ComplaintsforHooked on Solar, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  03/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hooked On Solar hooked up a residential solar system to an old electrical system at my house in 2021 for a cost of $21,875. I also financed a battery system with Hooked on Solar, the two transactions separated only because Hooked On Solar forgot to include the battery in the originally financed package.Hooked on Solar installed my solar panels and battery system sometime in 2021. I noticed that in June 2022, the system performance was in decline. In January 2023, hooked on solar turned off my solar system entirely with no explanation. I contacted Hooked On Solar multiple times thruout the year, only to find out that the system was not green lighted by PGE after the solar panels were installed. I had an electrician do an all around upgrade of my electrical system in which the hub was moved away from the gas meter. Hooked On Solar then sent an additional invoice for $2700 for Labor and Parts for moving loads back to hub+ in November 2023, and then asked me to get my electrician to give a competing quote. My Electrician complained that this was a service gap that Hooked On Solar had created and they need Hooked On Solar to finish the job before they come in again. I complained to Hooked On Solar that as State Licensed Contractors, they should not have proceeded with the original hook up to a non compliant system, and that this second invoice to move loads back to hub is a cost that I am only comfortable paying upto 50%, because Hooked On Solar made the problem worse by not inspecting the permitability of the system they were hooking into in the first place.System has been off since January 2023. I paid more than $30k for the solar panels plus battery, and have not had normal use of the system since June 2022.

  Business response

  03/13/2024

  Hi ***** & BBB,
  Looking through the history of the project, the original contract was for solar only and the battery was added later. There are several email correspondences with different options that were discussed and ultimately only the solar agreement was signed to start, with the battery being added later.
  The issue that occurred was that you had an illegal *** completed prior to our installation. There was no way of knowing this on our end. Because of the illegal *** done years ago, the neutral wire connection to PG&E became damaged over time, which affected the incoming voltage into your house. The voltage imbalance from the damaged neutral caused many of your microinverters, your Sunvault battery, and many of your appliances to fail. When you asked PG&E to fix the incoming lines, they refused because the *** was done illegally, and they said you must get your main service panel up-to-code, and then they would fix the problem. We signed into a separate contract with you for Hooked on Solar to complete the main panel upgrade and went through the process of getting approval to do so, however, when it came time to schedule, we were informed that you had an electrician complete the upgrade separately. Because of how the house was wired, the electrician had to put all the backed-up circuits back into the main panel. None of what happened was caused by Hooked on Solar. If we return and move those loads again, it would be like completing the installation twice, minus hanging the batteries. For this reason, we sent an invoice to move loads from the main panel back to the **** and get solar back on and working, but as you mentioned you would only agree to pay half of the cost. We had already significantly discounted the cost and, again, this situation was not caused by Hooked on Solar, but was a result of the illegal *** that was on site. There is no way of knowing that the *** was completed illegally unless we were told by the homeowner at the start. If PG&E did a routine inspection before granting your PTO, they may have brought to light that there were additional issues that then could have been addressed at that time, but they didnt and PTO was granted, and all was well, until your damaged incoming utility lines started to cause electrical issues in your house. This is not caused by our installation and is not a covered warranty claim, and that is why there is a cost involved to now correct the issue and get everything operational again.
  We would like to work with you and have this resolved, and we are still willing to relocate the backup loads for you, with the agreement that the invoice we have quoted will be paid.

