MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — A Monroe County couple needs to know why their costly photo voltaic system is not working. They tried to get solutions from their photo voltaic contractor, however received no response.
Their messages despatched to the enterprise in Bristol, Tennessee went unanswered. The dearth of communication pissed off the couple.
There are a number of forms of solar energy techniques. Grid-tied techniques, the least costly, are for owners who reside close to the ability grid. Off-grid techniques have extra battery prices, so these techniques are hottest in distant places.
with Mike and Tiffany Heaton, who reside in a distant space, the entire level of going photo voltaic is to decrease their electrical energy payments and have a backup if their electrical energy goes out. None of that occurred. Proper now, their system does not even work.
“That is our photo voltaic Edge inverter system. That takes it from the photo voltaic panels on the roof, it goes by the inverter that runs our meter,” Mike mentioned. “None of it really works. No financial savings.”
Mike and Tiffany Heaton’s Tellico Plains house has had photo voltaic panels for 3 and a half years.
“We purchased the costliest, highest-end photo voltaic bundle that Design 1 needed to supply,” Tiffany mentioned.
The couple paid almost $40,000 for the system from Design 1 Photo voltaic Group out of Bristol, Tennessee.
“I belief this firm, I belief that they’re who they are saying they’re. I belief that they’re a photo voltaic knowledgeable,” mentioned Tiffany.
“At this level, I simply need it to go away. It has been three years of complications,” mentioned Mike.
Headache is a nasty system that offers hassle to the couple virtually from the start.
“That is what saves me essentially the most cash. That is what they promised would save me cash,” mentioned Mike.
This photo voltaic hybrid power water heater has by no means labored. Mike mentioned Design 1 Photo voltaic by no means got here again to make it work. He simply switched it to electrical.
“Mainly cellphone calls, texts I despatched. You’ll be able to see the listing,” mentioned Mike.
Design 1’s messages went unanswered, he mentioned. And, there may be one other concern. They do not have a written contract.
“We do not have [the contract] nonetheless,” mentioned “They are saying they despatched it to me, however I haven’t got it.”
A letter from Enerbank USA, their mortgage firm, says the house enchancment challenge with Design 1 Group is full. The couple mentioned their salesman admitted that they may decrease prices by putting in photo voltaic panels and since they reside in a rural space their system kicks in after they lose energy. However Mike later discovered, that wasn’t the case.
“We do not have batteries,” mentioned Mike. He would go on to say that he was by no means knowledgeable that they have been out of battery.
“After they first got here out they instructed me photo voltaic would a minimum of save me 50% on my electrical invoice,” says Tiffany.
Nonetheless, the charges from Ft. Loudoun Electrical has proven no financial savings because the panels have been put in.
In Madisonville, photo voltaic panels have been put in on the house of Ernie and Sharon Villalobos a yr in the past. On Might 27 of 2022, the meter at Ernie’s home reads zero solar energy generated.
“The photo voltaic panels have not been turned on, I am paying two payments,” Sharon mentioned.
The installer was Design 1 Photo voltaic, the identical enterprise the Heatons employed. WATE despatched an in depth message to Design 1 Photo voltaic on Might 27. Inside just a few days the corporate’s CEO despatched the next directives: “name the couple, arrange a web site go to, ship that rebate test, verify inspections, test energy firm connection,” and activate the system. After months of ready their photo voltaic system lastly began producing clear power.
Again at Tellico Plains, the Heatons hope a technician from Design 1 Photo voltaic will lastly get their system working.
“I need to get what I paid for,” Tiffany mentioned.
Higher Enterprise Bureau data present Design 1 Photo voltaic has an “F” ranking with 134 complaints obtained over the previous three years, and 30 of them stay unanswered, indicating a sample.
Relating to Heaton’s state of affairs, WATE reached out to Design 1 Photo voltaic, left a number of messages, and spoke with a receptionist, however to this point the corporate has chosen to not reply. We have now, nevertheless, left a cellphone quantity for the corporate to contact the Heatons.
