Unsatisfactory service by WiSolar

After experiencing load shedding for 4-6 hours nearly daily we decided to look into solar as a solution. We chose to do business with WiSolar based on their excellent rating and asked them to do a site inspection at our home. Everything went well so we gave them the go ahead to do the installation. While we waited for them to deliver everything they would need for the installation WiSolar informed us that our solar panels and batteries were being upgraded for free because their supplier was running out of stock.

WiSolar upgraded our batteries from 4.8 kw to 7 kw. They delivered everything they would need for the installation on the 8th of July, a Friday. The next morning we decided to check up on them because the upgrade sounded too good to be true. Sure enough the batteries they delivered were 3.6 kw. Much smaller than they had upgraded us too, smaller even than the ones we had paid for. When we told them about it they assured us it was a mistake by their supplier and that they would fix it on Monday during the installation.

On Monday they made sure to do the installation first before informing us that their supplier had no more batteries in stock. Now for better or worse we were trapped with them. The next day WiSolar suggested we use the smaller batteries until their supplier has stock again. Desperate to find relief from load shedding we agreed. That evening we had load shedding and our inverter tripped, failing to switch over. We also realized the solar wire running down the side of our house was not properly secured and swayed in the wind.

On the 23rd of July we sent them a strongly worded email, even going so far as to threaten them with legal action if they didn’t fix their mess. Our relationship had soured with WiSolar at this point. Our friends, family and neighbors all recoiled in disgust at the thought of spending a small fortune and being treated this poorly.

We didn’t trust WiSolar to do the CoC so we paid a professional electrician to do one instead. This was his report on the installation WiSolar did.

Please see the following issues:

1. The installation of the solar system was not according to the SANS 10142 law regulations. 2. The panel was not earthed with at least 6 mm earth wire and there was no earth spike installed or connected to the solar DB board. 3. The supply wire from the main DB board to the solar DB board was cut off otherwise there was no earth connection. 4. The supply wire must be installed in PVC trunking according to the SANS 10142 law. 5. The joints in the main DB board was not correctly jointed, it could cause a short and was a burning hazard. 6. There were no surge arrestors for the solar side in the main DB board. 7. In the solar DB board there was no main DC circuit breaker for the DC side supply. 8. The installation was not secure and also not according to the regulations of the SANS 10142.

If you had WiSolar do the CoC, based on the above report we strongly recommend you have a professional check up on them for your own safety.

On August 12th I sent them another email asking them for an update on the batteries. They informed me that we wouldn’t be getting the 7 kw batteries that they had upgraded us too and delivered 5.1 kw batteries instead. They wanted to take the currently connected batteries first before later returning with the new ones. No longer trusting WiSolar, we refused and forced them to bring the replacement batteries first.

Our current batteries aren’t read correctly by the inverter. The inverter will read them with a charge of >80% while the physical display on the batteries report 50%. Our inverter is currently set to Lead-Acid mode. Frustrated, we asked WiSolar to change it to Lithium-Ion mode in an email on September 1st. Instead of assisting us they told us the inverter didn’t show any errors and condescendingly quoted our own words back at us in their response. WiSolar is now refusing to change our battery settings as we requested.

We didn’t want to write a review but this last negative interaction with their support staff was the straw that broke the camel's back and compelled us to share our experience.