Solar SME

So far it's been great: First our salesman, Danny Russell, who patiently and thoroughly answered all of our questions. And then our project manager, Kevin Martin, who did not make Danny a liar and was very communicative and supportive throughout the installation of our solar panels. Everything has happened on schedule and has been very seamless. We are not yet up and running because there are a couple of inspections ahead of us. But based on the past two months of working with Danny and Kevin @ Solar SME we would do it again any day!

I had the pleasure of working with Danny Russell as my energy consultant, and I highly recommend him. Danny’s expertise and professionalism were evident from the start. He took the time to assess my energy needs and provided a customized solution that exceeded my expectations.

What sets Danny apart is his ability to explain complex energy concepts in a simple, understandable way. His recommendations were practical and actionable, helping me optimize energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Danny was always responsive, reliable, and dedicated to finding the best solutions. Thanks to his guidance, I am poised to see a significant reduction in my energy costs and gained a better understanding of my energy needs.

If you're looking for an energy consultant who delivers excellent results with genuine care, Danny Russell is the one to call!

Recently had an issue with the combiner that was part of my solar installation from a couple of years ago. Roman worked closely with me and was able to resolve the issue which ultimately resulted in the PC board being replaced covered by the warranty. Roman kept me informed and followed up to insure everything was working correctly.

I am extremely pleased with the recent repairs done to my PV system. Solar SMU and Faris Atal provided outstanding service, quickly addressing and resolving the issues. Their expertise and professionalism were evident throughout the entire process. I am incredibly happy with the speed at which the repairs were completed and my system is now functioning perfectly. Thank you for the excellent work!

My experience with SolarSME has been overwhelmingly negative, with only a few positives to mention. Here’s a detailed account of the many issues I encountered.

They grossly misrepresented the benefits tied to our local power company, specifically promising a $35 monthly credit that turned out to be nonexistent. This was a crucial factor in my decision-making, and when I inquired about it later, no one at SolarSME had any idea what I was talking about. Note: They are very careful to make certain promises over the phone-only.

Management:
The project management was an absolute disaster. Our initial project manager was completely incompetent, causing delays and providing incorrect information many times. It took three weeks for him to send a simple email, significantly delaying the project. Even after being reassigned to Erik, who was more responsive, it was clear that the entire organization suffers from severe disorganization, due to much of the operation being run offshore.

Installation:
The only redeeming part of my experience with SolarSME was the installation team—Mohammed, Rakan, and Jose. They were punctual, polite, and hardworking, deserving five stars. Their professionalism was a stark contrast to the rest of the experience.

Timeline:
The process from our initial discussion to installation dragged on from February to July. Some delays were due to our additional requests for a battery and car charger, the majority of the delay was due to the incompetence of the initial project manager and the company's disorganization.

Car Charger:
The car charger installation was another headache, complicated by our home’s layout and HOA regulations. Although the team eventually got it installed, the process was far from smooth. The initial project manager suggested running an extension cord over a public sidewalk to charge our car—an utterly unacceptable and unsafe solution. The charger works and I have no complaints there, but I had to assist with the installation and purchase over $200 worth of equipment of my own to help.

Battery:
This is where the experience falls apart. The sales team failed to do their due diligence, leading to a severely underpowered battery system. We expected a full home backup but instead get a mere 3-5 hours of usage. This forces us to rely on the grid at night, and the solar during the day is wasted recharging the battery instead of covering our usage. In July, our electric bill was over $80—barely less than befor. The situation was further aggravated when "Ryan" tried to charge us more to move the battery AFTER it was installed, despite the placement being clearly outlined and agreed upon beforehand. Their proposed "solution" to reduce our battery capacity to 40-50% is baffling.

Financials:
The total cost of the system was ~$52,000, which we financed with a 30-year loan. Our payments, before tax credits, are ~$280 a month—on top of our existing power bill. We ARE STILL GETTING A HUGE BILL with no real improvement in our energy independence. Turninghat was supposed to be a cost-saving investment into a financial burden.

