ComplaintsforSolar Tech Energy Systems Inc

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Signed contract march 2023. Was schedule for july installation power panel upgrade.Showed up September [mid] (email was sent night before that they would be here in the am.SDGE and panel installers bright and early were here, no electricians.SDGE waited for 2 hours the guy was ready to reconnect and 2 guys showed ** in flip flops and shorts saying everything was wrong its not going tow ork ect.... ect..... ect...... stared right at me and said if the panel is going to be replaced we have to tear out your wall inside (not true) and looked half hung over.... so now end of November and still no solarpower or even a phone call or email. And the orginal deal of replacing the panel.has turned i to a half way job of sticking a metal box to the side of my house.....Another quality group in **********.

  

  Business response

  12/12/2023

  Thank you for your review.  We apologize for the lack of professionalism on behalf of ***************.  We are working with the utility company to find a solution to the existing problem of the location of the MSP.  

• Initial Complaint

  07/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  they are failing to warrant there product. **** trying to get them to repair my panels for more than a year. the most i received was two inverters for the panels. shipped to my house after threatening to contact a attorney. these panels are under warranty and are not working.

  

  Business response

  08/03/2023

  We reached out to this client.  We do not have record of him.  The client said he used Green Solar Technologies, in North Hollywood - **********************************************************; This client said he is in ************ and the solar panels were shipped to him.  We do not ship solar panels to clients.  This is not our client and we let him know that as well.

  Customer response

  08/03/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In 2017 a solar rep with sun power/solar tech presented me with a lease deal for solar panels. He explained the existing solar panels that were owned were no longer in business or able to be serviced but that he could set up a great system that would be beneficial and cost effective for family of 5. Not once was I recommended to inspect or prep the roof after the removal of old solar panels and placement of new panels. Since 2017 we have only 3 months of a positive electric bill, I had asked in 2018, and *************************************** good working condition as we werent making anything to show the positive outcomes of solar, was told it was functioning and no one had an explanation of why we arent producing what was promised.now we have begun to have issues surrounding the panels, there was a leak in Nov 2022 that was repaired near the solar panel, and now Dec 2022 we have a second leak. Thursday Dec 29th water was visible in my ceiling, I immediately phoned a roofer, as well as solar tech, only to be told that someone would get back to me in 72 hours to schedule removal of the solar panels so the roofer could do his job. Seeing as this is now the second leak, and several roofers that have come out all stated that the roof should have been prepped and inspected for solar especially considering old panels were removed and the age of the roof in 2017 that the decision to replace the entire roof was made to avoid anymore need to deal with solar tech. Solar tech eventually sent an email late that day with an absurd invoice cost for removal and replacement, my spouse decided to now step in. He has left emails and voicemails to service manager and his supervisor and several voicemails since Dec 29 all unreturned and not responded too. We are unable to have roofer begin work, and there is still water standing in my ceiling, they are also fully aware since Dec 29th that our area has been heavily affected by rain. As of Jan 2 water is still standing in my home.

  

  Business response

  01/10/2023

  We understand the frustration with having roof leaks. When SolarTech originally was contracted to install your solar in 2017, SolarTech came out in Sept 2017 and evaluated where the solar was going to be installed. SolarTech deemed the roof to be in good shape.This was 5 years ago. Over the last 5 years we have not had any communication about roof leaks until recently. We came out and evaluated the roof with your roofer and it was indicated that the roof leak was not related to the Solar installation. Now that your roofer has indicated that you should get your paper replaced you would like the solar to be removed.  Regarding the whole roof, we can give you a price to replace the whole roof, but are not liable for the replacement as your roofer indicated.
  
  The standard cost to remove and replace is $295 per panel. This covers the truck rolls, Labor, materials to remove the solar down to the flashings, to replace the flashings for the roofer, and to reinstall the equipment back on the roof.
  
