How One Man Got Burned by Cheap Solar – And How You Can Avoid It
Everything seemed to be working fine… until Craig opened a power bill.
It was a shock: after years of $0 bills, suddenly he owed nearly $500. What happened?
A Solar Nightmare Begins
Back in 2017, Craig made what he thought was a smart move—installing a 6.6kW solar system with a 5kW inverter and a high-quality 1.2kW Enphase battery. He picked a Melbourne-based company offering premium products and, for years, everything ran smoothly. His bills? Virtually non-existent.
But when the inverter failed in early 2024, everything began to unravel.
Craig’s first mistake? Hiring a company 900km away. When he called for support, the original installer simply said they no longer serviced Sydney.
The Cost of Going Cheap
Trying to find a local solution, Craig made a second mistake: choosing a cheap and unvetted solar company based on brand recognition and a seemingly good deal.
They showed up unannounced, ripped out his existing quality system, and installed a new one—poorly. The inverter never worked. His Enphase battery—his biggest savings tool—was disconnected and left idle. Worse still, the new company demanded full payment despite the faulty installation.
Six months passed. Craig kept paying finance on a system that didn’t work while energy bills piled up.
Dodgy Install, Missing Paperwork
When Your Energy Answers got involved, the team uncovered a string of serious issues:
No electrical or building licenses are listed on the contract.
The wrong inverter and solar panels were installed.
Craig had no STC rebate documentation, meaning no transparency or proof of what was claimed on his behalf.
And perhaps the most frustrating part: a fixable issue was left unresolved for half a year. The inverter had a hardware error that would’ve taken 30 minutes to fix.
Calling in the Experts
Your Energy Answers contacted Matthew from RenewCo Solar, who confirmed the inverter issue and outlined serious consumer law violations. A subcontractor eventually arrived (not the company itself) to swap the inverter—six months too late.
And even then, monitoring wasn’t set up due to Wi-Fi issues with the budget inverter. Craig was left on hold with tech support, fighting to activate basic system functionality.
Battery Left Behind… Until Now
The worst part? His premium Enphase battery was never reconnected.
Why? The cheap installer didn’t know how. A simple CT clamp—needed for battery operation—hadn’t even been installed. The subcontractor likely didn’t want to do extra work for free, and the company didn’t want to pay more.
Thankfully, Enphase stepped up. After hearing Craig’s story, they inspected the battery and confirmed it still had life—only 150 cycles out of thousands had been used.
They reconnected the battery properly, and at last, Craig had a fully working solar and battery system again.
Lessons from Craig’s Story
Craig’s experience is far too common in Australia. As power prices rise, more homeowners are turning to solar—but many are falling victim to slick marketing and cut-rate offers that lead to disaster.
Here’s what we learned:
Buy local. A local installer is more accountable and easier to reach if things go wrong.
Avoid cheap systems. Those $2,990 Facebook deals? Often too good to be true.
Pick reliable brands. Companies like Enphase offer solid after-sales support.
Beware subcontractors. Some do great work, but others rush jobs and cut corners.
Always check licenses and contracts. Make sure your installer is certified and transparent.
Need Help? Your Energy Answers Has Your Back
If you’ve been burned by cheap solar or shonky installation work, share your story with us at YourEnergyAnswers.com/shareyourstory
Each month, we select the most powerful solar horror story and award the homeowner a $200 Coles voucher. We’ll help fix the issue—and feature your journey in a video just like Craig’s.
Use our Installer Finder to connect with quality, ethical solar professionals who have proven their reliability over the years.
