

Trinity Solar Review: Costs, Quality, Services & More (2025)
Here’s what we’ll cover in this article on Trinity Solar:
- Is Trinity Solar a reputable solar company?
- What does the installation process look like with Trinity Solar?
- Is Trinity Solar expensive?
- What do customers have to say about Trinity Solar?
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Solar energy is growing rapidly in the United States, and not just in sunny locations. The industry is a 50-state market, according to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association. The average U.S. household consumes approximately 10,500 kWh per year, with just under 15% of that usage going to cooling and air conditioning, according to the EIA’s Residential Energy Consumption survey from 2020. Residential solar installations are one way to combat rising energy demands by turning homes into a self-sustaining oasis.
Solar panels provide an accessible way for homeowners throughout the country to reduce their personal environmental impact and help move the world toward sustainability. While there are some concerns about the long-term viability of the solar industry’s current sourcing procedures, the overall effect of having more homes adopt solar panels is a rise in sustainability and a lower carbon footprint.
Installing solar panels is one of the best things you can do for the climate, but it’s also a good long-term investment and can reduce and even eliminate your monthly electricity payments. There are many factors you need to weigh to determine the best solar installer for your home, including the following:
- Price: Not all solar companies are equally affordable. Finding one that fits your budget is the first step.
- Panel quality: More affordable panel brands tend to be less durable and lose efficiency more quickly than more expensive options, which means your monthly savings drop quicker if you use less expensive brands.
- Extra features: If you want solar batteries, you need to choose an installer that offers them since not all companies handle solar battery installations.
- Customer service: Solar panels are a major investment, so knowing that the company you choose is reliable in case something goes wrong is essential for your peace of mind.
Simply purchasing any solar panels from any provider without considering your options is a recipe for long-term disappointment. You need to find the right company that offers the services you need at a price you can afford. The right choice will set you up for decades of self-sustainability and low or no electricity bill. In contrast, the wrong choice could actually increase your financial burden and leave you worse off than before (financially speaking).
Most customers look for the right combination of price and performance for their budget and energy usage. Customers who use relatively little energy can often get away with smaller, less efficient, and more affordable systems. On the other hand, people who use a lot of electricity typically look for high-efficiency panels that can offset a higher percentage of their above-average energy usage.
Choosing the right solar provider that can meet your needs — whatever they may be — is the most important part of going solar. The right company for one person might not be a good fit at all for another. This Trinity Solar review will not only help you to determine what type of solar company is the best match for you, but it will also specifically dig into Trinity Solar so you can see if the company can meet and exceed your expectations when going solar.
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Trinity Solar

Regional Service
Average cost
Pros
- Many financing options
- Family-owned and -operated
- Makes charitable contributions
- Relatively short workmanship warranty
Cons
- Limited service area
EcoWatch Reviews Methodology
This review provides an exhaustive look at Trinity Solar’s strengths and weaknesses as judged through the lens of my experience in the solar industry. I have years of experience analyzing solar installers and the solar industry as a whole, and I use that experience in this guide to give you an unbiased, quantitative view of Trinity Solar. I’ll start by sharing what I like and dislike about the company before launching into a blow-by-blow breakdown of the company’s installation process, financing options, environmental impact, and more.
To obtain the information presented in this review, I went through Trinity Solar’s quote process as a secret shopper to get an up-to-date look at the company’s current practices and pricing. I also compiled information from public sources about the company’s recent reputation and customer service, the services it currently offers, the quality of the equipment it installs, and its installation process. I also reviewed the financing options it offers to help you determine whether a solar system from Trinity Solar fits your budget.
I used EcoWatch’s review criteria to rate the information I gathered into easily digestible scores, one for each category that EcoWatch uses to compare solar installers. These categories are services offered and financing, extra services offered, environmental impact and sustainability practices, equipment quality and reliability, company reputation, and customer service.
Trinity Solar: Best Customization Options
What I Like About Trinity Solar
Trinity Solar has been in the residential solar business since 1994—it’s hard to find a company with more experience. The company’s track record over that time is excellent. Trinity maintains an A+ rating with the BBB and has developed a reputation for some of the best customer service in the industry, which you can clearly see from countless favorable reviews of the company on Google.
Trinity recently posted a video highlighting its accomplishments (more than 100,000 installs!) over its three decades in business, which I recommend checking out:
I also like that the company performs its own installation with an in-house team of certified installers. Other solar companies like Tesla Solar and Sunrun rely on third-party installers, which can result in a more frustrating customer experience since you have to manage multiple points of communication throughout your installation. Third-party installers can be as good or better than in-house teams, but the consensus is that in-house installations run smoothly and result in fewer issues than installations performed by third-party contractors.
