Terrible Signature Solar / EG4 18Kpv Experience - Returning and Replaced with Sol-Ark 15k

Kenny_ said:

Well after reading this entire thread I'm not so sure. People seem to be using the 18Kpv without issue in a variety of situations. Now maybe these had updated software or maybe not....it's difficult to tell without being there and a deep read of this thread but it definitely seems like there was more to it....I don't know what or why but it seems there's some work to be done wrt customer service, that's the part that makes me hesitant to order/purchase what appears to be the best solution to my needs. The slightly encouraging thing is that they are even right here in this thread responding and posting. I'm not sure what other 'channels' they are on (I'm not on any of the social media platforms) but that can't be a bad thing.

anyway....still considering purchasing the 18Kpv...

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You’re not so sure about what?

As I’ve stated from day one, I think the unit is physically great. As software improves, I think it’ll be a very nice unit to own. If you’re not worried about the backfeed issues it was originally having, which seem to have since been solved, I believe you would be buying a nice inverter.

What is absolutely clear is that their customer service, and attitude as a whole has proven to be poor. You are correct, they actively respond on this forum, it is often referred to as the only way to get results. There are MANY threads full of customers whom have called repeatedly, crazy hold times, crazy responses from support etc. You’d have to refer to each of the complaints as they all have their own story.

The product I believe in, it seems like it has great potential. The company, I can’t say so much. Not only do they repeatedly drop the ball badly, but their attitude is beyond terrible.

I’d love to see that change, but I can’t say I’m overly optimistic as it starts from the top, the owner and lead engineer (I’m assuming that’s his position) are both quite guilty of this repeatedly.

You’ll probably love the inverter, it appears they’ve made some nice changes to the software and are much closer to where it should have been at release. Just be realistic with yourself and your expectations with support and customer service going into it.

Watts Happening said:

The product I believe in

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No you don't, you sent it back.

Quattrohead said:

No you don't, you sent it back.

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But I do, I just wasn’t willing to be the guinea pig for the software while simultaneously being told nonsense about how I’m asking for things that don’t exist.

I bought an item with promised specifications, it did not meet those specifications thus it went back.

As the software matures, I’m sure it will. The physical product itself remains unchanged. Well, aside from the fact that it didn’t have remote shut down when I bought it and that has since been changed.

Quattrohead said:

No you don't, you sent it back.

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Yeah, this....I mean this thread only started a couple of months ago. I'm not sure how much the software has been updated in that time and or if others are using / were using the same box and software and having apparently wonderful experiences....there's just something off here that is not coming out....IMO

I mean maybe it was defective hardware....it's very hard to say as an outside observer...

Kenny_ said:

Yeah, this....I mean this thread only started a couple of months ago. I'm not sure how much the software has been updated in that time and or if others are using / were using the same box and software and having apparently wonderful experiences....there's just something off here that is not coming out....IMO

I mean maybe it was defective hardware....it's very hard to say as an outside observer...

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lol alright.

The software has seen quite a few improvements.

It was all a ploy to get them to do what they did.

Also, per their own answers, they use the unit for testing internally. So, if you thought there were hardware problems, you have your answer.

Sometimes everything is exactly as it seems folks. But again, buy whatever suits you best. I have one of their LLv2 batteries and it’s great, their Chargeverter is also awesome, I’m having a bit of trouble with it tripping a GFCI but that’s nothing I’d steer clear of.

I say buy it, it will likely do what you need it to. How’s that for “something off”?

You care to specify what software changes?

I don't think the fact that they test the unit internally has anything to do with anything. I would expect any manufacture to maintain a test setup to verify/validate problems and for long-duration testing. That's just normal.

What I'm saying is there is something fishy about this whole thing. But for now I'll see what others have to say.

Thanks.

....and P.S. I still get why you avatar says you are a Sol-Ark and Battle Born Dealer....

This was brought up in the thread and never addressed...it looks very suspicious as well...

Kenny_ said:

You care to specify what software changes?

I don't think the fact that they test the unit internally has anything to do with anything. I would expect any manufacture to maintain a test setup to verify/validate problems and for long-duration testing. That's just normal.

What I'm saying is there is something fishy about this whole thing. But for now I'll see what others have to say.

Thanks.

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I think you must’ve misunderstood what I meant by saying they use it internally. I mean that to explain that there is clearly nothing physically wrong with it, otherwise it would not be used in house for testing and development. Furthering my belief all issues were software based.

I don’t follow their software development, as I no longer own their inverter. From what I’ve seen the backfeed issues are taken care of, I can’t remember what else but there have been multiple firmware updates.

What do you even begin to believe would be going on aside from the story shared? I had problems, they are well documented and even admitted to by the owner of the company. I can’t say much else, it just didn’t get fixed and I got blamed. You’ve read it all, take from it what you want.

At the end of the day, I don’t care where you spend your money.

I think that answers my question ... well other than the Sol-Ark Dealer thing.

Kenny_ said:

....and P.S. I still get why you avatar says you are a Sol-Ark and Battle Born Dealer....

This was brought up in the thread and never addressed...it looks very suspicious as well...

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You haven't read the entire thread or missed it. The title change came about from them accusing him of being a sol ark dealer and all so he changed the title as a joke.

Kenny_ said:

You care to specify what software changes?

