theoriginalgiga
New Member
So I buy an EG4 3000 after watching a lot of Will's reviews. I buy it from Signature Solar since of Will's discussion and reviews of them. Not a great company but not a bad company and clearly not a company who's willing to screw people over. They're a US based company after all. WELL I was wrong...
I purchased my inverter 2/23, I don't get around to installing it until 4/23. Unit powers up, inverter works great, connects to the battery, haven't wired in the solar. So about near the end of July I figure I'd like to setup the wifi and get basic functionality because I'm lazy and want to see status from the comfort of my chair. I wire the provided wifi dongle up with the provided cable but for the life of me can't get it to work at all. Won't connect, can't even tell if it's even on. I figure I've heard a lot of good things about Solar Assistant and have a pi laying around so I figure I'd give that a go. I have a USB to serial adapter that I plug into the cable that came with the wifi dongle and nothing. the Pi can't talk with it so I pull the cable to plug into my laptop, figure I could update the firmware while I'm there and the dongle is hot. Not like hot in poor airflow but so hot the metal on the USB plug could burn you hot. So hot that the thermaformed plastic around the USB dongle is getting soft hot. I immediately disconnect, I grab an ethernet cable, hack off the end and strip back the wires, plug it in and grab my trusty multimeter. Now RS232 should only see up to 15v DC positive or negative and the only DC voltage I see is 13.5v, we're all good. For the sake of being through I swap over to AC and I find AC voltage flowing through it, not only that I see 60v AC on an RS232 port!!!!!
I reach out to SS via phone and chat with them about it and they say they'll send me an email to gather pics and the like. I miss the email and they close my ticket 8/2/23. I reach out, apologize and they're nice enough to open the ticket. I send them the pictures, we go back and forth with a little bit of the information. I get an email from the resolution team saying that I voided the warranty and they can repair it under their first strike policy aka I can pay to ship the unit back, pay for repair that they might be able to repair. Ok something is amiss because how could I have caused the warranty to be void, I call in and the tech tells me that the Solar assistant overvolted the port and backfed 60vAC into the port and killed it that it's my fault. I chat with her back and forth and asked her how a Rasberry Pi generates 60V AC when it's a little linux machine. She refers me to the tech who made the determination and which I email back and forth over this issue. At this point it's 8/28/23 that I've finally talked to the tech, he says that since the issue occurred before I plugged in the pi, this makes a difference and updated the case. I email the resolution team 4 more times over the following 2 1/2 weeks before getting a response (today 9/15/23) to which they say that the initial verdict still stands. I ask them if they re reviewed the additional case notes and they tell me none have been added and that they talked to the tech who was handling my case that the verdict still stands even with additional information provided, which they told me none had been.
So on top of selling a defective product, on top of taking literal months to come to any sort of resolution, after ignoring me for weeks they still refuse to honor the warranty whatsoever and STILL won't tell me how I voided the warranty.
In recent months I've been seeing more and more negative reviews about this company and figured it was a fluke, clearly it isn't.
Part of the forum rules state here is the email chain. I've removed names for privacy concerns. I also apologize it reads from bottom to top. I've also chopped off the beginning of the thread due to character limits
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 11:08 AM, <resolution> wrote:
If you would like to go over the troubleshooting process further regarding the determination please contact the technician <tech> that you originally provided the information to and who made the determination. Thank you
On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 12:47 PM <me> wrote:
Can someone tell me who I voided the warranty?
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 10:23 AM, <resolution> wrote:
Once you have made your decision as to which option you would like to proceed with under the first strike policy we will be happy to assist within the proceedings of your ticket. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your continued support.
On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 11:58 AM <me> wrote:
Really?!?! Are you kidding me?!? There's a huge chain of emails one of which <tech> you say yourself that you've updated the ticket after the verdict since the issue happened before I plugged in the pi it made a difference. This is ridiculous that I spend over $700 and get a defective product and your response is "Oh pay us MORE MONEY to get a replacement and fuck you for wanting a warranty."
If you want to review the email, <tech> you sent it on August 28 and I QUOTE "Good evening <me>,
I see that our ticket was updated by one of our Resolution Specialists <resolution team member 1>, he was awaiting response I believe. I did indeed update the ticket with the information you had mentioned; that there were problems getting the wifi dongle connected initially and that was what led to Solar-Assistant's use!"
Now what the hell? Are you telling me I connected anything to the inverter I void the warranty? That it's my bad that I didn't plug in a signature solar approved laptop? It's a raspberry pi AFTER I plugged in the wifi dongle that didn't work???
So tell me, how the hell did I void the warranty since the problem occurred BEFORE I plugged in a Raspberry pi? ANYONE TELL ME, <tech>? <resolution team member 1>? <resolution team member 2>?
