Ati Dimmable not working ReefGeek wont help

[salthobby]

Was not blaming you for the actions, it was more so the others that harped all over you.

Did you and ReefGeek part peacefully?

I never got to read the post much so didn't see the harping, but i can only imagine.
I have been just dealing with Ati, the controller is gone, they are sending me a new one. I now realize the light never worked right I wasn't ever able to get the dimming feature to ever work I just thought it was something I was doing wrong, The directions say to run the bulbs at 100% for the first 50 hours so I was just running it on the manual setting. I still believe that they should have replaced the light but instead he went on the forum and called me a liar. I will just spend my money elsewhere

 

[salthobby]

Also when I talked to the tech at Ati and told him my problem same as reef geek, not once did he tell me to unplug the light for 15 hours.

 

[Bobbofin]

Ironically the day after I read this thread bulbs in the #4 & 6 slot stopped working on my 6x24 Dimmable Sunpower I've had since January. I emailed ATI North America and they gave me trouble shooting instructions. I emailed them the results and a new dimmable ballast is on the way to me with a UPS call tag to mail the old one back. Ballasts go so rarely that they want to check it out. I found them very easy to deal with, focused on customer service and they were more than happy to help me. I've found if you go into a store ranting and raving like a lunatic because something broke the retailer that "sold it but didn't build it" is less willing to help you. If you go in, speak calmly the retailer is much more willing to help you.

 

[Yanni]

I have been running a 8x24w dimmable ati unit for a year and a half with no issues at all. The LCD screen did not seem very well thought out.....i could feel mine always falling out of place so i opened the unit to investigate it and holding the lcd screen/box thing in place is a freakin piece of wood...i mean like a little block that looked like a piece of scrap wood thrown in hoping it would do the trick...lol....totally laughable and extemely poorly thought out for a 600 dollar t5 unit. Besides the redicoulous wood block the unit never malfunctioned on me...im hoping i didnt just jinx it. Good luck gettin it fixed cuz i have had great resluts with mine.

 

[salthobby]

I have been running a 8x24w dimmable ati unit for a year and a half with no issues at all. The LCD screen did not seem very well thought out.....i could feel mine always falling out of place so i opened the unit to investigate it and holding the lcd screen/box thing in place is a freakin piece of wood...i mean like a little block that looked like a piece of scrap wood thrown in hoping it would do the trick...lol....totally laughable and extemely poorly thought out for a 600 dollar t5 unit. Besides the redicoulous wood block the unit never malfunctioned on me...im hoping i didnt just jinx it. Good luck gettin it fixed cuz i have had great resluts with mine.

Well they are sending me a new controller so I will be taking my apart soon I'll see I have a piece of wood in mine also.

 

[Yanni]

Yours is a newer unit i hope someone might have thought of a better idea than a door stop to hold it in place...lol...u will see....let me know i would love to know if that is common practice or if someone was just lazy assembling mine.

 

[dz6t]

A piece of wood? no kidding. Never thought a piece of wood belongs in a light fixture.

 

[salthobby]

They sent me a video on how to install a new controller and indeed they do use a piece of wood to hold the controller in place!

 

[salthobby]

this is the video if the link work for you
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/72415703/Dimmable SunPower Controller Replacement - 2013-0111.wmv

 

[this is me]

This is the reason every equipment purchase over $100 goes through a local retailer so I can get service after the sale. I got my ATI dimmable fixture at Aqua Addicts at the same price as online.

Ironically the day after I read this thread bulbs in the #4 & 6 slot stopped working on my 6x24 Dimmable Sunpower I've had since January. I emailed ATI North America and they gave me trouble shooting instructions. I emailed them the results and a new dimmable ballast is on the way to me with a UPS call tag to mail the old one back. Ballasts go so rarely that they want to check it out. I found them very easy to deal with, focused on customer service and they were more than happy to help me. I've found if you go into a store ranting and raving like a lunatic because something broke the retailer that "sold it but didn't build it" is less willing to help you. If you go in, speak calmly the retailer is much more willing to help you.

How come you didn't drive to AA and ask for help?

 

[Bobbofin]

How come you didn't drive to AA and ask for help?

I actually didn't get a chance. I emailed ATI at night, went through the trouble shooting instructions, emailed them back and before the end of the next day I received an email stating that a ballast was heading my way. I stopped in AA my way home to tell him what happened. Patrick was happy that ATI took care of it so fast but said he would have called them for me if I didn't do it myself.
Maybe I should have yelled at him to improve our customer/retailer relationship!