I don't think the fact that they test the unit internally has anything to do with anything. I would expect any manufacture to maintain a test setup to verify/validate problems and for long-duration testing. That's just normal.

What I'm saying is there is something fishy about this whole thing. But for now I'll see what others have to say.

Thanks.

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Specify what changes?
Literally every single 18kpv issue on this forum is answered with “can I remote in and change your settings for the firmware”
With that, how would most end users actually even know how to answer this question

Crowz said:

You haven't read the entire thread or missed it. The title change came about from them accusing him of being a sol ark dealer and all so he changed the title as a joke.

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Ah, well if that's true then I understand but would probably be a good idea to change it.

The title is retroactive apparently ... shows up even from the first post...

Kenny_ said:

....and P.S. I still get why you avatar says you are a Sol-Ark and Battle Born Dealer....

This was brought up in the thread and never addressed...it looks very suspicious as well...

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You still get it or, did you mean still don’t get it?

It was a joke in response to their nonsense (James specifically). I don’t even know if his posts were removed or not, if they’re still there you’d 100% understand the title.

Dude, buy the darn 18k, I DO NOT care what you buy. I don’t sell either, I don’t sell anything. You’re cracking me up with the suspicion.

Get whatever product suits you, I’m just a random untrustworthy guy on the internet like everyone else.

G00SE said:

Specify what changes?
Literally every single 18kpv issue on this forum is answered with “can I remote in and change your settings for the firmware”
With that, how would most end users actually even know how to answer this question

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That's not what I mean... I'm talking about FIRMWARE changes not USER adjustments.

Kenny_ said:

I think that answers my question ... well other than the Sol-Ark Dealer thing.

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He was accused point blank by signature solar for being a solark distributor
That was one of their many tactics in trying to avoid full refund.
So to poke fun at the dumbasses of society, that’s his description

Watts Happening said:

You still get it or, did you mean still don’t get it?

It was a joke in response to their nonsense (James specifically). I don’t even know if his posts were removed or not, if they’re still there you’d 100% understand the title.

Dude, buy the darn 18k, I DO NOT care what you buy. I don’t sell either, I don’t sell anything. You’re cracking me up with the suspicion.

Get whatever product suits you, I’m just a random untrustworthy guy on the internet like everyone else.

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Thank you. Sorry for my misunderstanding....perhaps you should change it so others don't misunderstand as well, or in the future.
It certainly is confusing in the context of this thread (and possibly others).

Watts Happening said:

.....

Dude, buy the darn 18k, I DO NOT care what you buy. I don’t sell either, I don’t sell anything. You’re cracking me up with the suspicion.

....

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as I said this whole thread is just something not right given that others with identical setups are having zero issues. That means that there was something wrong with your particular unit or in something you were doing with it. That's the bottom line.

Thanks for the entertaining thread in any case.

Kenny_ said:

That's not what I mean... I'm talking about FIRMWARE changes not USER adjustments.

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Short version as I understand it (Just my opinion/take on what I have read)

1. Watt's Happening buys 18kpv

2. 18kpv backfeeds to grid when its set not to and he isn't allowed to backfeed so its a BIG deal.

3. 18kpv support makes him jump thru hoops trying to fix problem.

4. Engineers from the 18kpv maker admit its a problem with the unit and not the owners fault.

5. Sig solar says its his fault even though the people who know the equipment (engineers etc) say its not his fault.

6. Some SS employees admit its not his fault and offer to pay any penalties he gets from the power company because of their product.

7. He gets accused of being a secret competitor employee for saying what he said by SS people.

8. He changes title on forum as joke on that.

9. He finally gets a refund after pages of being jerked around and called names.

10. Thru the whole thing he says equipment has future if they get the bugs worked out on the firmware.

11. SS is now on his crap list and he isn't likely to recommend them anymore but still thinks the 18kpv has a future.


Asking him if they have the firmware problem or whatever solved isn't going to happen since he doesn't have the product anymore.

Kenny_ said:

as I said this whole thread is just something not right given that others with identical setups are having zero issues. That means that there was something wrong with your particular unit or in something you were doing with it. That's the bottom line.

Thanks for the entertaining thread in any case.

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No problem at all.

Again, I don't believe there was an issue with my unit. I never once thought there was and I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but they wouldn't use it for internal testing if they had any reason to believe it was defective. Heck, you'd have some REALLY dumb people to use a defective unit for development right? I have my gripes with them over this, but by no means do I think they're anywhere near that stupid.

The issues I had were issues others had, it was mostly related to back feeding the grid when it was not supposed to backfeed. That has since been changed via firmware, thus like I said it would likely suit you well.

If you were using the unit off grid, with no grid input, you would have never seen the issues I had. If you were using the unit grid connected and had an interconnect agreement (allowing your inverter to backfeed the grid for credit from the power company) you would have never noticed nor cared. It would have backfed and you'd have received credit for it, no big deal either way.

The black and white of it is this: they were shipped with immature software and the company did some dumb things on the customer service side of things. As I've repeated, go into it expecting to have a bumpy road on the support side of things and I think you'll be just fine. Beyond that it's a real nice unit, if you read everything you'll remember me saying I think it has as good of, or better build quality than the Sol-Ark. I actually prefer it's wire box to the Sol-Ark.

I don't have anything to sell you and it's bummer they must have deleted their accusations. I'll update my title to something funnier.

Wow at all the post while I typed that long response