Sahara Solar Australia - Company Review Notice Sahara Solar Australia - Company Review Notice
Sahara Solar Australia

Sahara Solar Australia Reviews

4.6

Based on 38 ratings

See Ratings Over Time

Leave a review

About

Sahara Solar Australia is a Solar Power Installation company based in Frankston South and serves VIC. Here are their reviews as submitted by visitors to SolarQuotes
Panels, inverter, battery and EV charger brands

The views expressed by reviewers are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of SolarQuotes Home Electrification Pty Ltd, 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.

Sahara Solar Australia Reviews (38)

Show Most Recent reviews from All time

Average Scores

4.4/5

Value for money

4.5/5

Quality of System

4.7/5

Installation

4.7/5

Customer Service

  • 5 star 12
  • 4 star 24
  • 3 star 2
  • 2 star 0
  • 1 star 0

Highly satisfied with saharasolar

Great value package tailored to my requests with 25/30 year panel warranty and 10 year inverter warranty. Installer has done a very neat installation, consumption monitor is working well.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Show Details

Fantastic installation standing the test of time

My PV system was actually installed in November 2017 by Sahara Solar but I didn't want to review it until I'd given it some time - although hadn't planned to leave for almost 3 years but here we are...! The system itself has so far operated without a hitch which is exactly in line with expectations. The Fronius inverters were considered standouts at the time and still appear to be. The GCL panels were considered mid-range at the time and appear to have since been de-listed from CEC approval which doesn't bode too well however the panels have performed just fine so far and from the literature I've read GCL panel failure rates aren't hugely concerning.

The quoting and customer service by Simon was standout and one of the reasons I chose Sahara over the alternatives but it must be noted the all 3 of the quotes I got through solarquotes seemed the most genuine and reputable - sales nonsense was kept to a minimum. Also key with Simon was that he actually listened to what I would like and knew what to therefore offer rather than insisting on something that simply isn't to my needs or liking - a trap that many a salesman falls into and in fact one other did. Simon's willingness to answer all my questions and to do a deal to get the sale across the line was also great as he included the Fronius consumption meter module at no extra cost - as it turns out this is icing on the cake as I can see now the value it brings so would have actually been worth paying for anyway.

The installation topped it off - Ben's service, workmanship and professionalism was beyond reproach. He is the benchmark I use to measure any tradespeople I engage for anything since. No one else comes close yet. He was punctual, friendly, efficient, courteous and cleaned up properly before finishing. If Ben is still installing for Sahara Solar then I would recommend going with Sahara for that reason alone provided the materials stack up (it would be a shame to do a really good installation with crap products...). The only thing I could fault Sahara on was the delay sending through the documentation after the install to enable me to register for the FiT. Ironically, the consumption monitor allowed me to calculate the lost value to be about $60-70 which seemed large and irritating at the time but is significantly less than the value of the Fronius consumption meter so I consider us square.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Show Details

Above expectations

Simon Miller was the first to respond to my request for quotes and visited my home a couple of days later. He was very cordial and clearly well versed in all aspects of solar. He recommended a system to meet my household needs (including a replacement hot water unit) and came up with the most aesthetic placement of the panels and inverters. Ben, the installer, spent almost 5 days on the installation. His professionalism was unbelievable, as was his willingness to provide guidance and advice. Ben completed the grid connection promptly and I am now waiting on the energy retailer to finalise the feed-in arrangements. All in all a tremendous experience and I have passed on those sentiments to two of my neighbours who have also expressed interest in solar.
Show Details

The only supplier that came out to quote and understood our different electrical set up

Great sales support, listened and gave options and understood our need to keep the 2 phase power
Show Details

Awesome. Couldn't be happier. Highly recommended.

Simon came out, inspected the property, discussed our options and gave a very competitive quote. Communication was great, and Simon answered all my questions (I had a few) about the quote and various options for addressing shading issues. No hard sell, just honest and practical advice.

Ended up purchasing a 10kw system and heat pump hot water cylinder (the price below included the hot water cylinder)

Ben installed the system, and did a great job. Very tidy job.
Grid connection after the install was a breeze, except when the electricity retailer wanted to charge $420 for sending a truck out to disconnect the controlled load (which Sahara had already done when they installed our hot water heat pump) but Sahara helped deal with that too.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Show Details
I only just had it installed 3 days ago so a bit hard to answer all the questions, but as far as service and installation goes, Sahara did a fantastic job.
Show Details
I dealt with three suppliers and all were prompt and helpful but, at the end of the day, I went with Sahara as Simon went the extra mile to design a system that suited me best and at a reasonable price. Installation was very good and neatly done by Ben.
Show Details
Sales Rep provided more tips and information than other's and at the end, dropped the quote by $500 to beat some else's quote (I probably pushed and negotiated too much).
Show Details
The price we paid was after government rebates
Show Details
It was a real pleasure dealing with Sahara Solar throughout the entire process. Simon is very knowledgable and has a lot of experience in the industry and is very easy to deal with. I had a 10Kw LONGi system with an 8kw Fronius inverter installed. Ben conducted the installation and did a fantastic job. He was also a real good guy who's easy to deal with, punctual, informative and a very experienced installer. The system is running really well and FIT has recently been activated. After sales service is also fantastic with Simon quick to respond and very informative. I would highly recommend Sahara Solar and can't speak highly enough of the quality of service they provided.
Show Details
Show Details
Show Details

