Pink Energy CEO Urges Generac to Do National Recall on Alleged Defective Solar Product – EQ Mag Pro
Company to Host Press Conference Regarding Lawsuit Vs. Generac, Alleged Faulty Equipment & Damages
DETROIT : Today, Pink Energy CEO Jayson Waller is urging Generac to do a national recall on one of its solar energy system components called a SnapRS after allegedly seeing thousands of its customers’ solar systems compromised by this failing part.
Waller is holding a press conference to provide a timeline and details of Pink Energy’s lawsuit against Generac, specifically centered on the alleged malfunctioning and burning/melting SnapRS units that have been part of the installation process of nearly every Pink Energy solar energy equipment install since 2020. Pink Energy also claims that SnapRS are believed to have caused at least two fires at Pink Energy customer homes.
“We are urging customers to hold Generac accountable for these defective parts,” Waller said. “At a time when clean energy interests need to advance with the recent 10-year extension of the federal solar investment tax credit, Generac’s defective SnapRS are giving solar a bad name. Additionally, several other solar dealers/installers have come forward having similar issues with Generac products. It’s a problem.”
The SnapRS is an inline disconnect device designed to rapidly shut down power to individual solar panels as required by the National Electric Code. When signaled by the inverter, the SnapRS unit breaks the photovoltaic circuit thereby reducing total PV array output voltage to a safe level – to less than 80 volts – in a matter of seconds.
According to the lawsuit, Pink Energy was assured by Generac in August 2021 that firmware updates would fix the issue of overactive SnapRS turning on and off repeatedly. The update would keep the signal constant in an “on” position until there was a forced rapid shutdown. Instead, the firmware update actually shut down portions of a customer’s system to prevent potential thermal events. Pink Energy has reason to believe Generac was aware that its firmware update would have adverse affects on the production of customer solar systems, but it did not disclose until 10 months later to Pink Energy (June 2022) that the firmware update was only an “interim solution” until a third-generation part arrived.
The lawsuit further asserts that Generac’s faulty equipment has caused Pink Energy to experience an influx of 30,000 inbound customer complaint calls per month, as well as the loss of 600 jobs nationwide (approximately 100 in Michigan and 200 more in the company’s home state of North Carolina).
Pink Energy continues to field calls and address issues related to the SnapRS, and is even seeing failures in other Generac component pieces. After having replaced approximately 50,000 SnapRS itself, Pink Energy has prevailed upon Generac to take over responsibility for all future services related to Generac products, including replacement of SnapRS components and clearing lockout errors, in order to streamline the resolution of issues for Pink Energy customers. There is now a dedicated phone line for customers to directly reach Generac to address these Generac product issues. Generac can be reached at 800-396-1281, or by emailing solarsupport@generac.com, to get Generac product system issues addressed.
About Pink Energy
Pink Energy is a leading energy efficiency company that provides high-quality American-made solar panels as part of a complete energy-savings package for residential customers. The company, which has made the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies five times in the last six years, launched in 2014 in Mooresville, N.C., and today has approximately 1,500 employees, including a commercial division. Operating in 16 states, it is committed to doing good things for the planet and good things for people by helping them to live lives powered by the sun.
