SolarMax Technology reviews
• last updated FEB 26, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
SolarMax makes big promises but fails when you need them most. We analyzed hundreds of reviews and found a clear pattern: strong sales experience followed by a service breakdown that leaves systems down for months. In one case, a customer waited four months for a replacement inverter while owing $2,000 to the electric company, after SolarMax took weeks just to check if the part was in stock. In another, faulty panels sat bypassed with no follow-up while the homeowner called repeatedly, never getting a callback. We found 68 reviews describing recurring system failures and repair delays stretching beyond three months. Post-sale support scored just 3.7 out of 5, with 140 negative mentions, and customers report that once panels stop working, getting anyone to return a call becomes nearly impossible. The customer service team hangs up, ignores messages, or tells you they have no information for weeks on end. Several longtime customers say the company avoids warranty claims entirely, leaving 12-year-old systems broken and owners paying for both non-functioning solar and grid electricity. If you want an installer who'll still answer the phone when something breaks, this is not it.
If you value long-term support over a smooth sales pitch, avoid SolarMax. The install may go fine, but when your system fails, you'll spend months chasing callbacks and living without the savings you paid for.
Reviews That Shaped Our Verdict
Eleana T. had a SolarMax system installed 12 years ago and recently discovered the panels were failing and the inverter needed replacement — work she expected to be covered under warranty. She reached out and got initial promises that SolarMax would follow up with emails detailing options and pricing, but two months later the emails never arrived. When she called back, she often got the runaround: long holds, dropped calls, or no answer at all. Specific contacts she tried include Arianna, who never returned multiple phone calls, and Diana, who hung up on her. Talking with neighbors who had the same installer revealed the problem wasn’t isolated. As a result, she’s left paying for electricity while equipment under warranty sits unaddressed. The clearest takeaway from her experience: the company’s post-install support evaporated for older systems, and she now warns future buyers to demand clear, documented warranty-response commitments before investing.
Gary purchased a rooftop solar system in 2015 and enjoyed years of trouble-free service — it produced more energy than his household used and wiped out his Edison bill, prompting him to refer two friends to the same installer. In November 2022 the array began producing only sporadically, and because he monitored output daily on the company portal he knew right away when it fell to nearly nothing. Calls and voicemail messages to customer service went unanswered for weeks; after repeated attempts he finally landed a technician visit on 12/05/22, but the system worked for a day and then stopped again. Two weeks of more unanswered messages led to another appointment on 01/20/23, when a tech suspected an inverter problem and flagged it to the office. A follow-up visit on 02/13/23 uncovered two faulty panels; the tech bypassed them and said the array would run until replacements arrived, but the system failed again after a day. Frustrated, he drove to the company’s facility on 02/17/23 and found a customer-service rep who admitted they hadn’t even checked inventory for those two panels four days after the tech’s diagnosis — despite a warehouse stacked with thousands of panels. Three more
Robb had a SolarMax system on his home for nearly four years when the inverter, which had already been replaced once early on, failed again in the August heat. He spent weeks trying to book a service visit — bounced through phone tag and promises of callbacks that never came — and finally got an appointment scheduled more than three weeks out. When the technician arrived he confirmed the inverter was dead within minutes but then spent an hour on the phone to get approval to order a replacement. Robb waited without updates: calls over the next two months turned up no information about the part, and only after roughly three months did the company say the replacement had arrived and they could come back in three weeks. When they did return, the crew swapped the inverter in about 30 minutes and were polite and professional. The bottom line for Robb was that his system sat offline for about four months, his utility balance swung from a credit of roughly $400 to a $2,000 charge, and he felt like an afterthought compared with how he imagines new customers would be handled. He had previously referred three neighbors and now plans to stop recommending SolarMax; the lasting image is a quick,
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 60
Buyer Beware
Unauthorized Activities
0 reports
Misleading Claims
8 reports
Background Check
Serving customers for 14 years
Among the longest-standing installers in the market.
BBB Rating: A
Good BBB standing.
Natural Review Patterns
Reviews were posted naturally over time.
Licensed Contractor
A valid contractor license is on record.
What You Can Expect
Tom F. moved into a Redlands home four years ago and, on a neighbor’s recommendation, had SolarMax install solar panels and a battery backup. He relied on their ongoing accessibility and support over those years, so when he chose to expand the system this summer he turned back to the same team. SolarMax managed the project from design through paperwork—preparing the application, navigating the City review, completing the installation—and secured Edison’s final approval to operate. He found their responsiveness and technical competence kept the process moving smoothly and without surprises. The detail that stood out to him was continuity: the same crew who installed the original system handled the upgrade and the approvals, so the expansion felt like a seamless extension rather than a fresh, uncertain start.
On a residential solar install, Christina S. discovered a kinked electrical conduit after the system was in place and sent SolarMax an onsite photo (Update #4) the moment she became aware. She volunteered to cover any correction she hadn’t known was needed and approached the company looking for a fix. Instead, SolarMax declared the conduit had been tampered with by another contractor, refused to work with her to resolve it, and voided the contract. What frustrated her most was that several SolarMax technicians had been to the house to repair split wiring—work she believes was not up to code—and at no point did any of them identify or report the kink. She emphasizes that the original installer is responsible for ensuring equipment meets code, and she was left with a safety/code issue that the company declined to correct after blaming third-party tampering.
John installed a system on a small two-person home expecting a noticeable cut in his power bills, but after installation he still pays roughly $100–$130 a month plus the solar payments. When a single panel stopped producing, Solar Max sent a technician out promptly to troubleshoot — that quick service started off well. After the visit, however, the experience unraveled: for two months he pushed for a replacement and met a stream of excuses. The panel remained in place so the manufacturer had nothing to inspect, warranty approval dragged on for a month, then Solar Max said the manufacturer needed to ship the replacement to them, creating another delay. Meanwhile his electric bill stayed high, and he began to doubt that Solar Max keeps spare panels locally. He recently inquired about upgrading the system but decided against any further work with Solar Max because of the slow warranty process. Reading BBB complaints that reflected the same delays reinforced his reluctance; the concrete takeaway he kept in mind was that a prompt diagnostic visit didn’t prevent months without a working panel and continued high bills.