The Solar Store

Dan P.

I've used them now for a few years to monitor my panels via Enphase. They helped me get a used panel to replace one of mine that had was damaged in a wind storm (I don't recall how much but it was way cheaper than the alternative) I did the install myself. They later replaced two inverters with only labor charges (inverters under warranty). I also had issues with my envoy that started on 9/23 and persisted until Jan 2024. I had called back in Nov 2023 on this issue and was assured the unit would eventually catch up. It didn't and this is the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. They did talk with Enphase on the issue, but then pretty much spaced at that point. I'm the owner of this system, it was my fault as much as theirs. Eventually I contacted them and they sent a tech out (Jeff). We worked on the envoy for a couple of hours and had Enphase do a remote reset (Zack). This cost $240.00 in labor and dispatch charges. The system is now working and I've decided to install a new box for the envoy on my own. I did get an invoice from them for a new envoy that showed a line item for the envoy that was $50.00 cheaper than the list from Enphase, but with labor to install and some diagnostics, consumables, etc. would have been $1145.00. This seemed reasonable for the effort, but turned out to be moot. They are a local group and that can be a challenge in this business, so don't expect perfection. Always room for improvement, but I haven't any real complaints.

Anne B.

The Solar Store was very responsive when leaks occurred in my solar pool heating system. Quickly replaced. Problem solved.

Jason N.

TL;DR They lied to us & kept $10,000 having done no work.

This company took a deposit from us, did no work nor even scheduled any work to be done for us, lied about a offering a refund on our deposit while pretending to be compassionate about a death in our family.

Chris Tippet, on behalf of Kevin Krause & Katherine Kent, promised a refund - then months after delaying a refund told us today to sue them if we want it back.

As the project was never scheduled - they had done zero work on our contracted project, and had ordered zero supplies for our project per Chris Tippet. We were offered a refund minus costs for preparing the quote on our project.

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My wife & I agreed to terms and signed with Chris Tippet to begin a solar battery project.

Within a few weeks of signing we had an unexpected death in our family. This required all our free time & money. I reached out immediately via voice and chat, and they offered a refund, saying we could reschedule as the work start date hadn't even been agreed too. He said the price would likely be higher in the future when we resigned. We agreed & thanked them for the compassion.

Now more than 6 months has passed and we have yet to get a dime back on our ~$10,000 deposit.

When I called last week they assured it was an oversight & that they would get the refund processed - subtracting $800 for the sales contracting costs incurred. As previously offered & agreed to.

Today they called and told me that they won't refund anything - that our only recourse is to sue them.

Their lack of compassion and willingness to take advantage of people at a truly difficult time is disgusting.

Our only recourse now is to take all the transcripts & documentation of our communications via voice, text and email to court. Which we will, on principle alone of a company operating in such bad faith and defrauding their customers.

As a business owner myself, more over as a god fearing man, I would be ashamed to operate in such a bad faith fashion as they have.

As my wife is an attorney, we are in a fortunate position to take this to court. Many others won't be. We will willingly incur much greater than $10,000 in costs hiring a contract attorney to adjudicate this matter - in hopes of preventing this company from taking advantage of anyone else in the future.

Hopefully they will learn that contradicting a written contract with later written & verbal assurances made in bad faith in an attempt to defraud, may make the original contract an instrument of little legal certainty.

Clint G.

I paid this company February 10th nearly 700 dollars to get a permit in Pima County. The first 4 months went by not hearing from them I called. Found out they lost my file. Told me they would put me at Top of list. Four more months go by. Still nothing nor a call back as I've left multiple messages. I email them weekly. No response. They're the only company in Tucson offering this service. I have no other option but to wait. Costing me 300 a montg in electricity. My system is 9kw which I own outright. My yearly usage is 6kw. I could be paying nothing. Except for whatever the reason my money carries no importance.

Mark D.

Finding a reliable company to maintain a solar water heating system seems to be a challenge in Tucson. We have used about five companies during the past 15 years here, and they all have gone out of business. A plumber working on another project for us said he had heard good things about The Solar Store. Overall they were prompt, reasonably efficient, and did get the job done properly though took four trips and six weeks. Our solar water heater is now working better than ever, so I would have to recommend The Solar Store. They stuck with the project until they got it right.

Mark D.

Finding a reliable company to maintain a solar water heating system seems to be a challenge in Tucson. We have used about five companies during the past 15 years here, and they all have gone out of business. A plumber working on another project for us said he had heard good things about The Solar Store. Overall they were prompt, reasonably efficient, and did get the job done properly though took four trips and six weeks. Our solar water heater is now working better than ever, so I would have to recommend The Solar Store. They stuck with the project until they got it right.

Katherine L.

Installed new tankless hot water. Love it!

Eli C.

Replaced an old solar water heater. Crew was on time and performed the work with care. Very friendly crew. Will use again.

Michael K.

Problems, Problems, Problems.
The solar system installed by the Solar Store in 09/2017 is not reliable and has suffered lengthy outages the last 3 summers, including this one. Outages: 6/2019-9/2019; 5/2020-10/2020; 6/2021-???. System has been plagued with ground fault errors and blown inverters (about 6 so far). A technician on 6/17 ruled out the inverter for the latest issue but could not correct the ground fault error; the next time they're scheduled to come out is 2 weeks after the initial visit. Outages during summer months caused thousands of dollars in electric bills I should not have incurred. When problems are identified, it's taken months to get them resolved. In 9/2020 the owner of Solar Store indicated I should send her my electric bills and she'd work to figure out a reimbursement. I've heard nothing since she confirmed receipt of the bills.
I consider the system a lemon. And when problems arise, I would expect a much quicker turn around on getting the system operational again.
I recommend against doing business with this company.

N W.

They deserve zero stars.

In the summer of 2020 (right after we put a brand new roof on our home), we had The Solar Store install solar coils for our swimming pool. We explained that our new roof was silicone and asked to make sure that their product wouldn't damage our new roof. We were assured they would not. January 2021, our roofer was inspecting our roof and found significant damage from their solar coil install. I contacted the company and they were originally responsive. They sent an installer out right away to check it out. He told me that the person/group that finished the install (wasn't him) did it wrong and that they were no longer with the company. He wanted to fix the roof but I asked him to please provide HOW they would fit it as they are NOT a roofing company and I wanted to make sure my warranty with MY roofing company was still valid if they fixed it. Weeks went by with no response. I received the estimate from my roofing company in early February and sent it to The Solar Store. I was told it was forwarded to management. We have tried to call numerous times and keep being told we will get a return call. No calls or emails have been returned. At this point, we are over a month out from the initial contact with them to tell them about the issue. And with rains coming, I can't wait for the repair to happen - I need to schedule it and do it now. We also have an issue where they drilled through the outer (fence) wall and that entire section is cracked from their hole to the top of the wall.