  I understand this is a large cost to cover. I can discount the cost down to $210 a panel if the roofer can use the existing flashing.
  
  The new total would be 22*$210=$4620.
  
  Please let us know if this works for you.
  
  ****** response 1-10-23:
  The panels have been removed already and the leak has been fixed. I appreciate your expeditious response however I will no longer require any services from you or your staff from Solar Tech.
  
  Best regards
  -*****

  Customer response

  01/12/2023

  The response is unacceptable, due to the length of time it took For business to respond to emergent issue. They were left two emails, numerous phone Messages since December 29th with them all being not responded to by solar tech and or solar power. They were aware the necessity for prompt communication and removal as the rains in ********* have been endless and heavy. The delay in communication by solar power and solar tech led to unnecessary extra water damage to the interior of home. I am requesting contract to be terminated immediately due to damages to home and lack of customer support, and or communication. 
  The response received from solar tech wasnt until Tuesday Jan 10th and the initial customer concern began Dec. 29th. It was not until Jan 10th that solar tech responded, only because of the original BBB report filed. 

  

  Business response

  01/19/2023

  The emergent issue was not SolarTechs responsibility as described in our original response, your roof leaks were not caused by the solar installation.  If you would like to terminate your contract you will need to contact SunPower as they are the lessee. You can call ************.

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Don't rely on your sales rep to do what they say at SolarTech, sadly I got BAIT AND SWITCHED and was horribly embarrassed in the process !! ! No one at the company can adequately address this...I did not do my own research but instead relied on the recommendation of a good friend who is an Engineer. He told me he did a lot of research a few years earlier and chose SolarTech over Tesla for his solar install. The problem is the sales promises and accountability and unfortunately ***** was plenty of one but very little of the other. My rep ***************** came to my home and we signed a deal in December of 2021. He informed me that if I signed before the end of December that I would get a $1,000.00 gift card after the project was complete. I informed him very clearly and he put into his notes that my friend, a former customer, had referred me. He confirmed that they give a $500 referral fee to the referrer and it was fine by him since the $ comes from the manufacturer. I told him I was only meeting with him because of my friend's referral and that it saved him from me shopping his price. Everyone was pleased. I signed later that week and provided my deposit.So... the install takes place, took a bit longer than expected and ***** was an add on fee or two for minor things, and I was pleased enough through the process. I made my final payment on the project back in March of 2022. **** was ***** to collect in person. In May I emailed him asking about the 1K for me and the $500 for my friend ****. I had to follow up several times and finally heard back:5/20/2022 ****pm Hi ****,Sorry for the delayed reply, I was waiting for confirmation from the office on how your lead was procured. When I put in the request for the referral fee to be paid to your friend, our marketing department said that your lead was provided to us directly from SunPower. We pay them $500 per lead. They said that if **** ##### referred you to SunPower, he would contact SunPower for a referral fee for them. I'm sorry my friend, I have it noted from the start that you said **** ##### referred you to us. Our accounting department confirmed that we paid SunPower for your lead. I apologize for the disappointment, but all may not be lost if **** reached out to ******** directly and explains that he referred you to them and you confirm, they may pay him a fee. Regarding the $1,000 cash back to you, that takes 3-4 weeks from the date that the last payment was received. You should be receiving it soon. I'll follow up with the office on it.Please reply or call me with any questions. Thanks, **** _____Well, suffice to say this was unacceptable. I mean every time I had checked in with SolarTech they had confirmed verbally and in writing that they have flagged the account for my friend's referral. Even worse I had told my friend about the referral fee he would be getting way back when I inked the contract in December! What had gone from a good thing between friends had now become a source of total embarrassment based on SolarTech trying to weasel out of their promise... NO THANK YOU SOLARTECH!**** tried to follow the route specified that he should NOT have had to invest his time on, and he got STIFFED. Did you know that the referral fee has been boosted to $750 on SolarTech's website?? AND It says : You do NOT have to be SolarTech customer to refer!SCAM!I had to chase them for the gift card until October, 6 months more than the 3-4 weeks they said from my March final payment **** ghosted me after I replied to him about how unacceptable his reply was back in May.I chased through others in customer service at ******************** (Emerald ***** is very nice) but I don't trust them to do what they say...What ***** is I am not unhappy with my solar, but yet here I am feeling I have no choice but to share these facts since no one at SolarTech cares enough or is empowered enough to do the right thing and pay my friend. What a bummer...

