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My experience with Activ8 for solar installation

  • 25-06-2016 01:43PM
    #1
    pdelahunty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65 ✭✭


    I just had the Activ8 person coming to survey the house call me and tell me he would be late. When I couldn't guarantee my wife would be here he refused to come. He said after 11 years in the Industry I would only buy if my wife was here. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS, presumptive and frankly insulting. We WERE going to buy a solar panel solution for hot water today from them (cost is not a factor as we were doing it for environmental reasons) but based on their crazy attitude I am looking for another company to spend my money with.

    Would anyone here recommend a company that I should go with?


Comments

  • #2
    wilser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,116 ✭✭✭wilser


    After seeing some of their installations you had a near miss imo 😉


  • #3
    sullzz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,409 ✭✭✭sullzz


    wilser wrote: »
    After seeing some of their installations you had a near miss imo 😉

    +1 on this , Gangsters .
    Post edited by sullzz on


  • #4
    punisher5112
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,519 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Wow that's very strange way of doing business.


  • #5
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,944 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    sullzz wrote: »
    +1 on this , Gangsters .

    They love putting non return valves on gravity circuits from stoves too when the change over the cylinders


  • #6
    sullzz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,409 ✭✭✭sullzz


    Dtp1979 wrote: »
    They love putting non return valves on gravity circuits from stoves too when the change over the cylinders
    :eek:


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  • #7
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,944 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    sullzz wrote: »
    :eek:

    I've seen it on 3 already


  • #8
    sullzz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,409 ✭✭✭sullzz


    I've no idea how they keep getting work , apparently their salesmen are extremely pushy and not very polite and their prices are outrageous to begin with and they offer discounts for different things like leaving their sign in your garden for 6 weeks after the work is completed , but after all that their price is still a lot higher than average .


  • #9
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,944 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    sullzz wrote: »
    I've no idea how they keep getting work , apparently their salesmen are extremely pushy and not very polite and their prices are outrageous to begin with and they offer discounts for different things like leaving their sign in your garden for 6 weeks after the work is completed , but after all that their price is still a lot higher than average .

    A customer told me they arrived, installing an in-roof panel, changed cylinder and finished in 3 hours. Some people think that's great but I was thinking " wow they must've cut some serious corners ". Unfortunately some people think speed equals quality


  • #10
    freddyuk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭freddyuk


    Here is the post from last year: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=97283972

    They are now using certifications via a subsidiary company in NI (a different jurisdiction) I wonder why?


  • #11
    mpbmf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ✭mpbmf


    Had experience with Active8. Paid deposit after high pressure sales. Went to cancel after 30 days. Kept a large portion of my deposit. Be warned. Was told if I wanted this “special” offer I had to sign up and pay deposit on the day. Foolish on my part!!



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  • #12
    eamo_c
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11 ✭eamo_c


    +1 on this. Getting quotes for solar PV at the moment and found Activ8 approach bizzarre. Was getting the "special deal for you" but only if myself and my wife both commit to a 2 hour appointment.



  • #13
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    You might want to research thermal solar. This give hot water only and does generate electricity. Thermal solar isn't a good investment. It has high maintenance. When you factor in the service every 18 months the return is around 15 years or so.

    PV solar generates electricity and can heat water. It requires zero maintenance. It is far better for the environment than thermal solar. The return on PV solar is around seven years now.



  • #14
    unkel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,376 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    Christ are they still at this, I had my "appointment" for their sales pitch about 6-7 years ago. Needless to say when I saw their quotes and their Mickey Mouse calculations of savings, I didn't go for it.

    "Make no mistake. The days of the internal combustion engine are definitely numbered" - Quentin Willson, 1997



  • #15
    brokenangel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,242 ✭✭✭brokenangel


    MOD NOTE. No name calling and stick to the facts.

    ----‐----------------

    Pure <MOD SNIP> but people are still falling for it

    Even a friend of mine was going to buy as she found website good etc, lucky she asked and the price was eye watering.

    I know a neighbour down the road got it installed, they have the “discount” sign up for months now. Poor bastids



  • #16
    niamho67
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 ✭niamho67


    Hi guys can anyone help here. I bought a house in June and it came with a solar system for a pump shower installed by activ8. A pipe burst in July and pink liquid was coming out. We were told it was the coolant. They charged us 250 euro for a call out and then said it would be €1000 to reinstall the pipe so we decided we would just get an electric shower when we got our new boiler which will happen next week.


    In the meantime my shower has stopped heating up completely. The panel in the hot press says it is only at 7.5 degrees. I turned my immersion on and it didn't heat up the shower but it did heat up the hot taps in my kitchen and bathroom. The pipes in my hotpress are hot bar one.


    Does anyone know how I can hot water to my shower using the heating/immersion. The panel has lot of different options but I have no idea how to work it. TIA.



  • #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121293242#Comment_121293242

    An electric shower will cost you at least €1000 supplied & fitted & possibly as much as €1500. You then have to pay to heat up the water @ 9kw. Paying the €1000 to repair your solar setup would give you free hot water & better pressure.

    Unless I'm missing something new electric shower will cost same or more to install than repairing solar system. New Electric shower has less pressure and costs much more to run over it's lifespan?



  • #18
    unkel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,376 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    €250 just for a call out is insane.

    Any plumber should be able to fix the leak it for you, but when ringing around, tell them about the thermal heating system first, not all of them will be able or willing to do that bit - they would have to flush the system and replace the glycol and pressurise it. The latter (apart from the fixing the burst pipe), costs about €250-300

    "Make no mistake. The days of the internal combustion engine are definitely numbered" - Quentin Willson, 1997



  • #19
    Fitzj33
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 ✭Fitzj33


    Hi

    We had Activ8 out to install solar panels 5 years ago now. Over Xmas we noticed a leak in the attic. We got a roofer out and he took a look and stated upon installation it looks like 2 tiles were broken and sealed bk together with silicon, this was right next the the installed panel. The leak was coming in through here and we paid the roofer 350 to fix but it didn't 100% stop turns out there was also silicon on the brackets that have obviously worn and the water is coming in here also. We have contacted activ8 to advise the issue is as a result of the poor installation corners cut etc. We have now noticed pink fluid and they sent out an assessor I refused to pay the 250euro, he didn't even have a ladder to get onto the roof he just assessed inside and the same as the comment above, burst pipe causing the pink glycol to leak. We got a quote of 1600 off them to fix that and the leak...they won't take any responsibility on the leak state workmanship warranty is 2 yrs only. Any advise please 😳



  • #20
    celticbhoy27
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 887 ✭✭✭celticbhoy27


    <snip>

    MOD NOTE

    If you want to post a civil report of your dealings, then do that. Any emotional type name calling will get you an infraction next time.

    Wearb

    Post edited by Wearb on


  • #21
    newhouse87
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,298 ✭✭✭newhouse87


    Thank god I saw this. Just had guy from them arrange appointment and insisted my partner was here which I questioned him on. Just cancelled now.



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