Black Platinum Solar & Electric

We started taking bids for solar earlier in 2021.  Some companies only wanted to push an expensive lease option that would have cost us more than $60000 out of pocket by the end of the lease!  Sure, they take  care of all maintenance and repairs, but when you do a little bit more research you can find that reputable companies have 25 year warranties on their products.  Luckily, I started reading about microinverters and decided that I wanted an Enphase microinverter instead of a string inverter.  From there, I searched Enphase's website for an installer in my zip code and Black Platinum showed up as a "platinum" level installer.  At the time, the next one listed had a "gold" status.  We got a quote for $38000 for 13.3kW with LG Panels and Enphase microinverters.  The payoff at the time was ten years, but recently Arizona is pushing APS to cut the off peak time from 3pm to 8pm to 4pm to 7pm and they are forcing them to stop charging people with solar for a grid connection fee.  These changes will definitely shorten our payoff time a little.

Black Platinum had us make the payments in four phases which worked out for us to help space out the large checks.  The first phase involves getting city permits, the second phase is installation, and the last phase is APS approving the install and giving you the go ahead to flip the switch and turn on the system.  We opted for no battery in our system since our solar buyback rate is locked for ten years.  After ten years, I'm anticipating battery technology to be much more superior along with the Enphase technology for being able to go "off grid" while still being connected to the grid in the event of a power outage.

After the install, we had a few hiccups that either we solved or Black Platinum solved:
1. One of the trees that the previous owners planted was shading my roof and blocking sun to three of my panels.  I had my landscaper trim the tree down beneath the roof line on my house.  He still needs to work with my neighbor to trim the same tree on my neighbor's side.  The three panels are probably running at about 60% right now (up from 16% when they were shaded).
2. Three panels did not have power after the system was turned on.  Two of them weren't plugged in correctly and the third needed a new microinverter.  I coordinated with David (Sales Manager) to get the repair team to my home to fix these three panels.

I love the Enphase Enlighten app for my Android phone.  It shows your energy use so you know when you are doing things during peak energy charges.  It helped us realize that if we shower between 3pm and 8pm it uses 5kW just to refill the water heater.  Now we shower outside of that window given that our APS bill is negative at the moment (it could be even more negative).

The way our system is designed we are expecting to get money back during the cooler months and we're expecting to pay some money during the four hot months in the summer.  It should balance itself out.  We are looking forward to getting the rebate next year and hope that the solar tax credit is extended to help more people get solar in the future.

During each phase of getting solar, David was in touch with me constantly via text on my phone.  I was also in touch with John Black (owner), Melia (permits), and David via email.  All of their estimates for the time frame for permits, construction, and APS were pretty spot on.  They had to cut into the wall in my daughter's room and garage to help hide the power conduits and it's very professional.  The drywall people patched it up like it never happened and we just happened to have painted my daughter's room recently as part of a kitchen remodel (using the same painters).  A few coats of left over paint and we can't even tell anything happened.  I highly recommend Black Platinum if you are considering going solar and I have given their information to a few of my neighbors who are thinking about it for themselves.

We chose Black Platinum Solar & Electric after getting quotes from a few companies.  They also came highly recommended by a friend.  Our friend's recommendation mirrored what you see in many Yelp reviews and our experience matched up.  They're a smaller company so everything was very personal, friendly, and competent.   From the beginning, David was low key, low pressure, and helpful.  He spent over an hour answering all of my questions and explaining the ins and out of solar.  Throughout, he was bending over backwards to not push or pressure for time in any way, which was different than other firms that used expiring credits and changing utility rate structures to subtly pressure to move quickly.  He also never tried to sell any kind of financing package where the installer can make extra fees from the lender.  

Once we decided to move forward, all of the contracts and approvals were electronic, which I appreciated -- it made things very easy.   They communicated how things would work, what they do vs what I do, and how long it would take.  The only things I had to do was submit to my HOA for approval and do some touch up paint in the garage where they wired in a panel.  Black Platinum did everything else with the City and APS.   The panel install took 2 days as planned.  During the following week, a new breaker box was installed and inspections were performed.  They arrived about 20 min early each day of the installation, and the whole crew was extremely friendly and professional.  They kept everything clean and once finished, you couldn't tell they had been here.   John Black came out at the beginning of the first day to introduce himself and the crew and collect an installment.  He really knows his stuff and was more then willing to explain anything I wanted to know.  He was an email away throughout the whole process, including once we were up and running and just getting into the app to see solar production stats.

