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

Kenny_ said:
Just taking a look cause I'm still interested in that new EG4 18Kpv and Powerpro batteries.... wow! They want $1350 for shipping while Signature Solar has free shipping for the next couple of weeks! A significant $$ discount.
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Offer to provide your own shipping. You can schedule the pickup yourself. They just need to be able to load the trailer.
 
Dave911 said:
Well, this has been a long read as I've read the entire thread from #1 to #779.

I'm not young. I have been working with electrical power equipment, distributors and manufactures longer than many of you have been alive, since the mid 70's. That doesn't mean I know everything, but I have a lot of experience. I am now a software and controls contractor, probably very much like Watts Happening, but just a bit older.

Lux power needs to grab a hold of Signature Solar and do some shaking. Serious shaking! Their customer support and customer interaction (even in public!) is abysmal. If I was running Signature Solar, I would have some of their spokespeople relinquish their log on credentials to email and internet access and show them to a broom and a new pay schedule. They know who they are!

I can relate to Watts Happening. As a contractor with a real business, I can probably buy a Sol Ark significantly cheaper than retail if I dig into it. That doesn't make me a distributor! If you have a company, you can do things you can't do as a retail buyer. I can buy equipment at a discount and resell it. That's doesn't make me a distributor or shill. That makes me a contractor.

Support on smart devices, like these inverters is extremely important obviously. The support attempt here by Signature Solar was again, abysmal.

Anyway, as a newbie to home solar systems, I won't be buying much from Signature Solar with any expectation of support. Signature Solar is like Walmart. You can buy it. I may or may not work. Just make sure you buy it with a credit card so you can force a return if needed.

In the industrial controls and power world there are a few different classes of distributors. They is the big box distributor. These guys sell boxes that contain equipment and when it breaks, you don't bother to call the distributor because they are worthless technically. They won't call you back. Emails are returned after days of waiting. But they are cheap because they don't provide a reasonable level of support.

Then there are distributors that provide a midrange of support. Most people will be happy with them, but if anything really complicated like this OP suffered occurs, they fall back to manufacturer support.

Then there is the engineering/system houses that will sell parts and equipment but can also diagnose and solve very complex problems with little to no help from the manufacturer. Yes, they are more expensive, but they are true experts in what they sell.
I've been fortunate enough to work with all of these types of distributors as a manufactures engineer and salesman in the past.

Signature Solar would like to be a big box distributor, but they suck at support and sales. In this situation, they have slandered their customer (in public!!!) rather than deal in a respectful manner. Their best technical support seems to be in Germany!?!? All of this adds up to a grade of "horrible" from me.

I suspect there are other ways to buy Lux Power inverters. I'm at this forum because I need to learn who the players are. This thread has been VERY informative. If you are in the market to buy solar equipment, you should read this entire thread. It’s taken me hours. But it has been very worthwhile! Thanks Will Prowse for maintaining this forum! Lux Power, Signature Solar, you know what has to be done! Do it!
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I appreciate you taking the time to read it, and your attention to detail.

To this day, I hope they fix what needs to be fixed on their end so they can flourish and the members of our “community” can all have fair priced, excellent equipment.

I’m sure I’ll forever be their enemy, but I kid you not, they just shipped more mounts to me today.

I believe in having a truly open and honest dialect, sometimes that isn’t easy for people, but it gets a lot easier if you’re doing the right thing all the time.
 
To be fair to signature solar, I don't think it shipped with the firmware that they thought they were getting, almost seems like alpha firmware. But it is now fully up to speed and working perfectly and believe me I've been critical of signature solar in the past.
 
Quattrohead said:
To be fair to signature solar, I don't think it shipped with the firmware that they thought they were getting, almost seems like alpha firmware. But it is now fully up to speed and working perfectly and believe me I've been critical of signature solar in the past.
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I can’t argue against this, as I don’t know what it was supposed to, or not supposed to have.

What I do know, is how they handled that with me, and that it was changed multiple times and still caused problems.

I wish I had one on hand now, it would be nice to test out and see the progress first hand. If it’s truly to the point that it works as advertised it would be a lot easier to recommend.

Currently I just don’t have a reason to spend the money. It’d truly be for nothing more than a test. And one I have to assume they don’t want me of all people doing.
 
Quattrohead said:
To be fair to signature solar, I don't think it shipped with the firmware that they thought they were getting, almost seems like alpha firmware. But it is now fully up to speed and working perfectly and believe me I've been critical of signature solar in the past.
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To be fair to Signature Solar?? What? You might want to go back and re-read all of the nonsense the Signature Solar created.

"Fair" would be making a public apology for the way they treated a paying customer. Yeah, I didn't read that in this thread.

"Fair" would be making James an "Ex" employee.

I have no sympathy for distributors who make a mistake, then make more mistakes while trying to clean up the first mistake, and then attempt to spear the customer who bought their product when they can't fix things. There is no excuse for that. If they got the wrong firmware, that should have been an easy fix. Signature Solar made the situation a nightmare.

