promise was broken in a particularly alarming way.
The Generac PWRcell system — marketed as “the complete clean energy system” and advertised as offering 30% more power output than competitors — relies on small safety devices called SnapRS (Rapid Shutdown) units installed between each solar panel on the roof. These devices are required by the National Electric Code to rapidly de-energize solar panels during emergencies, protecting firefighters and utility workers from electric shock. They are also supposed to protect the system from electrical surges caused by lightning and other events.
According to the class action complaint filed in MDL 3078 in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the SnapRS units don’t work as designed. Instead of providing safe shutdown capability, the devices are alleged to be defective — becoming overactive, cycling on and off repeatedly, overheating, and in some cases burning, charring, or catching fire. The complaint describes instances of rooftop fires caused by SnapRS failures. The defect also triggers what Generac’s own system codes as “PVRSS Lockout” errors — shutting down the entire solar energy system and preventing it from generating power, sometimes for extended periods.
The litigation alleges a pattern that will be familiar to anyone who has followed product liability cases: Generac allegedly became aware of the SnapRS defect through warranty claims, installer feedback, and internal data, and then took deliberate steps to conceal the problem from consumers rather than institute a recall or provide meaningful remediation.
A separate lawsuit by Pink Energy (Power Home Solar), one of Generac’s largest installers before it went bankrupt, alleged that failure rates for the SnapRS 801 and 801A units reached as high as 50% during 2021 and early 2022 — and that Generac knew this. Generac ultimately released an updated SnapRS 802 model, but the class action alleges that the 802 units had problems of their own, and in any event, the company failed to adequately replace defective units in existing systems and failed to properly disclose the scope of the problem to the homeowners whose rooftops these devices were installed on.
Generac advertised that the PWRcell system would save homeowners an estimated $66,000 over 25 years and provide whole-home power outage protection. The class action alleges that consumers who received defective systems received none of the expected benefits — and in some cases received a fire hazard instead.
Preliminary settlement approval issued April 22, 2026. After consolidation in MDL 3078 before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the parties reached a proposed class action settlement. The court issued a preliminary approval order on April 22, 2026. Notice is being issued to class members and the claims period is open.
What this means for you: If you own or owned a Generac PWRcell system with SnapRS components, you may be a class member entitled to file a claim for compensation. Claims deadlines are real and enforceable — missing the deadline means losing your right to participate.
Submit you claim now: If you are a class member, you can submit your claim on the In re: Generac Solar Power Systems Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation settlement website.
You may have a claim if:
Homeowners across all 50 states who purchased PWRcell systems — primarily those installed before or around May 2022 — may be included in the class. If you are not sure whether your system qualifies, contact us and we will help you find out. Our firm’s own James J. Rosemergy of Carey & Danis was appointed Co-Lead Counsel by the MDL Court — meaning our firm is at the center of this litigation and positioned to assist as the settlement process moves forward.
No. The class action encompasses a range of harms, including PVRSS lockout errors, loss of energy production, and property damage — not just fire damage. Even if your SnapRS units malfunctioned without causing a fire, you may have a compensable claim.
No. The class action is directed at Generac — the manufacturer — not the installer. Your installer’s bankruptcy does not eliminate your claims against Generac for defectively designing and manufacturing the SnapRS components.
Installation records, warranty documentation, and Generac’s system records will identify which SnapRS model was installed in your system. Your original installer or Generac’s customer service can also confirm this. Contact our firm and we can assist you in obtaining this information.