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 9:44 AM, <resolution> wrote:
Hello,
There has absolutely been no additional information or amendments made to the ticket beyond our previous resolution. I just finished speaking with the tech (<tech>) who made the final determination regarding your ticket and he believes that the "First Strike" proceeds to stand as is. If any information needs to be added or amended, it has not been brought to the attention of resolutions at this time therefore we must proceed with the original resolution. Thank you
On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 11:25 AM <me wrote:
Hi <resolution team member 2>, have you re-reviewed the case? Additional information was added after this determination was made. In summary the problem existed before plugging in a Raspberry Pi (which contained the software package solar assistant, which does not and cannot generate AC voltage). There was a miscommunication and the assumption was made that the device (again A raspberry Pi, a little itty bitty linux machine) was some other device which could cause damage to the port. I've confirmed with <tech>, who was the tech on this case, that the information was added.
Thanks,
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 9:19 AM, <resolution> wrote:
On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 10:42 AM <me> wrote:
Hi <resolution team member 1> , I was told to reach out directly to you as you initially handled my case. Could you let me know what we can do to get this resolved. I've been working on this since July and haven't heard a peep back since the end of August.
Thanks,
- Original Message -
On Wednesday, September 6th, 2023 at 11:31 PM, <me> wrote:
Hey resolution team,
I'm following up again on this. Do you have an update?
Thanks
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 1st, 2023 at 12:17 PM, <me> wrote:
Hi Resolution team, I'm following up with you again on this.
Our prior conversation was that the unit was out of warranty due to a non compatible device. The updated information in the ticket should show the original wifi dongle did not work then I moved to the solar assistant (which again is just a piece of software sitting on a raspberry pi connected via the same cable the for the wifi dongle). After neither worked, I voltage tested the port and found AC current on the port.
Please let me know if the newly updated information in the ticket shows that the unit indeed should be covered under warranty.
Thank you all for your time.
- Original Message -
On Monday, August 28th, 2023 at 9:49 PM, <me> wrote:
<tech>, thanks so much for all your work on this. If I could authorize a raise I would!
Resolution team, our prior conversation was that the unit was out of warranty due to a non compatible device. The updated information in the ticket should show the original wifi dongle did not work then I moved to the solar assistant (which again is just a piece of software sitting on a raspberry pi connected via the same cable the for the wifi dongle). After neither worked, I voltage tested the port and found AC current on the port.
Please let me know if the newly updated information in the ticket shows that the unit indeed should be covered under warranty.
Thank you all for your time.
- Original Message -
On Monday, August 28th, 2023 at 9:28 PM, <tech> wrote:
Good evening <me>,
I see that our ticket was updated by one of our Resolution Specialists <resolution team member 1>, he was awaiting response I believe. I did indeed update the ticket with the information you had mentioned; that there were problems getting the wifi dongle connected initially and that was what led to Solar-Assistant's use!
Kind regards, <tech>
I purchased my inverter 2/23, I don't get around to installing it until 4/23. Unit powers up, inverter works great, connects to the battery, haven't wired in the solar. So about near the end of July I figure I'd like to setup the wifi and get basic functionality because I'm lazy and want to see status from the comfort of my chair. I wire the provided wifi dongle up with the provided cable but for the life of me can't get it to work at all. Won't connect, can't even tell if it's even on. I figure I've heard a lot of good things about Solar Assistant and have a pi laying around so I figure I'd give that a go. I have a USB to serial adapter that I plug into the cable that came with the wifi dongle and nothing. the Pi can't talk with it so I pull the cable to plug into my laptop, figure I could update the firmware while I'm there and the dongle is hot. Not like hot in poor airflow but so hot the metal on the USB plug could burn you hot. So hot that the thermaformed plastic around the USB dongle is getting soft hot. I immediately disconnect, I grab an ethernet cable, hack off the end and strip back the wires, plug it in and grab my trusty multimeter. Now RS232 should only see up to 15v DC positive or negative and the only DC voltage I see is 13.5v, we're all good. For the sake of being through I swap over to AC and I find AC voltage flowing through it, not only that I see 60v AC on an RS232 port!!!!!
I reach out to SS via phone and chat with them about it and they say they'll send me an email to gather pics and the like. I miss the email and they close my ticket 8/2/23. I reach out, apologize and they're nice enough to open the ticket. I send them the pictures, we go back and forth with a little bit of the information. I get an email from the resolution team saying that I voided the warranty and they can repair it under their first strike policy aka I can pay to ship the unit back, pay for repair that they might be able to repair. Ok something is amiss because how could I have caused the warranty to be void, I call in and the tech tells me that the Solar assistant overvolted the port and backfed 60vAC into the port and killed it that it's my fault. I chat with her back and forth and asked her how a Rasberry Pi generates 60V AC when it's a little linux machine. She refers me to the tech who made the determination and which I email back and forth over this issue. At this point it's 8/28/23 that I've finally talked to the tech, he says that since the issue occurred before I plugged in the pi, this makes a difference and updated the case. I email the resolution team 4 more times over the following 2 1/2 weeks before getting a response (today 9/15/23) to which they say that the initial verdict still stands. I ask them if they re reviewed the additional case notes and they tell me none have been added and that they talked to the tech who was handling my case that the verdict still stands even with additional information provided, which they told me none had been.