• Initial Complaint

  11/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a Solar Panel system and two Tesla batteries installed by SunPower, Hooked on Solar (SP,HonS). My contract is with HonS. On April 19, 2023 I received a message from ***** indicating that one of the batteries was faulty. On May 1, 2023, ***** informed me the battery needed to be replaced - SunPower: Hooked on Solar will replace the battery. I had inquired about reimbursement for lost generation time resulting in an increase in my PGE bill. ***** responded that it was SunPower: Hooked on Solar's responsibility as my contract was with them, not Tesla. Starting on May 8, I reached out to HonS inquiring about compensation from HonS. From May 8, 2023 to June 6, 2023, multiple reminders and follow up emails, **** said it is not their responsibility. No one was offering to advocate on my behalf or could even let me know when the battery would be replaced. I frequently had to reach out asking what the update was. On 6/16/23 a Hooked on Solar customer service representative said he would reach out to ***** to contact me. A month later, 7/20/23, I still had not heard from anyone, so I emailed, again. Another month goes by and it is now 8/15/23 and they want to install the new battery. There is still no word about compensation and no one has contacted me. On 8/15, I requested to talk to a manager. On 8/16, **************** said they would have the Vice President reach out to me. On 8/28, I still had not heard from anyone and so I emailed, again. and was told he was asked to call me. On 9/14/23, I still had not heard from the *** At this point, I was requesting $500 compensation which covered my PGE bills for the time the battery was down. This doesn't even include the energy generated that would have been sent back to the grid. The ** finally got back to me and said he couldn't do anything. It was only after I repeatedly asked him to call and advocate on my behalf that he reached out to *****. He said it was my responsibility. When I did call *****, they said it was Hooked on Solar's Responsibility. It is now Nov. 9,2023, after multiple ignored texts, the ** of Hooked on Solar says nobody will compensate me for the failure of the battery. I find the communication and professionalism of Hooked on Solar appalling. Compared to the amount of money I spent on the system, $500 is not very much. Horrible customer service and business policy. I would like for Hooked on Solar to compensate me the $500. My contract is with them and not *****.

  Business response

  11/14/2023

  Hello ******** and BBB,
  
  Hooked on Solar is the installation company that installed the Tesla Powerwall batteries; however, Tesla is the manufacturer of the equipment. We were contacted by ***************************** on May 8th, 2023, to let us know that ***** had contacted her directly to let her know that there was an issue with the battery units, and they needed to have the battery units replaced due to the issue with one the batteries.
  The manufacturer determined an equipment issue and shipped replacement battery units to Hooked on Solar and issued us a work order to have the batteries replaced with the equipment Tesla manufacturing sent us. This was not an issue created by Hooked on Solars installation, but a manufacturer equipment issue that was covered under the equipment warranty. Hooked on Solar is simply responsible for our workmanship and the equipment itself is covered by the Manufacturers warranty.
  The issue was identified by Tesla Manufacturing and the equipment warranty covered the replacement of the batteries in full, at no cost to the customer. ********************** is not the holder of the equipment warranty and is not responsible for any consequential loss from the equipment being temporarily out of use until Tesla Manufacturing was able to ship the replacement battery and issue the work order for Hooked on Solar to complete the labor of replacing the battery itself.
  Hooked on Solar is the installation company and had to receive the equipment from Tesla Manufacturing to complete the replacement along with the work order to proceed with the replacement of the unit. We did not receive the equipment from Tesla until August at which point, we scheduled with the homeowner for their first availability. I am including copies of our email string discussing the battery issue and the updates and process and response to all questions as well as explaining that Hooked on Solar is not responsible for the manufacturers warranty and therefore, not responsible for the requested compensation.
  This request for compensation is more appropriate to be directed to Tesla Manufacturing directly, however, the equipment warranty does not state that compensation is warranted. The entire unit was replaced at no cost to the customer for shipping, equipment, or labor. 

  Customer response

  11/21/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Sunpower: Hooked on Solar is trying to put the responsibility on Tesla.  Yes, ***** replaced the battery because they took responsibility for the faulty battery - I am grateful that a company takes responsibility for their  product.  Hooked on Solar's response seems to say that I should just be grateful for the replacement and that is that.  They are obligated to reinstall the replacement PW - it is not like they went above and beyond.  

  My contract is with Hooked on Solar - not Tesla.  Hooked on Solar response to my request has been lackadaisical, at best.  To be specific, I am talking about the customer service and VP's response time, including a complete lack of response by the ***  The only person in the office that is responsive is ***************************** - shout out to her.  

  I am still requesting compensation.  

  Not that it matters to Hooked on Solar, but when people ask me who put in my solar, I highly recommend people avoid them.  