Trinity Solar’s biggest strength is its customization options. The company offers solar panels from a variety of tier-one panel manufacturers (more on that below), which makes it easy to find a package that suits your budget and energy-production needs. Trinity also installs solar batteries and offers roof repair services for an all-in-one solar solution. One of the most important things you need to do before purchasing solar panels is determine whether your roof needs to be replaced first. Since Trinity also offers roof repair and replacement services, this step is much easier than hiring a separate roofing company to perform the inspection, repair, or replacement.
What I Don’t Like About Trinity Solar
One of my biggest problems with Trinity Solar is that the company still encourages customers to lease panels with its zero-upfront solar sales pitch. Leases are less beneficial to homeowners than solar loans or outright purchases, so encouraging leases is an anti-consumer practice. Unfortunately, pushing leases is becoming more prevalent in the solar industry, but that’s not an excuse for a company like Trinity to hop on the bandwagon.
Another problem I have with Trinity Solar is the general lack of transparency and information on its website. For example, it’s not abundantly clear from the company’s website whether it offers power purchase agreements (PPAs) as a financing option, as it lumps it in with leases as “zero-down” options. Similarly, Trinity doesn’t disclose the equipment brands it uses for its panels, inverters, or batteries on its public-facing site. Of course, you’ll have access to this information before you sign a contract, but that doesn’t help prospective customers compare Trinity’s solar packages to other companies’ offerings.
Trinity Solar is only available in 10 states on the east coast, which means there’s a good chance that the company won’t operate in your area. This drawback doesn’t affect the quality of Trinity’s products or services for customers who live in its service area, of course, but it’s worth mentioning before we get too much further into the review in case you live outside its operating area. Trinity Solar operates in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Trinity Solar Installation Process and Timeline
Once you sign your contract with Trinity, the installation process happens as follows:
- Initial inspection and system design: Trinity Solar will send one of its licensed technicians to assess your home. This step usually happens within a few days of signing your contract, thanks to Trinity using an exclusive in-house team of installers. Other companies could take significantly longer. The goal is to determine how many solar panels you need to offset your energy usage, how much direct sunlight your home gets (and what direction it comes from), and whether or not you can improve your system’s output by trimming or removing trees. Your inspection will also include a roof health check to ensure that it can handle a solar system and isn’t in need of replacement.
- Permitting: Just about every municipality will require permits for residential solar systems. Trinity will take care of this for you, so all you have to do is wait. Once Trinity obtains the necessary permits, you can schedule your installation. The permit process can take several weeks, but the delay is unlikely to come from Trinity’s end and is more likely caused by building department back-ups.
- Installation: Many Trinity Solar installations happen within a single day. This is common throughout the solar industry for high-quality residential installations, while some less experienced or smaller companies could take several days. Your installation will usually take a few hours, but the specific amount of time it will take depends on the size of the system you’re having installed and what other equipment you’re purchasing (like solar batteries).
- Final inspection: After your system is installed, it needs to be inspected by local authorities to ensure it meets the requirements set by the building code. Your power company will also need to inspect your system before it will connect it to the grid. Once both inspections are completed, your system is ready to use. Trinity is also comparatively quick here, according to reviews, and the company usually has the inspections pre-scheduled so that there aren’t any delays between installation and activation.
Trinity Solar’s installation timeline is average by solar industry standards. You should expect it to take about 60 days to go from signing your contract to a fully operational system. The specific amount of time will vary depending on your local jurisdiction’s permitting requirements and your power company’s process for inspecting and connecting your system to the grid.
Trinity handles all of the permitting and interconnection for you, so you don’t have to worry about interfacing with your local government or electric company on your own. This is common practice these days, but it’s still nice to have it handled for you.
Trinity Solar Standard Services & Financing
25/25
Trinity Solar scores a perfect 25 out of 25 for offering all of the standard service and financing options we expect to see from the best solar installers.
For starters, the company installs solar panels and solar batteries—Tesla Powerwall and Generac batteries, based on reviews—using an in-house team of technicians. In-house installations tend to go more smoothly than third-party installations since the installers are tightly coupled to the rest of the team managing your project. There’s also always just a single company to hold accountable in case something goes wrong.
Trinity also gets full points for the solar panels it installs. Most Trinity Solar systems use Q Cells panels, which strike a good balance between cost and performance (more on that later). The company will work with you to find the best type of solar panel for you if you prefer to use a different brand. This is a great perk, as many other installers work exclusively with one brand or a handful of brands. This non-exclusivity means you’re more likely to get panels tailored specifically to your needs. All of the panels the company installs are made by tier-one manufacturers, which means they’re all made from high-quality materials.
One slight knock on Trinity Solar is that it doesn’t list the panel brands it offers on its website. I pulled information about the panel brands from customer reviews and third parties, so the brands they carry may be different, depending on when you’re reading this article.
On a similar note, trinity-solar.com indicates that the company performs solar battery installations, but it doesn’t say what type of batteries it uses—note that I have read about Tesla Powerwalls and Generac batteries in reviews. Solar batteries are especially beneficial in states that don’t have net-metering programs because they allow you to store the excess energy your panels generate to use later rather than pay for electricity when the sun isn’t shining and your panels aren’t producing. They’re also nice to have during power outages since they supply emergency backup power.
