clovis
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Well, here is the story.
Whirlpool (WP) sent the manifold kit. This is after 2 phone calls.
Took about an hour to replace, and I did everything exactly to their specs.
WH, or as my 6 y.o. daughter says, water-ater, fired up, but wouldn't stay lit.
I am at day 7 at this point. Wife is upset, but not steaming.
Call WP. First call: The guy insists that the WH is not drawing. I confirm that it is pulling air thru the system. Basically says I am an idiot and I don't know what I am talking about.
Call 2: They next guy says that there is no way that the WH is venting/drawing thru the flu. Says that the 2" of snow last month iced over my flu outside. Basically calls me an idiot.
Call 3: Next guy says that the WH is not level. Basically says I am an idiot.
Funny that the WH has worked flawlessly for 4 years, and now its out of level? The flu is not drawing?
Call 4: This guy insists that I have negative pressure in the flu....whatever.
Call 5: Woman says that I have installed manifold incorrectly, but can't tell me what I have done wrong. Says that WP never has given an RA for return. Says that I am confused about what I have read on the internet about the Flame-lock WH. Says WP has only "had a few go bad".
Note: Wife starting to be REALLY upset.
Call 6: I ask about the RobertShaw valve. New guy says that the Robert Shaw valves never go bad. They either work perfectly or not at all. Says they have never had to warranty the valve.
Call 7: Guy tells me to contact RS for warranty info.
Call 8: Another guy tells me that my gas has been turned off by the gas company...while I stand over the forced air furnace vent while it blows hot air on me. Then tries to convince me that Vectran has a broken meter not allowing gas into the house.
Call 9: I think I got the guy from the first call. Tells me that the furnace is evacuating all the gas from the lines, causing the pilot on the WH to go out.
Wife is stupid angry at this point.
Call 10: I finally got someone with a brain. She knew this stuff inside and out. She walked me thru each and every step, and actually helped me trouble shoot EVERYTHING.
Tells me it is in fact the RS valve.
They will work intermitantly, and will super heat the water to scalding levels, which I have experienced for the past year.
Something about the bad valve allowing it to overheat a magnet inside (?), which ruins the unit.
Tells me to go to Lowes, buy the RS valve, and WP will refund the money within 15 days. I do not have to send the original reciept. ($58)
If this doesn't work, WP will give a RA.
Trip to Lowes: Two on shelf. One is opened and missing parts. Other is sealed, or so I thought. Got home and someone slicked Lowes buy returning their used part and sealing the box on the bottom.
Call 11: Guy informs me that they can send new RS valve, but it will take 6-10 days. Insists they NEVER give an RA. Then lied about the woman that helped me. I lost my cool at this point.
Trip to Lowes: I decided not to yell or curse at anyone, but I am obviously mad. I don't hide emotions well, per my wife. I am so agitated and mad that I am surprised that customer service didn't call a SWAT team. I was so mad that I wasn't making sense as I talked, except for "Get me a manager, NOW!"
Conversation with manager: I am still mad, and probably not making sense. He acted clueless at first about the Flamelock WH problem, then kinda fessed up. Not sure if he really didn't know, or if he was trying to avoid calling the police on a crazed customer.
I think he did hear me say: "I have been a loyal Lowes customer....I have been jacked around and lied to by WP...I am on day 11 with no hot water...."
Anyway...this Lowes manager is good....sent me out the door with an upgraded 40 gallon WH, and comped the $60 delivery fee!!!!!!! (I was too mad/lazy to go get my own truck.)
New Lowes WP WH is now installed. I have hot water again.
Wife is very pleased.
WP did in fact give a return authorization number today.
Wife is happy.
I am not thrilled with the idea of having yet another WP WH. Especially since they have not changed the design. I am looking at this as an inconvenience, and am mad that WP kept LYING TO ME and MISLEADING ME.
I STILL BELIEVE THAT WHIRLPOOL IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP FROM REPLACING THE WATER HEATERS. IN DOING THIS, MOST CUSTOMERS WILL GIVE IN, JUNK THE WP UNIT, AND BUY SOMETHING ELSE.
BUY TREATING THE CUSTOMER POORLY, AND MISLEADING THEM, WHIRLPOOL WINS BIG TIME. THEY WOULD HAVE WON HUGE IF I WOULD THROWN THIS ONE INTO THE SCRAP PILE!!!!!! Think of the thousands of people that have done this already!
Now, before you all beat me up for replacing with another WP junk heater:
This could be a blessing:
1. I moved the WH out of the way....house is better functionally, and we have more room.
2. I got 4 years out of my old WH, and am starting anew with a free one. Saved $400.
3. I am within code now on 6 aspects of my gas and water.
4. I did in fact find a problem with the old brick flu, that could possibly be a safety issue.
5. I got a bigger WH than I had before.
6. I learned everything I needed to know about gas WH.
7. I learned alot about plumbing and gas lines.
8. We are getting the basement cleaned out. This got the ball rolling.
9. I have been buying new tools for years, and this helped me justify it with my wife.
10. I learned again that you don't have to scream and cuss to get something done.
11. Corporate America can be as bad as some people claim.
12. I think I have greater empathy for the poor, who have had their gas shut off, and for those in the world without clean hot water on demand, 24/7/365.