   

  
  

  Business response

  11/27/2023

  Hello ******** and BBB,
  We understand that our explanation of why Hooked on Solar is not responsible or able to offer compensation for the fact that the Tesla Powerwall equipment went down and required manufacturing to replace the unit is not the preferred response.
  Hooked on Solar installed the system accurately. We fulfilled our contractual obligations and continue to be a resource when issues occur.However, to request that Hooked on Solar take financial responsibility for something beyond our scope and control is an unreasonable request. Additionally, there is not a simple calculation that can be done to determine how much power would have been stored during the time frame the batteries were down, there are so many variables that go into how much power would be stored including solar access and power consumption that varies day to day, among other things.
   Hooked on Solar is the installing party and we are not obligated to assist with warranty repairs directly related to manufacturing issues after our contractual obligation is met. ***** could use any 3rd party that they have partnerships with to have manufacturer warranty work completed. Hooked on Solar chooses to be a part of that process as we want all our customers to have consistency with Hooked on Solar and not have multiple different companies involved with their systems.Hooked on Solar continues to provide labor for manufacturer warranty claims,when necessary, at no cost to the customer.
  Any delay between ********************** being made aware of the issue, and the scheduled repair, is largely contributed to not having the battery unit received from manufacturing to schedule and replace the faulty unit.
  We apologize that your experience has been inadequate to your standards. We have provided quality installation and do have an in-house team to assist with warranty claims with the manufacturer. While we do our best to assist with communications and resolve warranty claims with manufacturers, we understand that we are not always able to meet all standards.
  Hooked on Solar has fulfilled all contractual obligations and beyond. We sincerely apologize that we are unable to come to an agreement on a resolution to this matter. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Company installs addition to an existing solar system on my home. Ever since the solar production and home power usage has been wrong on the display app. After 3 attempts to figure out the problem it still is not right. I have no idea if the solar system is working or not. Sunpower Corporate has confirmed the install was wired incorrectly. The 3 techs they have sent out have all performed different repairs and nobody seems to know what they are doing as they have all tried different wiring configurations . I have contacted Hooked on Solar once again and now they just ignore email, don't answer phone calls or texts. I am now stuck with this problem. Stay away from this company as you will be on your own after the last payment is made.

  Business response

  09/13/2023

  Hello ***** and BBB,

   

  Thank you for reaching out. 

  We are aware of this issue and we have been on site where it was determined that the ** clips which captures the consumption data was incorrectly installed resulting in misreporting on the monitoring app. 

  We most recently have received notice that you are seeing further issues and there is little to no production being reported on the monitoring.

  Our most experienced technician is being scheduled to evaluate the source of the issue so that we can have this fixed moving forward. It is reporting that all of your inverters are operational and your system is providing power to your home. The issue appears to be a monitoring issue which we are committed to determining and making the necessary fixes. 

  In the meantime the positive is that your system is still producing even though it is unable to be reflected in the monitoring app at this time. 

   

  We look forward to resolving this at the scheduled appointment on 10/4. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In February of 2023, we discovered that two of our 32 solar panels had shattered. There was no evidence of impact (and there are no trees or other things that could have fallen near the panels). The panels are not quite 2 years old. We called to get them replaced. It took nearly two months for someone to come look at the panels. He said he saw no evidence of impact and took photos which he sent to the Technical Team. In late May, we were told that the panels were not covered under warranty because the damage was due to snow loads. I requested snow load specifications as there was no discussion of snow loads when we purchased the panels and at our elevation we always have some snow. The specifications were never sent by SunPower so I requested them from Hooked on Solar. Upon review, the panel snow load is 50"; based on weather data provided by the ************************* our highest snow load was 18" over two days - no where near the specification snow load. I provided this information. The appeal was re-opened. I have been calling every 1-2 weeks since then. I was then told that there was evidence of impact - completely opposite of the evidence provided in the photos. It has been nearly 7 months since the panels shattered and I cannot get a response to my appeal. I have extensive documentation.