Trinity Solar uses SolarEdge inverters to convert the DC current solar panels generate into AC current you can use to power your home. SolarEdge provides a solar monitoring app that lets you view your system’s solar power production in real time and review its performance statistics. This makes it easy to track your system’s performance over time, which can help you spot potential issues before they get out of hand. The mySolarEdge app is available for free on both iPhones and Android phones.
Cost and Financing Options
Trinity Solar offers all of the major financing options: cash purchases, solar loans, solar leases, and PPAs. I like that it gives customers many options to choose from, but I always encourage people to pay in full if they can or take out a solar loan rather than opt for a no-cost option like a lease or PPA.
There are a few reasons for that. Most importantly, purchasing your panels in full upfront or taking out a solar loan will give you much greater savings in the long run. The average homeowner in the United States will save $31,513 over the course of their solar system’s lifespan according to calculations using our proprietary solar calculator —about 25 years, on average. That number uses the average electricity rate in the U.S. ($139.06 per month) and the nationwide average system size of nine kilowatts (kW) — note that electricity prices can and likely will increase in the coming years, which means actual savings will probably be much higher.
Taking out a solar loan will still save you money, but not as much as purchasing your panels outright. You should expect to pay about $5,000 in interest over the life of your loan if you finance your panels instead of paying cash. On average, that means you’ll save approximately $26,513 over 25 years with a loan.
Leasing your panels drastically reduces your lifetime savings. We estimate that the average solar lease will only save you $5,000 total over your system’s entire life span. That means that you’re leaving around $21,500 on the table compared to taking out a loan and $26,500 compared to paying cash. The benefit of leasing is that Trinity offers a zero up-front option, which makes it possible for customers who can’t afford to pay cash or qualify for a solar loan to still take advantage of rooftop solar panels, albeit to a much lesser extent.
Power purchase agreements, or PPAs, are another financing option that sacrifices long-term savings for low upfront costs. Trinity Solar lumps PPAs and leases together in most instances on its website as “zero down” options, but documentation from Trinity indicates that the company specifically offers them alongside leases. These save you even less money than leases, so I don’t recommend them. They’re similar to a lease in that you don’t own the panels, but rather than pay a fixed lease rate every month, you pay Trinity for the energy you use that the panels produce.
Besides decreased lifetime savings, there is another major reason to prefer loans and cash purchases over leases and PPAs: tax incentives. The Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is a federal program that lets people who purchase solar panels claim 30% of their system’s total cost as a tax credit to decrease their federal income tax burden for the year when they purchase their panels. For an average-cost system, that means you effectively save $8,991 on your purchase in the form of decreased federal income tax. Leases and PPAs don’t qualify for the ITC because you never own your panels.
Many states have similar programs that let you reduce your state tax burden, although the details vary a lot by state. Most of these programs also don’t apply to leased panels or PPAs, so you miss out on even more savings if you don’t buy your panels with cash or via a solar loan.
Trinity Solar Extra Services Offered
3/5
Trinity Solar has a decent 3 out of 5 score in this category for its roof repair service, electrical and structural analysis and upgrades, and solar battery installations. These all go above and beyond what we expect from the average solar company and help Trinity Solar stand out from its competition.
Trinity Solar does roof repairs and replacements in addition to solar system installation. The company’s roofing experience is an asset for its solar business because it can perform its own roof inspection as part of the initial solar inspection. That means that you don’t have to schedule an independent roof inspection through a different company to determine whether your roof is in good enough shape for solar panels. If there are issues, Trinity can have its own in-house team carry out roof repairs for you before installing your panels, once again saving you time coordinating with multiple companies.
Trinity also provides electrical and structural analysis and upgrades. These upgrades are performed by licensed contractors and can help improve the overall energy efficiency of your home, helping the energy your solar panels generate go further. The company doesn’t list specific upgrades that it offers, but these types of services usually involve installing energy-efficient appliances and lights and smart thermostats to reduce and manage your home’s energy usage.
The company loses one point because it doesn’t install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Trinity’s systems are compatible with EV chargers, so you can add one after your system is installed, but you’ll have to purchase it from another company. Installing one after the fact also means that you won’t be able to apply the federal tax credit to the equipment or installation cost, so you will leave some money on the table if you know you want an EV charger.
With the popularity of electric vehicles on the rise, especially in the northeastern U.S. where Trinity operates, I’d like to see them include EV charger installations as part of their extra service packages. Having to purchase a charger separately from your main solar system can be a hassle, and including it as an add-on option should be the standard, in my opinion.
I also deducted a point because Trinity doesn’t offer remote system monitoring. Solar companies do this type of monitoring to help catch issues early. It’s done separately from the system monitoring you can do yourself through a mobile app like the mySolarEdge app that Trinity includes with its installations. While these services are relatively uncommon throughout the solar industry, remote monitoring is a valuable option that I’d like to see more companies adopt. It’s only worth one point because, while it’s nice to have, you can still catch most issues yourself using your system monitoring app.
