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Beware! Electrical Aquarium Light Problem....


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37 replies to this topic

#21 Neakit

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Posted 18 February 2011 - 06:50 PM

and i can assure you 250 is cheap for t5 lights, look at DE or ati for top of the wazzer. I must admit i wouldn't be happy its a one off freak of an incident. cmon come back to reality they were very lucky to get the offer of a heavily discounted unit.

#22 Mr_docfish

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Posted 18 February 2011 - 09:53 PM

QUOTE (ado @ Feb 18 2011, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
and by the sounds of it Energy Safety would be interested in hearing about this. And that could get nasty.


if you mention that you will provide these pics above to the department mentioned by Ado, then the supplier will have no choice but to replace or repair unless they want to go through the costs of recalling all the units..... 12 months or not, they should at least offer to repair or pay for repairs or replace - some online stores do not care for customer satisfaction..... LFS FTW.

Edited by Mr_docfish, 18 February 2011 - 09:54 PM.


#23 Kieran

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Posted 18 February 2011 - 10:47 PM

QUOTE (Mr_docfish @ Feb 18 2011, 09:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
LFS FTW.


That's pretty much it isn't it. I mean if I sell someone a dodgy unit at work they know exactly where to find me. And if it's a PCS member chances are they know where I live too! tongue.gif

I don't care how fast the broadband is, it's never going to replace face-to-face customer service for me.
Buying on the internet's not at this stage yet:

(and the NBN won't get us there either!)

#24 Tricoti

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 10:55 AM

Firstly thanks to everyone that has taken the time to read or leave a comment on this post, I do appreciate it.

To Kieran: Thanks for your comment. "this gentleman bought an 'el-cheapo' electrical product for use around a large volume of water in a residential environment, and in doing so risked the lives of everyone in his house."

My post was to simply make other people aware of the potential problem they could be facing if they have the same manufactured light unit as I do.
The light cost me $349 Australian dollars (is that considered a cheep light?) which I thought was going to be a decent SAFE light to go over my aquarium, the thought of safety to my family has always been a priority (I have young ones) and I have always tried to purchase reliable quality equipment. All my tanks have Eheim filtration or pumps, Jaguar heaters, so there was never any thought of buying an "el-cheepo" light. So your comment of me risking the lives of my family to save a few dollars on an el-cheepo light I didn't take lightly and I won't be taking up the offer of the same light at a heavily discounted price but researching into another reputable brand and putting my money into that, so if the reason for these forms is to ask questions, add suggestions and help each other in the quest to better the hobby could some of you please make some suggestions of brands and models of T5 4ft light units I should be looking into.

Again many thanks for your support and comments on this post.

#25 Neakit

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 11:01 AM

De make a good product and so do Ati
These guys aren't the only retailers im just using it as a guide
http://www.reefingli...ome.php?cat=362
http://www.reefingli...ome.php?cat=363

#26 MrOrange

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 11:11 AM

QUOTE (Tricoti @ Feb 19 2011, 10:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Again many thanks for your support and comments on this post.


Just humour me and contact fair trade in your state... Its a very simple process. Don't just throw away $350. If it were me, I can guarantee you I'd be getting it replaced for free.

#27 Kieran

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 11:35 AM

QUOTE (Tricoti @ Feb 19 2011, 10:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My post was to simply make other people aware of the potential problem they could be facing if they have the same manufactured light unit as I do.


I know I was being a bit harsh and for that I apologise. I'm sure the risk was not so great with your RCD fitted. It's no excuse, but I'm grumpy with this flu and have become frustrated with a couple of recent lighting customers.

I like the DE units. I find the ATI tubes themselves to be of good quality also. Value for money in the lower end of the price-range I find the Hagen GLO units to work well, although on the remote ballast models the endcaps go brittle over a couple of years.

EDIT: May as well contact fair trade. They could at least help you know your rights and what documents you can reference if things get ugly. Ask for a voucher or credit instead of a product replacement, or get a free replacement and sell it on Gumtree / Ebay etc.

#28 Tricoti

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 02:00 PM

QUOTE (MrOrange @ Feb 19 2011, 02:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just humour me and contact fair trade in your state... Its a very simple process. Don't just throw away $350. If it were me, I can guarantee you I'd be getting it replaced for free.


OK thanks for the push MrOrange, I looked more into it with Consumer Affairs Victoria.

This is the example they gave.

