The problem with Solartwin

Stuart Lovatt, ex employee of Solartwin, would like to share my experience’s, good and bad about Solartwin and it’s product, so you may benefit from my experience.

I began promoting their product on my website (aimed at promoting the use of solar panels) Heat my Home back in 2004. Like many of their customers I thought the concept and thinking behind the product was great and it was.

My website began bringing them many interested potential customers, so much so that they offered me a job within the company. I took their offer and moved to Chester to begin my new career.

My perception of Solartwin began to change, after a manager in charge of after-sales service left the company and told me how many unhappy customers they really had. (this was kept secret from other employee’s). This was the reason he was leaving, 76 and growing, customers all with broken panels, noisey pumps or leaks. He had enough and left.

Shortly after this they were banned from the government approved list of solar technologies, and the Solar Trade Association expelled them for good.

My conscious kicked in. Unhappy I confronted the managers that I was unhappy and their only solution was to encourage me to lie to new customers. This I could not do. Solartwin began a policy of bullying to make me toe the company line, but this came to a head when I left because the bullying and nastiness aimed at me became to much to bear. I handed my resignation letter in.

During this time the sales coming into the company drastically reduced and the unhappy customers had risen further. Panels only installed 5-2 years ago were encountering problems. (A good solar panel should easily last 25-30 years)

I took Solartwin to an employment tribunal, were they settled out of court.

My bad experience’s continued recently when they tried to accuse me of fraudulently using services worth £2000 when in fact it was only £69. This was due to a mix up when I left the company about website access. This issue was dealt with outside of court and the £69 returned.

The Solartwin Product – By my experience

Pro’s

1. You can use your existing old hot water tank.
2. It uses a PV solar panel to power the pump.
3. Can easily be installed as a DIY solar panel.

Con’s

1. Installing to an old tank is a false economy. You will need to change your tank anyway in the see able future and the panel will become unusable on your modern tank.
2. The pump is a cheap car’s windscreen washer pump.
3. The pump is strapped to your rafters with a cheap piece of insulating foam and tie grips.
4. The panel its self is only a large piece of builders (Kingspan) foam encased into a plastic box.
5. The price of the product does not match the quality of the product.
6. The performance of the panel is poor.
7. The pump is noisey and generally situated above your bedroom.
8. Solartwin promote their product as ZERO Carbon. Lying to their customer even in their marketing. Nothing is Zero Carbon not even tree’s.

I myself continued to promote QUALITY solar panels through my website Heat my Home.

Source - Heatmyhome