Original Review on 21-02-2018:

Ben was the installer and he did a fantastic job. The weather on the day was 40c and he worked right through the day. I was telling him to leave and take care of his health but he reckoned he was fine. After the job was finished he took away all the packaging etc and left the place clean and tidy.The sales guy was very good too, he explained everything and answered all my questions. The system works perfectly and i'm very pleased with it. Original ratings

Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5

Value for money: 4/5
Quality of System: 5/5
Installation: 5/5
Customer Service: 5/5

8 months later we asked Bill: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"

yes
Show Details
We have a 6.5kw system with 21 x LONGi 310W Tier 1 PERC Black Frame Modules with 1 x Fronius Symo 5.0kW inverter 3 Phase Dual Tracking inverter. We have had the panels in place for 2 weeks but are not connected to a FIT yet as we are changing suppliers, so this is slowing things down. Our best day was 40.2 kwh of input which I think is amazing, the average daily production for the last 2 weeks in September 2018 has been 28.9 kwh. I took a few months to make a decision, Simon isn't pushy and was happy to answer any questions I had. Ben installed the system and did a great job. We are very happy. I'm amazed at the production even on an overcast day, can't wait to get the FIT set up.
Show Details
Show Details
It is too early to tell re Customer Service. The System is being commissioned this Thursday 3rd of May 2018.
I have chosen 32 x LG NeON R 360W Modules with 25 year product warranty and 25 year performance warranty.
2 x Sungrow SH5K+EPS Lithium Battery Ready 5.0kW Inverter.
Web enabled system with Internet dashboard via WiFi.
3 x Sungrow Samsung SG-SBP4K8 4.84kWh Lithium Battery Storage Units
Show Details
Show Details
We had the system installed by Ben, who went beyond the call of duty by working all day when the temperature hit 40c. The job was finished on time, and Ben cleaned up after him and checked everything was working as planned. I'm very happy with every aspect of the install and would recommend Sahara to anyone looking for a good solar company
Show Details
Unfortunately equipment installation delayed due to dock strike
Show Details
I got my 3 solar quotes, plus another one from someone I knew. Essential Solar was not very competitive, even though the salesman dropped the price by several thousand dollars in a matter of minutes. In the end, the other 3 were within a few hundred dollars of each other.

I decided to go with Sahara Solar because I felt that Simon was very knowledgeable and his advice made sense. He does try to push the lower end panels and inverters, but he realised quickly that I had done my research before talking to him. Once we established the brands that I would find acceptable, we quickly settled on the optimum system that would satisfy my needs.

Ben, the installer, is fantastic. Couldn't ask for a nicer bloke. He is a good electrician, very knowledgeable, and takes pride in a quality installation. His work is neat and clean. He will not rush the installation. He'd rather come back the next day and finish the job properly.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Sahara Solar to anyone, but as always, if you want a good system, for a great price, do your research before requesting any quotes.

I have found the information on this website invaluable. There is a lot of detail on everything from products, to manufacturers to different technologies. Finn has done an outstanding job collating relevant information, analysing it in great detail, and presenting a balanced view, based on hard facts. Thank you.
Show Details
System yet be installed so cannot rate installation
Show Details

Original Review on 30-11-2016:

Your website was a great help in sorting out the options offered, i.e. quality of components offered, customer feed back on suppliers. Original ratings

Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5

Value for money: 5/5
Quality of System: 4/5
Installation: 5/5
Customer Service: 5/5

10 months later we asked Ross: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"

Yes, yes , yes
Show Details
What a pleasure dealing with a company, sales person and installer that are expert and professional in their field. From helping us to understanding our needs to understanding the technical information, Simon made this process easy. Ben (electrician) who install our system took absolute care with placement of our panels and inverter. Simon and Ben have been available to answer questions post installation. We are very happy with our new system and are looking forward to many years of energy production.
We would highly recommend Sahara Solar if you are considering investing in Solar energy.
Show Details

Original Review on 01-09-2016:

