SolarEdge Tech Support

[frankge]

I am really not the ranting type but I guess that's what I'm about to do. Is SolarEdge support really bad or is it just me? My 1 yr old 10K HDWave dies and had to get it replaced - which took weeks. I'm not happy about that nor all the reports I'm seeing that we were a bunch of guinea pigs for their new tech. I just need them to get me back rights on a new site so I can configure my system like I did the first time. I am the "installer" as I did all the logical portal setup and such. Been going on for a month now and the support guy I have passed me along to the "Designer" support which is a sales line that dumps to a VM that is full. So I'm on hold for the next hour or two like the last time. For the love of all that is good and holy I am trying to be a fan still - I'm in the process of helping a couple others evaluate what system to go with and I'm seriously questioning if SE is the way to go.... rant over....

[ButchDeal]

Why are they sending you to "design" support?

[frankge]

I dunno, I think the rep didn't know what to do - I did just get off the phone with a much more helpful one, still not resolved but he is having the "Accounts" group take care of it.

[solar pete]

Hi Frankge, I have had very similar experiences with what you would laughingly describe as their tech support. We installed their equipment for a couple of years but after an ongoing dispute we will no longer install their equipment, when we had an issue with the new Suntech Smart Dc panels Maxim flew a tech out from the USA and Suntech sent their top guys from china to our jobs in Adelaide, Australia and that resulted in Suntech making an AU version of their Smart Dc panels. The SolarEdge people wouldnt get off their arses to travel one hour to figure out what was going wrong with their gear, they are nearly as bad as ABB the worst company we have ever dealt with. Rant over

[frankge]

When I started seeing a bunch or reports from people, this site included, on the higher output HDWaves failing I became concerned but thought I was out of the woods - not so lucky. I'm in the tech field so I understand things and especially new tech breaks until bugs get worked out. I do have to say I am surprised by the amount of time SE has made people wait to replace the inverters. One has to question are they taking care of their installed base or new installs? I would have assumed that they would have a replacement inventory to immediately pull from. I got the 'ol we have to wait until one is made.

[solardreamer]

I am really not the ranting type but I guess that's what I'm about to do. Is SolarEdge support really bad or is it just me? My 1 yr old 10K HDWave dies and had to get it replaced - which took weeks. I'm not happy about that nor all the reports I'm seeing that we were a bunch of guinea pigs for their new tech. I just need them to get me back rights on a new site so I can configure my system like I did the first time. I am the "installer" as I did all the logical portal setup and such. Been going on for a month now and the support guy I have passed me along to the "Designer" support which is a sales line that dumps to a VM that is full. So I'm on hold for the next hour or two like the last time. For the love of all that is good and holy I am trying to be a fan still - I'm in the process of helping a couple others evaluate what system to go with and I'm seriously questioning if SE is the way to go.... rant over....

Are you saying you have had no solar generation for a month? If so that's indeed poor support.

[frankge]

That's right, almost 5 weeks - 1 week my "installer" didn't notify me - like to only time I didn't look at the monitoring because I was in Las Vegas. Killed my net-zero for the year an cost us real money, only a little over a hundred bucks, but still... Apparently they have no replacements in stock even with knowing the failures on the original 10K HDs. Had to wait over two weeks for them to manufacture one.

[J.P.M.]

Another less than happy SolarEdge customer.

Is it me or does SolarEdge seem to have problems that show up around here in numbers out of proportion to their market share ?

[ButchDeal]

That's right, almost 5 weeks - 1 week my "installer" didn't notify me - like to only time I didn't look at the monitoring because I was in Las Vegas. Killed my net-zero for the year an cost us real money, only a little over a hundred bucks, but still... Apparently they have no replacements in stock even with knowing the failures on the original 10K HDs. Had to wait over two weeks for them to manufacture one.

Are you the installer or do you have an installer?

Your installer should be dealing with SolarEdge directly.

I am not surprised that the installer did not notify you as few of them actual look at the reports or monitor in any way. This is why it is important for them to give full owner access to the homeowners so that they can set up alerts and monitor themselves.
The SE10000H is really an odd ball and little reason to really ever use it. The SE11400H is a much more common item has the same breaker size and can be used in every place that an SE10000H would be. Most installers know this and have chosen to use it instead so resellers have a bigger supply of the SE11400h.

Most likely the two week delay is just the time for the reseller that your installer used to get another one in stock (shipping time).

[frankge]

Hi Butch,

So my installer did the physical install which I understand but don't have the hands-on experience nor desire to do myself. I did install the consumption meter, the ethernet bridge, and I have a Sense unit too. They made a mess out of my portal and I took over configuring the layout (which they didn't record at install). They have had a complete turn around in employees and my trust in them is not great - neither is the sister company that did my HVAC along with the solar who broke ties with them. But, other than the inverter dying the install has been ok - I had to ride them on a few small items. Yes, even though they said they "monitor" their installs that is apparently not the case. I don't trust them to be in business for the long haul and only want to be minimally tied to them. I have a 10K because here in Tampa we have tiers - I'm a tier 1 (up to 10K)which limits me to 10K, if I went higher tier 2 (11K - 200K) its a lot more fees, insurance, inspections, etc. My system is 11.3K with some minimal clipping as I have some shade in the AM but I have almost perfect net-zero generation. My solar is a line side and not through a breaker. I called in the RMA to SolarEdge and the rep told me that they don't have a stock and have to "make one" - which I found unacceptable but in their defense they got me one as soon as they could.

[ButchDeal]

I called in the RMA to SolarEdge and the rep told me that they don't have a stock and have to "make one" - which I found unacceptable but in their defense they got me one as soon as they could.

Yeah that would be BS. generally they go through the distributors which have them staged all around.

Your experience with the installer is sadly more common than it should be. There are a lot of shady installers (contractors in general) and solarEdge seems like an easy system for them to deal with. Enphase has a lot more of them though.
Sorry you had to deal with such a situation.