If Signature Solar was smart, they would have dispatched a few technicians to Watts Happening's residence to figure it out, or send a truck to pick it up and bring it back to their shop to figure it all out.

Signature Solar made so many major mistakes here that are documented. Its an very damning situation for Signature Solar.

Running a business is brutal. If Signature Solar can't deal fairly with customers. Shut it down. Its all over. The business has failed.

I'd like to see Signature Solar management, like the President, address this situation and tell me why we, as paying customers should purchase equipment from them in the future if this is the way they treat customers. I suspect the President of Signature Solar is reading this thread. If not, he's as out of touch with his business as I suspect he is. I have $15K that will go into solar components in the next 12 months. Right now, Signature Solar is off my list of possible suppliers for anything substantial. I have to believe that I am just one of dozens on this forum who are in the same camp.
 
Dave911 said:
To be fair to Signature Solar?? What? You might want to go back and re-read all of the nonsense the Signature Solar created.

"Fair" would be making a public apology for the way they treated a paying customer. Yeah, I didn't read that in this thread.

"Fair" would be making James an "Ex" employee.

I have no sympathy for distributors who make a mistake, then make more mistakes while trying to clean up the first mistake, and then attempt to spear the customer who bought their product when they can't fix things. There is no excuse for that. If they got the wrong firmware, that should have been an easy fix. Signature Solar made the situation a nightmare.

If Signature Solar was smart, they would have dispatched a few technicians to Watts Happening's residence to figure it out, or send a truck to pick it up and bring it back to their shop to figure it all out.

Signature Solar made so many major mistakes here that are documented. Its an very damning situation for Signature Solar.

Running a business is brutal. If Signature Solar can't deal fairly with customers. Shut it down. Its all over. The business has failed.

I'd like to see Signature Solar management, like the President, address this situation and tell me why we, as paying customers should purchase equipment from them in the future if this is the way they treat customers. I suspect the President of Signature Solar is reading this thread. If not, he's as out of touch with his business as I suspect he is. I have $15K that will go into solar components in the next 12 months. Right now, Signature Solar is off my list of possible suppliers for anything substantial. I have to believe that I am just one of dozens on this forum who are in the same camp.
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Again, I completely agree.

However, my understanding is that the “president” of signature solar is literally the one causing the problems in this instance. James being one of the “head honchos”, I forget his roll, lead engineer or something to that effect.

When you have those individuals acting in that capacity, you end up with a systemic problem. Good leadership breeds success.

Their business is clearly financially succeeding, great timing with the market, but long term they’re looking at nightmares. This is unfortunately a far-too-common scenario with their support.

I’ve hoped for months to see exactly what you said, but never once has anything truly changed.
 
altenergy20 said:
re: exporting to grid.

I found something called "guerilla net metering". Apparently we all are led to believe there's something the power companies do that allow you to connect. This is not true in some case.

I don't recommend doing without asking.

The power company guy said if the meter has the number 201 then it's a one way meter. It just spins forward regardless of the direction of the current. So you'll get punished if you export.

Otherwise, some meters will happily spin backward and no formal permission is needed - thus "guerilla".
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Yes this is very true . If you are selling to the grid ensure you have smart/two way meter.
Or you will be giving your power for free and then pay for that same powered .Double loss.
 
Crowz said:
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.
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Just wow, I had some beef with them which thankfully they did compensate but as well went through hell to get it . They seems to be some people that really cares but I really though SS would have learnt from their mistakes,
They have brought prices down and made teir one companies rethink a lot on their products, but their customer services and returns really needs work.
That’s why I love Midnite.Outback hope they don’t changeMidnite is becoming a really good tier one contender for price and quality .just a tad more
 
Again I will say this is why I love Outback and Midnite Solar .Even if you are an idiot that needs a slap they would not treat you this way they will ‘Support you technically ‘
I recalled my first customer experiences with these companies .Honestly I felt I giving them money I didn’t have ?(broke).
 
G00SE said:
a bit of a challenge as he’s the founder/ceo
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Good to know.

I've heard plenty from James!

So James, no need to further explain yourself. I get it.
A company is a reflection of its CEO.
Hence Signature Solar's abysmal customer service. Its all over this forum.

James, I asked you in a prior post, in a different thread, how you could account for the bad reviews I keep seeing regarding Signature Solar.
You didn't reply.

My advice; Sell it while you can. And I'm not talking about product.
You aren't suited for your role. Seriously, get out while you can.

Signature Solar has been removed from my vendor list!

Life is too short for this kind of nonsense.
 
Don't want to fan the flames, but....I keep leaning toward buying from them but I don't think I can...too many bad vibes... just doing some research on SS Support (googling etc) and ran across this. He system is apparently working but man what a horrible way to get there.

 
LydMekk said:
He actually dropped the EG4s amd bought Victron.
Got tired of the issues.
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Really...in a follow up or something? I believe it.....

I kinda have a quandry... will post a separate thread asking for advice....don't think I can go with SS...
 
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