A Phoenix woman said the constant loud noise coming from her home solar inverter isn’t just disruptive, it’s a safety concern.
She reached out to Let ABC15 Know for help after the company that installed it refused to replace the equipment.
Christel has been a solar customer since 2012, but recently, the problems she has encountered have caused her to have a change of heart about solar.
“I was at my wits end because I couldn’t get any response,” said Christel.
Christel said the problem in 2024, when she came home from a trip and her neighbor asked her what was going on with her inverter.
Christel said, “It’s like a very loud humming, it just hums.”
For nearly a year she’s been trying to get her solar company, Spruce Power, to replace two of her three inverters.
Christel said she’s never heard that loud humming sound from her inverters before, which led her to believe there was a problem with the system.
“The higher the temperatures go, the louder the noise gets,” explained Christel. “Yeah, this is not good.”
Christel took me to the room in her home to hear the noise from inverter located outside, and she is truly worried. “I’m here by myself. Is it eventually going to catch on fire? I have no idea,” said explained.
Her efforts to get the company to fix the problem have seemed louder than the noise itself.
“I kept calling, leaving messages, nothing. I kept sending emails, and I kept getting the same thing,” stated Christel.
Finally, two months after Christel reached out to the company about the problem, they sent a technician to her home, and what they found had Christel even more worried.
Christel said, “He (the technician) says yes, those fans are old, they do not work properly anymore, the inverters are out of warranty and there’s a very strong electrical smell.”
It was for those reasons listed in the technician’s report, he recommended replacing Christel’s inverters. However, Spruce Power said they’re meeting full obligations based on their contract with Christel.
The following is a statement from Spruce Power:
Thank you for your inquiry regarding concerns raised about a Spruce Power inverter. In response to a customer inquiry, Spruce deployed a service visit where our technician confirmed that the inverter in question is fully operational and performing within all required specifications from a performance and safety perspective. Spruce is meeting its full obligations under the customer contract. We are committed to delivering reliable service and support and will continue to work closely with this customer to address any ongoing concerns.
Nick Williams
Marketing Manager, of Spruce Power
Christel claims the company did not provide an explanation for their decision, only saying they can’t justify any repairs because the inverters are still producing.
“The biggest problem is the noise, and the concern that there’s going to be a fire,” said Christel, adding it’s taking a toll on her health. “I’ve been so stressed because I’m dealing with this by myself.”
But the Let ABC15 Know will continue to help her with this issue.