  Business response

  08/31/2023

  Hello BBB and *****,
  
  Thank you for reaching out.
  Hooked on Solar did install the system and we have assisted with the warranty claim with SunPower Manufacturing. However, Hooked on Solar is not the holder of the equipment warranty and we do not have any control over the warranty claims process. Hooked on Solar will advocate for our clients and facilitate the process as best as we can.
  We have been in communication and have provided as much information as possible on the issue.
  Hooked on Solar does not have any control over the Manufacturer and cannot make any decisions on the warranty claims approval or denial. We have assisted with having the case reopened with SunPower and have provided documentation to the Manufacturer of the customers arguments that the panels should be covered with the equipment warranty.
  It is beyond our control that SunPower has not been able to provide a definitive resolution. We are sympathetic and apologetic that SunPower has not been able to approve the warranty claim at this time and they continue to keep the case open for investigations.
  We are on the side of the customer, and we will continue to advocate for our clients. Unfortunately, the outcome is not within our control.
  This BBB complaint is not appropriate to be under Hooked on Solar as the installing party. The BBB complaint appears to be better suited for SunPower Corporate, the manufacturer of the panels, who is the holder of the warranty and the entity that is responsible for the issue described in this complaint.  

  Customer response

  09/05/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern.  I understand that Hooked on Solar was the installer and that they state they are not responsible for warranty claims.  I will refile this claim against SunPower directly. However, we purchased the solar through Hooked on Solar and ultimately, if SunPower does not respond, Hooked on Solar should ensure that our claim is addressed. As a purchaser, the relationship between Hooked on Solar and SunPower was not clearly articulated or understood.  Throughout the purchase and installation process, they worked as one organization.  The claims process should work the same way.  

  I will file my claim directly against SunPower. But again, if they do not respond, I will re-file with Hooked on Solar by SunPower.  

  Thanks,

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

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This contractor sent his team of solar technicians to relocate some of my electrical box connections to another location in my attic and the technician failed to stay on the wood platform in the attic and fell through my ceiling in the living room - needless to say, the living room was a disaster as the ceilings are 15 foot high, and he damaged the ceiling, the walls, the wood floors, the faux finish, the furniture needed to be cleaned after all the insulation came down on all the velvet and silk rugs, couches, chairs, etc. I have submitted all the paid invoices to him and his company to pay and he has not paid any money to me for re-imbursement - I have been trying to collect the re-imbursement for over 10 months now - sending him receipts, bills, emails, calls, etc. to get him to pay for this damage to my very expensive Los ***** home - the repairs came to:Repair Hardwood Floors - $690.00 Repair Ceiling, Paint (faux finish) and Finish - $5800.00 Clean Silk Rugs and Furniture - $1250.00 ********-imbursement: $7,740.00 This has been requested from **** Fralick - owner, President of Hooked on Solar He promised to send the reimbursement check to me no later than Monday, May 15th and this has not arrived to date.Please help in resolving this matter before I take him to court.Thanks so much.*********************

  Business response

  06/29/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for reaching out. We apologize for the delay in response. Unfortunately the notice initially went overlooked and as soon as it was brought to our attention we looked deeper into the issue.

  This reimbursement payment was mailed to the customer on 6/15 and the check has been cashed as of 6/20.

  From our understanding the payment was made and everything is resolved at this time. 

  If there are any further concerns or items to be addressed we absolutely want to resolve everything. Please let us know if there are any additional items of concern. 

   

  Thank you! 

  Customer response

  06/29/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went through Hooked on Solar (HOS) to obtain a solar battery via a utility rebate program. I was assured based on my address and location that my rebate will be approved. In an effort to upsell me on further services, I was convinced to purchase 4 additional solar panels. The cost of this was a refundable $500 deposit. I was very clear I did not want to spend a single dollar on anything until the rebate was approved. Once I did not get approved for the rebate program, ********************* (client service rep) let me know that she will be refunding my deposit back via mail - amount per email exchange was $500. 2 weeks go by and I have not received my deposit back, so I follow up via email and she comes up with a new reasoning (never mentioned to me before) that because they applied for my solar panels, i do not get my deposit back so they are only refunding me $100. To add to that, when i inquired about still adding the 4 panels (to avoid loosing the deposit), the answer she told me was I now need a minimum of 8 panels. They have falsely assured me of approval (see emails) and took my deposit without really trying to assist or find a medium ground resolution. They outright were untruthful about it and i think other consumers need to be aware of foul practices like this.

