Chances are you’ve seen pop-up ads on social media for home solar energy. Many Georgians regret that they did not do more research before making such a costly commitment.
DOUGLASVILLE, Ga – Hidden Camera Investigation FOX 5 I-Team sheds light on some of the great promises made to Georgia homeowners regarding solar energy.
As energy prices go up, you may be paying more attention to these ubiquitous social media ads:
“The government will pay for the solar power plant.”
“Reduce or even eliminate your electricity bill by using solar energy.”
“I never would have thought that someone had just lied to you.” Amie and Nathan Tatro say their sales representative has provided an unrealistic picture of home solar energy.
Amie and Nathan Tatro of Lafayette saw the same commercials. So they signed a deal with Power Home Solar – now Pink Energy – to equip their home with solar panels, a deal that cost $ 91,000 with monthly installments over 25 years.
“It turned out to be not what was promised,” Amie admitted. “Almost everything he said turned out to be untrue.”
Hidden cameras reveal dark side of solar power
FOX 5 I-Team’s investigation with a hidden camera highlights some of the great promises made to homeowners in Georgia regarding solar energy. This may interest you : A new type of battery that can charge ten times faster than a lithium-ion battery created.
For example, how could they sell extra solar power back to their plant, which would give them a negative electricity bill.
But it didn’t. And their EMC bills in North Georgia have barely moved.
“If I had known all this, I would never have made that decision,” Amie said. “I’d just stay in my regular old energy company.”
When his solar company did not get a building permit, Rod Colver was left with a system that not only didn’t work, but still got monthly bills from the finance company.
Rod Colver of Douglasville has agreed to pay Solar Titan US $ 43,000 to furnish his home, with the promise of providing backup power and lowering his electricity bills.
“It was supposed to drop by 80-90%,” he recalled.
We’ll never know. According to a letter from a Douglas County Building Inspector, Solar Titan USA has not been granted a building permit.
Without this permission, 69-year-old Colver cannot connect the system to the network.
“It’s a worthless system,” he complained. “It will never work. And they want me to pay for it.
Solar Titan USA is based in Knoxville, TN. A spokesman told the FOX 5 I team that they had pulled out an electrical permit, but the installer was unaware that Douglas County also required a building permit. They called Colver to find a solution.
Could every customer misunderstand sales promises?
Solar power is a legitimate option for curious homeowners looking to fight against rising energy prices. But many do not know what questions to ask.
We did. But listen to the answers we got.
Power Home Solar – now Pink Energy – used sales reps who either didn’t understand what they were selling or lied about important features.
FOX 5 I-Team equipped the house with hidden cameras and asked every solar company to come for an estimate.
The Power Home Solar company sent a young woman who had only joyful things to say about her employer and the home solar movement.
“I’ve never worked anywhere where everyone is so happy,” she confessed.
She walked around the house, checking the position of the fuse box and measuring the insulation depth of our attic.
But when it was time to hard sell, she took out her tablet and connected us virtually to Andrew, her Senior Account Manager from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“These are expensive systems,” Andrew warned us. “A lot of people think they cost 5,000-10,000. But we’re actually eliminating the lifetime utility bill. “
That’s right. He said eliminate. To do this, Andrew offered us $ 69,999, later guaranteeing a 67% reduction in our energy bills.
“At worst, 23% of the bill will remain,” he calculated. “But it will probably be winter when we don’t produce that much.”
We had two local companies that designed solar systems for the same house, Creative Solar USA and Alternative Energy Southeast. Due to the shade and roof structure, none of them said a solar system could cut our utility bills by 67 percent. Up to 50 percent But the cost of their systems was drastically lower than the price of Power Home Solar.
“That’s why it’s good to get a lot of quotes,” warned Creative Solar USA founder Russell Seifert. – For comparison. And then the truth serum comes out.
Andrew also erroneously promised we would get full credit for every unused kilowatt of solar we send to our electric company. This is called net metering and can dramatically reduce your electricity bills.
“You will get your bills in the summer and you will most likely say a negative balance because in the summer we produce a lot more electricity than we actually need,” he assured us.