I found Sahara Solar to be a highly professional and efficient company. The manager - Simon Miller - is a qualified engineer and has a systematic and knowledgeable approach to design and installation of your system. He provides sound, scientifically accurate and valuable advice on all aspects of the job including cost benefit analysis and likely payback periods. Now that he has advised me on the critical issues, I am confident that I have installed the optimum system configuration for my house. Simon will only install a system that is comprised of high quality components as there is no point in installing a solar system that will require thousands of dollars of ongoing maintenance - say if the inverter fails, which is becoming a reasonably common problem with the bargain systems advertised on TV. You will therefore need to pay a little more than the bargain basement prices advertised on TV for a cheap system. I compared quotes for the same panel and inverter hardware quoted by Sahara and their quote was the most economical of the four I received. Simon installed a high quality Austrian designed Fronius inverter for my system and I am impressed with its functionality and web based data monitoring system. When initially installed, the factory inverter settings were not quite fully optimised for my local street voltages. Without the extensive data monitoring system, I probably would not have realised that I was losing about 10% of energy harvest due to this issue. This turned out to be a simple inverter setting issue that was quickly changed with the help of Simon, Ben the electrician/installer and Fronius. Electricity company coordination was also quick and simple. Sahara Solar provided the paperwork and I submitted it to the electricity retailer. United energy had the meter remotely re-programmed and the system was properly connected, configured, running, web monitored and metered within 4 working days of submitting the paperwork.

The site work was carried out by Ben - a young, but experienced electrician. He did his utmost to satisfy my every wish regarding site installation details. I am a retired engineer and quite fussy about wiring standards etc. and Ben spent a lot of time making sure the entire wiring system was fully concealed, roof tiles were not damaged and the panels were installed exactly where I wanted them. Ben was always willing to listen and discuss the job and nothing was too much trouble for him.

I am in no way affiliated with Sahara Solar - having never dealt with them before and I have nothing but praise for this company.

Pros - see above. Cons - nil.

I can highly recommend Sahara Solar.
 Original ratings

Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5

Value for money: 5/5
Quality of System: 5/5
Installation: 5/5
Customer Service: 5/5

12 months later we asked Graham: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"

The system has performed flawlessly so far. The biggest source of potential fufture problems is DC isolator failure due to poor installation, water ingress, lack of sun protection etc. I am about to check these isolators for any signs of weathering, distortion etc. now. Ben (sparky) did a good job of the installation, so they should have no problems. The rooftop DC isolator requirement is a strictly Australian regulatory masterpiece that has caused a lot of fires. No other country requires this and these isolators are the most potentially vulnerable (unsafe) part of the system. They are prone to water ingress and distortion if not selected and installed carefully.

Inverter failure is also a potential future issue. Time will tell.

I have learnt enough about the bureacratic CEC, Australian Government and United Energy rules now that any failures should be manageable - but just annoying and potentially damaging to payback period. Time will tell. Fingers are crossed.

Simon Miller (Sahara Solar) made the process as simple and well informed as possible. Ben Watson (young sparky) carried out a very diligent installation. A job well done. I can highly recommend Shara Solar - and have done so to some potential solar customers.
Show Details

Original Review on 26-11-2016:

Original ratings

Panel rating: 4/5
Inverter rating: 4/5

Value for money: 4/5
Quality of System: 5/5
Installation: 4/5
Customer Service: 5/5

8 months later we asked Richard: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"

Yew
Show Details

Original Review on 16-09-2016:

We looked at 4 suppliers. Three from your service and one other. The one other was dreadful, being hugely over-priced, lacking in knowledge, and cheaper components to boot. Of the 3 quotes provided one was very slow to respond and missed the opportunity. The other two were both very good, knowledgeable and professional. I have used the information on your website extensively and would recommend it to others.
After much deliberation we confidently selected Sahara Solar following a compelling meeting with Simon Miller. Simon continually listened to what we were looking for and provided a solution that was tailored to our needs, and fairly priced. The panels and inverter seem to be well rated and good quality. The installation was very well executed and a quality job by a quality installer (Ben Watson). The system we got was larger than we set out to get, but it is proving its worth on the more overcast days and enabling us to generate enough power to see us through most days even with a reverse cycle AC heating our living area. We would (and have) recommended others to Simon. The only down side is the rubbish that goes on between retail electricity provider and wholesaler that means we are still waiting for our meter to be fixed to provide FIT. Why is the easiest bit the hardest to get done? (Not the fault of Sahara, just a frustration that will resolve over time and at our expense). Original ratings

Panel rating: 4/5
Inverter rating: 4/5

Value for money: 4/5
Quality of System: 4/5
Installation: 4/5
Customer Service: 4/5

8 months later we asked Rob: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"

The system is still performing well and has had no failures or repairs. No leaks in the roof either! As a bit of advice, if you can afford to do it, go big when it comes to number of panels. Sahara solar convinced us to do this and it was good advice. It is May now and our 8.5kw system is still generating enough to run our 9.5Kw reverse cycle air con to heat the house from around 9am to 3 pm on many days. We are now saving on power and gas. Got to be happy with that. The larger solar system also gives us enough capacity for battery charging if we head down that path at some stage. Couldn't be more pleased we went solar.
Show Details

Original Review on 23-08-2016:

The quotes I Received varied from $11k to $21k. I was interested in the Tesla battery only one offered it most wanted to denegrate the company saying that Tesla would not last for long.

