Warranties in the Bahamas

[turtleman]

Just a heads up when you buy appliances and other equipment in Abaco: the written warranty on items like refrigerators (1 year in the owners' manual) is good for 90 days in Abaco. We purchased a small (4.0 CF) refrigerator in Marsh Harbor in June; had it delivered. Never used it (it was never plugged in) until October, when we found out it did not work. A call to the retailer got us no where. They couldn't get it to work. Obviously a faulty item. To no avail. Warranty is 90 days. Period. $350 down the drain. So buyer beware. :mad:

[anchor out]

May have something to do with the poor electric power supply. Compressors don't like that on again off again thing.

Ken

[oudi14]

But if it was never plugged in, it couldn't be the power. Frankly, I'm surprised the retailer didn't give you another one, despite the time limit. Now, if it had been plugged in, that would have been different. They should have given you a new fridge, and insisted that the manufacturer make good on a bad product.

[BahamaAngie]

How would they have known if it was ever plugged in or not?

[oudi14]

I'm not very knowledgeable on such things, but it seems that a repairman should be able to tell if it had ever run or not, by inspecting the unit. Now me personally, I could go to any retail outlet in MH and if I told them I never plugged it in, they would believe me. I had a similar experience with a bum generator I bought from a hardware, and they gave me another one. I guess a second home owner, not well known around town, might not be so lucky. But it seems damn unfair that they can't be reimbursed. Just my .02.

[Watercolours]

If you shipped it in, paid duty, stamp tax and shipping there would not be a warrenty on your appliance ether. We have a storage area in the back of our property before we take appliances to the dump in Marsh Harbour. We call it Junk Forest! There has been new, worn out and somtimes killed by BEC. We call it the cost of doing Paradise. Is fustrating but worth it.
www.watercolourscottages.com (http://www.watercolourscottages.com)
www.cruiseabaco.com (http://www.cruiseabaco.com)

[trubahamian]

Say "junk forest" too funny Mark. As I have posted before and as I gaze upon my new fridge,microwave and just went "POP" then nothing Sony surround sound,I wish this endless damage caused by BEC would stop.

BTW/ Did I tell you about my new 5 month old Whirlpool washer that burn up the motor and clutch last week? :)

[Abaco_Doug]

I guess it goes to show that you need to try all new items as soon as they are purchased just to be safe.

Doug:D

[Lancen]

Also, get a good surge protector for the initial power coming into the house; about $200 and well worth it.

[Patty&Rudi]

We have the surge on the house, we have the UPS on every electrical thing that can work with the UPS (not the fridge or larger appliances) and the generator has an automatic gentle something that helps mitigate the initial surges.

From here, we pray.

[SamFamAustin]

My two cents - if that refrigerator was ever shipped on its side, the compressor oil will drain away from the pump and ruin it. When you do turn on the fridge, you'll blow out all the internal seals, which are welded together and not something that can be repaired. I feel bad mentioning this, and you'll never know if the box was shipped laying sideways, but trust me on this, I have ruined a few of my own refrigerators by transporting them flat instead of standing up.

If I might add another comment about surge protectors, they really don't work in the Abacos because the main problem is "low voltage brown-out." This is worse than having a spike, against which a surge protector is meant to protect. Any electrical appliance such as refrigerators, washers, and driers can be toasted by such low-voltage drops. It can cause such appliances to even smoke or catch on fire! Sorry to say, most surge protectors are meant for computers, not heavy-duty motors.

sammie

[Limey Conch]

Sammie,
Once the refrigerator is stood up and left alone for 24 hours the oil will equailize and the unit will not be damaged.

[trubahamian]

My two cents - if that refrigerator was ever shipped on its side, the compressor oil will drain away from the pump and ruin it. When you do turn on the fridge, you'll blow out all the internal seals, which are welded together and not something that can be repaired. I feel bad mentioning this, and you'll never know if the box was shipped laying sideways, but trust me on this, I have ruined a few of my own refrigerators by transporting them flat instead of standing up.

If I might add another comment about surge protectors, they really don't work in the Abacos because the main problem is "low voltage brown-out." This is worse than having a spike, against which a surge protector is meant to protect. Any electrical appliance such as refrigerators, washers, and driers can be toasted by such low-voltage drops. It can cause such appliances to even smoke or catch on fire! Sorry to say, most surge protectors are meant for computers, not heavy-duty motors.

sammie

I believe limey conch may be correct on the fridge Sammie......I have tried it,but on the brown-outs,you are exactly right.When we leave the house or if we are home and it starts to happen we run to unplug erryting,as soon as we see the lights go bright then dim. As far as those surge protectors go,I have used them on everything but the fridge and AC and have lost erryting at one time or another thanks to BEC.