But Walton EMC – the tool that runs our hidden home camera – offers no net metering. Only Georgia Power does this, but has already reached the limit of 5,000 homes.
Power Home Solar said it fired Andrew because what he told us “did not comply with our sales guidelines and training or our ethics policy.”
They also agreed to cancel Amie and Nathan’s contract and remove their system in LaFayette, again citing “rather substantial miscommunication” from their sales representative.
A sales representative for Solar Titan USA told our manufacturer that his system means she will no longer have to pay for energy. The company agreed that he shouldn’t have said this.
A sales representative for Solar Titan USA told us that the best deal for our home would be $ 57,900. This would mean a monthly payment of $ 345 over 20 years.
That’s more than the homeowner is now paying Walton EMC. We asked if we would continue to pay for the power.
“No, so what’s here will take care of your entire use,” said Solar Titan USA sales representative. “So that would be about 100 percent of your usage right now.”
In a written statement, Solar Titan USA spokesman Dan Cologne said: “We do not tolerate customers who are told they will not have an account. Attention.”
Solar Titan USA also said it “had a lot of cultivation problems” but the company is “committed to taking care of our customers and completing all projects.”
It is extremely difficult to turn off a security camera with a laser pointer. Average laser pointers do not have the power to disarm the sensor. In addition, to disarm the camera sensor, hit the camera accurately from the front end from a distance of approximately 5 meters (16 feet). However, there are lasers that can interfere with the operation of the CCD (camera sensor) in the security camera.
How can we find hidden camera?
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- Scan the environment thoroughly. On the same subject : Light may increase performance of fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries.
- Turn off the lights in the room.
- Use your iPhone or Android cell phones.
- Use a professional detector or sensor.
- Check the mirrors at home.
- Use the flashlight to find hidden cameras.
- Check hidden devices with Wi-Fi Sniffing apps.
Is there an app to find hidden devices? Try to stay safe by using Detectify – Detect Hidden Devices. Our app will help you find potential hidden devices nearby. This application uses an algorithm to detect hidden devices with the help of magnetometer readings.
What is the best app for finding hidden cameras?
1. Radarbot. Radarbot is a free spy camera detection application that uses GPS location to find hidden cameras. As it can be integrated with the GPS navigation system, so you can easily use other GPS applications to change your current location.
Can hackers see you through your phone camera?
As we said above, it is absolutely possible to observe a person through the camera of the mobile phone. If someone had access to your phone for as long as five to 10 minutes, they might have downloaded some type of spyware. This spyware can be used to access any function of your mobile phone.
Can someone look at you through the phone camera? Short answer: Yes. Webcams and telephones can be hacked, giving bad actors full control over their functioning. As a result, hackers can use your device’s camera to both spy on people and search for personal information.
Can you tell if your phone camera is hacked?
The best way to tell if someone has hacked your phone’s camera is to use the camera itself. Then zoom in and out on the camera. If your camera has high latency, it could be one of the telltale signs that it has been hacked.
Can a hacker watch you through your camera?
Look for audio and video recordings Also double-check the webcam settings and check that the folder has not been changed without your knowledge. However, don’t just trust this method as some hackers might just stream whatever they see via your webcam to their device.
Is it better to have wired or wireless security cameras?
There are several factors to consider when trying to choose between a wired or wireless security system. While wireless cameras have their advantages, including ease of installation and flexibility, we recommend wired security camera systems in most cases for their reliability and security.
Do wireless security cameras consume a lot of electricity? In general, security cameras, both analog CCTV cameras and PoE IP security cameras, are not energy intensive like other gadgets such as computers or bread makers; they only need very little electricity to work.
Can wireless security cameras be hacked?
Any device connected to the internet can be hacked, including home security cameras. Wired cameras are less susceptible to attacks than Wi-Fi cameras, and those with local storage are less vulnerable than cameras that store video on a cloud server. However, all cameras can be hacked.
Can someone watch my security camera?
Connecting a security camera to your home as a surveillance system is quite easy, and just as easy to hack those cameras. Hackers can take control of a security camera, watch and even stream recorded videos.