Each company had its own named equipment and thus different ways of operation although the basics still applied.

Sahara reccomended a system slightly larger than ''AUSNET' would normally approve as I required battery thought it would not be a problem still waiting approval from ' Ausnet ".

Also still waiting parts to arrive in Australia Original ratings

Panel rating: 4/5
Inverter rating: 3/5

Value for money: N/A
Quality of System: 4/5
Installation: N/A
Customer Service: N/A

8 months later we asked Barry: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"

Have not had the savings I was expecting from electricity charges
Show Details
Great sales person to the installer, hassle free great customer service.
Show Details
I think it was great to have three quotes on the same day and having time to make a formal decision without the usual pressure of signing on the day or miss out on the huge discount offered at the time, etc..
The three quotes provided a great glimpse of the cost of various solar systems. I was told that the rule of thumb is you pay approximately $1000 per kW.

Out of the three quotes I chose Sahara Solar because they provided a quote that couldn't be matched, and although it was a larger solar system than what I had planned (5kW), it still worked out better and I was getting a kW for less than a $1000. At first I got the impression that Simon (the engineer) was pushing for me to accept a larger solar system (8.7kW), but now, I realised that a larger solar system will feed in to the grid on good days and in winter it will still be able to supply power to the house during the day. So all in all as it turned out to be, it was not the case.

Simon advised me to invest in 2 new inverters, so I could utilise the solar power during the day to warm the house and therefore cut-down on my gas. After all the electricity is free during the day.

The installation was carried out by Ben and you couldn't have asked for a better electrician. He was at the premises in early hours of the morning and carried on until evening. It took him 2 days to complete the installation of 33 panels and inverter plus all the other electrical wiring neatly done and I had power to the house on the second day, and all rubbish was collected and taken away.
Ben had to move my TV antenna due to the shadow on the panels and this was done to my satisfaction without a word.

Ben assisted me in selecting a secure and shady place to fit the inverter even though it was a fair way from the main switchboard, and I am glad this was done with a lot of thought, as now I realise how hot the inventor gets on very hot days in Melbourne.

I am now making 55kWh on a good day and 25kWh on a bad day which is more than sufficient to power my house (required 10-12 kWh) and feed in to the grid as well.

I am told that the solar system installed is compatible with battery storage if required at a later date.

I was never thinking of installing solar, but now since I have had this installed I sorry that I didn't do it earlier on.

In short, I am happy with the whole process provided by SolarQuotes and Sahara Solar and I am one happy customer.
Show Details
All 3 quotes were very competitive. We opted for a high end system with the plan to also get batteries. The advise was to wait around 12 months to see if there would really be any worth while savings in the long run. No pressure sales made it an enjoyable experience. The install was quick and so far are more than happy with the results.
Show Details
Show Details
Simon was happy to come and talk to us face to face and offered us a good deal on a system larger, than what we initially considered.
Ben who installed the system was efficient and punctual.
The system allows us to log online and monitor the performance on a daily and monthly basis.
It is a good feeling to see what energy is being generated from your own Solar power plant.
Show Details
Ben installed it as in a day with no fuss or bother. He was friendly helpful and efficient.
I am looking forward to a reduced power bill.
Show Details
Despite going with Sahara Solar, Essential Solar also provided excellent service up to the point that I selected Sahara Solar. Green Sky also planned to quote but a mix up by me delayed their inspection and during that time I went with Sahara. I would be happy to recommend all three companies to quote.....
Show Details
Any one out there looking a solar system should go to Sahara Solar, l had requested 4 quotes from different companies and Sahara Solar came back to me with the better price and a far better system, l also installed a battery back up , l would like to thank Simon (knowledge) was brilliant and Ben the electrician the workman ship and his knowledge was also brilliant , l would recommend them to anyone.
Show Details
They did everything I asked
Show Details
Just awaiting the installation this week which has been delayed by our power infrastructure companies 'red tape' but i'm sure it will be as good as the rest of the experience with Sahara Solar
Show Details
Very good salesperson in Simon and the installer has also been great to work with. Simon is very easy going, very thorough yet simple in explaining the system and very patient in answering any questions I had. Ben the installer was very good to work with and left the place clean when he left.
Show Details
X
 To get your quotes, please enter your postcode: