AlphaESS Battery: A Warranty Struggle of Odyssean Proportions

Your shiny new solar power system has been installed. You can’t get the smile off your face as you show friends and family and smugly tell them about all the environmental benefits and the huge savings you’ll be making by providing your own electricity for years to come.

This is the reality for most smart and savvy buyers and the expectation for anyone purchasing a solar power system. Sadly there are some instances where a buyer’s solar dream comes crashing down and turns into a nightmare. The thing is, most of these cases are completely avoidable.

Your Rights Vs The Real World

As many of you are aware, you have rights that are put in place to protect consumers:

“Under the Australian Consumer Law, when you buy products and services they come with automatic guarantees that they will work and do what you asked for. If you buy something that isn’t right, you have consumer rights.” (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)

These rights provide an extra level of protection on top of the warranties that a product or service provider may give you when making a purchase. There’s been a lot written about your rights here, there and everywhere!

But …

How does this play out in a real-world situation? What happens when your inverter fries on a 40º day, less than a year after it was installed? No worries. That envelope containing your product warranty is tucked away in your filing cabinet. Or is it? Never mind. That’s most likely irrelevant because you’re protected under Australian consumer law, right?

Yes, but life is potentially about to get really shitty as you try to enforce your government-given ‘right’. Do you really want to pick a fight with the solar company? Are you up for some sleepless nights and days of anger and regret?

Judy’s AlphaESS Battery Story

Judy Hall from Impact Eco Solutions can tell you all about that. She’s been through the wringer trying to sort out a warranty claim. After more than five months, countless emails and wasted hours of otherwise productive time, her nightmare has hopefully ended (maybe).

Judy’s ordeal is best summed up in her letter to the ACCC and Office of Fair Trading, which she kindly gave us permission to share with you:

LETTER OF COMPLAINT – WARRANTY – NON COMPLIANT (dated 19-4-22)

I am the owner of a Alpha Storion OF5 Battery Backup system, purchased in 2017, with a 10yr warranty. During this time, the unit has had the solar inverter and the cable box replaced under warranty.

On the 13th December 2021, I reported a fault and the breakdown of the Storion ESS OF5 to the Alpha ESS Tech support. The report sent to the Tech included the fault messages, including the readings of the solar as well as the battery readings of the Storion ESS OF5 in detail.

After sending 5 emails and not receiving any reply, I rang and rang the 1300 number for the Tech back up, the message kept saying …………. “the number you have called is currently switched off or unavailable”. And/or the number just rang out. Hence I was unable to get through to the Alpha Tech backup support to discuss the breakdown of the Storion ESS OF5 unit.

After 24 emails (dated from 13th Dec 21 to 7 April 22) were sent to Alpha ESS, and now 4 months have passed since my request for service and/or replacement part to rectify the Storion ESS OF5 battery system back to full operation, still I have not received the part required. I engaged a Clean Energy Council fully qualified electrician, who has been in the solar industry for many years and is fully qualified in both Grid, On & Off Grid battery systems to check the unit out and he sent his full report to Alpha ESS tech via email.

On the 16th Dec 21, I received an email from the Tech @ Alpha with a report showing that the Alpha ESS battery system had failed. ( This report is generated as the Battery system is online and Alpha can dial in and monitor it at all times ).

On the 17th Feb 22, I received an email from the Tech at Alpha saying………. The warranty unit OF 5 inverter is on the transportation from China, and the current ETA we have from the courier is within 2 weeks to arrive our warehouse. We will arrange for delivery as soon as we received the machine.

On the 3 Mar 22, I received this mail from Alpha saying……. Sorry for the delay. We are short of staff right now. Could you help confirming this address Besides we also need the contact number for the delivery.

On the 4 Mar 22, I received this email from Alpha saying………. Info received and the delivery apply is submitted. Once I get the tracking info I will inform you.

On the 11 Mar 22, I received this email from Alpha saying……. I’m 100% sure our operation team has marked this as priority. I will make sure they send it next week.

On the 18th Mar, I received this email from Alpha saying……… I’m so sorry for the delay. I double checked with our operation team in our warehouse. The OF5 inverter did arrive but since we only have one person in warehouse recently the new arrived cargo is still waiting for storage. We will arrange one more collegue to the warehouse and help dealing with all the things. The inverter should be sent out next week. I also cc’d our collegue who is now working in the warehouse. Please pay more patience and I’m sorry again for our delay.

