Damaged Heat Pump System Installed

Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 07:15

Hi we've recently had a Stiebel Eltron 302h heat pump system installed to our house 2weeks ago and as someone who works away from home and wasn't there at the install I've just noticed on Sunday that there's damage inside the unit itself.

When you look through the grill like cover of the rear of the machine you can seen roughly over a 150mm area that many of the car radiator esq looking fins of the back of the fan unit has been pressed and bent inside .

I called the installer/Plumber first thing Monday morning 8am and he said it's nothing to do with him as it's internal and he didn't take that cover off to install it and didn't notice the damage inside until I showed him the pictures,which are roughly eye level for a 6 ft person.
So he called the Stiebel Eltron Perth Rep Monday morning and they'd get back to him about it, I heard nothing back so I called him lunchtime and he gave me the Stiebel Eltron Perth reps number,so I called her for an update and she said it's been passed above her head and she's waiting from a response from the Melbourne service manager
Got a text yesterday lunchtime from the Installer ,passing on the info from Stiebel Eltron that they would not be replacing the part, as it will not affect the operation of the unit so they feel no need to replace it at all!
This sounds pretty dubious as I'm pretty sure this is used to either trap heat or expel heat or somewhere along those lines.

I tried to call the Perth Rep couldn't get through ,so I called their service manager Melbourne and he said it was likely a machine or human did it in the assembly of the unit and it would cost too much for them to get a part or replace the whole unit as it's built in Europe and I'd have to live with it,best he will do is to send someone out to try straighten the fins out best they could and give an extra 3 year warranty on the specific part which I find mind boggling as I've spent just under $7000 including installation costs .
The whole units only have a 2 year warranty and I'm worried that it's a time bomb,plus the fact the thousands I've spent on it already this sounds like I'm being very short changed and fobbed off by them.
Any advice on my rights or the way forward? Should the installer be asked to foot the bill or the manufacturer? I believe I should be getting a new part at the least for this damage and expenditure. Like you wouldn't expect to buy a new car or a tv and have dents in it or a cracked but working screen on it and told to live with it ,you'd surely expect new parts at the least!
Very bewildered and frustrated by this,can' someone give me any advice on the best way forward ,many thanks 🙏

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • Quantumcat on 30/03/2022 - 08:18
    +4

    My uninformed opinion is you should get rectification from the installer, and they can get rectification from the manufacturer. You have no relationship with the manufacturer and to get a new unit installed you would need the installer to do something anyway. The installer should have to get compensation for the extra work from the manufacturer.

    The manufacturer may tell the installer they will give no compensation for the extra work given they installed it without checking it, and they will have to do the extra work for free.

    Please keep us informed as to the outcome whatever it is you choose to do, I'm interested and probably others will be too.

    • here for deals on 30/03/2022 - 08:55
      +2

      I'm interested to know too.
      Please keep us updated OP. If and when you can.

    • bbinc on 30/03/2022 - 09:07
      +2

      I’m also very interested as I am considering a heat pump system.
      A google search turned up a “fin comb” used for straightening bent fins on air conditioners and heat pumps as it is a common issue. Depending on the relative area of damage would this be considered a major or a minor repairable fault under ACCC? Either way you shouldn’t have to just “live with it”. It affects the efficiency of the unit to some degree - if only minor it seems a competent professional would know how to return the unit to as new condition?
      Good luck and let’s know how you go. If accepting repair I’d be watching to make sure they use the proper tool designed for this!

      • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 12:37

        Cheers manythanks 🙏

  • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 08:22
    +1

    Can you physically get you hand into reach the condenser fins?

    I know it's not the answer you are after or deserve but they can be straightened out with a tool.

    • bbinc on 30/03/2022 - 09:09
      +2

      A fin comb

      • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 09:10

        You're all over it đź‘Ť

  • SnoozeAndLose on 30/03/2022 - 09:01

    Do you have some picture? If you are not happy, talk to Fair Trading of your state

  • ESEMCE on 30/03/2022 - 09:03
    +2

    1) shit response from the manufacturer, doesn't bode well for future support calls!
    2) 3 years extra "warranty" is a complete cop out for a part that wont itself "fail" - demand a discount for what they have essentially admitted should have been a seconds unit.
    3) they're still likely correct that it wont affect the lifespan of the device. BUT
    4) it may/will affect the performance and efficiency of the device -in which case you'll pay in additional energy cost.

    • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 16:39

      Yea just been offered a worse solution than yesterday

  • Actilux on 30/03/2022 - 09:11
    +3

    Accept the reps offer to repair, ensure the contractor uses a fin comb to straighten the fins, inspect before they leave, problem solved.

  • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 09:16

    I've spent just under $7000 including installation costs .

    Seems a lot. The units are about $3k so $4k for install?

    Was it replacing an existing electric storage HWS?

    • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 10:46

      No to replace and dismantle solar panel/gas instant hot water set up, disconnect and all the capping off /new plumbing needed for the new unit which pretty much is in same spot, I'll supposedly get $9-800 back from green enviro grant from WA state aswel ,which would bring it down hopefully under $6000

      • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 10:47

        That makes sense. They probably needed to upgrade the power supply to the HWS location as well.

        • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 10:59

          Looking at the invoice he charged around 3800 for unit alone and yea he had to get an electrician out to connect it up which would have been in the grand total somewhere.

          • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 11:17
            +1

            @Francis82: That's the problem when a HWS unit fails. There's hardly anytime for bargain searching or negotiations. The missus and kids just want hot water and not a tight ass dad.

            • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 11:25

              @Muzeeb: Yep ,total head fçk ,it's this new install and it's damaged inside which is more hurting now,you pay good money ,you should at least expect it to arrive brand new and the way they talked so flippit down the phone that this happens all the time,I'm like what??? How can you sell something damaged already to someone!! From a pretty big company too

              • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 11:29
                +1

                @Francis82: The fins are uber soft and I suspect their manufacturing QC likely allows for some damage. It's probably already over engineered being German designed (does the unit say where it's made?). At the end of the day it will have zero impact on producing hot water and maybe a very minor impact on energy consumption in the winter.

                • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 11:32
                  +1

                  @Muzeeb: German designed ,made in Slovakia of the top of my head.

  • JimmyF on 30/03/2022 - 09:49
    +1

    best he will do is to send someone out to try straighten the fins out best they could and give an extra 3 year warranty on the specific part

    Picture??? Sounds like the fins are pushed over, if so, its a easy fix with a fin comb to straighten them up. Happens all the time, the fins on any AC exchanger are very easy to bend these days.

    Sounds like a good deal from the company to me then, they'll fix the fins and you get a extra 3 years on that part.

    I've spent just under $7000 including installation costs .

    OMFG these units are under $4k new (can be had for $3k if you look around), So $3-4k for install is just insane!!! You got ripped off.

    • garetz on 30/03/2022 - 10:30

      This is the reason you always get multiple quotes for any job you need done.

    • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 11:29

      I've got pictures just don't know how to show on here

      • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 11:31

        here

        • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 11:47
          +1

          Cheers think it's workedđź‘Ť

  • Gros21 on 30/03/2022 - 10:06

    Yea you got ripped.

  • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 11:08

    The old 11yr old solar/ gas instant that it's replaced seemed to shit itself and leak like hell the day before I flew out for work and now I come home and notice this pretty much a couple days before I fly out again which is today on the new one system.
    Pretty much had me over a barrel on the first one which was very frustrating,now this has happened with the new system, fuming and disbelief at the moment plus I've a heavily pregnant wife with just 3weeks to go in the house aswel. Things could alot better ,so any sound advice would be greatly appreciated 🙌

    • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 11:49
      +2

      Don't stress about it. Annoying, but this will have zero impact on your hot water or energy consumption.

      • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 12:02
        +1

        What experience have you on fixing the fins if you don't mind me asking? , How would you respond to the manufacturer or Installer about repairing it and what they have offered so far?
        The whole reason I bought and the big sell on these units is efficiency ,surely bent fins would have an effect and who knows if something else has been damaged somewhere in there too, can't see much in there but you never know, especially only have a couple of year warranty

        • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 12:05

          I've straightened fins that were bent when we moved into a new to us house using a fin comb. Access was very easy though. In all seriousness I would just let this go. The damage you have shown will have zero impact on the unit (pardon the pun).

          • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 12:22

            @Muzeeb: Not any access to it ,and its a brand new system ,I don't think just letting it go is acceptable ! Quality control and decent customer service would be

            • Muzeeb on 30/03/2022 - 12:26

              @Francis82: Then follow garetz advice

              Don't lose sleep over it. Remember you have an upcoming newborn that will take care of that.

              • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 12:34

                @Muzeeb: Haha she sure will, alot going through my mind at the moment ,many thanks for your feedbacks🙌🙌

    • garetz on 30/03/2022 - 12:01
      +1

      doesnt look that bad, just get them to straighten it out and get the extra 3 years warranty.

    • JimmyF on 30/03/2022 - 15:39
      -1

      Meh its nothing out of the 'normal' these things BEND very easily, and those few cms out of the entire coil are nothing, with zero impact on the performance. I'm guessing it was done at the factory too, not by the installer.

      I would take the offer to straighten the fins and 3 years extra warranty on that part.

      If it looked like this

      https://www.hvacinvestigators.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03…

      then sure get it replaced!

  • Francis82 on 30/03/2022 - 16:23

    Just got an email from their service manager saying they could get someone to straighten the fins and increase the warranty from 2years too 3 years in total!
    Which is even less than what was offered over the phone yesterday.
    As according to them it's minor damage .
    That doesn't really cover what other damage could have been caused and not passed through the non existent quality control they did. As you'd surely half to take the cover off and look at the insides to make that diagnosis .

  • lgacb08 on 31/03/2022 - 10:45

    Like everyone said this is very minor not worth fussing around. If you managed to get extra warranty out of it then go for it. Plenty of heat exchange stuff having bent fins. But in saying that you got done very nicely for such system so if it were me I'd go pestering the installer until you get reasonable resolution so he know money is not easy these days.

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