Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The issues first began when a substandard installer was assigned to do the installation of the Kohler 26RCAL home generator. Due to the distance from my home's electrical service meter box being on the north end of the house and the natural gas service being on the south end of the house, a decision was made to place the generator unit at the south end of the house near the natural gas service. As a result of the length of my home, I was told that a larger size cable to connect the generator unit to the electric transfer box, located next to the power meter, would be required. In addition, this cable would be run in the attic of my garage, game room, and house, approximately 125 feet. The conduit that the installers brought with them to run this cable inside of was too small. Instead of obtaining the correct size of conduit for this size cable, the installers removed the protective exterior jacket from the cable so it would fit inside the conduit, which is exposed to the elements with running down the exterior of the house and underground. In addition, the network cable was not run so the unit could be connected to my home's network so adequate monitoring of the system could be performed. The installers drilled holes through brick masonry walls with them not lining up with the transfer electrical box, ran out of one style of conduit so continued on with another style giving the job a sloppy installation appearance, plus damaged the drywall ceiling in my game room and den. Attached are the photos that I provided ***** ****** with Sunergy in October of 2023 with being told that the repairs would be made before the end of January 2024 after making many inquiries in Nov & Dec '23 and Jan 24. Those repairs were never performed. After the installation was completed, no one with Sunergy ever returned to speak with me about the unit's warranty, how the unit was configured to do a maintenance run per week. Given the poor installation, the unit did not and does not function.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/05/2024

  As a company, our policy is not to take a deposit or payment until the job is completed and the customer is shown that it is working. Typically, if our customer has any changes, dislikes or concerns they are brought up at that time before we are paid. *** **** was present during the two day Installation at his home. *** **** signed off the job 5 days after the job was completed.  *** **** did not mention that he had concerns about the way the installation was completed until this complaint 5 Months later. Had we known of his concerns anytime over the last 5 months we could have explained that the conduit used is the correct size. The jacket is removed when it exits the attic outside only because the wires are too rigid to bend at 90 degrees to run down the wall . The new conduit they are placed in replaces the portion of the jacket that was removed. The conduit is rated for outdoors so it can be exposed to the elements.  The Electrician that was present has 10 years of Electrical experience and until now has never had a complaint.  His helper has a bachelor’s in technology and is also a certified Technician of 3 Years with zero. Complants. The method of installation we used is not only common its standard among all Installation companies. If the conduits appearance was not satisfactory. We would gladly offer to paint the conduits to match so they are not two different shades of grey. *** **** has some very minor damage to his ceiling . He was very patient in waiting for the repair. We did schedule with *** **** for repair and on the day The drywall was scheduled to be repaired we could not get *** **** on the phone or text. We called twice . We left a voicemail . Sent a text as well but the call or text was never returned. When *** **** notified us that his Machine had no lights on its control panel we responded within a minute . We told him we would have someone there to fix it within two hours to get it going and that it was under full Warranty at which time he declined service. *** **** has had my personal cell number since his installation. He has been very easy to deal with. I understand his frustration that his machine is not on. Normally this is something very easy fix that takes us a few minutes to remedy. I can assure him that it is not from an incompetent or inexperienced technician. As we have already told him before this complaint . We are on Standby to take care of his Machine whenever he is ready. We have no problem rescheduling his drywall repair. The maintenance schedule is printed on a sticker on the lid of the machine. If he does not have his warranty paperwork we can provide another copy. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/07/2024

  Actually, it took the installers three days to conduct their
  installation with some of the delay being the “10-years of electrical
  experience” electrician having to call another electrician on how to connect
  the generator’s transfer box to my existing electrical panel.  I did find the manual for the transfer case
  left in my driveway after the crew left on their final day.  It had been rained on and was covered with
  mud. I was never provided an owner’s manual for the generator unit.  I’m sure that it is available online but when
  the power fails and the generator fails, it is difficult to get online to read
  a manual.  Yes, there is a maintenance schedule
  on the underside of the generator unit’s lid but that is not what I was making
  reference to.  I was never informed of when
  a weekly maintenance run was scheduled.  People that I know that have Kohler and other brands of home generators
  mention that theirs is schedule to run, for example, 20 minutes at 1PM every
  Thursday.  If mine was setup for this
  maintenance run, I was never informed.  I
  listened for it to come on but it never did.  Obviously, because the battery the unit uses to start was dead.  On Saturday, April 27, 2024, I purchased a
  new replacement battery for the unit and installed it since sever weather was
  forecasted for Sunday evening. The display panel started to display
  information.  Sunday evening’s weather
  forecast was accurate with my area being hit with high winds and downed trees that
  triggered another extended power outage.  The generator started and ran for 12 hours then powered off even though
  the power from the power company was still off.  When checking the generator, the new battery
  that I had installed two days before had been drained so low that the display
  would no longer function. In addition, there is a network patch cable located inside
  the unit obviously for network connectivity so the unit can be monitored.  That was left disconnected as well.
  