  

  Business response

  11/17/2022

  We thank you for your review. We have the full referral reward details available on our website explaining the process. SunPower also has a similar page on their website explaining their process.    SunPower has their own referral program of $100 per lead.  You are correct that you dont have to be a customer to earn rewards. As it states on our website SolarTech must receive receipt of new customer information submitted through the SolarTech app prior to contract signing.   We understand you were referred by your friend, the lead was provided to us by *********  Regarding your rebate, we see in the SunPower portal it is approved and should be coming to you if not already provided.

  Customer response

  11/17/2022

  I am thoroughly disappointed with your response and reject it.  A competent and honorable small business would stand behind their salespeople's promises and not try to weasel out of obligations on technicalities. 

  That is your decision.  I shall share the facts and my interpretation of your ethics more broadly until such time as someone at your organization decides to do the right thing.  I may pay the $500 to my friend myself.  If you all ever decide to do the right thing he will let me know and pay me back, I am sure.   

  I am pretty surprised that saving the $500 promised is worth more than your reputation,  I guess times must be tough and I am sorry to hear it.  

  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid SolarTech $17,000 to install a solar array of 15 panels in 2016. In June 2021 SolarTech repaired (under warranty) the systems JBOX, which connects the solar array with the grid. Shortly thereafter, one of the panels began to generate less power over time. SolarTech stated that the panels microinverter was bad and that the part itself was covered under warranty but wed have to pay the $125 labor to replace it. On 11/8/21 SolarTech employees replaced the microinverter and told us that although they had replaced the microinverter, they had to turn the panel off because the panel glass was shattered (pictures of shattered panel was provided)! When we asked when SolarTech would replace the panel, they stated that was not their responsibility and that they would open a warranty request with the manufacturer, **.We we were cc'd and forwarded strings of emails between SolarTech and ** and ** refused to warranty and replace the solar panel because they said that SolarTech installed the panel clamps improperly (too tight, causing the glass to crack). Essentially, SolarTech is putting us in the middle of their dispute with **. So SolarTech continues to claim that it's our responsibility to purchase a replacement panel.Only SolarTech employees have been on our roof since the installation of the solar panels and refused to consider the possibility that one of their technicians might have accidentally damaged the panel while working on the system. Additionally, why would SolarTech charge us for labor of replacing the bad micro-inverter if the panel itself was already shattered (the microinverter was replaced on the day they told us the panel was shattered)?Regardless of where the blame lies, our contract is with SolarTech, which gave us a written warranty of 25-year parts and labor on construction and installation. Clearly, the panels are the most expensive component, so the idea that they are not covered would make the warranty pretty worthless.

  

  Business response

  09/07/2022

  We have been in contact with *** and are working with him and the manufacturer to get a replacement panel that will work with his system and micro inverters.  The panels we have now are newer and more ***** so the manufacturer is trying to locate a panel that will work for him.  SolarTech only has a labor warranty, that is all our contract has ever stated.  We do not cover the panels, the manufacturer does and we are working on a solution for *** to have the panel replaced.