Trinity Solar Environmental Impact & Sustainability Practices
7.5/10
Trinity Solar’s environmental impact comes mostly from its volume of installations. Over its 30-year history, the company has performed more than 100,000 solar panel installations. Trinity’s dedication to pushing more people to adopt renewable energy is admirable and reflects well on its morals and goals as a company (more on that later).
The company falls short of a perfect score because it mostly installs Q Cells panels, which aren’t made in the U.S. Q Cells manufactures its panels in South Korea, and it’s harder to know whether panels manufactured overseas are made with sustainability in mind.
That being said, Q Cells has a stellar end of life panel recycling program that recycles around 95% of its panels by weight, well above the industry standard of 50%. This reduces the environmental impact of its material-sourcing pipelines. The environmental effect of mining the materials to make solar panels is a major controversy in the solar industry, and using recycled materials to make new panels avoids a lot of issues. By primarily installing Q Cells panels, Trinity Solar is doing its part to help reduce the negative effect of solar-related mining on the environment.
Similarly, Q Cells also has an end-of-life recycling program for panels that no longer function well enough to continue service. This program helps reduce the waste associated with solar technology, which is another issue solar energy detractors have with the industry. The long-term sustainability of solar as a viable alternative energy source depends on recycling old panels and using the recycled material to make the next generation of cells.
Thankfully, Q Cells doesn’t have any history of using child or forced labor practices in its manufacturing process, something that sadly can’t be said for some other solar companies.
You can learn more about the environmental impact of solar panels in the video below:
Trinity Solar Equipment Quality & Reliability
16/25
I gave Trinity a 16 out of 25 on equipment and reliability, thanks to its warranties, which are standard in the industry, and decent equipment efficiency and degradation. As we’ve mentioned in a previous section, Trinity can work with you to source panels from a specific brand if you wish, but the company mostly works with Q Cells panels. Trinity states on its website that it works with a variety of tier-one manufacturers, which means that the company sources its equipment from solar panel producers that adhere to a certain set of manufacturing standards and guidelines. While that often means that tier-one manufacturers produce higher-quality and more reliable equipment, it’s not a guarantee.
Even among tier-one manufacturers, there’s variability when it comes to the criteria that will likely matter to you. Here’s a brief rundown of the solar panel stats and ratings you need to understand before we get to addressing the equipment Trinity Solar uses:
- Average efficiency rating: A solar panel’s average efficiency rating is a measure of how well it converts sunlight into electricity. Most high-quality solar panels have average efficiency ratings above 20%. An average efficiency greater than 22% is considered excellent. For a given total power output, you’ll need more panels with a low-efficiency rating than you will if you opt for high-efficiency panels instead. For a panel manufacturer to receive full points in our rating system, it must have an average efficiency rating greater than 22% for all of its panel options.
- Maximum efficiency rating: The maximum efficiency score we assign to a manufacturer is based on their highest-performing panel. Some manufacturers have a wide range of panels, each with a different efficiency rating. This metric in our methodology tells you the efficiency you’ll get if you choose the best panel a manufacturer produces. We award panels with maximum efficiency ratings of 22.8% or above, the highest points in our scoring system.
- Negative/positive power tolerance: These ratings tell you how much above (positive tolerance) or below (negative tolerance) a solar panel’s output may be in real-life conditions compared to its labeled rating. Most residential solar panels have a tolerance rating of -0/+3, which means a negative tolerance of 0% and a positive tolerance of 3%. To receive a full score in our rating system, a panel must have a negative tolerance of 0% and a positive tolerance greater than 5%.
- First-year degradation: This measures how much efficiency a panel loses during its first year of operation. All solar panels lose more efficiency in the first year than in later years, so panel manufacturers rate the first-year degradation separately. Panels with 1% or less degradation in the first year are considered excellent and receive the maximum number of points in our rating system.
- Subsequent year degradation: After the first year, solar panels lose less efficiency than they do in the first year, but they still degrade in efficiency. They also tend to have fairly constant degradation rates. We give panels with subsequent-year degradation rates of 0.25% or lower the highest score possible. We consider panels with degradation rates between 0.26% and 0.35% to be good. You may want to avoid panels with degradation rates higher than 0.35% if you’re looking for the best of the best for long-term performance.
- Max wind load: This rating measures how resilient solar panels are against high wind. This is an important stat to pay attention to if you live in an area prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, or high winds from hurricanes or tropical storms. A panel’s wind resistance is measured in units of pressure, typically Pascals (Pa), but we can convert that into a wind speed using an online wind load calculator tool. Solar panels with a maximum wind load greater than or equal to 3,000 Pa (roughly 156 mph winds) are considered excellent. A wind load resistance rating between 2,000 Pa (127 mph) and 3,000 (156 mph) is considered good, and anything below 2,000 Pa (127 mph) is considered underperforming, although it might be fine for areas without exposure to strong winds.
