Tron Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)

Tron Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2024)

In this review of solar panel provider Tron Solar, you will learn:

  • Is Tron Solar a legit company?
  • What does the installation process look like with Tron Solar?
  • Is Tron Solar expensive?
  • What do customers have to say about Tron Solar?

 

 

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Tron Solar launched in 2018 with just six people working in the founder’s basement, but has transformed into a 50+ employee company in a surprisingly short time. Today, nearly every Tron Solar review you can find highly recommends the company, making it one of the best solar companies in Illinois. In this article, we’ll go over the most important aspects of Tron Solar — its costs, services, customer ratings and major pros and cons.

Is Tron Solar a Good Solar Company?

Yes, Tron Solar is a reputable and highly successful solar installer. In just a few years, Tron Solar has installed over 800 solar energy systems across 11 states, though primarily in its home state of Illinois. Tron’s swift growth and dozens of excellent reviews suggest that it is certainly a good solar company.

What You Should Know About Tron Solar

Tron Solar was started in 2018 by founder Lester Gray in Illinois. It grew rapidly to become a full-fledged solar installer. Today, the company has completed thousands of kilowatts of solar panel installations and also has a partnership with national leader Sunrun. Besides Sunrun, Tron Solar uses equipment from reputed manufacturers such as Enphase, Talesun and Solaredge. 

The company’s vision is big and goes beyond just renewable energy, with plans for offering smart home tech, security systems, electric vehicle accessories and more.

Tron Solar Fast Facts
Year Started 2018
Service Areas 11 States: Colorado, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.
Services Offered Solar panel installations; roofing services; maintenance and repairs
Types of Solar Equipment Offered Sunrun, Enphase, SolarEdge, Talesun
Certifications Sales team certified by National Customer Service Association (NCSA); certified Sunrun partner; Enphase Gold installer; American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) memberships
Better Business Bureau Rating A+

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Tron Solar

Outstanding Regional Installer

Regional Service

EcoWatch rating

Average cost

Pros

  • Speedy and efficient installations
  • Excellent reputation
  • Award-winning company

Cons

  • Relatively young company
  • No leases or PPAs

Tron Solar Services and Installation

Tron offers both residential and commercial solar installations. The company also offers roofing restoration and maintenance services through its sister company Tron Restoration. For homeowners going solar, the process is relatively straightforward. Here’s how it works.

Solar Installation Experience

Here’s an overview of a typical installation experience when you go solar with Tron.

Step 1: Initial Consultation

Once you’ve gotten in touch with Tron Solar through its online contact form, a solar energy consultant will get in touch to set up a free 30- to 60-minute meeting. They’ll get you up to speed on issues like whether solar is feasible for your home, what size system would fit your solar needs and approximate pricing, and will answer any questions you have from how solar panels work to how much you may save on your electric bill.

Step 2: Design

If you’re happy with the information and decide to go ahead, a team will conduct a site survey of your property and create a final design. Tron Solar provides custom designs based on customer preferences for instance, putting the system on the back of the roof instead of the front to maintain aesthetics.

Step 3: Permitting and Approval

If you approve the company’s proposal, you’ll move into permitting. Local governments typically require solar installation projects to be permitted and approved in advance. At this stage, you’ll also generally apply for any available solar incentives in your state. The company assists you through this process.

Step 4: Installation and Commissioning

Finally, Tron Solar’s technicians and electricians will install the system on your property. You generally will need to be home during this process to provide access to your home’s wiring. Once complete, you can get approval from your local electrical utility company to begin producing solar energy. You can also monitor the performance of your system through live apps that the operations team sets up for you.

Tron Solar Customer Service

Tron Solar’s many high customer ratings provide evidence that the company sincerely focuses on a positive customer experience. You can get answers to all of your questions before and during your installation, and multiple homeowners describe a good follow-up experience with the customer service team.

Tron Solar Costs and Financing

The cost of installing a solar power system with Tron Solar is roughly in line with the average cost of solar panels in Illinois. The typical system cost with Tron is around $25,800 before the federal credit or $18,060 after the credit, though your actual price can vary based on the size and complexity of your system. Most customers state they’re happy with the Tron’s quoted costs. 

Financing Options Through Tron Solar

Although cash purchase is the best option when going solar, most customers prefer not to pay all the cost up-front. Tron offers three different purchase models. As a homeowner, you can either pay for the system in cash up-front, or take out a solar loan to pay over time. Commercial customers may also have access to a solar lease program.

Cash Purchase Solar Loan Solar Lease (commercial customers only)
System Ownership
Maintenance Included
Upfront Cost
Added Property Value
Eligible for Tax Credit
Payment Due to Solar Installer Loan Provider Solar Installer

Deciding on how to buy solar panels can feel like a daunting task, especially when you consider the variety of purchasing models available. Check out our solar financing guide to choose an option with confidence.