  Business response

  04/19/2023

  Hello Hady & BBB,
  Thank you for reaching out on this matter.
  I am very sorry for any misunderstanding. I have attached the email exchanges regarding this project.
  It was explained through the proposal process that we have an 8-panel minimum for solar systems that do not include a battery. This was mentioned prior to the sale.
  This project moved forward with 4 expansion panels as well as a Tesla Powerwall. The project was only to proceed to installation if the battery rebate that was applied for would be approved. However, for the solar portion we do show that it was important to have your project submitted for *** 2.0 with PG&E prior to the sunset date of April 15th.  Hooked on Solar collected a $500 deposit that would have been fully refunded if the *** 2.0 application was not approved/submitted.That was acknowledged in the email stating that the sales representative stated the deposit would be refundable if the application (the *** application) was not submitted or approved in time before the PG&E rates changed to *** 3.0.
  The *** 2.0 application was approved and submitted before the deadline. Unfortunately, the battery rebate was not approved, which is a separate aspect of the project. Therefore, the customer has chosen to cancel the project. We are not requiring any additional costs to cancel the project and have only deducted the costs incurred to Hooked on Solar by completing the design/single line diagram, the administrative costs to complete the *** 2.0 application, and the actual cost of the application when submitted to PG&E. We are not keeping the full deposit and only covering the costs we were incurred. 

  Customer response

  04/19/2023

  I am rejecting this response because: no where in the email does it state I accepted the terms of the deposit that you outlined. It was very clear when I spoke to ****** that i do not want to incur any cost until rebate was approved for battery and solar. Her response was it is a refundable deposit. No where did we discuss the refundability of the deposit at NEM 2.0 or 3.0. Its just not true! I was also very understanding when ****** made a mistake on their end by sending me a signed contract which I executed for the four panels at the incorrect price, a price far lower than what it should have been- all under the agreement that the deposit will be refundable. Please review the emails sent with marked out in red where ****** acknowledges the nature of the deposit. It is only when i follow up 2 weeks later that the deposit all of a sudden changes... That also doesn't change the fact that I was assured I would get approved. I have been given no remedy to obtain my deposit by pursuing the 4 panel install or getting it refunded in full. I don't understand how a business can cheat its customer base like this.
  

  Business response

  04/20/2023

  Hello Hady and BBB,

  The owner of the company will be reaching out to Hady directly to discuss this matter further.

  Hooked on Solar collected a deposit to complete an application before a deadline. A deposit is collected to cover the costs of any work we complete. There are out of pocket expenses that went into the process of submitting for the *** application. A contract was signed agreeing to the deposit and a deposit was paid. There were two separate agreements signed: (1) for the solar system and (1) for the battery system. The deposit was only collected on the solar agreement to ensure Hooked on Solar would be paid for the costs incurred to submit the *** application. There was not a deposit collected for the battery portion. There is nothing indicated in the written communications that indicate that the solar deposit would be refundable if the *** 2.0 application was submitted but the battery rebate was not approved. They were two separate agreements for solar and battery. I have included copies of those separate agreements. 

  Hooked on Solar is returning $100 of the deposit made and $400 is only being kept to cover a portion of the costs incurred. Hooked on Solar is unable to pay the costs of the application, administrative, and design costs for free. 