  Customer response

  09/10/2022

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution satisfactory as long as the business follows through with what they have said they will do.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************
  
   
  

  Customer response

  10/11/2022

  I just wanted to follow up on my original complaint with BBB.  Although SolarTech agreed to supply a compatible solar panel, their efforts at finding a panel appear to have been minimal over the last month.  I have checked with them once (since their original agreement from early September to replace the panel), and they told me they have not heard back from their Supplier (LG).  I would like to keep this complaint open as "unresolved" until they have actually supplied and installed a compatible solar panel for they one that is damaged.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contacted my sales agent during Jan 2022 to purchase an storage unit for newly installed Solar system. We discussed usage and reason for purchasing the storage unit. I was promised that the unit will power all kitchen appliances and living areas during blackouts. However after ********************** in full I was informed by the vendor and installers that the unit is not able to handle what was promised. I immediately contact the sales agent and Solar Tech office without any reply. I finally contact the project manager and he put me in contact with office manager. We had a constructive phone call and he agreed with my concerns and promised to get back to me which he did. They offered to fix the issue if I hire and pay electrician to rewire the panel A in kitchen. Or refund my $20,500.00 minus $1000.00 ( permit and paper work fee ) which I decline since the whole issue was their fault. Also, I asked them to repair all damages to stucco areas to remove the wall unit. After that initial call and follow up email I havent heard back for weeks.

  

  Business response

  04/22/2022

  After install, the system is working fine and does include backing up the critical loads on the main service panel.  During install we discovered a subpanel that needed to be identified during the install, but he would not allow us into his house to inspect the subpanel to move more critical loads, let alone do any work in the house.  After the install Nasser discovered the subpanel, identified above, and let us know at this point install was not completed due to his loads in that subpanel.  We cant backup the sub panel unless we do work inside the house, and he wont let us in his house.  We also let him know to reach out to another electrician to have the loads moved at his own cost.  The newly identified circuits to back up would be additional costs for SolarTech, which he also declined.  So, we offered Nasser back his $20,500 dollars and remove the system, fix the holes in the stucco, minus the permit fees of $1000, which he is also declining.

• Initial Complaint

  11/19/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are currently in the middle of a solar panel installation with SolarTech and it has gone horribly wrong. Late in the afternoon on November 8th, 2021 a SolarTech employee was making the final connections from their solar equipment to our electrical panel and shorted out at least two circuits. This sent 220 volts down normally 110 volt circuits burning out all of our equipment and devices on these circuits including our furnace and smart thermostat. The most egregious thing of this whole incident is SolarTech, particularly *************************** and *************************, have left myself and my family sitting in a tinderbox that could go ** in flames any minute due to their non-responsiveness correcting the electrical hazard their company created in our home. Obviously, our main concern right now is locating and repairing all the damaged wire so an electrical fire doesn't ignite our house on fire.

  

  Business response

  12/03/2021

  *************** has returned to the property 3 times and fixed the outlet issue. We are currently in the process of working with AC Cool in regard to fixing the furnace issues. We are helping address these concerns quickly.

  Customer response

  12/03/2021

  This company's response that they have been to our house to correct the problem (they caused in the first place) is incorrect. They have been to our home three times, but that was to meet the City inspector for final approval of the work they have done. The inspection has failed all three times.Regarding their claim that they are working quickly to repair our furnace that they damaged is incorrect, if not an outright lie. I started sending them emails on November 10th along with phone calls asking them to fix our furnace. ************************* responded on November 10th stating she needed a detailed report from their electrician about the problem. I called her on the phone and told her it is winter time. Fix our heater and worry about the details later. No Response. I reached out to ***************************, a SolarTech manager, for help in this matter. I did not receive a response from ***** until November 24th and even then was just to inform me that they still needed their electrician to report back with his findings before they would decide whether or not they were going to repair our furnace. Just in case you have lost track of time, it's been two weeks up to this point and we're no closer to getting a working heater than we were on November 10th. Finally, on November 29th, they agree to fix our furnace. Unfortunately for us, they chose to go what they thought would be the least expensive route and so far it has failed. It's December 3rd and we are still without a furnace. In the dead of winter. I do believe we are on the road to having it fixed by December 8th though because I told the **** company working on our furnace I would guarantee payment of the blower motor that got damaged by SolarTech.This company deserves a "F" rating from the BBB.

