ComplaintsforA1A Solar Contracting Inc

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have emails as well as transaction record to support my claim. In April, I was told my solar panel wasn't working properly. I needed to pay to have optimizers working functionally. I paid a $500 deductible plus labor to have this rectified. Two months later, I get another email saying the exact same thing and that it requires another $500 to fix it optimizers. This has to be a scam. At this rate with the system they have implore, I'll be paying $500 every two months.

  

  Business response

  07/11/2024

  We are investigating the details of this complaint and will provide an update once we have gathered all the info.  Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently encountered significant issues with my solar energy system installed by A1A Solar, particularly with the Envoy component, which serves as the communication and control center for my PV system. Despite the initial promise of a high-quality, long-lasting solar solution, I have faced unexpected challenges that have left me disappointed.First and foremost, my Envoy unit malfunctioned, resulting in a substantial loss of solar energy production. This not only impacted my energy savings but also compromised the efficiency of my entire system. While A1A Solar's representative, *****, was responsive and explained that the Envoy needed to be replaced, I was taken aback by the additional costs associated with this replacement.At the time of installation, there was no mention or written information indicating that future upgrades or replacements would incur extra charges. This lack of prior notification is concerning, especially given the significant investment I made in this system.Additionally, I have not received clear communication on how the lost solar energy production will be addressed or compensated. The unexpected costs, coupled with the loss of energy production, have left me feeling frustrated and undervalued as a customer.While I appreciate the initial service and support provided by A1A Solar, I believe that greater transparency and better customer care are essential for maintaining trust and satisfaction. I hope that A1A Solar will take these concerns seriously and work towards providing a fair and reasonable resolution.Overall, my experience with A1A Solar has been mixed. While the initial installation and performance were satisfactory, the recent issues and unexpected costs have overshadowed the positive aspects. I hope to see improvements in communication and customer support in the future.

  

  Business response

  06/17/2024

  We have a meeting with the customer on 6/17/24 to work on the issues and will update our response to this complaint after the meeting. 

  Customer response

  06/17/2024

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: 21849959

  I am rejecting this response because:

  I am deeply disappointed with my recent experience with A1A Solar. Initially, my system used Enphase for monitoring, but without any notification during the warranty period, A1A Solar switched manufacturers for the monitoring system. This change was never communicated to me, which is both misleading and frustrating.

  Now, with my Envoy malfunctioning and causing a significant loss of kilowatts and revenue, A1A Solar is refusing to address the issue unless I pay additional fees. This is unacceptable, especially given that the initial agreement did not mention any such future costs.
  

  Simply acknowledging this issue is not enough. The malfunctioning Envoy has already caused a significant loss of energy production and revenue, which needs to be accounted for. Moreover, the lack of transparency regarding the change in monitoring systems during the warranty period has been misleading. It is imperative that A1A Solar resolves this problem promptly and fairly.

  The lack of transparency and unexpected financial demands have severely impacted my trust in A1A Solar. They must account for the lost energy production and revenue due to this issue and address the misleading information provided during the warranty period.
  

  Need this fully resolved and upgraded if needed at no cost. 

  Regards,

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

  

  Business response

  08/27/2024

  *****,

   

  Here is our response:

   

  Installation was completed for this grid-tied photovoltaic (**) system utilizing Enphase microinverters with forty-four solar panels on October 5, 2015, and included a 5-year contractor warranty signed by both the husband, ******************** and the wife, **************** on July 27, 2015. Their contractor installation warranty expired in 2020. Their solar panel and inverter manufacturer warranties are valid through 2040. Their monitoring (communication) device, Enphase Gateway Envoy R had a 1-year warranty which expired in 2016. 

   

  On February 21 of 2023, as part of our proactive review of our fleet, our technical support specialist noticed that their ** system was no longer sending production data to the monitoring portal and initiated contact with the homeowners to remind them of the importance of keeping their system connected to the internet for monitoring and diagnostic purposes.

   

  Over the next month, our specialists worked to help Aparna get her ** system (monitoring) back online to no avail. It was later determined that the communication device for the ** system had suffered an unrecoverable error and needed to be replaced.

  The homeowners were advised of this error and that the warranty for the device had expired, along with the contractors warranty. The failure of the homeowner to keep their Envoy connected to the internet is neither the manufacturers nor the contractors fault.

   

  **** claims we switched manufacturers for the monitoring system. This is simply untrue, as no other manufacturers monitoring device is compatible with Enphases microinverters. He also claims to have a significant loss of energy production from the solar ** and a loss of revenue due to the Envoys loss of communication. The loss of communication of the Envoy DOES NOT render the ** system unable to produce energy. It simply means that the system is unable to report the amount of energy produced by the system to its monitoring portal. So, the accusation of the system not producing energy is not accurate.

   

  We have repeatedly emphasized this to **** and Aparna, and though ****** has been reasonable and calm, **** has had frequent emotional outbursts of verbal aggression during our conversations which indicate to us that he is unable or unwilling to listen to our specialists explanations and recommendations.

   

  Our specialists have been extremely patient with **** trying to work this issue out. We understand that he no longer lives in this house, which is complicating our communication. 

   

  When we initially found out about the BBB complaint, we called **************** and she professed no knowledge of such a complaint and promised that she would talk to her ex-husband about removing the bad reviews and complaints. We even offered to give them a discount on the labor for replacing their Envoy in good faith. It is now apparent that **** is trying to intimidate and bully A1A Solar into providing free services and equipment when he knows his warranty expired years ago. This is not reasonable or rational. Regardless, ************************, proceeded to file a follow up complaint with the BBB to try and extort A1A Solar into providing him free service and replacement equipment. We will not bend to such pressure.

   

  As of our last contact with ******************** on June 28, 2024, ************ told us that he and ****** had not decided on how (they) would like to proceed with the proposed service.

   

  We have no record of further contact with either **** or Aparna. We received the reminder of this complaint on August 23, 2024, which confirmed that the complaint and the bad reviews made by ******************** were not withdrawn as expected.

  We do not enjoy having to expose this situation concerning our client, but we should not have to give free services away for out-of-warranty installations due to intimidation tactics. We have documentation of all our interactions on this matter should anyone need further evidence.

   

  J. *************************,

  President and Founder

   

   

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

  Business Development

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

  ...............................................................

  A1A Solar Contracting, Inc.

*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. ↩