Advance Solar Electrical Reviews
About
Advance Solar Electrical is a solar energy company based in Bendigo, Victoria. The company says that its services include solar design, installation and grid connect. They say that their installers are CEC (Clean Energy Council) accredited, and that their installations are covered by a 12 months workmanship guarantee and after sales service.
Customer testimonials for Advance Solar Electrical are available, and include the following:
“This company was very good to deal with. I did not choose them on price. I made the choice on customer service, and knowledge of the product they were selling.”
Panel brands previously installed
Inverter brands previously installed
The views expressed by reviewers are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of Peacock Media Group, which makes no representations as to the accuracy of the reviews. For our full disclaimer and further information, see our Terms of Use and our Review Guidelines.
Advance Solar Electrical Reviews (63)
Show Most Recent reviews from All time across Australia
Average Scores
Value for money
Quality of System
Installation
Customer Service
- 5 star 8
- 4 star 37
- 3 star 14
- 2 star 4
- 1 star 0
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26 October 2023
01 February 2019
19 October 2017
04 March 2015
If you want after sales service buy in Shepparton.
05 June 2014
Original Review on 23-08-2012:
3.04kW - 16X190w Sunrise Monocrystalline panels3.2kW - EverSolar Invertor
Standard fitout onto single story, sloped corrugated iron roof, with good access, staggered array following roofline, all north facing, no shade. Panels arranged in 1x4, 1x3, 4x2 and a single mounted transversely to the staggered grid
Quality of materials and finished product is excellent. Fitout to our architecturally designed home was absolutely first class - brackets for the panels on the roof, cabling in the roof eaves, cut over to the mains power box, installation of the inverter, switching were all better than we could have hoped for.
Components used were high end commercial quality, fixtures, piping and fit result were very obviously carried out by experienced professionals who take pride in their work.
From a service perspective, 3 people at all times, well presented, polite & knowledgeable, very informative, entertaining to our 2 small children during the time they were there.
Fitout was across two days, due to inclement weather. If it had been a sunny day, they would have done it in 1 day across 6 hours.
Clean up including taking all packaging, removal of all cabling and cut off debris and vacuumed all around the house where they spent time, on the roof, around the meter box.
They then spent time going through system use, warranties, and follow up process that their head office would go through.
Extremely impressed and pleased with service, quality of installation and the "no surprises" approach.
Well done Advance Solar Electrical!
22 months later we asked Colin: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Performance has been far in excess of our best expectations. The original fitout has lived up to its initial high quality and the system has not skipped a beat. I've estimated our payback period is around 2 to 2.5 years rather than the traditional 3 to 4. Exceptional.26 May 2014
Original Review on 23-12-2011:
Advance Solar were local to Bendigo and had their own technicians and the system was in and running in 3.5 hours from the time they arrived. The Electrician explained how it all worked before they left. We were very happy with all their processes from the representitive to the technicians. Advance Solar were one of the 3 companies that replied to the 3 quotes. The others only made one phone call and never followed through with anything else. The website that Finn has proved to be brilliant especially the weekly subjects such as \\\'How to spot Cowboys\\\'.30 months later we asked Robert: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes,the current configuration is very good.The only thing I would change is to have had a bigger system put in.
To get the benefit of not having to pay Power bills I felt in hind sight that the consultant didn't approach that as well as he should have.He mainly looked at the current bills at the time, and based it on that which was OK but as we were only in the house for 3 months, a little more investigation should have been taken because it was at a low usage time of the year.
We are still very happy with the set up though.
21 May 2014
Original Review on 21-03-2012:
26 months later we asked Bill: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes. Since the system was fitted in early 2012, and following accounts where I paid for the Smart meter, I have had 1 power bill for $80 at the end of Winter 2013. My power bills previously were about $1400 per annum. I couldn't be happier. Figure the system will be fully paid for in next 2 years.21 May 2014
Original Review on 23-03-2012:
26 months later we asked Greg: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes . A great purchase which has halved our power bill per annum.20 May 2014
Original Review on 15-03-2012:
Of the 3 quotes- 1 did not answer, 1 was only stand alone only,- the other, called within 2 days and came and climed up on the roof to measure it, gave the quote and paperwork. Very professional.To be installed in 3 to 4 weeks.
