Kontronik warranty service times

[Goldenhour]

I had a new, about 30 flights, Kontronik Powerjive 80hv pop a cap. It still worked but, you know.
I sent it to Germany for a warranty repair or replacement. I sent an email a few days ago asking if they had recieved it and no response. I sent it two weeks ago,
I don't have an extra $400 laying around for another one.
Does anyone have any experience with this routine?
Any tips on getting their attention?

[gfasbend]

Getting their attention is really a problem.
I tried mailing several times, no reaction.
Tried the phone, a tape replies "No one there"

But when I finally sent the ESC to them it was returned after a week.
So that was pretty fast.
I I think you must count one week of handling by Kontronik and then the time to get it to them. For me sending something to Germany takes only a day, but for you it must pass the customs so it might take a lot longer.
So I think you can trust that they return it quite fast, but the customs may be the blocking factor.

Maybe the best way to get their attention is visit them!!

[whytlotus]

Originally Posted by Goldenhour

I had a new, about 30 flights, Kontronik Powerjive 80hv pop a cap. It still worked but, you know.
I sent it to Germany for a warranty repair or replacement. I sent an email a few days ago asking if they had recieved it and no response. I sent it two weeks ago,
I don't have an extra $400 laying around for another one.
Does anyone have any experience with this routine?
Any tips on getting their attention?

How did you send it to them? Although expensive, I always send EMS so I can get tracking. My experience this way is generally 3 weeks total maximum, usually less. If you sent priority, transit time will be longer. EMS is about a week, maybe less. Once in their hands, depending how busy they are, 2-3 days. One week at most usually.

[No control]

For me it always takes a month for kontronik to send the email that they have received it, then anywere from another month to 3 months to get it back. My last jive80 took just over 3 months in total

[Goldenhour]

Originally Posted by No control

For me it always takes a month for kontronik to send the email that they have received it, then anywere from another month to 3 months to get it back. My last jive80 took just over 3 months in total

I've heard the same story. I'm tempted to just buy another and then return the item when I get it back or sell it at a loss.
Not sure how Kontronik could let an inferior capacitor into there part bins. Isn't there a way to test for inferior electrolyte?

[dl7uae]

inferior capacitor

It's the wrong word because the cap was not "inferior" at time of production than suffered from too long storage without ever having seen voltage (in the dealers stock?), lost "formatting". The cap had been still okay at Kontronik, they're hard testing every device.

Then it tends to be lethal for the cap first time to see a high voltage from a source with a very low IR. Shit happens, caps are also only human.

The low ESR caps used by Kontronik are the best in the market: Rubycon.

Tom

[Goldenhour]

Originally Posted by dl7uae

It's the wrong word because the cap was not "inferior" at time of production than suffered from too long storage without ever having seen voltage (in the dealers stock?), lost "formatting". The cap had been still okay at Kontronik, they're hard testing every device.

Then it tends to be lethal for the cap first time to see a high voltage from a source with a very low IR. Shit happens, caps are also only human.

The low ESR caps used by Kontronik are the best in the market: Rubycon.

Tom

I know WIKI is not a peer reviewed scientific journal. However, that being said, I did find this interesting piece of info about caps.
The pics are what mine looked like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

[jamin_00]

What email address are you sending too?

You need to send to service@kontronik.com for enquiries of this nature I would have thought.

The time will be around 2-5 days inside K depending on how busy they are. As long as you sent it back with a completed service form (attached) you'll have no issues.

[gashead]

sent mine off, didnt hear anything then tried finding out if they had received it as it was 14 days ago, and the next day it arrives back all repaired.

[marccus]

I have sent helijive 120 to service via shop purchased, after goblin always did cutoffs..
and we got it back without any thing done( they claimed that they did reset, but from this moment was not possible to program via card or disc)
since they dont react, even the shop sent emails and calling them, but complete ignorance..

i have decided to go further and contacted a lawyer to make this thing official, and file a claim. i am tired of companies ignoring customers, they shouldn't be in business those days.

Also many modelers telling they had same issues with this company, very poor service and always blaming customers on the product faults and offering replacement with almost full payment..

just warning to be careful with what you buying., i will keep you updated on the legal case.

[dl7uae]

... just warning to be careful with what you buying., i will keep you updated on the legal case.

Sorry, but this is kinda bullshit.

Especially just now I do not have a reason to defend this company. That with the long response times to inquiries may be true.. What is not true is that Kontronik asks customers for each failing device to pay for again. On the contrary, Kontronik is directly "unhealthy" accommodating at their expense, even if the customer has actually killed an ESC.

Your anger in this particular case, I can understand. Your general conclusion is wrong based on the facts, and your "campaign" is out of place here.

Drink a tea that soothes.

