01/29/2016
Anonymous
PA
Customer service is now pretty much nonexistent. I had a 52 panel system installed Sept 2012 and have already had 26 microinverters replaced and currently have 1 failed for over 2 months, with 3 more in the process of failing at half production for same time period. On average, it takes about 2-3 months for a warranty replacement. The company sales pitch will attempt to appease your concerns by giving you a lost production pay back warranty, but don't count on getting a dime out of them. Truth is they probably would honor their pay back warranty, but they don't need to since they low ball your estimated production. For example averaging the lifetime production of the few original microinverters I have left in my system and calculating what a 52 panel system should produce, their estimate is significantly low. Based on their production estimate, I could have 5 panels out for an entire year and the system would still exceed their production estimate.<br /><br />Obviously I rated them as a 1 for after sales support. But I also gave them a 1 on Professionalism because of their poor communication. <br /><br />If I had it to do over again, I would probably still install solar. But I would definitely not go with Direct Energy Solar (formerly Astrum Solar).
Reviewer reply
02/05/2016
Keep in mind that I have a ground mount system that does not require any ladders to perform warranty maintenance work. After initiating contact with Customer Service, I was given Jan 20 as the date a tech would replace the bad inverters. They were a no show because of the east coast winter storm, even though the roads were open. I never heard back from them, so I called them on 1 Feb. Direct Energy had not added me back on the schedule, so they promised someone would replace the inverters on the 3rd. Guess what? It rained, so their tech supposedly could not replace the inverters. Again, no call from Customer Service or the Techs. I called again today (5 Feb) and was informed someone will replace the inverters on the 8th. Which by the way is predicted to have light rain again. Customer Service informed me that the company policy is not to bump work day-by-day for bad weather, they keep their daily schedule and reschedule the rain outs in the future. Based on my experience, you have to call them back to get back on the schedule, because it appears they really don't care when your warranty replacements occur. I wish the manufacturer would just ship the inverters to me, so I could replace them myself.