Inverter, batteries, solar panel installation with a geyser solar conversion at a Sectional Title townhouse

APS (and their agents) installed an inverter system with 2 batteries and did a geyser conversion to solar, at my home, which is part of a shared title complex.

I chose APS based on the reviews on hellopeter.com, 2 comparative quotes and their agreement to abide by the rules for the installation of the solar panels at my complex. The application for the rules, in this context, is mostly placement of the panels to ensure continued and easy maintenance to the roof by the complex.

Prior to acceptance of the quote, I requested them to visit the site to appreciate the challenges with respect to complying with the rules of my complex, and to identify any relevant challenges to the installation. The salesperson initially resisted, but did accommodate me, albeit only to soothe my reservations. I don’t think the sale person has the technical skillset to add value with a site visit. During this visit, I specifically asked if APS uses contractors to install the systems. They specifically denied that they will make use of contractors. I believe this is untrue as APS and the installation company are two separate companies, although they wore APS branding when they arrived to do the installation. It would have helped to know this as managing the two entities was a challenge until I figured it out, especially considering that quite a few things went wrong during the installation.

I spent the first morning of the installation at my house making sure the installers understood the rules of my complex, but in the evening, I found out that they ignored them. They had to redistribute the panels to comply the next day. I was threatened that I would pay an additional day’s labour by APS because of this, but they didn’t charge me. I found this a frustrating experience as I had gone through quite lengths to convey the importance of compliance with these rules.

There were technical difficulties with the solar conversion of my geyser and after 4 days working on it, it was leaking. APS (or the installation company) replaced the geyser free of charge. During the process a hole was punched through my ceiling which the installation company fixed free of charge to my satisfaction.

Upon completion, I withheld final payment until the COC was issued. APS told me that it was not what we agreed, but I specifically referred to this in my email to APS when I paid the deposit. While final payment was made immediately after the COC was issued, it just emphasized how little attention they paid to the information that I gave them prior to the installation.

I give APS 4 stars considering the lack of initial transparency on the contractors used for the installation, and the lack of attention to the rules of my complex by both APS and the contractors. The system seems to be working fine after just a week of completion, except for the visibility of the batteries on the phone app. I understand from the installer that it has been reported by quite a few other clients. Not sure if something is being done about it.