  Customer response

  04/26/2023

  I am rejecting this response because: 

  Hello BBB and Hooked on Solar - i have not recieved a call back and a check yet. I am willing to move on. Please confirm details on the check. thanks

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Worst customer service I've seen! I purchased their solar system which mounted on the roof. A leak developed directly under the solar posts and is continuing to get worse. I've been trying to contact them multiple times for the last month. They scheduled an appointment on 01/26, 10-12 AM for someone to come and take a look but nobody showed up on our appointment. I've patiently called them multiple times trying to schedule another appointment. They promise that ****** will call me back to take care of the issue and that never happened. I have the warranty contract in my hand and am very unsatisfied with their customer service. When a customer signed up for the ********************** system, it's a long term commitment and we trust Hooked on Solar to keep their promise when issues arise. I definitely don't see Hooked on Solar's attempt to work with me to resolve the issue. Now, it's raining again and I am very worried. I've patiently tried to connect with them and failed, I might have to consider alternative escalation including legislation (which I don't prefer). I shared my story here so everyone who is considering Hooked on Solar, please be careful. If you read the reviews history, I'm not the only one having issues with their customer service.

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  Hello BBB and Vu,
  
  Thank you for reaching out on this matter.
  We have visited the site to determine the cause of the mentioned roof leaks. It was discovered that birds have gathered on the roof and with the droppings and debris from the birds this has created a dam of sorts for the recent heavy rains to pool on the roof. This has caused some leaks,however, this was not caused by the solar or the quality of the installation.
  This particular issue has been created by outside factors (birds) and is not covered by warranty. We understand that this discovery is not what was expected and has caused frustration as the homeowner.
  We are absolutely understanding and sympathetic to the situation.We want to do whatever we can to assist in the resolution of this matter. Our management team has been in contact with the homeowner to advise on next steps.This is not caused by the quality of installation and while we cannot cover the full cost of these repairs we want to offer reduced costs for the prevention of this happening in the future.
  
  Thank you.

  Customer response

  02/17/2023

  I am rejecting this response because: *********** response doesn't match with their inspector verbal communication with me. Their inspector confirmed with me that there is some issue with the solar installation and suggested next step is to seek company approval to fix it. My roof has warranty and the home builder inspector also come to do the investigation. The conclusion is consistent with Hooked on Solar inspector that solar installation is the root cause of the issue. 
  

  Business response

  03/29/2023

  Hello,

   

  Hooked on Solar paid a 3rd party roofing company that we paid out of pocket to have an inspection be completed.

  The roofers have visited the site and have provided information back to ** as the solar company that the root issue of the roof leak is the bird debris that caused a build of water that resulted in a leak. This was not from the penetrations of the solar installation and was not caused by the workmanship of the solar installation. 

  We have provided the screenshots from the messages received from the roofer who states that this was not caused by Hooked on Solar's workmanship. 

  Hooked on Solar offered to remove and reinstall the panels so that the roof repairs can be completed for no cost to the customer. We offered this as a courtesy as the roof issue was not caused by Hooked on Solar but this offer was rejected by the customer. 

  ********************** is unable to pay for the roof repairs as this is not caused by our workmanship of installation and is not covered by warranty. We have extended to assist with the repairs and have the panels removed for that work to be completed without cost of labor to do so. We have also offered to install bird barrier for a reduced cost so that this issue does not happen again but we have not been able to come to an agreement with the customer because the customer has made it clear they would like Hooked on Solar to pay for the entirety of the roof repair. This is not something that was caused by our workmanship. We are very sorry that this is not the resolution that you are hoping for but we are extending as much as we can at this point. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hooked on Solar is a solar installation company. They installed my solar approximately 4 years ago. About a year ago, slightly less, the solar connection caught fire. I spoke to Hooked on Solar but they were unable to respond so I called out an electrician. The electrician said that the company not only it unsafely but illegally. Instead of installing another breaker the "piggy backed" my air conditioning breaker. One day the power went out on my house so I checked the breakers. When opening the the breaker box there was a fire which was burning which also burnt my hand. Hooked on Solar was a sub contractor from Sunpower. Both companies sent out inspectors and both inspectors embarrassingly stated that it was faulty installation and the company should pay for it. I have tried contacting the companies several times. Sunpower said is was Hooked on Solar's responsibility. Hooked on Solar simply said that the electrical company was over charging so they went dark on me. Neither company has responded to me in a year. Since the fire both companies have stopped responding to my calls. Now my PG&E annual true up is over $2,000 a year.

