Smart Wave Solar

This company is great...Until they get paid

I will start by saying that I very seldomly write bad reviews. I'm a retired Army Medic of 27 years. I always appreciate anyone who works on my home, especially the end line workers doing the hard and dirty work. I've been there...A LOT. I provide drinks and food when accepted and ALWAYS have it available. I open my house to allow workers to use my bathroom rather than sending them to a gas station. In other words, I know how to take care of people who do work I can't. I'm very easy going regarding minor errors as we're all only human. However, apparently Smart Wave takes understanding and tolerance as a sense of inherent weakness, hence this review. I started working with Smart Wave in October 2023. It was the typical sales engagement regarding up selling and encouragement not to wait too long. This is to be expected. It wasn't over the top, just...well, typical. My system (which included a roof replacement) was $50,000.00! Paperwork to start the process began October/November 2023. It took until March to finally get the system installed and running. This was due, in part to several paperwork errors between Smart Wave and the power company. A company that works in only two states would seem to have their collective act together regarding proper paperwork, proper labeling, and proper installation of the base electrical equipment. Instead, it was rookie-like in the sheer incompetence. I let it slide... During the installation, the install team punched a small hole above my garage about the size of a grapefruit because driving with a ladder on a vehicle is really hard. The whole was minor, and I was told it would be repaired. I received an email that someone would contact me about the repair...Nothing. Gentle reminder to Smart Wave...another platitude and a promise I would get a call...Once again, nothing. It took me talking directly with my salesman after two company promises to finally get someone out here to fix the hole...Again, I let it slide. In May 2024 I received a 60-day system check informing me that the system was UNDER producing. I IMMEDIATELY responded to said email and asked for another system check. In this situation, I will accept some culpability because I honestly didn't follow up with the company. But should a customer have to run down a multi-million-dollar company? I contend information should be designed based on a push versus pull system. Afterall, Smart Wave admitted that the system was under producing. In any event, I failed to chase them down and over time completely forgot. Now, a professional company, knowing FULL well the system they installed is underperforming would send someone to check the system in question...NOPE, NADA, ZILCH. No phone calls, emails, texts or anything from this company to reach out and address the issue. Interestingly enough, there is a disclaimer that states something to the effect of the company NOT being responsible for issues unless they are notified. Well, a professional organization, ADMITTING to a system not working as advertised would be interested in protecting their companies good name, right? Nope. Fast forward to November 2024 and I received an email stating that their "technical team" would review my underperforming $50K system. I expressed my disdain regarding the fact that the November email was one week shy of SIX MONTHS for them to respond to my request for another 60-day check...Again, I forgot to repeatedly harass Smart Wave to do, well, their JOB! More platitudes and apologies from the company with some half-baked excuse about "changing systems" and "some" customers emails and/or account info were "lost or improperly" routed to other departments. If, in fact that was the case, the other departments in the company are equally as unprofessional. I mean, I always allow my business email and correspondence traffic to sit, unread, for six months so it can be routed properly! It's either sheer and utter negligence, downright laziness or deliberately trying to ignore their customers. The next email I receive (the next day) states that the technical assessment indicates that there "appears to be an issue with how the strings are connected". ONCE AGAIN, they can see the issue from the top of their system but NEVER sent anyone out to check it, knowing FULL-WELL the issue, as they allege above is due to an improper INSTALLATION! I mean, come on man; really?! Apparently, someone will be here to check my system the beginning of December to correct shoddy work from almost a year ago. Now, my anger stems from the fact that Smart Wave appears to be efficient and professional, but it also appears once they cash your check, it's catch as catch can regarding what you may receive for follow-up customer service. While $50K is budget dust to a company like this, it's a hard hit for someone living on military retirement income. I've been paying for a system for almost a year AND paying more than I should be for electricity due to incompetence and complacency. I fully expect a myriad reasons, (i.e. excuses) for this experience which, I'm sure will be easily written off as a "we're sorry for your experience". I'm further sure that if any restitution is to be offered, it will be MY responsibility to provide the burden of proof, even though all correspondence is in their system...But, Oh wait - Their records are probably lost due to the system switch they conducted. The last thing I'll say is Smart Wave seems to have more good than bad ratings. For that reason and that reason alone, I will not make them come rip out the entire system from my house. One thing is for sure, I will caution anyone who asks that there's a chance they'll have an experience similar to mine. Buyer beware!

INTEGRITY MATTERS!