So on top of selling a defective product, on top of taking literal months to come to any sort of resolution, after ignoring me for weeks they still refuse to honor the warranty whatsoever and STILL won't tell me how I voided the warranty.
In recent months I've been seeing more and more negative reviews about this company and figured it was a fluke, clearly it isn't.
Part of the forum rules state here is the email chain. I've removed names for privacy concerns. I also apologize it reads from bottom to top. I've also chopped off the beginning of the thread due to character limits
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 11:08 AM, <resolution> wrote:
If you would like to go over the troubleshooting process further regarding the determination please contact the technician <tech> that you originally provided the information to and who made the determination. Thank you
On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 12:47 PM <me> wrote:
Can someone tell me who I voided the warranty?
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 10:23 AM, <resolution> wrote:
Once you have made your decision as to which option you would like to proceed with under the first strike policy we will be happy to assist within the proceedings of your ticket. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your continued support.
On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 11:58 AM <me> wrote:
Really?!?! Are you kidding me?!? There's a huge chain of emails one of which <tech> you say yourself that you've updated the ticket after the verdict since the issue happened before I plugged in the pi it made a difference. This is ridiculous that I spend over $700 and get a defective product and your response is "Oh pay us MORE MONEY to get a replacement and fuck you for wanting a warranty."
If you want to review the email, <tech> you sent it on August 28 and I QUOTE "Good evening <me>,
I see that our ticket was updated by one of our Resolution Specialists <resolution team member 1>, he was awaiting response I believe. I did indeed update the ticket with the information you had mentioned; that there were problems getting the wifi dongle connected initially and that was what led to Solar-Assistant's use!"
Now what the hell? Are you telling me I connected anything to the inverter I void the warranty? That it's my bad that I didn't plug in a signature solar approved laptop? It's a raspberry pi AFTER I plugged in the wifi dongle that didn't work???
So tell me, how the hell did I void the warranty since the problem occurred BEFORE I plugged in a Raspberry pi? ANYONE TELL ME, <tech>? <resolution team member 1>? <resolution team member 2>?
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 9:44 AM, <resolution> wrote:
Hello,
There has absolutely been no additional information or amendments made to the ticket beyond our previous resolution. I just finished speaking with the tech (<tech>) who made the final determination regarding your ticket and he believes that the "First Strike" proceeds to stand as is. If any information needs to be added or amended, it has not been brought to the attention of resolutions at this time therefore we must proceed with the original resolution. Thank you
On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 11:25 AM <me wrote:
Hi <resolution team member 2>, have you re-reviewed the case? Additional information was added after this determination was made. In summary the problem existed before plugging in a Raspberry Pi (which contained the software package solar assistant, which does not and cannot generate AC voltage). There was a miscommunication and the assumption was made that the device (again A raspberry Pi, a little itty bitty linux machine) was some other device which could cause damage to the port. I've confirmed with <tech>, who was the tech on this case, that the information was added.
Thanks,
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 at 9:19 AM, <resolution> wrote:
Hello,
<canned out of warranty resolution response>On Fri, Sep 15, 2023 at 10:42 AM <me> wrote:
Hi <resolution team member 1> , I was told to reach out directly to you as you initially handled my case. Could you let me know what we can do to get this resolved. I've been working on this since July and haven't heard a peep back since the end of August.
Thanks,
- Original Message -
On Wednesday, September 6th, 2023 at 11:31 PM, <me> wrote:
Hey resolution team,
I'm following up again on this. Do you have an update?
Thanks
- Original Message -
On Friday, September 1st, 2023 at 12:17 PM, <me> wrote:
Hi Resolution team, I'm following up with you again on this.
Our prior conversation was that the unit was out of warranty due to a non compatible device. The updated information in the ticket should show the original wifi dongle did not work then I moved to the solar assistant (which again is just a piece of software sitting on a raspberry pi connected via the same cable the for the wifi dongle). After neither worked, I voltage tested the port and found AC current on the port.
Please let me know if the newly updated information in the ticket shows that the unit indeed should be covered under warranty.
Thank you all for your time.
- Original Message -
On Monday, August 28th, 2023 at 9:49 PM, <me> wrote:
<tech>, thanks so much for all your work on this. If I could authorize a raise I would!
Resolution team, our prior conversation was that the unit was out of warranty due to a non compatible device. The updated information in the ticket should show the original wifi dongle did not work then I moved to the solar assistant (which again is just a piece of software sitting on a raspberry pi connected via the same cable the for the wifi dongle). After neither worked, I voltage tested the port and found AC current on the port.
Please let me know if the newly updated information in the ticket shows that the unit indeed should be covered under warranty.
Thank you all for your time.
- Original Message -
On Monday, August 28th, 2023 at 9:28 PM, <tech> wrote:
Good evening <me>,
I see that our ticket was updated by one of our Resolution Specialists <resolution team member 1>, he was awaiting response I believe. I did indeed update the ticket with the information you had mentioned; that there were problems getting the wifi dongle connected initially and that was what led to Solar-Assistant's use!
Kind regards, <tech>