13. My wife thinks I am a hero of some sort. (Please don't tell her otherwise.)
Clove
Whirlpool (WP) sent the manifold kit. This is after 2 phone calls.
Took about an hour to replace, and I did everything exactly to their specs.
WH, or as my 6 y.o. daughter says, water-ater, fired up, but wouldn't stay lit.
I am at day 7 at this point. Wife is upset, but not steaming.
Call WP. First call: The guy insists that the WH is not drawing. I confirm that it is pulling air thru the system. Basically says I am an idiot and I don't know what I am talking about.
Call 2: They next guy says that there is no way that the WH is venting/drawing thru the flu. Says that the 2" of snow last month iced over my flu outside. Basically calls me an idiot.
Call 3: Next guy says that the WH is not level. Basically says I am an idiot.
Funny that the WH has worked flawlessly for 4 years, and now its out of level? The flu is not drawing?
Call 4: This guy insists that I have negative pressure in the flu....whatever.
Call 5: Woman says that I have installed manifold incorrectly, but can't tell me what I have done wrong. Says that WP never has given an RA for return. Says that I am confused about what I have read on the internet about the Flame-lock WH. Says WP has only "had a few go bad".
Note: Wife starting to be REALLY upset.
Call 6: I ask about the RobertShaw valve. New guy says that the Robert Shaw valves never go bad. They either work perfectly or not at all. Says they have never had to warranty the valve.
Call 7: Guy tells me to contact RS for warranty info.
Call 8: Another guy tells me that my gas has been turned off by the gas company...while I stand over the forced air furnace vent while it blows hot air on me. Then tries to convince me that Vectran has a broken meter not allowing gas into the house.
Call 9: I think I got the guy from the first call. Tells me that the furnace is evacuating all the gas from the lines, causing the pilot on the WH to go out.
Wife is stupid angry at this point.
Call 10: I finally got someone with a brain. She knew this stuff inside and out. She walked me thru each and every step, and actually helped me trouble shoot EVERYTHING.
Tells me it is in fact the RS valve.
They will work intermitantly, and will super heat the water to scalding levels, which I have experienced for the past year.
Something about the bad valve allowing it to overheat a magnet inside (?), which ruins the unit.
Tells me to go to Lowes, buy the RS valve, and WP will refund the money within 15 days. I do not have to send the original reciept. ($58)
If this doesn't work, WP will give a RA.
Trip to Lowes: Two on shelf. One is opened and missing parts. Other is sealed, or so I thought. Got home and someone slicked Lowes buy returning their used part and sealing the box on the bottom.
Call 11: Guy informs me that they can send new RS valve, but it will take 6-10 days. Insists they NEVER give an RA. Then lied about the woman that helped me. I lost my cool at this point.
Trip to Lowes: I decided not to yell or curse at anyone, but I am obviously mad. I don't hide emotions well, per my wife. I am so agitated and mad that I am surprised that customer service didn't call a SWAT team. I was so mad that I wasn't making sense as I talked, except for "Get me a manager, NOW!"
Conversation with manager: I am still mad, and probably not making sense. He acted clueless at first about the Flamelock WH problem, then kinda fessed up. Not sure if he really didn't know, or if he was trying to avoid calling the police on a crazed customer.
I think he did hear me say: "I have been a loyal Lowes customer....I have been jacked around and lied to by WP...I am on day 11 with no hot water...."
Anyway...this Lowes manager is good....sent me out the door with an upgraded 40 gallon WH, and comped the $60 delivery fee!!!!!!! (I was too mad/lazy to go get my own truck.)
New Lowes WP WH is now installed. I have hot water again.
Wife is very pleased.
WP did in fact give a return authorization number today.
Wife is happy.
I am not thrilled with the idea of having yet another WP WH. Especially since they have not changed the design. I am looking at this as an inconvenience, and am mad that WP kept LYING TO ME and MISLEADING ME.
I STILL BELIEVE THAT WHIRLPOOL IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP FROM REPLACING THE WATER HEATERS. IN DOING THIS, MOST CUSTOMERS WILL GIVE IN, JUNK THE WP UNIT, AND BUY SOMETHING ELSE.
BUY TREATING THE CUSTOMER POORLY, AND MISLEADING THEM, WHIRLPOOL WINS BIG TIME. THEY WOULD HAVE WON HUGE IF I WOULD THROWN THIS ONE INTO THE SCRAP PILE!!!!!! Think of the thousands of people that have done this already!
Now, before you all beat me up for replacing with another WP junk heater:
This could be a blessing:
1. I moved the WH out of the way....house is better functionally, and we have more room.
2. I got 4 years out of my old WH, and am starting anew with a free one. Saved $400.
3. I am within code now on 6 aspects of my gas and water.
4. I did in fact find a problem with the old brick flu, that could possibly be a safety issue.
5. I got a bigger WH than I had before.
6. I learned everything I needed to know about gas WH.
7. I learned alot about plumbing and gas lines.
8. We are getting the basement cleaned out. This got the ball rolling.
9. I have been buying new tools for years, and this helped me justify it with my wife.
10. I learned again that you don't have to scream and cuss to get something done.
11. Corporate America can be as bad as some people claim.
12. I think I have greater empathy for the poor, who have had their gas shut off, and for those in the world without clean hot water on demand, 24/7/365.
13. My wife thinks I am a hero of some sort. (Please don't tell her otherwise.)
Clove
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