I think I got a bit lucky with the time of year and with the length of time inspectors and APS can take, but I was up a running 1 month after signing the contracts.  Really impressive!

Overall I'd sum up that trust is important when installing solar because it's a big project on your home.  You don't really know the people doing the work and you have to take a bit of a leap that they are trustworthy and know what they're doing.   John, David and the rest of the Black Platinum crew lived up to what you see in Yelp reviews.   The job was done with extreme competence and they're the nicest people you'll meet.

Look no further for a great,honest solar company. It is a family owned business and knows how to take care of their customers. John Sr. answered all my questions and had a proposal for my review in two days. John Jr. and his efficient crew came out on time on the scheduled start date and they had it completed in three days -- amazing work and attention to detail. They left our property clean which is always a sign of a business that takes pride in their work.  They also helped us every step of the way coordinating with the electric company.  Thank you Black Platinum Solar for helping us with our investment.

Can't say enough good things about Black Platinum Solar.  The solar system they designed for us exceeded our expectations.  Owner, John Black Senior, kept us informed throughout the design phase of our solar system.  They worked closely with us on the layout of our solar panels while optimizing performance and appearance.  The solar system design plan is then stamped by professional electrical engineer and permitted by the city.  

During the install, Owner, John Black Senior, is personally on site with his crew to ensure everything is installed to his high exacting quality standards.  All electrical lines are hidden in the walls for the best cosmetic result.  Wiring in the attic was meticulously laid out and securely fastened.  John and his crew are experienced, courteous, and reliable.  Although John keeps you informed on every step of the process, he can also discuss all technical details of the solar system if you desire. John's ability to provide complete and detailed answers to all our questions convinced us his company was the right choice for our solar system.  

In summary, if you are looking for a high quality competent solar company with fair pricing, we recommend Black Platinum Solar.  Owner, John Black Senior, keeps you informed throughout the process.  Black Platinum is a solar turn-key provider.  My wife and I are very happy with our solar system installed by Black Platinum Solar.

Wow, been looking at Solar for quite some time. Went through some of the larger corporate companies and never felt comfortable. Anyways, decided to go local with a family business and it paid off. Got to know Mr. Black and his son quite well because that is who they are...a down home AZ family with similar values. Not to mention some of the guys on the crew, Daniel, Bryan etc. All guys that have the same values as their bosses/owners. It is a nerve wracking decision, no high pressure sales but more of a conversation from Black Platinum. If you are expecting them to "hound" you, that will not happen. When they show to start, they work. No mess, no fuss. Please reach out if you need someone to ease your mind as I would be happy to share my experience. Best, Greg

This father-son business proved to be one of the most solicitous, responsive contractors I've ever had the pleasure of hiring. John senior even warned me that my investment/payback period might make solar impractical for me. However, I always wanted to get off the grid, and I'm glad I did it with Black Platinum. My payback is moving along extremely well with our early Greater Phoenix heat this year.

I want to keep this review brief and to the point! Working with Black Platinum Solar has been the best experience I could have asked for. I can write on and on about the quality of the install, the excellent communication, the personal relationship with business and customer, speed and cleanliness of the install, etc. Their focus on their customer is top notch and you will understand why when you hire them to install your solar system. Thanks again Johnny, David, and Dan!

Unfortunately, my lack of technical prowess and ineptitude when it comes to all things internet has caused me to delay a long time in writing this review.  John installed solar panels on our house about one year ago. I suppose the silver lining to the delay is that at least I can write this review with both the perspective of time and the benefit of having lived with John's work for almost a year.

Here's the bottom line:  John and his crew were extraordinary.  My wife and I consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have bumped into him while he was working on another house down the street.  His was the lowest of the three quotes we received, and everything he promised was delivered on time and on budget and with a degree of personal attention and kindness that's almost extinct these days.

We have had no problems whatsoever with the 36 panels he installed and have reduced our APS electrical bills to zero (not including the company's connection charge).  My wife and I estimate the panels will have paid for themselves after roughly six years, meaning that over a 20 year period we will have saved somewhere between $60,000 and $100,000 depending on future rate hikes.  

If you are thinking of going solar, I cannot recommend John and his team  enough -- they were completely thorough, honorable and professional in every possible way.  My only regret has been that it took me so long to post this review, but hopefully better late than never.

