01/27/2023
Kristina
Gatesville, TX
We do not recommend Solar CenTex. This is our experience with Solar CenTex. We first came across Solar CenTex at a home and garden show in Bell County. We signed a contract with them in 2018 to have ground mount solar panel array installed behind our home. This project went well, and our system was inspected and commissioned in October. It was not fully operational per the contract until 14 November 2018 because there was a portion of the project that failed to function as specified in the contract. After a month of back and forth, a relatively minor issue was resolved. That system worked well for us after the initial problems were resolved but, we later sold that house, moved and wanted to do solar at our new home. This time, we wanted a grid tied, battery backup so we reached out to sales at Solar CenTex. Sales and the installation crew have saved this from being a 1-star review. The paperwork, contracts and first check for $7k were complete by early July, 2021. The install crew started designing our ground mount carport solar panel array with SolarEdge inverters and LG batteries. All the contracts and electric co-op forms were signed by mid July, 2021 and the install work began in late August/early September of 2021. By the end of September, we believed our system was fully operational and all the necessary paperwork had been handed off to the appropriate agencies. Checks for more than $70k had been cashed by Solar CenTex, the project was complete, per the contract. Not actually the case. We did not find out until 28 April 2022 (contacted by our electric co-op because our meter read very low usage) that we did not have the correct meter installed, the electric co-op did not have a record of our solar and they had not inspected the grid tied install. I spoke with Solar CenTex and they did not share with me why the process was left incomplete. I sent the signed short forms to our electric co-op via e-mail and got on their schedule for an inspection. Our solar install was properly documented and commissioned through the electric co-op on 28 May 2022. Another issue has been with the SolarEdge monitoring app. We were having regular conversations with Solar CenTex about the lack of access to change the battery charging/discharge levels through the SolarEdge app software. We were not able to adjust charging/discharge levels and had to call Solar CenTex prior to weather events and rely on them to adjust the discharge capacity of our batteries. We were disappointed to have installed a system that could only be controlled by the installer. At the time (June 2022) Solar CenTex suggested we had a communication intermittency issue. I asked if that was an issue with cell service and Solar CenTex (owner) replied, “yes the cell service from the inverter.” I contacted SolarEdge directly that evening and the app issue was resolved on 4 June 2022. Solar CenTex (warranty rep) suggested I contact SolarEdge directly and I later let Solar CenTex know when the manufacturer was able to resolve our problem. The install was physically complete in September 2021. We did not have control of this system and its charging capabilities until 4 June of 2022 and on 28 May 2022, we were inspected and properly metered/sanctioned to operate, as a grid tied system, by the electric co-op. Solar CenTex was notified, and no explanation was offered regarding either issue. Where we are now: In December (8 December2022) we noticed half of our system was not producing power or charging the batteries. After working with Solar CenTex, it was determined that the comm card failed. On 20 December Solar CenTex (install crew) came out and installed a comm card Solar CenTex thought might work but turned out to be incompatible with our inverter. Solar CenTex was trying to help get us up and running at full capacity before a cold snap over the Christmas week. Presently (27 January 2023) our system is still working at half of its purchased capability. Before Christmas, we were led to believe the part was on order but hadn’t been shipped from the manufacturer. We have been informed we have an “RMA number” and the part has been approved but no part is available. We have asked to be kept informed regarding when our $70K grid tied, solar equipment will be fully functional. In conclusion of my review of Solar CenTex we have seen a downward trend in their customer service since we first interacted with them in 2018. After the physical install is complete, their attitude toward customers is poor. We hope this is an isolated performance issue on this install and that others have not experienced this many failures in their relationship with Solar CenTex.
System size (kW): 10.08
System price: $71,000
Year installed: 2021
Price include the Federal Tax Credit or incentives: No
Solar Centex reply
01/31/2023
You are one of a small handful of customers who bought two, larger systems from us. Thank you. This review comes on the heels of SolarEdge being backlogged on providing us a communications card to fix your secondary "follower" inverter. I have not been satisfied with their warranty part support and told you that prior to you posting this review.
In your other social media posts, we discussed the warranty ("RMA") process; we never did and would never had said the "part was on order" and would only have said, "the RMA is approved" with ETA given after the part was released from the warehouse.
You made comments about the first installation we did for you and the "not fully operational" comment you make is about the Secure Power Supply feature of the SMA inverters where up to 2,000 watts of daylight-only backup is available during grid failures. We told you at installation that the extended distance from the inverters to the "backup" outlet resulted in electrical interference that prevented the switch from operating and once we mitigated that it worked. I'm surprised to see this an issue to bring up here as we worked through the issue with SMA and actually brought that company some insight on extended-run communications to SPS plugs. You know that because we discussed that at the time.
But this really all comes from the SolarEdge component shortfalls for your inverter with the error. I know you have not seen my "work below the waterline" in unlocking the component from SolarEdge, but very recent discussions with SE senior leaders discussing this shortfall as the symptom of a larger support issue to installers continued (this dialogue with SE pre-dated your warranty issue) and I now have assurances (and a new inverter vice a replacement components comms board) for you. As soon as SE delivers it we'll schedule it for installation.
We still like SolarEdge because it has a robust storage solution that is code-compliant. They're not perfect. I'm not perfect. But we're certainly working hard to get the parts for your system.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-like-you-solaredgestop-shifting-your-savings-my-small-arey