Hagen is no help

[bryancb]

I recently purchased a Fluval Spec for a friend im visiting and when i got here i set it up and the pump started and light turned on for about 5 seconds and went out. So i thought no big deal at least the pump works till i can contact them. Well about 2 hours later the pump stops.. so now im worried. I wrote them about the LED light not working and then followed that up with the pump going out too. They tell me to clean it out and troubleshoot it, well yes i had already done all that but they didnt say a thing about the light. I write back and ask them how i can get replacements for the pump and light since i have sand and rocks in the tank already.

Again they tell me to clean the pump and no mention of the light, i say yes i tried that numerous times and it didnt work. Instead of helping me they ask for a copy of the receipt, but since i wasnt going to be near the shop i bought it from i didnt take the receipt with me. And that was the last i heard from them. I called the store i got it from but the owner is out for a few days and they couldnt help either.

So ive had this setup sitting for 6 days now and no answer from them in 3 days, and ive written each day to them and nothing
Seems to me Hagen doesnt want to help once youve paid for their products, and they sold me a $70 box for water, which i could have gotten a rubbermaid for $5
Needless to say i wont ever touch another of their products again, I mean seriously the LED went on for 5 seconds and out, how does that even happen, but then the pump follows 2 hours later and they seem to think its a clog, WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHT??
Hagen makes pretty boxes but thats all i guess

[alton]

I would get with the store you purchased it from and return it for repairs or replacement.

[Gseclipse02]

what store was it ? try calling them again and see what they can do for you ...

[bryancb]

i had someone contact them since im far from home but they just said the owner is out till tomorrow so they couldnt... or wouldnt do anything
Guess ill have to deal with them when i come home too

Ill see if i can get someone to go thru all my stuff till they find the original receipt and am too far away for it to do me any good right now
Just ****ed Hagen wont contact me anymore since it was their product that didnt work. I mean both the light and pump wont do a thing

starting to see bristleworms laying dead on the sand so cant imagine anything is going to make it thru all this

[bryancb]

well since the local owner is still out i got no help there

and as far as im concerned i bought 1 thing from them and nothing has worked even a little
and they have given me a hard time about returns
customer service is as low as they get from my standpoint

maybe im the only 1 who has ben let down by them but i wont use any of their products again and wont be going back to this local shop either
again im far from home and getting no help

[bryancb]

well another day and still nothing from hagen or shop
seems while im away this far that until i get home and bring in the receipt i wont get anything done

so i guess ill try and enjoy the part of my vacation that hasnt been ruined and scrap everything in the tank now
what a waste

[alton]

Okay I kind a little insite from a friend at a fish store yesterday about Hagen. The Hagen rep for this area has been there rep for 15 years and is great to deal with. But it needs to start with bringing the tank back to the store where you purchased it to get service. So enjoy your vacation and bring the tank back with you.

[bryancb]

Im in Venice, Italy
the whole point of bringing the tank was to leave it here, so bringing it home then id have to reship it back empty kind of defeats the purpose
I just wont buy Hagen again because they havent responded in 4 days now and only responses before were try to clean it, and do i still have the receipt
they still havent said anything about the lighting

[Richard]

I wonder if it is a voltage issue, 220v in Italy right?

[ErikH]

I wonder if it is a voltage issue, 220v in Italy right?

I think you're right!

[alton]

Just caught the Italy post

[Gseclipse02]

Okay I kind a little insite from a friend at a fish store yesterday about Hagen. The Hagen rep for this area has been there rep for 15 years and is great to deal with. But it needs to start with bringing the tank back to the store where you purchased it to get service. So enjoy your vacation and bring the tank back with you.

shes a very nice lady funny to talk to and great to work with

[bryancb]

the volts havent been an issue with my laptop of anything else im running still with the proper plugs
and i did contact the hagen distributor but nothing yet

[txav8r]

If Hagen doesn't recommend using a converter then there is your answer.
Consider yourself lucky that they are willing to work with you at all.