Can you hack WiFi security cameras?
Is it possible to hack home security cameras? Any device connected to the internet can be hacked, including home security cameras. Wired cameras are less susceptible to attacks than Wi-Fi cameras, and those with local storage are less vulnerable than cameras that store video on a cloud server.
Are security cameras easily hacked?
Your security cameras can be hacked in several ways. The lack of basic security features, the use of default settings and simple passwords, and security camera hacking applications make them hack into cameras, baby monitors and web cameras.
Are wired camera better than wireless?
The biggest advantage of a wired camera system is reliability. “With a wired system, you don’t have to worry about worsening the Wi-Fi signal or charging the camera’s battery,” says Welch. “In addition, in the case of wireless cameras, if the network goes down, so will the cameras.
Which camera better Wired or wireless?
Wireless security cameras are less intrusive to your home than wired cameras, making them easier and faster to set up. It is not necessary to drill through walls or ceilings. Wireless cameras are also more flexible than wired systems because they aren’t tied as tightly with wires.
Is Wired CCTV better?
Choose a wired security camera if you want the most reliable connection possible. Wired cameras have fewer problems with signal loss or recording problems due to poor internet connection. They’re also harder to steal because they’re physically connected to your home.
How often do you have to charge wireless security cameras?
If you put a rechargeable outdoor security camera in high traffic areas, you may need to recharge the battery every few or three months.
How do wireless cameras charge?
Do wireless cameras have to be plugged in?
Most wireless security cameras can connect to an existing Wi-Fi network, but must be connected. Make sure you choose a location near an electrical outlet.
Are wireless cameras actually wireless?
The wireless camera is not wireless; rather, it is called a wireless camera as it uses wireless internet (Wi-Fi). When the wireless camera is powered by batteries, it becomes a wireless camera. Wireless home security cameras typically store recordings on a cloud server so you can access them from anywhere.
How long do the batteries last in wireless security cameras?
Batteries for wireless security cameras can last from one to three years at best. They are very easy to replace – easier than changing the batteries in your watch. It’s like unbuttoning and buttoning your shirt! However, most wireless security cameras are powered by a power cord.
Do security cameras have to be wired in?
Wireless security cameras transmit video signals without a wired connection via Wi-Fi. Note that this does not mean that all camera models are completely wireless. Some models may still require a wired power source while others run on batteries.
How does a wireless security camera get power?
There are two main ways to power wireless security cameras: the wireless transmitter and batteries. The wireless transmitter can be placed in your home or business, and as long as the camera is within range of that transmitter, it will power it. Another option is to connect it to the battery via an adapter.
How do wired security cameras get power?
Wired security cameras receive electricity via a wired cable. This power can come directly from the electrical outlet. Or, power can be sent over a cable that connects to a central hub: PoE (Power Over Ethernet) cable.
How do outdoor security cameras run power?
If you need to power your PoE security camera outdoors, you can just grab a CAT5 / 6 cable as PoE cabling can provide both data connection and electrical power for PoE security cameras. When it comes to wireless security cameras, you just need to run the wires into the power outlet of the wireless security cameras.
Do wireless security cameras need a power source?
Wireless cameras operate on batteries and do not require an electric power source.
How long do batteries last in wireless camera?
Batteries for wireless security cameras can last from one to three years at best. They are very easy to replace – easier than changing the batteries in your watch. It’s like unbuttoning and buttoning your shirt! However, most wireless security cameras are powered by a power cord.
How long does a battery camera last?
In short, a decent camera battery lasts for around 400 shots on a single charge, or around 8-10 hours on a full charge.
How long do batteries last in fake security camera?
After installing the battery, a bright red LED will start flashing inside the “lens”. This further enhances the realism and makes the cameras easier to see at night. This way, potential thieves can see it and steer clear of it. The battery pack will last about 6 months, so it doesn’t require much maintenance.
How long do wireless outdoor cameras last?
One of the most exciting features of the outdoor camera is its wireless power supply and long battery life. When fully charged, the battery is expected to work for 3-6 months.