On the 21st Mar, I received this email from Alpha saying………… Yes, only one superman there for now. And this is a tough time for us. We are trying our best to make the situation better. Please pay more patience and trust us we will make it.
This is the last email I have received from Alpha

My last communication via email from Alpha was on the 21 Mar 22, since then, silence ! After all this time and all my many correspondences trying to get a replacement part for my Alpha ESS Storion OF5, can kindly note the request from Alpha in emails dated 18th & 21st Mar, asking to me “for more patience”. Rather meaningless after 4 months, don’t you think ?

I myself have been in the solar Industry for 33 yr. and the above issue is not new to me when dealing with this particular company. Alpha seems to have a policy of promises, delays and not meeting any timetables set for service calls and/or replacement parts to be delivered. In some instances, my customers with stand-alone (off Grid ) systems have had to wait for up to 2 – 3 months before either a Tech will visit the site and/or replacement parts sent.

It is extremely difficult even to get an Alpha ESS Tech on the phone to have a phone consultation when a unit breaks down. You will appreciate that these customers rely on their battery system for everyday power, so when the unit goes down, they have NO power and must resort to using a generator until the unit can be fixed, which in all instances does not go down well with any of these Alpha customers. I personally know that, all the above is not an isolated case, and I am not the only company having this type of issue as outlined when a warranty and/or breakdown of a AlphaESS unit occurs.

Therefore I ask the AAAC and the Office of Fair Trading to assist in this matter to resolve the outstanding obligation by Alpha ESS Australia Pty Ltd, ( ABN 73 604 627 018 ) under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010

Thank you
Judy Hall Impact Eco Solution Pty Ltd

Where To Now?

On 19 April 2022 Judy sent the letter above to the ACCC, Office of Fair Trading, and cc’d to the Clean Energy Council – SEIA, Queensland Ombudsman and SolarQuotes. At the time of writing, she has received no response from the Clean Energy Council.

She received a reply from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), who tried to contact AlphaESS and who (surprise, surprise) failed to respond to any of their repeated attempts. OFT stated that they cannot force a trader to participate in conciliation and, unfortunately cannot help any further.

Whaaat??!! Judy takes another punch to the guts. OFT’s advice – If you wish to wish to pursue your complaint further, you can take action in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, and/or get independent legal advice.

So that’s where Judy stands with her ‘consumer rights’. From where I’m standing, it looks like Judy is on her own when it comes to enforcing these laws.

On the positive side – as this post was being drafted, the faulty part in question, an inverter, finally landed on her doorstep and has been installed. It’s working, but for how long is anybody’s guess. Her manufacturers’ warranty however is only good for the remaining period of her old warranty.

The Benefit Of The Doubt

To be fair, I phoned AlphaESS to see if they’d like to give their take on Judy’s story. After repeated attempts to get through, I gave up. Maybe try an email? I don‘t know about you, but I don’t have Judy’s patience. AlphaESS don’t seem to have a good track record of answering emails in a timely manner.

The Benefit Of Hindsight

So, is this ethical behaviour for a solar manufacturer, or has AlphaESS crossed the line? Should they be nominated for this year’s Shonky Awards? And could all of this have been avoided? Maybe. Maybe not. I haven’t walked a mile in Judy’s shoes, and with the benefit of hindsight things may have played out differently.

My Takeaway From All This

Please, do your due diligence. If you want to minimise your chances of a similar situation arising, make sure your solar investment decisions are based on the lifespan of the solar power system. Hint: the best deal might not be the cheapest deal. You want to know that both the installer and manufacturer have your back when you need them and take their obligations to adhere to Australian consumer protection laws in a timely and serious manner.

Only use trusted brands with a proven track record and a solid presence in Australia. Read reviews. Get savvy on solar. It could save you a lot of headaches and sleepless nights.

One more thing…

A cheeky phone call to test the responsiveness of the tech support of your chosen brand wouldn’t go astray before you sign on the dotted line… and say hello from me 🙂

Original Source: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/alphaess-battery-warranty/