My initial choice for solar was Blue Raven, in preference to Smart Wave. That deal stumbled due to their opinion that my home needed a new main electrical panel, which bumped their original price considerably. I reverted to query Smart Wave, and their salesperson short circuited my price negotiations with Blue Raven by quoting me a persuasively appealing price, including the panel upgrade (I've included a copy of my hand written price notes made during the call that closed the deal). He failed to specify that in the contract, and when the city approved the existing arrangement they refused to honor the salesperson's commitment, although a Smart Wave exec told me that they let the salesperson go over the matter. A short time after installation my panel blew, pretty much validating Blue Raven's opinion. I engaged in extensive, month's long correspondence with Smart Wave pressing the issue, to no avail. I involved the Division of Consumer Protection, whose representative, having read the mountain of correspondence I'd produced, told me he 100% believed me, but in terms of actionability, the contract didn't give them the ammunition they would need to intervene. In other words, if Smart Wave refused to do the ethical thing, which would be to honor their salesperson's commitment, the agency was powerless to act. I rated Installation quality 3 stars because, in fairness, what work they did was technically fine, it just lacked a crucial component their salesperson committed. I have held the position "Director of Sales and Marketing" before. In one my Smart Wave conversations I told them that, in their position, I would honor the commitment and let the salesperson go. It seems they found it necessary to do only half of that. In case any of Smart Wave's competitors become aware of this post and would like copies of my extensive pleadings to Smart Wave, I would be pleased to oblige.

Frustrating project experience, continues with support

The process started great, sales was thorough and the solution seemed like a great option, based on the sales process and production garauntee. Things increasingly unraveled through out the project. It started with template emails and seemed organized. When the project actually began, timelines and deadlines were occurring and status became unclear. The communication transitioned to text message and was without appropriate notice. Multiple issues occurred and were not resolved timely in what appeared to be due to a lack of internal communication (scheduler, project coordinator, install team, electrician) and perhaps employee turnover. Our installation failed county inspection several times delaying the project. Attempts to escalate the issues through the organization indicated employee turnover or unreturned phone calls. When the system was finally operational (3-4 months later than anticipated while we paid for both electricity and the solar loan). The system almost immediately experienced issues with nearly a third of the panels not working. A team came, couldn't identify a specific issue but the system started working for a few weeks. The system then reported over a third of panels weren't working. Attempts to get service have been as frustrating as the project process. We have had a number of no shows for service appointments, contradicting reports from the service resource here and then the service desk. Last lesson learned, read the production guarantee clause very closely, there really is no incentive to ensure your solar is up and operational quickly. I would not recommend this experience to anyone.

You may still pay utility company every month

A lot of the reviews here about the sales or installation process. The level of professionalism is great. However, I didn't pay tens of thousands of dollars just to get an easy installation. The company kept calling me, asking me to write a review right after installation. I resisted because I wanted to see if the panels eventually worked for me. What I really need is being free from paying utility bills. On that front, it's disappointing. They claim to have installed enough panels to satisfy my power consumption. They have also produced data to show that the production was indeed sufficient. Yet, I continue to pay utility bills EVERY SINGLE MONTH. In July, for example, I paid $72. This is NOT what I had in mind when I signed up the deal. Now, it appears the problem is that my local utility provider buys my extra power at a much lower price than what the provider charges me for the power I use. During the day, my panels produce extra power, but, in the evening, I consume power from the utility company. nobody bothered to point that to me. So, just be aware: you are NOT going to be free of utility bills even after you get the panels.

Unable to get system fully functional

I received a call from one of Smart Wave’s top officials on 22 July. It was a greatly appreciated and much needed conversation based on numerous and lengthy issues with the installation of my system and the system not functioning fully. On 27 July, I received a visit from a Smart Wave employee to look into some of the issues with my system’s functionality. The visit resulted in the decision to re-locate the CTs of the system to the main panel, which is what I have been asking for since the day the sonnen battery was installed. Hopefully Smart Wave and Sonnen stay committed to getting my system fully functional so I stop buying power from Rocky Mountain Power every day. PREVIOUS POST - Equipment is installed, bank sent money to Smart Wave, and my system is not functioning properly. I’ve been trying to get smart wave to fix the problem since the fist of July, and it’s still not functioning properly. No one knows what’s going on. Sonnen doesn’t return phone calls or voicemails so they are of no help either. Bank expects their payment to start in a week, but why did the bank pay smart wave for a non-functioning system? The bank says they only care if the equipment is installed, not if it works! REALLY?! I have spent enough money on a non-functioning solar system, to pay for a new Tesla, and I am still buying power from Rocky Mountain Power every day!

Results matter, not just kind people

I am 2 months into my solar fully operational installation. My solar is currently not tracking, was down for 7 days and the company has come out 2 or 3 times since inistial install, to fix things that were not working. They have had 2 instances of a situation that they said, " we have never seen this problem before." 2 in 2 months is the biggest coincedence or they are not technically very capable or covering up, either way you don't want them working on your project. They have been very nice always promise to get it fixed, but results matter and so far their results are minimal. Based on them having to re wire my system, it lets me know their initial installation crew was not technically capable of installing my system and did a poor job.