[bryancb]

well if they had said that originally then it wouldnt have been an issue but when they and the local store back home said it wasnt an issue then i figured id be ok but they arent working with me lol
they told me even if it was a power issue they would replace with local parts so it would work but that was over a week ago and i still havent heard a thing
if they dont want to replace then ive got no problem i just wont use them anymore, but it seems weird that both of their products went out but everything else i brought with me has had no problems with the different plugs at all for over 2 weeks just their things

but since hagen hasnt replied and ive only heard from the local shop 1 time in the last week i dont know what steps i can take next
was hoping for advice on here

[Kristy]

Just as an FYI from another Texas reefer who is in Europe at the moment (missing my reef!) there are two different kinds of plug things: adapters and converters. The adapters are just small fittings that you plug your electronic device into so it will fit into the wall outlet. That is all you need for most modern electronic gizmos (laptops, iPhones, etc) because when you check the fine print - and believe me I do - these devices have their own power converters built in so that they can handle the different voltage. For other devices, like hair dryers for examPle, you need a power converter plugged into the wall, then you plug in the adapter and then your actual plug from your cord. The power converter is a little bigger and much heavier than the little plug adapter.

I have fried a thing or two in Europe over the years so I have learned the hard way how to keep from doing it now. It doesn't always happen immediately but can take a while til the surge of electricity hits it just so. It is often, but not always, accompanied by a bad burnt electrical smell if you sniff the plug / outlet. These days I just buy the European product that I need when I get here so that I don't deal with the converters, only the adapters.

Good luck to you. Arrevidierci!

[alton]

Kristy I am impressed, I was getting ready to post an article on this but you covered it so well I do not have to, thanks. Tough luck on the voltage thing Bryan.

[bryancb]

I have used more then just laptop on these plugs and everything has been fine and did check for heat and burning smell because that was my first thought that it was just fried but didnt feel or smell a thing... i know you said not always so i know it could still be

but when i contacted hagen and got nothing from them i had family contact the local shop and when they finally contacted hagen i was told that hagen would cover this no matter what... that even if it were a burnout hagen would send me another, and this was over 10 days ago when it was said... i am just waiting and waiting to see if hagen is sending replacements.. ive given contact info to them and local shop in tx and am now just hoping they send something to replace it
im mostly just upset that it is taking soo long... this happened on the 16th and was reported to both hagen and local shop on 17th of august but havent had anything happen yet
so i guess heres to keeping my fingers crossed a little longer

[Gseclipse02]

does the shop not have another one on the shelf they can swap it out for ?

[NateDogg]

He and the tank are in Italy. that would be kinda hard.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[allan]

Bryan, you've heard it a dozen times in as many different fashions. You plugged a 120v 60 hz device into a 220/50 grid.

You're very lucky that you've not fried more equipment than just those two items. The pump probably functioned longer due to the simple nature of the pump, the lights have probably a blown fuse or worse, several blown components on the power board.

I believe that you are fortunate that Hagen will honor their warranty as I would not. Not for an operator induced fault.

The root of your problem isn't the equipment, since you janked that all on your own, it's with the customer service you've received.

From my position here it looks as if you've been treated very well by the LFS. And because Hagen hasn't responded in a week doesn't mean that they've forgotten you.

[Europhyllia]

These days I just buy the European product that I need when I get here so that I don't deal with the converters, only the adapters.

I do the same.
Still feel silly for all the stuff I packed and brought over here just to find out that it's not going to get enough juice to work properly here

[bryancb]

well thats why i posted this all here in the vendor experience portion, to relate my experience with them.... and no the local store hasnt treated me well i just havent posted those problems here because thats between me and the store
and not sure if hagen will do anything since i havent heard anything from them so not that fortunate, wouldnt have expected anything from them if they hadnt said that they would replace even if it was a power problem but they did
when i did talk to the local store they told me that they had problems with hagen products working before so not just customer service as far as ive heard
again i was just looking for advice from people .... not to be told how stupid and lucky i am

[FireWater]

First, no one said you were stupid. Lucky, yes. I am sorry that you are having issues that you feel should be rectified on your terms. From the reading of this thread I understand that Hagen has agreed to replace the items. You have to understand that the situation you are in is not a simple cut and dry situation. I would give them time to help you out before condemning them repeatedly.

[bryancb]

i never asked things to be done on my terms but i figured 1 month would be long enough for somebody to reply to me or do something about it
and Hagen said they would replace but hasnt agreed on anything that ive heard
i know its not a simple fix and didnt expect it to be done overnight but its again almost 1 month
and not condemming repeatedly just posting what my experience has been like with them on a forum about vendor experiences

dont worry i wont post anymore

[txav8r]

This thread ha run it's course and is now locked.