Awake solar review…read more
Short Awake Solar Review
Would I recommend them?
Short Answer: Yes.
But, I would only recommend them if you are willing to deal with the issues that I outline below.
After meeting with several of the big named solar companies, I decided to go with a solar company here in the Houston area. Awake Solar doesn't have sales representatives, so if you contact them, you should know about solar systems, net metering, and what you want from your solar system. Another thing to consider is that there will be a communication barrier. Awake Solar owner and main technical advisor is Ajay Choudhary, and his English is good, but often, things get misinterpreted due to the language barrier. Ajay does have a daughter, Arushi, who is involved, but it's clear that Ajay is who you'll be dealing with. When you call for technical support, Ajay is the one you speak with, so I'm not sure if they even have a tech support team at Awake Solar. Awake Solar completely lacks any customer service skills, so be prepared for that. After several emails and phone conversations, we agreed that the 19,240KW system would be able to produce 100% of our future energy needs. The initial start of our project was delayed due to unknown reasons, and when Awake Solar did start the project, it was delayed again because Awake Solar submitted the incorrect plans to League City. At one point during the delay, I questioned Ajay about the delay, and he informed me that I was " too involved " and that I needed to stop asking questions. We encountered further delays to complete the project due to Awake Solar being unfamiliar with League City Building Codes and not reading the City of League City website for information.
After the array was completed and the appropriate Smart Meter was installed, the array has worked flawlessly. The project took a total of 4 months, and that was from signing the contract to the first time the panels produced power with the Smart Meter.
After the project was completed, Awake Solar never came to my house or called me to go over the system or explain how to use the APSYSTEMS portal. This is just one example of how their customer service is lacking.
Unfortunately, I am currently trying to work out an issue with the APSYSTEMS user portal that can only be fixed by Awake Solar. But, due to the language barrier and Awake Solar's lack of customer service, the problem is still not resolved. It's apparent now that they are understaffed and concentrate more on building the system than supporting the customer.
With all of that said, if you want a Solar array that is half the cost with the highest end technology as the Big Box Solar companies and you have the fortitude to put up with what I've mentioned above, go with Awake Solar. I recommend them, Yes, but I would only recommend them if you are willing to deal with the issues that I outlined here.