Additional Notes:
Battery Issues: We are still waiting for a service call to get our battery running again.
Bait-and-Switch Tactics: We were told a 17 kWh Panasonic system, but this was swapped to a SolaX system with little U.S. support and a poorly functioning app.
Poor Logistics: We had nearly 2,000 pounds of solar panels stored in our living room and kitchen for over a month due to delays in installation. They should have been responsible for storage.

Final Thoughts:
As someone who runs a million-dollar service business, I believe in delivering what the client paid for. In rare cases where we fail, we go out of our way to make it right. SolarSME, however, expects the client to bear the burden of their failures and act as their own project manager. In summary, SolarSME has made our household bills higher and our daily lives significantly more inconvenient. I cannot recommend them—avoid SolarSME at all costs.

The installation itself was efficient and done with great care. The crew arrived on time, worked diligently, and left my property spotless. It was clear that they take pride in their work and prioritize customer satisfaction.

one year after installation and counting... from first contact to final product in 3 months. very smooth and straight forward process without hicups and a good price...very satisfyed with my power generation plant, would add about 10% more over estimate, if I can do it again. the only regret is, i can not order more sun light, but this is in different department.

I would not get solar panels here, I shopped many companies and end with Solar SME. After two years of emails and calls, my 40K system never once produced what there sales team marketed and quoted it at! All they tell me is the was no production guarantee!! But to sell the job all they push was there calculations and sun reports in front of you! I even increased my panel count from 101% of my annual usage to 113% based on there calculations. Went from an electric range to a gas range during this time. Two years never covered my electricity yet

They should make right by add more panels to match the production levels they showed this system to be able to produce. I’m concern what it’s going to do in ten years when the panels degeneration really kicks in.

I’ve called and sent emails so many times you just get pushed to the next person and to the next. After weeks and months of emails and phone calls, you’ll eventually get a emailed response like “your system is performing adequately, a chart showing your panel output”

Solar is a great thing but lot of the companies are misrepresenting what these panels can do. You shouldn’t sell a car and tell your clients it will get 30 mile per gallon and truly it barely gets 20! That’s what you call false advertising!!!!

I worked with Noman M. from Sales, Robert H. for the Project Management, and Frank for the installation of the system. I enjoyed working with all 3 and if I ever want to expand my system, I would be happy to work with any or all of them.

I had my solar panels installed by SolarSME in 2023. The installation process was lengthy, taking several months. During this time, the contractors were all very good, professional, and efficient. However, the communication from SolarSME was terrible. The project management team was extremely disorganized, were unable to answer my questions, and would go for long periods without replying to me.

The installation process was finished, and my solar panels were turned on in July 2023. They never functioned at full capacity, and have not yet produced more than 80% of the capacity that it should. I inquired about this shortly after the installation was completed and was told that this was due to two of my microinverters being connected to two panels instead of four, so the output would be less. After researching this and talking with other experts, this turns out to be less than true. However, the system has a 25 year guarantee that guarantees 90% capacity, so I will be filing the necessary papers every year to get paid the difference.

However, a few months ago (June 2024) my solar panels shut off completely. I finally located and called the customer service phone number, only to be transferred four times before reaching the project management team. It took over two weeks to schedule a team to come to my home to look at my panels. They were able to get them mostly functioning again, but determined that two of my microinverters needed to be replaced. This means that eight (out of 26) of my panels are not functioning. The customer service is abysmal. Every time I call, I am told the same line that "they were just looking at my account," or they were "just on a call about my issue." My microinverters have been ordered, and now I am in the process of repeatedly nagging the project manager, Roman, to schedule the team to come and replace them. They were originally supposed to be here three weeks ago, but never showed. Roman informed me that there was an emergency elsewhere. After several more texts (half of which were ignored), Roman scheduled the team to come last week. They didn't show up that day, either. I am now waiting to hear back from him again with a new date.

Overall, I am very disappointed with the solar panel system I bought and my experience with SolarSME. I paid $32,000 a year ago to have my system installed, and it has not worked properly or at full capacity since day one. Trying to get anything done about it is a hassle. I do not recommend this company to anyone.