Like most people I did my research when looking into a Solar company for my home.   I spoke with three companies and received three quotes.  Black Platinum was the only company that didn't have a salesperson come to my house and give a full presentation.  Our initial conversations were handled over the phone or through email.  This is a father and son company (John and John) and they both have a background in home construction.  This is relevant because Black Platinum was the only company I spoke with that didn't use any subcontractors to do their work.  They do it all themselves.  They were also the only company that installed all the electric cables into the attic and through the walls.  This means no conduit running all over the roof and down the sides of the house.  There are also significantly less boxes and equipment mounted on the side of my house.  It all looks super clean as if the house was originally built that way.  

When I initially spoke with John Senior, he explained to me that he is constantly purchasing the latest products because solar technology is moving so fast.  He was very familiar with the different products available and it was obvious to me that he knew what he was talking about.  I researched every piece of equipment they put on my house.  I was very happy to learn that the panels and inverters they are using were listed in the top three of every recent comparison list I could find.  There is a lot of debate online regarding central inverters vs mini inverters.  If you do your own research, make sure you are reading recent articles because so much has changed in the last couple years.  However, I am confident that the latest mini inverters are safer, more efficient and cheaper to repair if you should ever have a problem.  Black Platinum also installs "Pigeon Stop" under every panel to keeps the birds from nesting under them.  I didn't think much about the pigeon stop when they first mentioned it, but the stuff is legit.  It's solid black metal mesh mounted under every panel and will easily last the lifetime of my system.

John (the son) is a super nice guy and runs the operation.  He was very responsive throughout the entire process and supervised everything during installation.  He even answered calls, emails and text messages on weekends and after hours.  It's also worth mentioning that both Johns seem to have really good contacts with the city and the power companies.  This helped when navigating the complexities of two organizations (the city and the power company) who don't really have your best interests in mind.  John took care of everything and had the cell numbers of the people needed to ensure permits and inspections went smoothly.  When the installation was complete, he even used a drone to take some overhead pictures of finished project.

Black Platinum's entire team was professional and friendly and I can't say enough good things about them. The bottom line is that these guys did everything the way I would have done it myself and I felt like their only concern was my satisfaction.

My wife and I had been looking at putting solar on our west valley home since we purchased it in 2017. We are seasonal residents who will likely move here full time in the future. In early 2018 I began looking at companies to take on our project. We had proposals for 5 kw to 12 kw systems. We had proposals from 4 different companies but never felt right about any of them.

December 30, 2018 I started researching other companies since we wanted to get this project done this year. I ran across Black Platinum Solar on the internet and started digging in deeper to learn more. They had very good reviews but I am always skeptical about what I read. My first contact with the company was Jan 2 via email. I got a very quick reply - good sign. I learned they are a smaller firm; family owned and operated. I had several email exchanges and then phone conversations. I learned what products they use and why. My main phone contact was John. He spent a significant amount of time explaining what they do and why. He encouraged as many questions as I could think of on our first call. At that time I told him I needed to digest the data he provided and we would talk again the next day.

We did talk the next day and for the next couple of days with John patiently answering all my questions while asking me more to learn about what we were looking for in a system. We discussed my interest in having someone look at our roof for suitability of the coating on our flat roof. John sent one of his sub contractors who specializes in roofing to look it over. The roof was ok but he offered some suggestions and options I really liked and we added a coating for the roof to the project.

We were also interested in adding a pool heater for our pool. Again John had a source for us. We received a proposal and decided to add that as well. The proposal was less than one we had received in December and the proposed equipment was first class. Needless to say we added that to the project. After discussing our complete project in detail we settled on a 13.2 kw system. John and his team prepared the proposal Jan 8 which we read over and signed that day.

John and the team got to work obtaining all permits and working with the various regulatory bodies. They coordinated all the work - roofing, pool heater and solar installation. They have the process down extremely well. After a bit of rain, the project kicked off in earnest Jan 14. The roofing company worked side by side with the Black Platinum team getting the roof ready and the mounts installed. Permits were obtained, hardware installed, systems connected and inspections completed. Our project was commissioned Jan 28 and we began producing energy at 1:30 pm that day.

All the people at Black Platinum were great to work with. Our thanks to John, Toni, Johnny, Joann, Dan and the rest of the crew. This was one of the best and easiest projects I have ever been involved for residential or commercial.