Tron Solar Panel Warranty

A major advantage of choosing Tron Solar is its exceptional roster of warranties, particularly the company’s unusual but excellent roof warranty. Here’s a brief overview:

  1. Equipment Warranty: As an installer, Tron does not provide warranties on equipment but passes on the warranties provided by the manufacturer. These include a 25-year solar panel warranty and a 25-year inverter warranty.
  2. Workmanship Warranty: Most solar installers provide a workmanship warranty of five or 10 years from the date of installation. Tron Solar outshines most other companies by providing a 20-year full-service warranty.
  3. Roof Warranty: The most unique warranty in Tron’s arsenal is its 10-year roof warranty that protects the homeowner against any damage the installation process may have caused to the roof.

Tron Solar Reviews

Tron Solar prides itself on its striking number of five-star reviews, but that doesn’t mean there is never a negative customer experience. Here are some positive and negative reviews for the installer.

Positive Tron Solar Reviews

Tron’s positive reviews mention the company’s honesty, speed and customer service. Take a look at a couple of examples:

“[Tron] has the kind of people you want in and on your house and working on your system.  Fast, polite, professional, clean. No conduit running all over your roof. I even worked with them to have all my panels installed on the back side of my home so that you could not even see them from the street. The system is working well so far after two months. Highly recommended.”

– Michael Z via Yelp

“I was happy with the entire experience. Gary let me know step by step what to expect. The installation was done in one day and the team was great. Jason, Joe, Isaiah, and Marcos. Really appreciate the follow up after everything was finished to see if I had any other questions.”

– Erika Q via Google

Negative Tron Solar Reviews

A small number of customers did not have their expectations met by Tron Solar. Here are a few examples:

“I signed a contract back on July 16 for a solar system. I was told it would take about two months to get installed. It’s now almost [the] middle of December. After many calls, text messages and emails I keep getting the runaround. Since the first week of December I keep getting told ‘tomorrow someone will be there,’ ‘tomorrow we’ll get started,’ ‘no one has been out yet to your site?’ “We have you on the schedule but I don’t know what [will] happen,’ ‘I will get back to you’ and then no one calls back.”

– David N. via Google

“The time it took to install the [solar] system was seven months. Failed city inspections, connectivity issues, etc. As of 4-12-22, they still have not addressed electrical issues that I was not experiencing before they installed the new breaker box. One of the technicians informed us that the wrong gauge wire was present and needed to be replaced. If they were aware of this, they should have informed me earlier on in the process before they replaced the breaker box.”

– Philip D. via BBB

Solar Energy Provider Comparison

Tron Solar is a great company in many ways, but there may be aspects of it that don’t suit your needs, so exploring other companies makes sense. Here’s a table comparing Tron with two other companies you may want to know about.

Tron Solar GRNE Solar Windfree Solar
EcoWatch Rating 3.5 4.5 4.0
Year Started 2018 2012 2009
Services Offered Solar panel installations; roofing services; maintenance and repairs Solar panel, Battery and EV charger installations; maintenance and repairs; system monitoring Solar panel, wind turbine and battery installations
Service Areas CO, TX, MN, IA, AR, WI, IL, IN, NC, SC, FL IL, IN, IA, NE IL
BBB Rating A+ A+ A+
Payment Options Cash, loan, lease (commercial only) Cash, loan, power purchase agreement (PPA) Cash, loan

 

The cost information presented in this article is derived from a comprehensive analysis, incorporating data from multiple industry sources. The average cost per watt per state was calculated based on figures from Consumer Affairs, Energy Sage, and Berkeley Lab’s Electricity Markets & Policy Department. Additionally, monthly energy consumption and the average monthly cost of electricity were sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, ensuring a well-rounded and accurate representation of the information presented.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s go over some questions most people ask about Tron Solar. If you have specific questions that aren’t answered here, reach out to our team of solar experts at solar@ecowatch.com.

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Article author
Aniket Bhor is a solar engineer who has spent nearly a decade studying and working in the solar power sector in the European, Asian and North American markets. He recieved his Master’s degree in Renewable Energies from Germany at Technische Fachhochschule Wildau. He has since worked in the industry in a variety of capacities including Solar Energy Consultant, Business Development Head, Solar Entrepreneurship Trainer, and more recently writing for solar organizations including Venuiti Solutions, Green Integrations, Solengy, Ecotality.com. Overall, he is a climate enthusiast and avid cyclist, and he also loves to lose himself in books and cooking.
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Expert reviewer
Andrew Dunn is a veteran journalist with more than 15 years of experience reporting and editing for local and national publications, including The Charlotte Observer and Business North Carolina magazine. His work has been recognized numerous times by the N.C. Press Association and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Andrew earned a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a certificate in business journalism and a minor in Spanish. He's also an avid outdoorsman, an Eagle Scout and volunteer leader in the Boy Scouts of America. He lives in Charlotte, N.C.