- Max snow load: If you live somewhere that gets significant snowfall in the winter, you need to pay attention to the maximum snow load rating. This rating is also measured in Pascals. A snow load rating greater than 7,000 Pa is considered excellent and roughly means that panels with this rating can withstand up to 9.5 to 10 feet of snow. If you live somewhere that doesn’t get much snow, you can likely get away with a much lower rating of between 2,000 and 3,000 Pa.
- Equipment warranty: Solar panel companies like Trinity Solar usually pass the manufacturer’s warranty on to customers. The average equipment warranty for solar panels is 25 years because that tends to be the minimum useful lifes pan of solar panels. Generally speaking, any equipment warranty that lasts longer than 25 years is good, and any warranty that lasts fewer than 25 years is considered below average.
- Efficiency warranty: Efficiency warranties also tend to last for 25 years, although there is a subtle difference between efficiency warranties and equipment warranties. Efficiency warranties are usually written relative to a panel’s degradation rating, so it’s possible to have a 40-year warranty that isn’t great because the panel’s advertised degradation rate is high. You should always consider a manufacturer’s efficiency warranty in conjunction with its degradation rate.
Now that you understand how solar panel quality ratings work, we can discuss the quality and reliability of Trinity Solar’s panels. Trinity Solar primarily installs Q Cells panels, which have the following ratings:
- Average efficiency rating: 21.23%
- Maximum efficiency rating: 22%
- Negative/positive power tolerance: -0%/+5%
- First-year degradation: 1.5%
- Subsequent-year degradation: 0.33%
- Max wind load: 3,600 Pa
- Max snow load: 8,100 Pa
- Equipment warranty: 25 years
- Efficiency warranty: 25 years
It immediately stands out that Q Cells’ panels fall within the “good” range for many stats but don’t particularly stand out in the categories that matter the most. The company’s panels fall in the middle of the pack for average efficiency rating, first-year degradation, power tolerance ratings, equipment warranty, and efficiency warranty.
One area where Q Cells’ panels stand out is durability. The company’s panels are known for their resilience and are better than average at withstanding high winds and heavy snowfall. If you live somewhere with frequent severe winds or heavy snowfall, Q Cells panels will serve you well.
On the other hand, Q Cells’ panels degrade at a faster rate than we’d like to see. While the 1.5% first-year degradation is in line with industry standards, the subsequent-year degradation of 0.33% is on the high side. When compared with a high-efficiency, low-degradation panel like one made by Maxeon (average efficiency of 22.35%, annual degradation of 0.25%), a Q Cells panel is going to see both less power production right off the bat and a faster decline.
The tradeoff for lower efficiency and faster degradation is cost. Q Cells panels typically cost around $3.47 per watt, while Maxeon’s panels often push past $4.00 per watt. Whether or not going with Q Cells is worth the savings depends mostly on your budget.
The lower average efficiency and faster degradation rate cost Trinity Solar most of the points it lost in this category. At their core, Q Cells solar panels are a budget-friendly option that sacrifices some efficiency to keep costs down. They’re known for their durability and are better than most panels at withstanding high winds and heavy snowfall. If you’re looking for an affordable option, Q Cells panels from Trinity Solar are a good option. But, if you don’t mind spending a bit more for greater power production and slower degradation, you should consider going with another brand, like Maxeon or REC.
Warranties and Guarantees
Trinity Solar transfers the manufacturer’s warranties to you when you purchase panels but doesn’t provide additional coverage above and beyond what the manufacturer’s warranties cover. To be fair, this is standard in the solar industry. For Q Cells panels, that means a 25-year equipment warranty and a 25-year efficiency warranty. Both of those terms are in line with the industry average and should protect you from issues related to the panels themselves.
In addition to the manufacturer’s warranties, Trinity Solar also provides a 5-year workmanship warranty. The average workmanship warranty for solar installations is 10 years, so Trinity’s 5-year guarantee is lacking by comparison. We rank companies that stand by their work higher than those that provide the bare minimum, so Trinity’s short labor guarantee cost it some points in our scoring system.
Trinity Solar also installs solar batteries and offers a similar 25-year warranty that protects the energy storage equipment it installs, which is great to see.
The company also provides roofing services. It backs its new roof installations with a 25-year craftsmanship and labor warranty. It also stands behind its roofs with lifetime support. That means you can not only go with Trinity for your pre-installation roofing needs, but you can also trust that the workmanship you’re getting is outstanding in that department.
Trinity Solar Company Reputation
19.5/25
Trinity Solar has a solid company reputation but loses some points in this category for mixed customer reviews and limited availability, earning a 19 out of 25.