6 weeks later it was installed only after I made 4 calls to see what was happening. The installationing crew were very good helpful and polite.There were 4 workers.
I did mention I wanted my Deposit back if it was not done by the end of the week.
It was.
The unit is working well, not connected to the grid yet, but my meter is going backwards.
Advance Solar Electrical has a good product, competitive price, good workmanship but lousy communication.
27 months later we asked Max: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
The whole system has performed well. We have a 4.2 KW system and have not paid for any power since it was installed. Even though we have electric floor heating and have $400 credit. Great investment.12 May 2014
Original Review on 12-12-2011:
I am very happy with the service and installation of my system was carried out with a minimum of fuss and I would recommend Advance Solar for people in Central Victoria.29 months later we asked Alan: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes07 May 2014
Original Review on 08-02-2012:
Everyone I dealt with from the company was very responsive and helpful, patiently responding to all my queries and providing references and evidence - from the CEO on down through sales and office staff and the installation team. We were able to negotiate a very good price for a top-quality system, which certainly showed a clear advantage over the several other companies I'd sought quotes from and haggled with.The installation was very competently managed and conducted. The system looks great, is very well located, and is now working happily, spinning the meter backwards at a great rate.
After the wholesaler installs my smart meter, I am keen to see the difference in my electricity accounts.
27 months later we asked Michael: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
After initial hiccups with Powercor, not the installer's fault, the system has been excellent and given great savings and returns.Prospective solar system purchasers should be warned that the power companies (wholesal and retail) seem to be stricken by endemic confusion - or worse, recalcitrance - but they can and will get through it if they are determined.
07 June 2013
26 May 2013
10 April 2013
09 April 2013
01 April 2013
Our installers started fitting our system on 22/5/12 but had to come back because of our meterbox. We had taken photos of our meterbox on 14th April and sent the photos of our meterbox to different installers representatives including Jim from Advance Solar to make sure they all knew that we needed to have our meterboard replaced, in order to pass an electricity inspection, as the first time an electrician from Agnew Electricals had come out to give us a quote- he had told us we would need one. Subsequently, another local electrical engineer from Re-energy had also come out to give us quote and he confirmed we would need a new meter box.. so we were pretty sure it needed replacing. Ours was old, bidirectional with many fuses having been replaced sitting on chipboard that needed replacing. It's a wonder our retailer never told us this on reading meter in the seven years we lived here from a safety perspective.
A few of the companies recommended by your site sent salespeople out who had no idea about the replacement if the meterbox, cost etc, so we ruled them out straight away. The representative from Advance Solar came out physically to check our house and agreed that the meterbox needed replacing and confirmed that this would be included installers' in quote- it wasn't- although we didn't know until the installers came out, when they told us that the information hadn't been relayed to them. They fixed it straight away however- we paid more but understood the mixup in communication and they sorted it asap getting Powercor out the next day to replace the meterbox (irony is that they would then have to come and replace it with a smartmeter after that so had to come out twice). Fortunately, our installer had other jobs to work on in the area and so coming back was not a big deal. They did what they could on 22nd May 2012 and then came back after Powercor had been on 23rd may to replace meterboard. They then came back on 24th and did more installation of panels etc, they then had a job in Ararat later that week so came back again on the 29th May 2012 and we were all kitted out.
We were meant to get a solar eye/solar bee as part of our package and were waiting on one but installers said as soon as they received it they would bring it out and show us how to use it. We rang our retailer to tell them our system was installed and they should be getting notice from installer soon.They told us to ring installer to make sure all sent. The installer arranged for the electrical safety compliance officer to come but he couldn't come out until June, as so busy, and when he did come to inspect, something wasn't right so installer came back to fix it and we rang installer's office again mid June 2012 and left message that all was fixed now for electrical safety person. It then passed inspection and our installers then sent paperwork off to our retailer with electrical compliance safety who gave them noticed that they had received it by email on 26th June 2012.
We were glad that after 2 months all seemed to be Ok now and we expected to hear from our retailer who we had phoned in June and July, with regards to the installation of our Smartmeter. However In the first week of August 2012 a contractor came to our house to do our usual 3-monthly reading and was surprised to fins solar panels on our house. The retailer had not attended to the paperwork even though they had acknowledged they had received it on 26th June 2012.
