Opinion on Sungevity and quote comparison with a local installer

[evowner]

I've been getting quotes for a 10 kw system in Massachusetts, Sungevity was the cheapest so far. The reviews don't sounds too great, what's the opinion about their installs?
Sungevity had the following config for $35,500, with a 20 year warranty

System Size/Type: 9.75 kW DC STC / 8.5 kW CEC-AC Roof-Mounted Solar System
Modules: Hyundai Heavy Industries HiS-M250MG(BK) -qty: 39
Inverters: SolarEdge Technologies SE 5000A-US (240V) -qty: 1
SolarEdge Technologies SE 3800A-US (240V) -qty: 1
Monitoring: 20 years monitoring services included

I had a local company offer a system with better panels and microinverters for the same price and a 25 year warranty on the panels and microinverters. Is it preferable going with the microinverters for the same price?

Size of Solar Electric System: 9.945 kW DC at STC
Mounting Method: Flush Mount on Roof
Mounting System: Unirac: Solar Mount: Flush
Number of Solar Electric Panels: 39
Manufacturer and Model Number of Solar Panels: Canadian Solar CS6P-255P
Inverter Manufacturer: Enphase Micro Inverters
Direction of Solar Panels (Azimuth): 190 Degrees
Tilt of Solar Panels: 30 Degrees
Annual Solar Access: 95%

[sensij]

There are some people who prefer microinverters, others who prefer SolarEdge. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, and with some research, you might be able to decide which is better for you. One blog that helped me decide is here, with a followup here. The posts are not recent, but I'm not sure much has changed.

Sungevity will not be doing the install, they will contract with someone local. In my case, the installer they worked with is well respected and is not strictly a solar installer, but also does electrical contracting. For other reasons, I decided not to go with them, but I do not think I would regret it if I had.

For what reason do you think the Canadian Solar panels are better than the Hyundai's? There are some differences between them that could lead someone to that conclusion, but I'm not sure it is obvious which one is better.

Looking just at how much energy you'll get for your money, the 2nd one looks a little better. How much energy do you need? Both systems are somewhat larger than the average installation.

[evowner]

I've read the blogs and am still not clear between micro inverters and central inverters which ones make sense longer term at the same price.

The Canadian Solar panels are 255 watts Vs 250 watts of the Hyundai, a slight difference.

As an EV owner I need to max out the energy, also helps with the SREC income.

What has the experience been dealing with Sungevity, do they pick good installers and how're they to deal with during the install and post-install issues that might arise.

[Amy@altE]

it's a tie

Micro inverters are just small inverters that are installed outside on the back of the panels, and converted to AC on the roof, so you are sending 240V AC down to the house instead of 600VDC being sent to a string inverter that is usually installed inside near the Main breaker box. The advantage of microinverters is you can monitor and control each panel individually, so if you have partial shading on one panel, it doesn't negatively affect the rest of them. The advantage of a string inverter is it is usually installed inside, so protected from the elements, and less expensive than micros. There is also debate about which is better, having 1 single point of failure as opposed to 39 possible points of failure.

The SolarEdge inverter you are being quoted is a bit of a hybrid, it has "optimizers" that install outside on the back of the panels that increase the output and provide individual monitoring like microinverters do, but send the DC down to the inverter that is installed inside. You get the benefits of both types. My opinion (I've been selling solar for 7 years) is that both the Hyundai and Canadian Solar are comperable in quality, they are both very good.

Confirm with the installers how they are going to flash the racking on the roof. With Sungevity, you may not know who is doing the install until they show up, with going direct with an installer, you have some control about feeling like you trust the actual person doing the install. Check to see if the installers are NABCEP certified at http://www.nabcep.org/.

I know I didn't give an opinion of which system is better, because I think they are both excellent options and will probably output close to the same. GO with the installer you feel more comfortable with.

[russ]

The Canadian Solar panels are 255 watts Vs 250 watts of the Hyundai, a slight difference.

As an EV owner I need to max out the energy, also helps with the SREC income.

You will never even see the difference.

[evowner]

Also installer 2 provided an option of using Suniva OPT-270-60-4-1B0 panels to maximize the generation, is it worth the $2000+ difference?
I'm leaning towards Sungevity mainly because of their performance guaranty and a $500 downpayment compared to $2000 for installer #2. However, installer#2 is NABCEP certified, whereas the installer that Sungevity picked doesn't show up in the certification.

[Montrose]

My Sungevity install went live on 10/31/14 in MA. 36 245W Hyundai panels, SolarEdge 7600. 8.82 KW, 345 kWh generated so far this month. Process started on June 30th with a deposit and just made the last payment this afternoon.

They used The Boston Solar Company for the install. According to one of the Boston Solar Guys, 30% or more of their work is Sungevity.

