Hey folks, I've been dealing with some serious issues regarding my solar panels from SunRun in Southern California. We initially got recommended 10 panels but decided to go with 12 just in case. Unfortunately, ever since the installation, it feels like they're barely doing anything. Initially, when we reached out about our concerns, they claimed some panels had an issue and sent a technician to fix it, but the problems persisted. After a couple of visits, they discovered our inverter communication module wasn't functioning properly, and after swapping that out, we still saw no improvement. Now, our electric bills are sky-high at around $1,300 a year, while friends with bigger homes are paying way less—around $15 a month. It's frustrating because the app shows we're generating power, yet it feels like we're just stuck with decorative panels. Any suggestions on what we can do?
3 Answers
If you’re not familiar with the details, it can definitely be tricky to figure out where things are going wrong. Knowing the wattage of your panels, your energy consumption, and what appliances you use can make a big difference. You mentioned you don’t have battery storage, which means you’re just selling excess back to the grid. It’d be good to verify what your electric bill was before the panels too. That can give you a clearer picture of any changes since installation.
It sounds like you're in a pretty frustrating situation. First off, you're going to need to get some clarity on what's actually happening. Have you considered reaching out to an independent, qualified technician who can take a look at your system? Sometimes companies, like SunRun, don’t help as much as they should. It’s crucial to check whether your panels are really producing power as they should, and also understand how your billing with the utility company works. If you find that everything is functioning but the bills are still high, you might want to think about investing in batteries to store energy rather than selling back to the grid for cheap.
That makes sense! I’m not super tech-savvy, but I can see our panels are producing energy all day according to the app. I think someone mentioned we might not have a bi-directional meter, which could be affecting how our energy use is calculated.
You really need to look closely at your electricity bill and see how your power usage has changed since the panels were installed. If you're not comfortable tackling it yourself, hiring a local solar company to review your setup could help. And don’t hesitate to contact Costco again—they might take your situation seriously enough to help you escalate it. The main points to check are how much power the panels actually produce, how it’s going back to the grid, and whether you're getting credited correctly for your solar energy.
I did bring it up with Costco, but they just said we need to handle it with SunRun directly. Our situation hasn’t changed much since installing the panels, and we've even stopped charging our Tesla at home to see if it helps.
I’m not sure on all the specifics since my dad keeps that info, but we’re with SoCal Edison. All I know is that our electric bill seems to have increased since the installation, even with just using gas for heating and cooking.