  

  Business response

  02/10/2022

  We have reached out to ******* and resolved his problems, he is now satisfied and should be removing his complaint, he said he is having trouble finding it on the BBB.  Please check with ******* as well.  Thank you, ***********************

  Customer response

  02/21/2022

  Hello,

  ************** most recent correspondence with the BBB that we are satisfied with the way SolarTech handled our situation is both accurate and inaccurate. Did SolarTech repair our HVAC system that was damaged during installation of our solar panel system? Yes. That is accurate. But it took six weeks of constant emails and phone calls from me, mostly unanswered, to get it repaired, in the dead of winter I might add.

  So the short answers is yes. Our HVAC is working.

  Are we satisfied? No. We believe their lack of timely response to resolve customer's complaints whose installations did not go well is a business tactic systemic within their company. Time will tell should we ever have any problems with our system, how quickly they resolve it.

  When checking out Yelp reviews you will see ************** is quick to thank customers that did not have any installation issues, but those that did, SolarTech was very difficult to deal with.

  We will monitor the various social media websites and if after a year, SolarTech is responding in a timely manner to complaints we will remove our complaint.

  Sincerely,

  *****************************

   

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/07/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently bought a house with a flat roof that leaks. In obtaining quotes for repair I contacted Solar Tech because I saw on solartechonline they do roof repairs beyond solar services. Noted too, this is who the solar company and last owners used to maintain the panels. **** responded saying a maintenance work order would be necessary and that would cost $250.00. That didn't seem fair to me since their website offers a "free quote" and I couldn't say if the solar panels even needed to be involved with the roof repair.Using the"Free Quote" form on their website I sent message 2. **** contacted me saying he'd work with the roofing department and call me back. He did not, so I ( at 71 and unsteady) got up on the roof took pictures, wrote descriptions of roof/ceiling deterioration and sent it. **** says "they don't do this type of repair they do mostly new roofs." Not so on their website!In summary: 1)No free quotes, 2)$250. payment for roof work they don't do,3)Bad customer service.

  

  Business response

  10/22/2021

  I (***************************) called ***** today - ****** - She said she told the BBB that she cannot see our website any more.  She got her bids from other companies as she said she was going to do after speaking with us and getting our quotes, the cost of lumber increased so she passed on the work altogether.  ***** (71) says she does not know where to go to close out her BBB complaint.  We ask the BBB to call ***** directly to get her response to close this out. ***** has said she would close the complaint after we had a phone conversation explaining the job and project costs to her.  She understood and said she would remove the complaints but did not know how, possibly a little senile.
  
  We can show that we responded to her. She was very pleasant to talk to today, and very grateful we followed up.

  Please let me know if you need additional information.

  Thank you,

  *************************** - ************ - office
  Director of Operations
  

  *********************** - ************ - cell
  Marketing Manager
  

  Customer response

  10/25/2021

  When the "gentleman" contacted me yesterday I explained that the "estimated" quote provided by his representative was incomplete. I did not agree to sign their contract because I would then be financially obligated to pay for what was purposely not included. Furthermore, it did not address the ceiling damage to the wood in my living room or to the other damaged wood along the roof's edge. By the time they responded to my request for a quote (which would never have happened had BBB not intervened/thank you again) the other quote I received had expired. So, I've not pursued repairs to date. I also told the gentleman yesterday that when I try to access solartechonline.com I am blocked. At that point the gentleman intimated me to explain why his company's system would or could do that. The evidence shows "3 trackers" try to profile me when I attempt to access their website, the company that is suppose to provide warranty service to my solar panels thru Sunpower. The trackers on the website are 1) googletagmanager.com, 2) iggdigital.com and lastly, 3) sharethis.com. If you care to see the screen shot I will gladly provide it.