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  Hello BBB and ******,
  
  Thank you for reaching out on this matter.
  We do have record of this issue from 2021 and we visited the site. We determined what was needed to resolve the issue and contacted the customer to schedule. We were told by the customer that he did not want us to fix the problem and wanted to use a 3rd party. The warranty in place does not cover 3rd party and it was offered that we would complete the repairs and cover the full cost. Our last conversation with the customer was that he wanted to think about what he wanted to do and discuss with other parties.
  We attempted to reach the customer several times after that without any response back.
  We are now under new management in the customer service department and have no record of further contact. We are reaching out to the customer to offer the repairs to be completed. We very much want to resolve this issue and look forward to repairing any issues with the system to restore to full working order.
  
  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  01/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased solar in 2015 In Nov 2021 I noticed a major increase in our PG&E bill in the previous months that was assumed to be our well was causing issue or we had an increase to well and power usage due to the crops we have on our property.. Our home Well was looked at parts were replaced because there was no explanation when in reality our solar stopped working in June 2021 (This caused unnecessary financial use). Opened a case and a Representative came November 2021 and we had solar power for a little over a week in November 2021. It then failed again and someone came out February 2022 where we gained solar power for maybe 2 weeks. We then had no power from a failed system again from Mid February until October 2022 where we had a full month but to our surprise we were down again mid November 2022. We have been in contact with both Hooked on Solar and their affiliate SunPower and are getting nowhere with the resolution. We are also looking at a LARGE PG&E bill that I feel they should be responsible for. At this time I have requested that we receive a full refund and the equipment be removed from our home along with compensation for all of the inconvenience and financial stress this has caused my family. There is no sign of urgency however we are expected to pay for the system and PG&E. The sale of the system promised monitoring, now they are saying the only monitoring is self monitoring. Also Hooked on Solar offers a 10 year support warranty, therefore the need to support me. Please note I also have text messages that I am unable to load at this time.

  Business response

  01/09/2023

  Hi ****** and BBB,
  
  Above all, we are very sorry that you are experiencing your system not producing to its full potential.
  While Hooked on Solar is the installing company we do not hold the warranty for the equipment. The equipment warranty is held by SunPower Corporate. We completely understand that there can be confusion between the two companies and the responsibilities of each.
  Hooked on Solar offers the workmanship warranty for 10 years post installation per ********** requirements. This does not specify a support warranty;however, we always want to support our clients wherever possible.
  Hooked on Solar does not offer individual monitoring for systems that we have installed. SunPower Corporate offers monitoring of systems for ****** systems only. All systems are installed with a monitoring device to allow self-monitoring. We are very sorry for any confusion or misunderstandings of the responsibility for monitoring.
  Hooked on Solars internal customer service team has contacted ********************** Corporate on your behalf to inquire on progress of the equipment warranty claims currently active.  As of 1/5/2023 SunPower Corporate has confirmed they are also reviewing your claim for financial compensation, however, the full repair of the system will have to be completed before the compensation request can be fully reviewed and determined. Hooked on Solar will continue to follow up on your case number with SunPower Corporate and do all that we can to advocate for your system to be repaired to full working status.

• Initial Complaint

  12/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 6, 2022 Hooked on Solar a dealer for SunPower upgraded our SunPower solar system with an additional 11 solar panels. Upon install of the new system my existing system went down and was not producing energy and/or sending electricity back to the grid, thereby leaving me with only the new system generating power. What I was told was the Inverter went down and a new Inverter would have to be ordered and installed. On May 27, 2022 (3 weeks later) a technician from SunPower arrived to install the Inverter. However, after many hours of troubleshooting the technician stated the Inverter was not the problem and left without fixing the issue. On July 13, 2022 (after dozens of emails, texts, phone calls) another technician came out to install the Inverter. The Inverter was installed and appeared to be generating power based on the *** meter box. However the two monitoring systems that we paid for in the $20,600 solar upgrade does not provide the information that we were told it would. For example, the combined systems do not know how much energy we are producing, using and sending back to the grid. Additionally, from May 6, 2022 until July 13, 2022 I was missing out on prime sunshine generating electricity. For 9 weeks my energy production was half of what I paid for. Since the monitoring system does not function as sold I have told Hooked on Solar to remove and reimburse me for the system. I have also asked to be compensated for the lost 9 weeks of solar productivity. ************************* from Hooked On Solar claims the issue is SunPowers thereby putting me in the middle. I have reached out to several people at SunPower including the *** *********************** to no avail. It seems to me Hooked On Solar is the one who caused the Inverter to malfunction with the upgraded system, the 9 week delay in replacing the Inverter could be either entity, but the fact the monitoring system does not work with the two systems as promised is Hooked on Solar since they sold it to me.

