Review for Solar SME

10/22/2024
Jeff Apel Annandale, VA

Absolutely avoid until their communication process is fixed

Here’s a detailed account of the many issues I encountered. They are currently denying any sort of compensation for their "home backup system" that lasts for 3-5 hours with basic home use. Management: The project management was an absolute disaster. Our initial project manager was completely incompetent, causing delays and providing incorrect information many times. It took three weeks for him to send a simple email, significantly delaying the project. Even after being reassigned to Erik, who was more responsive, it was clear that the entire organization suffers from severe disorganization, due to much of the operation being run offshore. Installation: The only redeeming part of my experience with SolarSME was the installation team—Mohammed, Rakan, and Jose. They were punctual, polite, and hardworking, deserving five stars. Their professionalism was a stark contrast to the rest of the experience. Timeline: The process from our initial discussion to installation dragged on from February to July. Some delays were due to our additional requests for a battery and car charger, the majority of the delay was due to the incompetence of the initial project manager and the company's disorganization. Car Charger: The car charger installation was another headache, complicated by our home’s layout and HOA regulations. Although the team eventually got it installed, the process was far from smooth. The initial project manager suggested running an extension cord over a public sidewalk to charge our car—an utterly unacceptable and unsafe solution. The charger works and I have no complaints there, but I had to assist with the installation and purchase over $200 worth of equipment of my own to help. Battery: This is where the experience falls apart. The sales team failed to do their due diligence, leading to a severely underpowered battery system. We expected a full home backup but instead get a mere 3-5 hours of usage. This forces us to rely on the grid at night, and the solar during the day is wasted recharging the battery instead of covering our usage. In July, our electric bill was over $80—barely less than befor. The situation was further aggravated when "Ryan" tried to charge us more to move the battery AFTER it was installed, despite the placement being clearly outlined and agreed upon beforehand. Their proposed "solution" to reduce our battery capacity to 40-50% is baffling. Financials: The total cost of the system was ~$52,000, which we financed with a 30-year loan. Our payments, before tax credits, are ~$280 a month—on top of our existing power bill. We ARE STILL GETTING A HUGE BILL with no real improvement in our energy independence. Turninghat was supposed to be a cost-saving investment into a financial burden. Additional Notes: Battery Issues: We are still waiting for a service call to get our battery running again. Bait-and-Switch Tactics: We were told a 17 kWh Panasonic system, but this was swapped to a SolaX system with little U.S. support and a poorly functioning app. Poor Logistics: We had nearly 2,000 pounds of solar panels stored in our living room and kitchen for over a month due to delays in installation. They should have been responsible for storage. Final Thoughts: As someone who runs a million-dollar service business, I believe in delivering what the client paid for. In rare cases where we fail, we go out of our way to make it right. SolarSME, however, expects the client to bear the burden of their failures and act as their own project manager. In summary, SolarSME has made our household bills higher and our daily lives significantly more inconvenient. I cannot recommend them—avoid SolarSME at all costs.