@exmarkretired , any update on this? Looking to buy an EG4 from SS but holding off to see how this pans out. thanks!
Short version : OMG Hard to believe it is almost over. I got a defective item, had hard time resolving. I recovered most of my loss minus a lot of time.
Long version below:
At this time they have "granted" me a full credit as a "gesture of goodwill". Although I just was able to log in and their website says I have a
partial refund. I guarantee it has not been refunded at all. They consider the matter resolved. I am now trying to decide what to use the partial credit on that should never need a warranty.
The sales staff were unable to answer my technical questions. I read this forum and watched Will's videos. Thought it would do what I needed. I needed more SCC and figured I would/could use the inverter later.
I could never get it to function as advertised. The inverter never put out 120v. It had AC voltage on the PV when using shore/grid power. Never charged at the settings for battery charging from grid power. Using FLUKE calibrated meters, reading never measured what the 3000 indicated. Up arrow went .down. Down went up. No matter how I played with settings Use, SuB etc never behaved as described on website or in manual.
I went round and round. Their pbx hung up on me more than I ever got a real person. Commented on this forum. Jessica Jayne (her FB alias) says she want to help, initially I did not experience this.
Finally I reached out to James Showalter. Brief discussion, they changed some things with phone calls. Now I am speaking with a nice polite technical service person. We agree it is likely defective. I have already boxed this item up. I suspect it damaged a few electronics ( no evidence, just bad timing ? coincidence ?) After removing the eg4-3000 all problems went away.... They promise to speak with resolution specialist and share this information.
On to "resolution specialist" They disagree with their tech and my diagnosis. Disregard other things we discussed. Claim I am uncooperative and unless I am willing to reinstall the defective item, take photos and participate in the troubleshooting process the matter is considered resolved. Emails are exchanged about time lost and compensation. SS sends their "fine print" explaining that unless you have a trained, certified licensed solar technician. My electronics degree no go, electrical engineer degree no go, experience, no go....DIY and you are on your own basically....I was offered 40% restock fee plus s/h, a replacement with no warranty. lots of bad options in my fiscal opinion...
I reach out to EG4. They are sympathetic, they try to help, but basically after a week and couple phone calls the end result is. You purchased the item from SS and are subject to their rules. They would not help and could not ??
Again James Showalter. He again moves the process along. I am torn with my opinion of him. It is not good in the forum, but he helped me twice and in a timely matter. However his staff are for the most part not helpful. The ones who are helpful are hamstrung by the ones who have the authority to make decisions. This, is his responsibility, as leader. Hence my difficulty forming a complete opinion. James is a leader in both companies. Why are they so different ?
Jessica reaches out, per James Showalter, informs me of the goodwill gesture of full credit Also informs me that, we kindly request your collaboration in adhering to the established channels and processes for addressing any concerns or issues. This collaborative approach ensures the efficiency of our customer support system, facilitating timely resolutions for all.
This process took months. In their defense, they made internal changes to their SS phone contact policy, I am difficult to reach during during most of their business hours. I did allow them 2 weeks/10 business days to reply. Sometimes after getting disconnected, or the person I needed was unavailable. I just gave up for a few days...
I think I received a defective unit( they also had a lot of refurbs around the time I purchased). I did not install it immediately, did not test all the functions immediately. I thought I had 3 years....I was informed anything after 14 days requires their arduous and cumbersome troubleshooting process.
The manual is poor on what to turn on and off and in what order ( I've read they have corrected this) You have no clue if they put an internal bond N and EGround unless you open it and visually inspect, it varied during the manufacturing dates. It never behaved properly either way ( floating neutral or bonded) I read somewhere, but didn't save it so don't quote this, but it is also possible that it back-feeds the grid. So, beware that it may, even though it is advertised in the off grid section...
I have come to believe the date of manufacture dictates if you got a lemon or poor documentation. If I knew I could get a properly functioning one and would get to deal with a knowledgeable, professional staff member and not "resolution specialist" I might consider another eg4-3000. Just be aware that it is a power hog. 100w per hour just idling. I could work around this, but I wasted/lost more money in lost time dealing with SS staff....and a 3 year warranty.
I tell people "never say never"
Would I buy again from Signature Solar ? I do not think so. Wait, My house or someone who has irritated me ? What is your time worth ??
Would I buy EG4 ? Depends. Other vendors have treated me so well, the only reason I did not buy from them was, they did not offer the eg4-3000, it came so highly recommended and I did not do my research on SS. So, if you do decide to buy one. I do recommend another vendor. I am sad it turned out the way it did. If it worked properly I would still have it.
This is just my experience. I know others have had the opposite experience. So YMMV.
Good luck to everyone....