  Business response

  12/20/2022

  Hello ****** and BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this issue and your experience with Hooked on Solar. I am very sorry to hear that you have experienced frustration and a less than ideal experience.
  We did install an expansion system and at some point, during that process the existing inverter went out on the system installed by another installer.
  Hooked on Solar does not have control over the warranty claim on the existing inverter and we are very sorry for the delay in resolution with SunPower Corporate. Since the existing system was purchased,the warranty does not reimburse for loss of production but does cover the costs of labor and equipment including shipping costs to fix the system by any means necessary including replacing equipment that becomes faulty. We do show, and it is mentioned in your claim, that the existing inverter was replaced by SunPower.
  The issue of your monitoring is something that we want to work with you on resolving. Because the existing system was a cash purchased system and the expansion system is a financed system there will have to be separate monitoring, but we want to be sure that we can get this working and accessible to you. We want to do what we can to resolve this issue and we will actively work on a solution with you. You will be hearing from our team to discuss what is possible with monitoring and we would like to reimburse you for the cost included in your expansion for the additional monitoring purchased for your existing system. 

  Customer response

  12/23/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  

  Customer response

  02/22/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:

  From: *********************** <*********************>
  Date: Fri, Feb 17, 2023 at 4:43 PM
  Subject: Complaint ID ********
  
  

  
  
  

  Hello ****************,

  
  

  On December 23, 2022 I agreed to accept the proposed resolution of my complaint under **********.  However, it has now been almost two months and I have not been reimbursed per the agreement 

  
  

  "...we would like to reimburse you for the cost included in your expansion for the additional monitoring purchased for your existing system. "
  

  
  

  Please advise me as to what my next steps are as there hasn't been a good faith effort on the part of SunPower to fulfill their part of the agreement.

  
  

  Thank you

  Steve *****

  
  

  Business response

  03/21/2023

  Hello, the reimbursement for the original cost of the additional monitoring device has been requested and will be mailed out to the customer shortly. 

  Customer response

  03/21/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me if they follow through with their agreement.  The previous response was that they were going to compensate me for the faulty monitoring system and did not.  Thereby, causing me to re-open this matter with BBB.  How am I to believe that they will reimburse me for the monitoring system?  
  
  

  Customer response

  06/01/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Hello,

  
  

  Thank you for the information regarding Complaint #********.  Please reopen this complaint for the reason it was never fulfilled.  As a goodwill gesture I accepted the company's response to my complaint with their comment  "Hello, the reimbursement for the original cost of the additional monitoring device has been requested and will be mailed out to the customer shortly."  However, there has been no reimbursement as promised.  In my opinion, they resolved the complaint and had it removed from their BBB status with empty words and no action.  Which is a dishonest business practice.  Therefore, I wish to reopen this complaint to put this matter back on record.

  
  

  Thank you very much,

  **********;Ernst

  
  

  
  

  Business response

  06/05/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for reaching out.

  Our apologies for the delay on the reimbursement. 

  This was offered and we stand by the offer. There was an internal misunderstanding with our accounting team and this is being processed immediately.

  You will see the reimbursement in the mail within a few days. Thank you! 

  Customer response

  06/08/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:  This matter originally opened in December 2022 and I have accepted 3 responses from them and they have not fulfilled their promise.  Once I receive a satisfactory conclusion of this matter by way of reimbursement I will gladly accept the response.

  Thank you

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

  
  

*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. ↩