Tom

[marccus]

DL7UAE

Sorry you feel this way, i am not angry, but tired with this.

i have hard facts, emails of communication offering to buy new product with small discount, instead of warranty replacement,
i have checked with at least 5 customers locally near where i fly, and all were in same situation.
i dont want to do it public. it would be a bad example, all i am saying is hardly documented.

remember when castle burned- all replaced without any discussion. even today controllers ICE1, which are burned- replaced to ice 2 without discussion.

the cost of Jive 120 is almost 500 eur in europe, its hell of cost. i would not go to discussion what is it cost to produce, but for sure giving a good service is a minimum you can do for this price.

[helicraze]

Kontronik actually replied to all my emails this year! Compared to years ago they ignore, i think they are stepping up.

My recommendation is to NOT send back to shop unless its dead on arrival, send direct to KT!

Mine come back from upgrade from australia 3-4 week turnaround including post there and back

[smsodhi]

I had a faulty motor. They responded quickly to emails. They offered a replacement motor AND full refund for my troubles.

Above and beyond my expectations.

[JLH_1]

Well I have not posted anything on this yet.

I had my kosmik for around 6 flights. I my front yard it shut down. Never armed again.

Sent it off took about a month. Received it last Friday. Put it on my brand new 7hv. Did one test flight landed to adjust the beastx. Changed packs never armed again. It flashed 10 times then flashes 7 from then on. About exactly what it did the first time. They just said they reset it on the work order.

They have not responded yet.

I hope they take care of this for me. I am very unhappy about my purchase

[jamin_00]

Hmm, 10 flashes, do a reset and reprogram mode 4. this will sort that

7 flashes says over voltage detection?

What cell count you running?

what connectors are you using??

[JLH_1]

Not trying to hack a thread sorry OP

Already did a complete update and reset. It will not beep or anything. I used brand new gens ace 12s 60c fully charged packs to set up. I am using EC5 connectors. I am waiting on a response from Mike at Nankin who is contacting Brian at Readyheli. I have a kosmik 160 I put on and will program tonight.

The flashes don't mean what they are saying. There was no over voltage I checked the batteries everytime I use them.

I am just very frustrated with this.

A generic reply was all I got from Sabrina at Kontronik. I think they owe me a little more than that.

On top of that when I was shipping it the first time it fell out of the stupid box getting out of the truck at fedex and scratched the top. I asked them to replace it and I would pay for it. They did nothing. So far the service I have received sucks.

Remember I have bought two kosmiks and a pyro 700. I would hate to see how they treat bad customers.

[jamin_00]

Originally Posted by JLH_1

Not trying to hack a thread sorry OP

Already did a complete update and reset. It will not beep or anything. I used brand new gens ace 12s 60c fully charged packs to set up. I am using EC5 connectors. I am waiting on a response from Mike at Nankin who is contacting Brian at Readyheli. I have a kosmik 160 I put on and will program tonight.

The flashes don't mean what they are saying. There was no over voltage I checked the batteries everytime I use them.

I am just very frustrated with this.

A generic reply was all I got from Sabrina at Kontronik. I think they owe me a little more than that.

On top of that when I was shipping it the first time it fell out of the stupid box getting out of the truck at fedex and scratched the top. I asked them to replace it and I would pay for it. They did nothing. So far the service I have received sucks.

Remember I have bought two kosmiks and a pyro 700. I would hate to see how they treat bad customers.

Hope you get it sorted soon

[WBFAir]

Just me thinking but it seems to me that Kontroniks replies with answers to and for things they can answer.

I know I sent them a mail about a month ago asking that if I upgraded the software on my Koby if I could go back to an old version. And not with ill intent, but when I sent it I thought I would never hear from them as you hear that said often on the boards. Plus even wondered too about due to the language thing if I even explained myself well to them.

But was quite presently surprised that I got an answer the very next day (actually in less then 24 hours) and it was very well done in English so I could understand it.

All in all I would think it would be awfully hard (an thus quite time consuming) to try to play back and fourth games and all so all via e-mail with people who might have setup issues or bad parts that are causing the problems. I mean look what we all go through on the boards and its pretty much the same thing.

So perhaps they just feel that once they have concluded that the K part is not the problem, then it's not for them to have to spend their time on.

Honestly, if that is so, I can't really blame them.

Really don't know if that is the case at all, but just thinking out loud.

[jamin_00]

Kontronik do try to answer all emails regardless but this is a company that produces arguably the best electronics in the RC world so I can bet they get a fair few of emails all the time. Did you know they also produce electronics in medical equipment? Nor did I but its what I hear

Also, there are ways for Kontronik to determine what is at fault, the product or human error but then you get the dishonest and those that genuinely do not know. It can also be very hard to determine over email the problem which requires many emails and is time consuming which is when it can be much quicker to get help online at forums.

Either way no matter what, nothing will ever have a 100% success rate but with these it will fail in the best possible way which is on the ground or with you in control and a chance of an auto.

Failing all of this is a product is within its warranty you can go through your dealer and send it to them for them to deal with the manufacturer as that is where your contract of sale sits. They may be in contact much more so it MAY be easier for them to get a response?