 

[salthobby]

I actually didn't get a chance. I emailed ATI at night, went through the trouble shooting instructions, emailed them back and before the end of the next day I received an email stating that a ballast was heading my way. I stopped in AA my way home to tell him what happened. Patrick was happy that ATI took care of it so fast but said he would have called them for me if I didn't do it myself.
Maybe I should have yelled at him to improve our customer/retailer relationship!

whats with all the yelling comments, not sure if your insinuating I yelled at greg but that is not the case.

 

[this is me]

I actually didn't get a chance. I emailed ATI at night, went through the trouble shooting instructions, emailed them back and before the end of the next day I received an email stating that a ballast was heading my way. I stopped in AA my way home to tell him what happened. Patrick was happy that ATI took care of it so fast but said he would have called them for me if I didn't do it myself.
Maybe I should have yelled at him to improve our customer/retailer relationship!

My point is, your local retailer can't do what you can do. A fixture that is bought from your local store is no different than anywhere else. If there's a problem, they tell you to go to the manufacturer.

I'm all for supporting local retailers. However, don't think you can just exchange thing when the product is a defect.

 

[Bobbofin]

My point is, your local retailer can't do what you can do. A fixture that is bought from your local store is no different than anywhere else. If there's a problem, they tell you to go to the manufacturer.

I'm all for supporting local retailers. However, don't think you can just exchange thing when the product is a defect.

Bingo! When we buy an expensive light, skimmer, expensive pump from a local retailer it cannot be returned to the retailer. The manufacturer will not accept returns in 95% of the cases from local retailers through their distribution chain. The manufacturer wishes to deal with the customer directly to resolve all issues. This is especially true with high end manufacturers such as Deltec, Tunze, Eheim, EcoTech, Octopus and ATI where the price point is high. Manufacturers, distributors and retailers can't afford to just swap out every item that could or could not be defective due to logistical nightmare of distributors and retailers getting credit on high ticket items and receiving back items that there is nothing wrong with.
I wasn't saying you yelled at Greg. It just seem that when things break in warranty a lot of people expect instant satisfaction and take to the forums to flame instead of working it out with the manufacturer and maybe the retailer. Threads are closed on RC because of inappropiate behavior

 

[this is me]

Sponsors pay huge amount of fee to RC. You'll most likely not win the fight with the sponsor and most likely have the thread lock or deleted.

 

[yukyuklee]

speaking to the guy that complains about his profilux bug they locked his thread twice lol

 

[James77]

I still believe that they should have replaced the light but instead he went on the forum and called me a liar. I will just spend my money elsewhere

When you buy a new car, and have an issue...do they replace the car?

Your posts on RC indicate this was a 6 week old problem. ReefGeek has their own warranty for 30 days, after that you have to work with the manufacturer. ReefGeek does not make the light, they only stock and retail it. ReefGeek was simply trying to help you troubleshoot as they knew how. They were under no obligation whatsoever to do so if that light was older than 30 days.

 

[salthobby]

When you buy a new car, and have an issue...do they replace the car?

Your posts on RC indicate this was a 6 week old problem. ReefGeek has their own warranty for 30 days, after that you have to work with the manufacturer. ReefGeek does not make the light, they only stock and retail it. ReefGeek was simply trying to help you troubleshoot as they knew how. They were under no obligation whatsoever to do so if that light was older than 30 days.

You telling me that youv'e never took anything back to a store and asked for a refund? All I did was post that he would not replace the light! By the way if you bought a car from a dealer in providence and your car died 6 weeks later would you call the manufacturer or the dealer who sold it to you!

 

[Bobbofin]

I want to return my car?

 

[Bobbofin]

Wow, all this flaming of retailers is crazy. Does this really endears them to help you? They must be thrilled when we show up at their front door or answer the phone and it's the flamer. One can feel they're right all they want, feel the retailer should just replace this or that after 30 days and be left holding the bag. But when you take to the airwaves and forums flame them and make deflamitory public comments retails feel their reputation is ruined already so "the hell with you." There is such thing is as winning the battle but losing the war.

I've worked for an equipment distributor since 1984 so I know the drill. Problem customers basically get the bare minimum and interaction with them can be like a trip to the dentist. When the dispatcher sends the tech to them we think, "oh on, not that a-hole."