It could have gone more smoothly ... a bit due to Sungevity shifting from SMC to SolarEdge over the summer for the Quick DC shutdown requirement in MA, a bit because (I think) Sungevity is really just getting into sales heavily vs leasing so some of their processes are still set up around the lease model, some because I am impatient when I am dropping a pile of cash, some because Sungevity used a different design than the final version to pull the permit as things were in flux design wise then.... some because the installer made the line side tap at the meter vs at the panel where Sungevity wanted, had to come back to change and in the process cut the CAT5 from the inverter to my router so we needed another visit to fix that and then they had to come back when not all the optimizers were reporting due to a wiring error… Oh and the LOCUS meter was not set up initially too.

But with all of that Sungevity seemed interested in getting it all correct, and they have been easy to contact (I've dealt with 1 person for paperwork and permits, 2 project managers, 1 sales guy, 2 support staff, 1 system performance analyst, 1 customer experience manager and a billing specialist). There has not been anything they have said no to that I have asked for. Even got me access to the SolarEdge portal on top of their LOCUS monitoring portal (I don’t believe they are rolling it out for everyone at this point).

And even though Boston Solar got unlucky with the cable cutting (it was buried in insulation foam, OK it was the foam they had recently installed..but) and did have a wiring issue, the install is very clean. They were able to run the conduit up through garage into attic space, there are no long unsightly conduit runs on my house because of this. The DC team doing that work went the extra to make it nice.

So all in all. If you are willing to keep up with them and know what you want installed, they are generally priced well and they are responsive. I also took the long view that in 20 years who is more likely to still be around, a local installer or Sungevity. I would bet on Sungevity (or someone who buys them out) vs the local guy.

As for price. Sungevity should be able to move off that number unless the roof is an issue. That seems high mine came in at 3.37/watt, it was a relatively simple install though.


Hope it helps with your decision.

[russ]

Also installer 2 provided an option of using Suniva OPT-270-60-4-1B0 panels to maximize the generation, is it worth the $2000+ difference?
I'm leaning towards Sungevity mainly because of their performance guaranty and a $500 downpayment compared to $2000 for installer #2. However, installer#2 is NABCEP certified, whereas the installer that Sungevity picked doesn't show up in the certification.

Do not depend on the NABCEP certification - talk to othe users and look at the party's work.

[evowner]

Thank you Montrose, makes me feel better hearing from someone in ma who's already gone through sungevity. There are 2 roofs on the property which could possibly account for the higher cost.

[evowner]

Can me send your config and the price you paid so that I can push back for a better price with sungevity.

[subdriver97]

Sungevity had the following config for $35,500, with a 20 year warranty

System Size/Type: 9.75 kW DC STC / 8.5 kW CEC-AC Roof-Mounted Solar System
Modules: Hyundai Heavy Industries HiS-M250MG(BK) -qty: 39
Inverters: SolarEdge Technologies SE 5000A-US (240V) -qty: 1
SolarEdge Technologies SE 3800A-US (240V) -qty: 1
Monitoring: 20 years monitoring services included

I noticed that the inverter in the Sungevity estimate is the SolarEdge SE 5000A. If the entire 9.75 kW system will be hooked up to it (the above says qty 1). Unless the 1 should be a 2 since you mentioned two roofs... (Or are the two roofs facing different or really inefficient directions such that the system as a whole would never output more than the 5000A spec of 6250W?)

Take a look at this spec sheet:

http://www.solaredge.us/files/pdfs/products/inverters/se-single-phase-us-inverter-datasheet.pdf

[Montrose]

I noticed that the inverter in the Sungevity estimate is the SolarEdge SE 5000A. If the entire 9.75 kW system will be hooked up to it (the above says qty 1). Unless the 1 should be a 2 since you mentioned two roofs... (Or are the two roofs facing different or really inefficient directions such that the system as a whole would never output more than the 5000A spec of 6250W?)

Take a look at this spec sheet:

http://www.solaredge.us/files/pdfs/p...-datasheet.pdf

He has two inverters in the quote, the second is the " SolarEdge Technologies SE 3800A-US (240V) -qty: 1" right below the 5000A.

[Montrose]

Can me send your config and the price you paid so that I can push back for a better price with sungevity.

8.82 kW DC
(36) HYUNDAI HIS-M245MG(BK)
(1) SOLAREDGE SE7600A-US
$3.37/watt DC pre-rebates/tax incentives
2 arrays on 2 connected roofs
This was priced in June and there was some promotion that got me 1000 off for using a referral rather than 500. I negotiated a little from there as well.

Picture1.jpg

[russ]

8.82 kW DC
(36) HYUNDAI HIS-M245MG(BK)
(1) SOLAREDGE SE7600A-US
$3.37/watt DC pre-rebates/tax incentives
2 arrays on 2 connected roofs
This was priced in June and there was some promotion that got me 1000 off for using a referral rather than 500. I negotiated a little from there as well.

The promotion money and referral money you should always demand for yourself. It is just the cost of a sales to the supplier.

[subdriver97]

He has two inverters in the quote, the second is the " SolarEdge Technologies SE 3800A-US (240V) -qty: 1" right below the 5000A.

Apparently, I'm as blind as a bat!