Let’s start with the negatives. Trinity Solar has middling ratings on TrustPilot (2.8 stars out of 5.0 with three reviews) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) (A/2.5 stars out of 5.0 with 87 reviews)—although it does have an A+ BBB rating and accreditation. The company doesn’t have enough reviews on TrustPilot to be free from small sample size issues, but it has more than enough on BBB to see a pattern emerge.
The negative reviews on the BBB are mostly focused on poor communication from Trinity after installation. Several customers noted that their system didn’t produce as much energy as Trinity promised and that the company didn’t respond to their complaints regarding that performance. Other reviews mention not saving as much money as they thought they would. I can’t know for sure, but I suspect that this may be related to leasing solar panels based on the context of these reviews. Other reviewers explicitly mention that their electric bill is still a few hundred dollars per month, but they also owe money to Sunnova, which is a solar lease and PPA partner for solar companies.
To Trinity Solar’s credit, the company is active on BBB and responds quickly to customer complaints, often including a (censored) phone number or email address the customer can use to contact the company.
I also docked 1.5 points because Trinity is only available in 10 states. Of course, that doesn’t affect the company’s reputation in the states where it operates, but it can be frustrating if you live outside of its service area.
One aspect of Trinity Solar’s business model and growth trajectory that might concern you as a potential customer, is its relatively small service area based on the time it has been in business. The company has been serving the solar industry for 30 years and hasn’t expanded to serve a wider or national audience. While that’s not inherently a bad thing since focusing on one region can help a company better serve customers in that region, it does call into question Trinity’s plans to continue to compete in an increasingly cutthroat industry.
Now, on to some positives. Despite the low review score, Trinity maintains an A+ rating with the BBB. It also has scores of positive reviews on Google Reviews (4.3 stars out of 5.0 with 794 reviews). Trinity has been in business for 30 years, so it’s all but impossible to avoid negative reviews over such a long time span. Trinity’s longevity is a testament to its commitment to solar and evidence that its service is solid overall; otherwise, the company wouldn’t have survived for so long. With poor customer service, it would have met the same fate that many other low-quality installers have over the years.
The company’s technicians are also certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). That means that the Trinity technicians and electricians who install and connect your panels have been trained to uphold NABCEP standards and are certified to work with photovoltaic (PV) systems and other solar technology (like solar batteries), so you’re all but guaranteed a solid, safe connection.
On a similar note, Trinity Solar is also a member of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), which is the national trade association for solar. SEIA members are required to adhere to the organization’s standards for ethics, professionalism, and business practices. Members also get access to SEIA training materials to keep their installers up-to-date on the latest developments and practices in the solar industry. Being a member shows that Trinity is dedicated to providing the highest-quality experience it can for its customers.
Consumer Reviews and Testimonials
Trinity Solar has mixed reviews on TrustPilot and BBB but mostly positive reviews on Google Reviews. The reviews I analyzed to produce this section’s score are for Trinity Solar as a whole, not one particular location.
As you’ll see in the next sections, the contradictory nature of some of the common themes found in these reviews suggests that the customer experience you will have with the company depends on the location you use. There is some variability in the quality of service provided by different Trinity Solar locations. I’d recommend looking at the reviews specific to your local Trinity office before proceeding.
The following sections analyze the common themes found throughout the reviews.
Positive Reviews
Common threads found in the positive reviews include the following:
- Professional and helpful sales representatives
- Smooth and efficient installation
- Satisfaction with the performance and durability of the equipment
- Responsive customer service department for post-installation issues
- Significant savings on electricity bills
Here is a representative sample of positive reviews that illustrate some of the recurring themes:
“I met with [representative name] from Trinity Solar. I also referred my mom to him after our visit. [representative name] made me comfortable during the visit because he was very relatable. He was also very informative and answered all of my questions . One of the things that made me comfortable was that we took a picture together to save as our profile for contacts and even after the visit he was always available to answer additional questions.” – Sondonica D on 9/17/2023 via BBB
“We recently had our solar panels installed and have loved the process so far. The sales rep we’ve been using has been super helpful and has checked in often. The installation went fine except for a minor issue but Trinity Solar is coming back out to fix it – again, minor. Our panels haven’t been turned on for us yet as we are still awaiting the final inspection but so far so good! We are excited and happy thus far.” – Emily K on 4/02/2024 via BBB
“I am very happy working with [representative name] on a number of issues I had after installation of the solar panels, I found her to be very fast in response time and helpful in resolving my issues as well as being polite and friendly!” – Bob F on 04/24/2023 via BBB
Negative Reviews
Trinity Solar’s negative reviews also have some recurring complaints, including the following:
- Misleading information about savings
- Lack of communication from the company after the installation
- Installation delays and delays starting energy production
- Faulty equipment
- Aggressive door-to-door sales tactics and solicitation phone calls
“The sales representative sold me on solar panels. He assured me that the solar panels would reduce my bill. He did calculations on how much I was spending with [my electric company]. He assured me and reassured me that my bill would be much lower, but its not. My bill is still running in the $300s to $400s. And I have to pay for the solar panels. I wish I had not purchased the solar panels and the sales rep should be accountable for not being truthful. I initially signed the contract, thought about it and canceled the contract within the allotted time frame. The sales rep reached back out to me and convinced me to move forward and sign the contract again. I wish I would’ve [gone] with my gut instinct and not have gotten the solar panels. In this month of January, My bill with [my electric company] is $479, plus I pay $180 to Sunova for the panels. Where is the savings with that? I wish I had not have went forward and purchased these solar panels.” – Angela C on 1/13/2024 via BBB
“So far 3 service calls and still no production. Tried to make a new service appointment and [the] representative said it was impossible at this time. I have 42 panels and no electricity. Thank you, Trinity Solar just keep taking my money and not giving me the support. No help , no service , no parts , no explanation , no good !!!” – William Harvey on 2/20/2024 via TrustPilot
“Salesman came to my home unannounced banging on my door. I asked him to leave 7 times after telling him we do not want his services and he still refused to leave. I had to call the police to get him to leave. Salesman was arrogant and disrespectful.” – Tom B on 12/17/2023 via BBB
Trinity Solar Customer Service
5/10
Trinity Solar receives half of the available points (5 out of 10) in this section because it has mixed reviews. Most reviews that mention the company’s customer service are largely divided into one of two categories: reviews that praise the company for its outstanding and responsive customer service or reviews where the customer says they can’t get in touch with Trinity’s customer support no matter what they do.