Consequently, we had supplied $500 + worth of electricity to our retailer and were not refunded for it (as far as they were concerned we didn't have a solar system). We expected someone to follow up the contractor's meter reading within the week- they didn't so we then rang and complained to them on 17th August as it had been over a week since the contractor would have notified them about our panels. We mentioned in our phone call that we would call the ombudsman if we didn't get our Smartmeter in ASAP as they had acknowledged receiving installation paperwork on 26th June and now 17th August so over 30 days and not good enough. The retailer sent us out a contract that day, which we had to sign within 30 days ie by 17th August. It did not state if we were going to get the transitional feed in tariff or the standard tariff and it did not mention rates or much information at all. We rang them to ask them what we were signing exactly what are rates etc and what time of tariff we would receive. We were told standard a 1:1 rate and we were happy enough with this, however we wanted to know when we would be getting smartmeter, as we had rung Powercor ourselves who said as soon as retailer requested they come out they would come to install smartmeter but no
08 February 2013
We are currently awaiting the construction of the building and hope installation will be within the next 30 days.
16 January 2013
14 January 2013
03 January 2013
02 January 2013
The mountings and preliminary wiring were installed on that day and the installer told us that they were waiting for the panels to arrive from the supplier and would return in the new year to complete the installation. On 27/12 the installer arrived without notice to finish the job.
We are now waiting for the system to be inspected so that can be switched on. So far we are happy with the installation but as it is not yet operational I shall reserve judgement until then.
Thank you Finn for your service, the information that you provided helped greatly in making up our mind on which supplier and system to choose.
04 December 2012
Salesperson appeared professional and response however office communication is somewhat tardy in that all contact so far has been initiated from my end.
Would have thought it would have been good business practice to have kept us informed regarding installation time line. You would imagine the business would operate from a work/job schedule that would enable them to keep clients informed of progress.
Hopefully, we may have installation next week which will be somewhere around 7 weeks from payment of deposit.
01 November 2012
Original Review on 17-08-2011:
The system has not been installed yet, but have been very happy with the prompt response to enquiries and an honest and frank approach to all aspects of our discussions.It is interesting to note that other companies I have approached have been emailing and phoning with discounted once only offers. and please sign up now to take advantage of this once only offer! (that appears again the following week)
15 months later we asked This person: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Glad we have the system now as it is definitely saving us money.(still a long way to go to get our money back on the purchase.)
Took 7 months (and a complaint to the ombudsman) for Tru energy to acknowledge that we had a solar system feeding into the grid!
16 October 2012
09 October 2012
13 September 2012
Original Review on 02-02-2012:
The whole team was very freindly and did the little extras that make you want to recommend them to all you know.7 months later we asked Lindsay: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes, 3.2 Kw system and has peaked at 3.5 Kw12 September 2012
30 August 2012
29 August 2012
23 July 2012
16 July 2012
I am still waiting on them to install an Energy monitor (with bluetooth) for me; which was part of the package and it's well affter 3 months.
I spoke to them a few times before and again today and they have promised to come back to me on
16/7/12.
03 July 2012
28 June 2012
Need to focus in customer service a little more. Although they said there would be a 4-6 week wait for the installation, I had to call them after 6 weeks to find out when they would be installing the system.
Workmanship looks fine and they were happy to work with us to have the inverter moved down a little from its original location.
26 June 2012
26 June 2012
18 June 2012
Waiting for system to be fitted but happy knowing they are local and will be around in the future if we have any problems.
21 May 2012
25 April 2012
17 April 2012
16 April 2012
26 March 2012
24 March 2012
23 March 2012
18 March 2012
08 March 2012
07 March 2012
07 February 2012
05 February 2012
26 January 2012
22 January 2012
Excellent installation
After researching several companies, we decided on going with Advantage Solar. The Rep that we had Tom Considine, had the answers to ALL questions regarding Solar Power and then some, that we required of him regarding all things Solar and also his recommendation for the System size that suited our situation which suited us perfectly and within our Budget. The lady on the admin side of the business Bianca, went above and beyond our expectations with her efficiency and her " Nothing being a problem attitude ".The installers on the Electrical side of the Installation, and the Solar panels were both exceptional Tradesmen and polite to go with it, turned up at the designated time, and on completion of the install, all rubbish was cleaned up and taken away by them.