For those who read this far, I can only say from our experience, it would be hard to go wrong using Black Platinum Solar. I would be happy to converse privately with anyone interested in learning more about our project.

I looked at solar to offset my high APS bill during the summer months (I have 3 AC units).

John and team were outstanding from day one. I must have spent six months researching the technologies, the industry offerings, the installers etc. I chose Black Platinum because of their reputation for quality, Johns knowledge and value for money. I have an LG/Enphase system on the roof performing above my expectations.

Bring the heat, with solar energy my home is ready!

John and his team installed an 18Kw system on our home in June 2018.  We did our typical research and got 5 estimates from top rated solar installers.  A lot of companies wanted to push leases which we felt were not in our best interest and don't make financial sense. John didn't even bring up a lease option and doesn't offer them for the same reasons.  The difference which pushed us to go with Black Platinum was the quality of the equipment they use as well as John's personal attention.  His price was competitive with the other companies we were considering, however, his equipment choices (LG Panels & Enphase micro inverters) were of a much higher quality than any other quote for the same price. Basically, more bang for your buck.

John worked with us throughout the entire process to ensure that we got the system that we needed.  Having just moved into the home, we did not have any usage history to work with.  John was patient and was able to accurately size the system based on very limited information.  There was no sales pitch or any pressure from his end.  He was the consummate professional and was more concerned with accuracy and honesty than making sure we went with his company.  

The installation was fast and respectful.  We have two young kids in the house and they were mindful to keep any areas inside clean and safe.  The install took 4 days and John and his son (John) were present throughout.  His crew is extremely professional, courteous and highly skilled at what they do.  They have all been with John a long time and it showed.  All of the wiring was run in the attic and walls so that nothing showed from the outside.  His drywall repair guy was nothing short of amazing.  You would never know that there was a patch except for our own lousy paint job (they used a closet so it doesn't really matter anyway).  Overall, the install looks great and is functioning as designed thus far.

When APS delayed because of a panel question, John was the one who handled it and got the system live as quickly as possible.  He was even going to absorb the cost of an upgraded panel if APS required it, since it was not part of his initial estimate.  Luckily, he was able to avoid further delays and found a work around with APS.

We are so happy with our choice to go with John and his team at Black Platinum.  We would highly recommend them to anyone looking at solar power.

A couple of months ago, they completed installing solar on our roof.  They were very professional and personal, taking the time to answer any questions that I had.  Of the three companies that I interviewed, I found 'Johnny' to be very easy to talk and he explained everything to the detail that was needed.  The quantity of panels that they suggested is working well, which was not easy as I didn't have any history of electric use.  They offer a quality product and service.  I would recommend them and have done so already.

As an Architect I know the most important decision for any project is choosing the right contractor.  For our family home we choose Black Platinum Solar & Electric.

John & John & Toni Black, father and son & family, and their whole crew have been a pleasure to work with from first meeting on the roof - to our solar power activation. We designed the system based upon the economics: ROI.  Everything was on time and on budget, professionally done with direct personal attention to all details.  "On time" means actually working on your roof the minute they said - not just showing up to get ready. Answering my email at 4:30 AM - sure. Refreshingly there was never a sales pitch, no up-sell, and only 1 extra - at my request. Get what you pay for: no nonsense straight forward quality installation, not marketing, layers of administration, overhead etc.

While completely unnecessary, I was on our roof often observing the work just to learn. Pride of Workmanship personifies their business. They work with finesse, these guys love their work. They have an extensive construction background, so care was taken not to mess up other elements of the building.  And built to last - the old fashion way, earning their reputation every day on each job. There are many technical details in a solar installation from assuring roof penetrations are waterproof to the specs of the micro-circuitry and automated trouble shooting. In our case the software found issues with APS electric servicing the neighborhood and they got APS to fix it. With their reputation and connections they obtained the latest technology prior to anyone else. Their objective is to give you the best trouble free solar installation with the minimum disruption to your life, and delivering more than promised. On a Friday afternoon John finished the paperwork and submitted City inspection approval to APS and by the next Wednesday morning our system was up and live. I'm told this was a record for APS, but it wouldn't have happened if Black Platinum wasn't totally on top of all the details. There is considerable permitting and inspections in this process, and substantial (under appreciated)  value in getting this done right and expeditiously.