A consumer buys an aquarium light for $349. It stops working (for whatever reason) 1 year 2 1/2 months later. The supplier tells the consumer they have no rights to repairs or another remedy as the aquarium light was only under the manufacturer's warranty for 12 months.

A reasonable consumer would expect more than 1 year 2 1/2 months use from a $349 aquarium light. Under the consumer guarantees, the consumer therefore has a statutory right to a remedy on the basis that the aquarium light is not of acceptable quality. The supplier must provide a remedy free of charge.

There office is open Monday to Friday 9-5 so a phone call on Monday or Tuesday will be on my list of things to do. I will let you all know what happens.....

#29 danie1

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 02:07 PM



Just goes to show what the point in supporting local company's ???? Australian owned and operated bah.

Company slogan

RELIABILITY, EFFICIENCY, EASE

I personally dont think they are in the cheap class of goods.

Was this brought online though??? As buying from a decent LFS can provide extra clout in dealing with warranty's.





#30 MrOrange

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 02:08 PM

wink.gif Go get em!

#31 Kieran

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Posted 19 February 2011 - 02:37 PM

Sounds like they've dealt with this issue before. All the better for you! Should make things a whole lot easier if this isn't a 'landmark case'.

#32 Tricoti

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Posted 25 February 2011 - 12:24 PM

Hi all. OK, this is where I'm up to with this light problem.
Just so that my post isn't seen to be all one sided, below is the response from the wholesalers when I informed them I had spoken to the Melbourne Office of Fair Trading Victoria and they suggested I take the light unit into them for viewing.

After speaking with Office of Fair Trading NSW, and our legal advisers. They have advised us that this should not be a case for us to answer as there was no money exchanged between us.

However, after further discussion we have come to the conclusion that the best remedy is to supply you a new light unit as a good will gesture.

Under normal circumstances where the light unit were damaged within the 12 month period, we would take full responsibility to repair or replaced.
These light units have gone through rigorous testing via IECEE CB scheme which is the highest level of testing to meet Australian Standard, and it was also tested by NSW Office of Fair Trading in September 2008. We were given the Safety number CS9052N.

Please give us a copy of your invoice so we can send it to you once the unit arrives. In the mean time, can you kindly send the light unit to us so we can fix the problem for the future.

As advised/suggested by the Victorian Office of Fair Trading I declined the offer of a new light as a good will gesture (I have no confidence in using another light of the same design) and hinted at someones idea of a credit towards other items they wholesale.
I'm now waiting for a reply....

#33 werdna

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Posted 25 February 2011 - 03:21 PM

You have to be a bit fair as well. You got what you wanted.
They are replacing the unit for you at no charge.
There was nothing stopping them from getting you to post the light back to them, putting some heat shrink over the cut wire, bending the reflector with a pair of pliers so the sharp part doesnt rub on the wire any more, and posting it back to you.

Personally, I would take my new light unit and be happy with it.
If your confidence in the product is so low, simply bend the reflector part out the way your self.

IME cheap light units can last just as long as the expensive ones.
My tanks used to use $30 fluro units from bunnings and they have lasted longer than any of the aquarium lights I owned.

#34 scottyhooton

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Posted 25 February 2011 - 04:07 PM

i also use the bunning fluros, i think they are boss and have also found them to be the better ones when it comes to condensation short outs

#35 Neakit

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Posted 25 February 2011 - 09:32 PM

These lights are good lights, this is the first time i have herd any issues with the octopus lights. it really has to be a one off.

#36 Tricoti

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Posted 26 February 2011 - 06:51 AM

QUOTE (Neakit @ Feb 26 2011, 12:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
These lights are good lights, this is the first time i have herd any issues with the octopus lights. it really has to be a one off.


Looks like I'm realy unlucky to get two problems with the same light unit.
This 4ft one is already a replacement. The first one was replaced FREE with no problems at all, when I first opened the box and plugged it in the house RCD tripped. I had no idea why and when I contacted them they had no hesitation in replacing it.
So my first experience with them was inconvenient to me but well taken care of by them, I had no complaints.

#37 MrOrange

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Posted 26 February 2011 - 04:27 PM

Good work Tricoti ... interesting you declined the replacement after all that mucking around ... You got the result I expected though smile.gif

#38 Kieran

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Posted 26 February 2011 - 05:42 PM

Well done mate and we also now know the Octopus customer support can come through for you even when they don't have to smile.gif




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