Here are a few reviews from each category to illustrate the disparity, starting with the positive reviews:
“Trinity solar did my install. They did an excellent job [and] could not do enough to satisfy me. Now after that was done I was handed over to Sunnova Solar. Trinity is in [location] and whenever I have a problem with Sunnova customer service [representative name] from Trinity Solar always responds to my needs I don’t know what the connection is between the two companies but I get more satisfaction from Trinity Solar. 5 star rating” – Ron S on 7/30/2021 via BBB
“For the last four years as a Trinity customer, I’ve had zero issues until last month. Something happened to my system and after a few calls to customer service, I was able to connect with [representative name] from the company. Within hours a technician was on site, found out a squirrel ate through a wire, and 3 hours later it was working again. Exceptional service and professionalism from Trinity. I normally don’t leave reviews, but the whole team at Trinity deserves recognition. And I’m also loving my $2.98 electric bill from last month!” – Reverend John T. F on 7/04/2021 via BBB
And now the negative reviews:
“Customer Support is VERY bad or non-existent. Our solar energy system is supposed to be equipped with a monitoring device that will let Trinity Solar know about problems that might occur in the system. Well, energy production has stopped for two months already (since the last week of August). It is now the last week of November. I called them two times to report the problem and NOBODY from technical support has called back to let me know any status about the system or when they can send somebody over to diagnose the system. I just got a call back from customer service telling me that they will try to fix it remotely first and yet nobody is giving me any kind of status. If this is the kind of service I will continuously get from them, I prefer that we cancel our agreement and make them patch all the holes they drilled on my roof because right now, it is just the same as not having any solar panels on my roof.” – Orlando C on 10/27/2021 via BBB
“If I could give zero stars I would. I signed a contract with a sales person on 3/30/2021, he pressured me for the sale before the quarter closed so he could have had that sale. A week later someone came to do measurements and assessments. They came over a month ago and since then the sales person has gotten another job and I can not get anyone from Trinity Solar to call me back. I have no idea what is going on and can not get any answers.” – Mary W on 5/21/2021 via BBB
With such a wide gap between the positive and negative customer experiences with Trinity Solar’s customer support, I can only conclude that the customer service you get is heavily dependent on the Trinity Solar location you use. Ongoing support is essential to deal with any issues that crop up during your system’s life. Even high-quality, durable solar systems can malfunction or become damaged by exposure to the elements, and knowing you can get the support you need if something goes wrong is important.
I recommend reviewing your local Trinity Solar branch before you sign a contract if you decide to go with Trinity Solar. The variability in customer support Trinity patrons get is troubling, and I wouldn’t personally use the company unless I was confident that my local branch was one of the good ones.
With that said, all online reviews must be taken with a grain of salt. Disgruntled customers are more likely to leave reviews than pleased customers, and we don’t know the full story in most cases. While it’s definitely concerning that Trinity Solar receives such mixed reviews — especially reviews related to questionable customer support — it’s important to realize that most solar installers have mixed reviews.
Buying a solar system is a big purchase for most people, and if something goes wrong, it can lead to strong feelings that prompt harsh reviews. I’m not saying that Trinity’s negative reviews should be swept under the rug, but rather that its negative reviews don’t particularly stand out compared to reviews of other solar providers.
Trinity Solar Comparison
Here’s a table that compares Trinity Solar with two other solar providers of similar size serving in the same areas.