The Enphase micro-inverter system they use provide realtime internet monitoring of each solar panel as well as your whole system, shown as it is actually configured on your roof, with energy production and consumption over time so you alway know every day, month and year how your system is performing. So far we are producing more than we are consuming. For telling testimonials look for those reviews a year or later after installation.  I'll post one in a year to verify the ROI calculations.  

I've read so many of their 5-Star reviews online and can now vouch that they are not only credible but represent the standard of work of Black Platinum Solar.

John and his crew were the most honest and trustworthy contractors I have worked with and they do things right. His crew has been with him for several years and the owner, John was there throughout the entire install.

I had kicked around the idea of solar for about two years, but every sales guy I talked to was just that, a salesman. None of them felt genuine and every one of them made me feel like I was somehow going to get screwed in the end. One talked to me about leasing, which I just can't even comprehend the value aspect of that. After I stopped looking for several months, I talked with a neighbor who recently had solar installed. Compared to other neighbor's with solar, his looked the most aesthetically appeasing. He had nothing but praise for Black Platinum. He gave me Black Platinums contact info and I contacted John shortly after. John discussed his company, the way he works, and gave me a ballpark estimate of the costs and amount of electricity I could produce. Over the next couple of days, he sent me several quotes for different sized systems. I then sat on it for a couple of weeks while I explored the value proposition. Not once did I feel pressured by him as I did my own research. Once I figured out my funding, I had already known Black Platinum was the easy decision for me.

Although I signed the contract with Black Platinum in late summer/early fall, I wanted to hold off the project until the end of the year so I could recoup some of my cash outlay in only a couple of months with the tax rebate. I've heard stories about APS taking forever approving the connection agreement, but he assured me it was probable that it would be done by the end of the year. He had a good relationship with APS.

They started with the rail mounts at the end of November and the LG panels and Enphase microinverters mid -December. The project was completed on time and approved by APS by the end of the month, exactly as we expected. No anxiety on my part whatsoever.

Now I work close to he and my wife was home majority of the time during the install and I can't give enough praise about the crew and John. John always kept open communication with me via text/phone/email so I always knew the status of what was happening and the progress. Each one of his employees was easy going and fun to talk to. I felt comfortable providing them access to my garage while we were not there. John even slightly changed the design because he felt one section would be an eyesore while in the pool. Their install was clean and professional. Conduit to the breakers was run through the wall rather than outside. Microinverters are on each individual panel rather than one or two giant boxes mounted next to the breaker panel. It just looks professional. I watched another neighbor behind me go through an install with cheap looking panels installed by what looked like a bunch of high schoolers who walked all over the panels, conduit running down the outside of the wall... Total crap job. I could see footprints on their solar panels for months.

At the end, all broken roof tiles were replaced, the patch job on the drywall was perfectly matched, and we are generating electricity as expected. The app is pretty cool which shows my production and consumption, something which I am told is new from Enphase. I have nothing but good feelings about my experience with Black Platinum. I wish all contractors provided the same level of care and professionalism and managed my expectations as well as John and Black Platinum. It was truly a pleasure.

If you want to know what customer service should be like, call John, he gets it!  After talking with several solar shops at the local home show and checking reviews on line, I stumbled across Black Platinum on a small solar review site that showed they had the top reviews although they were one of the smallest guys on the list.  Did my homework and researched several companies in this space.  Checked reviews on Yelp, the BBB, Registrar of Contractors and their websites to check for complaints, feedback and professionalism. Narrowed my list down and started making phone calls.  John (owner) answered the phone and answered all my questions with patience.  He was extremely personable and likes to throw in a little humor when you speak with him.  Told him my predicament since I just moved into the house and didn't have any usage details.  He provided me his professional recommendations and was extremely knowledge about the entire process from application to final inspection.  He didn't try to upsell me on anything and didn't bad mouth the other guys. I've been working with him and his wife directly through the process, which they make EXTREMELY easy.  They communicate exceptionally well for a small operation and I never felt I was out-of-the-loop on what was happening.  I even get emails from John at 9p at night and 4a in the morning, letting me know what's happening.  They even got my panels installed way ahead of schedule.  I didn't even meet John until they showed up at my house to start the install.  The crew did a phenomenal job with all the work, cleaned things up nicely, professional installation that was clean.  In the end, I got a much bigger system with the latest technology at a cheaper price then some of the other guys.  I wish every business was this good!