RACV Solar Reviews
We provide end-to-end service for a job done well.
Description
The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) is a trusted Australian organization that has been serving its members since 1903. As Victoria’s largest member-based organization, RACV offers a wide range of products and services across various sectors, including motoring, mobility, home, energy, and leisure. They provide emergency roadside assistance, motor and home insurance, home trades services, and are expanding their offerings in cleaner energy with initiatives like RACV Solar. Additionally, RACV operates 10 clubs and resorts across Australia and offers domestic and international travel packages. Committed to corporate responsibility, RACV supports local communities and promotes sustainable practices.
Nigel Senior (Nigel S)
Was i happy with RACV
Presales was perfect – answered questions etc
Communications and scheduling was a complete failure – i had to drive it myself
Install and equipment was perfect
If you happy to get frustrated with them then there worth talking to.
In the end I just wanted a quality system and I got that. The pain along the way is temporary.
Update September 24
Have had a support ticket open now with no answer for 15 days, just hopeless 🙁
Brad
I do not recommend RACV solar due to their very poor ongoing support.
I have had very positive interactions with the technicians that attended our place. However, there is a real lack of customer service when contacting RACV solar directly. Our brand new solar system failed. We have been without solar for 10+ weeks now. I ring fortnightly. I’m promised someone will call with updates each time. I’ve not received a single call back.
Ian Hamilton-Sturdy
2 year fiasco. Beware of this company’s claims as to their ability
Be very wary of this company who proudly advertise “Fully vetted and reliable installers, from start to finish”
Getting this system working properly has taken many hours of my time on the phone and with techs and a lot of stress that I’d bought a lemon!
The initial installation was done in December 2021 and all appeared to be fine. At that point I gave a good review of RACV Solar.
SADLY that was a mistake.
The Fronius WiFi communications module was very poor and intermittently connected to the router so I could often see nothing on the app. I was advised that it would be much better if hard wired to the router. Luckily I had a couple of spare ethernet ports in my garage!
When I opened the comms cover on the bottom of the inverter to insert the ethernet cable, water started running out of it!!
When a tech came out to look at it, he discovered that the installation team had drilled a hole in the back of the inverter casing instead of using the glands on the bottom. This voided the Fronius warranty. Very professional!
RACV Solar agreed that it was their mistake and offered to replace the inverter. At this point I decided to buy a battery as well and got them to quote the whole thing. I accepted the quote and eventually the team came out to install it all.
The installation appeared to go very well until they went to programme the Hybrid inverter (already cabled and mounted on the garage wall. They discovered they had installed a 3 phase inverter instead of a single phase. The quote was for single phase and they had the history of my site!!!
Eventually another installer came out a few weeks later and replaced the hybrid with the correct single phase unit, but couldn’t get it to work initially. After another delay, they came out and got it working. I finally got the certificate to use the system.
Since then, the Hybrid inverter has periodically “Disappeared from the app” so I had no idea about the state of the battery or how much power was coming from the roof. After a number of visits, one of which found a faulty plug in the inverter, I was told that this unit would also have to be hard wired to the router “where there are 2 inverters one of which is a hybrid, they must be ethernet connected, not wifi” !! The tech made up a cable to my spare ethernet port in the garage.
This seemed to work OK for a number of months, but the same problem started to occur again. I was told it needed a software upgrade, done, no difference. A number of visits happened but always upgrade the software and hope!!!
Then I was told that the two inverters might be interfering with each other on the server? Really??? Then I was asked to reset the wifi module – remember the inverters are both connected to the router by cable!!
After getting nowhere with all the above, I decided to test the ethernet ports in my garage. I plugged in my laptop and tested both the ports, both were fine. As I plugged the inverters back in, I noticed that the hybrid connected intermittently as I moved the cable. I reterminated the Ethernet cable (I have worked in the comms industry for some time) and the system has been up and running since!
For anyone with no knowledge of comms, they would still be running around in circles with this level of support
Standard of installation very poor
Standard of Service very weak knowledge of the product when there are issues
Beware the claims made by RACV Solar – I wouldn’t wish what happened to me on anyone else
Anthony French
No problems with the hardware or the installers. However RACV Solar dropped the ball at every step they had.
Didn’t send the Solar Vic rebate form before the installers where scheduled, so the installers had put in half a day work before they got cancelled.
Called someone else about my install, then when realizing they spoke to the wrong person, they left for the day and never bothered to call me. It was sheer luck that the person they called knew me.
Was told the the morning after the rebate was approved I would receive a call to reschedule the installers, no call received, I had to call them 2 days later and they still did not know the rebate had been approved. I had received confirmation directly from Solar Vic.
Failed to invoice on time for my finance, resulting in the finance lapsing.
Lodged a complaint about the issues and it takes me calling them every week to get any action.
ross digg
System was installed approx 15 months ago (panels and battery) – no problems with system working fine for a few months. For approx approx 5 of those 15 months the system has been reporting error after error, at times the panels were providing no power to the house or grid; the battery BMS failed and was replaced after 3 months and a dozen emails. Since then the battery has failed again and has been broken for well over a month. No action from service department unless I chase them up. C’mon RACV – your better than this – aren’t you?
Brendan Kavanagh
RACV Solar have been an absolute pleasure to deal with through the whole process of getting our solar PV / heat pump hot water services installed.
Clay and the team were always ready to listen and make sure that what we needed was what we got. They were able to provide the components that we wanted (based on the Choice recommendations), then blending them into a system. They were extremely helpful in helping us navigate the Solar Vic requirements too
We now have both a full solar PV and a heat pump HWS system, which they’ve installed and are working beautifully.
The installers were all excellent tradies (both electricians and plumbers) and did a first-rate job, without any fuss or mess, cleaning as they went.
We are planning to have a wall charger installed when we purchase an electric vehicle in 2023/4 and we will be back to Clay for that too.
You might be able to find someone a bit cheaper, but you will not find anyone better, and the RACV will be around in the future to help out if anything goes wrong. Can you say that about most companies?
Vince Amy
Great customer service, could not recommend RACV Solar highly enough, good old country service, Tom was great to deal with along the entire process.
Luke Gervasi
Installed 2 systems with RACV solar and would strongly recommend them. Both Tom and Pat have been great to deal with.
Lawrence Rowland
Great communication, everything was installed in a professional and timely manner and easily explained!!
Craig Moore
Good company to deal with. Installed a good quality solar system which we are really happy with and great follow up communication answering any question. Would certainly recommend RACV Solar.
duane rek
First class local business. Friendly staff with great back up service
Craig Reeves
Great sales and install experience. Excellent after sales service. Noah from customer service went above and beyond to assist when needed.
Michael Wootton
RACV Solar is fantastic!
Great value and customer service, Cherie Davis and Sarah Harry were both nice and super helpful with planning and organising the install of our Fronius inverter and solar panels.
Justin and the install team were quick and got on with the with the install as soon as they arrived, it was all done in a couple of hours which was amazing.
From start to finish this was easy, affordable and quick. Will definitely use again in the future when installing hot water and house batteries.
Very happy!
Zebra's Sambar hunting adventures.
Great customer service before installation and continued even after over 12mths after installation. Quality products with no issues in over 12 mths. Great advice and local trades.
J P
I highly recommend RACV Solar, their professionalism is to be rewarded. The plumber and his co-worker, installed the Electric Hot Water system and kept me informed on the best place for the replaced system. He also said the old solar panel to heat the tank water wasn’t working as the tank was cold. We were heating the water only with the booster Gas. 🙁
The electrician, followed a few hours later and we had hot water that evening. Very happy with the service.