Trinity Solar | SunPower | SunRun | |
EcoWatch Rating | 73.0 out of 100 | 84.5 out of 100 | 69.7 out of 100 |
Year Started | 1994 | 1985 | 2007 |
Equipment Quality & Reliability | 16 out of 25 | 23 out of 25 | 17 out of 25 |
Installation Timeline | Fully operational 60 days after you sign your contract | 2 to 4 weeks, on average, up to a few months in some cases | 2 to 4 weeks, on average, up to a few months in some cases |
BBB Rating | A+ | A+ | A+ |
Payment Options | Cash, loan, lease, PPA | Cash, loan, lease, PPA | Cash, loan, lease, PPA |
Who Is Trinity Solar Best for?
Is Trinity Solar right for you? In my opinion, Trinity Solar is the best solar installer for people who want an affordable, durable solar system and believe they might need to consult a roofing expert before they have a solar system installed. Trinity Solar’s roofing experience is an asset that not all solar installers have, which makes the company a better choice if you have an older roof and need a replacement before installing a solar system.
Trinity Solar is also a solid option if you live somewhere with frequent high winds or heavy snowfall. The company primarily installs highly durable panels from Q Cells that can withstand higher wind speeds and more snowfall than the average tier-one panel. Q Cells’ panels are also more affordable than high-efficiency panels like those from Maxeon, but they degrade more quickly and have lower average efficiency ratings.
On the other hand, Trinity Solar probably isn’t the best choice for you if you want the highest efficiency panels you can get. Trinity’s choice of solar panels skews more toward the affordable side and less toward the premium end of the solar panel spectrum. That doesn’t mean the panels it installs are bad, but they’re more focused on keeping solar costs down than installing the absolute best panels money can buy.
Trinity also isn’t the right choice if you want rock-solid customer support that’s reliable and responsive post-installation. The company’s reviews are all over the place when it comes to customer experiences getting support after installation. Some customers say that Trinity is easy to contact and quick to respond, while other customers say they can’t get in touch with the company at all. I suspect that the wide range of customer support experiences is due to the different quality of customer service at different Trinity Solar locations, so your best bet is to search for reviews of the specific Trinity Solar branch near you that would perform your installation.
What’s Next?
Armed with your newfound knowledge of Trinity Solar, your next step is to compare it to other solar companies that operate in your area. Getting a good deal on solar panels requires careful consideration and comparison on your part. Solar is a relatively fast-moving field, so you need to look for recent reviews and comparisons to be confident that the information you read is up to date.
A good place to start is our head-to-head review of SunPower vs. Trinity Solar. It compares the two companies based on their services, costs, company reputation, and more. You should also check out our comparison of Trinity Solar and Sunrun. These reviews are excellent starting points for your research and will provide the solid foundation you need to make an informed solar panel purchase.
It’s also a good idea to review the factors that make solar worth it before spending a lot of money on an expensive system. You should also make sure you understand what your potential savings are by using our solar savings calculator.
If you decide that solar panels are worth it for your home and find a company that sounds like it provides the services you want at a price you can afford, you’ll have to contact that company’s local branch to schedule an appointment. All reputable solar companies will offer you a free quote before they ask you to sign any contracts.
During your free quote visit, a company representative will ask you questions about your energy usage, inspect your home to give you an idea of how amenable it is to solar panels, and provide an estimate of the cost and savings you can expect. I recommend against going with the first company you talk to since it’s possible that you can get a better deal elsewhere. Think of it as getting a second opinion from a doctor. You should get at least two or three quotes before making your final decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have covered some of the most common questions homeowners ask about Trinity Solar. For further questions or feedback, reach out to our team of solar experts at solar@ecowatch.com.
Yes, there are. The federal government offers a federal income tax credit that lets homeowners claim 30% of their system’s total cost as a credit to reduce their federal income tax burden for the year when they have their solar system installed. Many state and local governments also offer tax incentives and rebates for solar panels.
You can’t know if your roof is suitable for solar panels without consulting a roofing expert. Trinity Solar provides roofing services in addition to performing solar system installations, so you can get the company to inspect your roof to determine whether it’s in good enough shape for solar panels before you commit to installing a solar system.
If your solar panels produce more energy than you use, a few things might happen. If you live in a place with a net-metering program, you can sell your excess energy back to the grid for a credit. You can use that credit at any point when your panels aren’t producing enough electricity to offset your usage. If you have a solar battery, you can use the extra energy your panels generate to charge your battery. You can then use this energy later to offset your regular energy usage or as emergency backup power during a power outage.
The average life span for solar panels is 25 years, although anecdotal reports suggest that many solar panel systems continue producing useful amounts of electricity for up to 40 years or longer. A good indication of how long solar panels may last is the length of the manufacturer’s warranty they come with.
Yes, solar panels still produce electricity in cloudy weather, but not as much as when it’s sunny. Solar panels have gotten better at producing energy in low-light conditions over the last decade, and modern solar panels are efficient enough to work well in cloudy weather. You might just see a partial offset of your consumption rather than a complete offset.
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