  At this point, Kohler Corporate is involved.  Based on photographs of the installation that
  Kohler requested, it appears that the system that maintains the battery was
  never installed and/or connected with the electrical cables that run from the transfer box to the generator
  unit for this purpose being taped off with not being connected to anything.  Kohler has offered to send out a “Golden”
  ranked Kohler installer to inspect the installation job and provide me with a
  report as to why the unit is not performing as it should.  I have accepted Kohler’s offer with that
  inspection visit currently being scheduled.  Unfortunately, Kohler will not reimburse me for the $214.00 cost of
  replacing the 5-month-old failed AutoZone brand battery that was placed in the
  unit by the installer.  I will eat this cost and probably more for repairs due to selecting a substandard installer.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/10/2024

  A-Lectric Company, a gold Kohler installer located in
  Shreveport, LA, came to my home this morning to conduct an inspection of
  the generator and installation to determine why the generator is not
  functioning.  They informed me of the following:
  1.   
  That a separate low-voltage cable should have been run from the
  generator to the transfer box for the unit to communicate with the
  transfer box which is resulting in the battery maintenance controller to not function.
  2.    That the electrical romex cable that was run for the control module in the unit, runs to my electrical breaker box with that breaker being left switched off.
  3.    The natural gas supply line was
  not installed correctly with the rubber flexible connection already
  showing signs of collapsing, which is restricting gas flow to the unit
  in order for it to run properly (see attached photos). This line collapse
  will only get worse with time further restricting the natural gas flow into the unit.
  4.    That the install is most certainly substandard and would not meet Kohler's warranty requirements.  A-Lectric Company is to provide me with a cost of correcting the above referenced issues.
  

  Kohler
  support informed me that Sunergy, the installer, never registered the
  unit as being installed.  Please see the three (3) attachments which
  includes photos of the natural gas connection and the invoice for
  $180.00 inspection fee.

  Sunergy should cover the cost of A-Lectric, or another gold Kohler installer, to come to my home and make the corrections that are preventing the unit from functioning.  In addition, I expect reimbursement for replacing the failed battery and the cost of hiring a third party to conduct an inspection of the unit and their substandard installation job.  In addition, I have now lost six (6) months of warranty on the unit due to a situation that Sunergy created by not installing the unit correctly.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/19/2024

  Typical wire used for communication is not rated for 600 volts and has to be ran in a separate conduit. The wire we use is made for Generator Installations. It was designed by Generac and Is rated for 600 volts and has power and communication wires in one assembly. It is not required to be ran in a second conduit per its UL listing and Per the National Electrical Code. Its rating is UL E60544-PA Power and Control Trey Cable Type TC-ER-JP. The wires rating is undisputable and is not required to be ran in a second conduit on any installation.  It costs more and its communication wires are 18Gauge and has a larger diameter then typical Communication cable. The Communication wires are hooked up on this installation and have no bearing on the Generator not coming per this complaint. If *** **** prefers a second conduit ran with a low voltage cable that is not rated for 600 volts that is required to be ran separately then we would be willing to Install the cheaper and smaller lower rated cable. The 3/4 " fuel supply line installed was brand new and provided by Kohler and comes with the Generator. We have contacted the Plumbing company we use for our installations and made them aware of the complaint and that there was a slight kink in the rubber flexible line. They have agreed to correct it at no charge. I have contacted Kohler regarding the missing 6 months of warranty. They informed me that the warranty is active. The time of activation which was October 26th at 1:20Pm. That is the time the Generator unlock code which is provided by Kohler after registration was used to start and test the generator. There is not any time missing on the warranty. The Generator did not work in April because we forgot to turn on the Battery charging breaker and the battery died. The fix to this is to turn the breaker on and charge or replace the battery. It is a 15 minute fix which when we offered to come out within two hours the day we were made aware of it *** **** declined service.  Kohler contacted us about this complaint and asked if we had any issue providing a free service trip for *** **** which we stated many times we did not.  Kohler company said they would let *** **** know that if he wanted another dealer then he would need to do so at his own expense .  We apologize again that the generator did not come on and were more then willing to turn on the breaker and get the machine back on. We will offer $500 for the inconvenience and 1 Year of free Maintenance for oil changes to *** ****. If *** **** chooses to have another dealer then he will need to do so at his own expense.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/20/2024

  This is the recommendation from the third-party Kohler golden installer, which also installs Generac brand generators, that examined Sunergy's installation at my home:   "The wire they used is manufactured for Generac generators; not Kohler.  Kohler requires a shielded cable (18/4) to be ran for the communication wires. If I were you I'd make them correct the issue and Install it to Kohler's guidelines."  At this point, it appears that Sunergy installed a "Frankenstein" generator system with using parts from different generator manufactures in order to cut costs.   It also appears that I will need to hire a professional installer to come to my home to clean up Sunergy's substandard installation, which obviously does not meet Kohler's installation standards and would void a warranty claim as a result.  Once I have the corrections made and have a total cost, then it appears that I will need to take legal action against Sunergy for reimbursement, including the damage repairs and 6-months of lost warranty.  I believe one of the local television news stations will get involved to help resolve issues such as this and warn the public of vendors that fail to meet installation standards.  I certainly hope that Kohler has requested that Sunergy no longer purchase their products to install until their staff are property trained.