  If I was not articulate enough in trying to provide this information to them then maybe it would be best for Sunpower to provide a more efficient contractor that could provide the type of warranty support service they may have intended. 

  Thank you again for your help to rid all consumers  (especially seniors) from companies that display little integrity and poor customer service, like this one.  

  

  Business response

  10/26/2021

  We did not address the ceiling in the living room because that is not an area we service as ***** has mentioned to you.  The wood and drywall we refer to another contractor, that is not our area of service.  We apologize for any delay in getting you a quote.  Regarding being blocked from our website.  There is no way for us to block you.  However, there is blockers you can set up through your browser/internet options/blocked list or through a spam/malware blocker, perhaps you have a block list with us on it in one of those programs.  Are you logged into ****** Chrome, maybe you have a list in your internet options there?  We as a business do not ever block anyone, we want the traffic/customers to come to our site as often as possible.  We want to remedy why you cannot see the website.  Perhaps try another browser, not sure if you are using Chrome/Firefox/Internet Explorer, maybe try another one.  Further address the tools you outlined (****** Tag Manager, IGGDigital & Share This) these are business marketing tools that help us measure traffic to our website, normal to most businesses.  They have cookies, but these do not have anything to do with blocking, if anything they want to track where you are going so we as marketers can deliver more relevant products to you as a consumer.  I hope this helps explain what is happening with you getting to our website.  Do you have an IT person that can help you navigate further?  You can reach out to *********************** (Marketing Manager) he can help explain the browser issue you may be experiencing. 
  
  We do apologize for any miscommunication as this was not our intention.  SolarTech is proud of the bonds we have created servicing customers like you.

  Customer response

  10/26/2021

  No other website activates the security measures that Macintosh has established within safari to protect me from unusual tracking by three sources apparently paid for by your company to invade my personal data. Let me reiterate, absolutely NO WEBSITE has ever been denied access by my security protections, which are standard protections by them, except yours. All cookie allowance are passed by me and your site did not ask for permission to use cookies. I commend Macintosh for their protection measures because to me your actions I compare to recordinsg my telephone conversations without first informing me. 

  The internet explains blocking as follows: "Once a website administrator notices that a specific user attached to a specific IP address is "breaking the site's terms of service", that IP can be blocked from being able to access the site. Certainly you can read the prior gentleman's vindictiveness in his last statement to the BBB and me. This means that nobody will ever be able to access the site again from that particular computer network. Apparently, this is the situation you have decided to put me in. 

  I'm not going to end this complaint without informing all with eyes that can see that recently Sunpower provided support to my home that identified "solar power produced" and "solar power used" was REVERSED data and billing. Since I took over the lease in January I have been paying for what was actually produced by the panels. Now that these elementary changes have been addressed my production displays realistically as much greater than my usage. None of this is reimbursable to me. 

  I still say the best conclusion to this complaint is to replace SolarTech with a well qualified solar vendor that is focused on customer care and tends to business.

  

  Business response

  10/27/2021

  Thank you for your reply *****.  The ** data was wrong with Sunpower, that was updated with your service.  SDG&E has read that data correctly the whole time, they will still reimburse you even if the Sunpower system is down.  I am sorry if that was not fully understood.  If you were to be reimbursed before the ** was down, you still will be, because SDG&E has a separate meter reading data constantly.  You can see that in your SDG&E ****.  Regarding being blocked, we are going to refer you to our IT person ***** ******************* or ************.  As we understand what you are explaining,your browser is preventing you from reaching our website.  Please try using the ****** Chrome browser,open an incognito window, and you will see that you can reach our website.  Our IT department can help explain this better to you, what blockers you may have set in place.  We apologize for any misunderstanding.

  Customer response

  11/04/2021

  Regarding the complaint, after I filed the initial report Solartech blocked me from being able to access their website and I am still blocked today. I do not feel my technical skills are at fault since I changed nothing on my end that would prevent my accessing their site.
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