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offroadflow avatar image
offroadflow asked

International Victron service is a nightmare

Hello, I'd like to listen to your stories about how well and quick your failed devices did get fixed depending on different countries.

I'm living in the south of Spain and my experience is worst than just bad. If it would be another brand I'd even suspect fraud, that bad I'm getting treated by the spanish AND the central in the Netherlands. Delaying, ignoring and even sending me a "fixed" device back with the very same problem. Fighting since many weeks over it, still no solution, answer or spare device.

WTF Victron???

service
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3 Answers
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

@offroadflow

Usually the dealership will take the item for Warranty assessment. If they are fairly certain it will be replaced, the item is replaced immediately (if in stock) while they wait for a reply. If it is not replaced under warranty then we pay for the replacement. Either way our sites keep running.

I guess it depends on relationship.

If you are getting poor service then it is a local thing as Victron enable their dealerships to handle most things.

All outlined here... including the warranty

https://www.victronenergy.com/support/warranty-and-repairs

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offroadflow avatar image offroadflow commented ·
Thank you Andrea.

I know how it should be.

I am asking for possible similar stories since this so far total failure is simply not OK under any circumstances.

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nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

You haven’t detailed anything about your actual issue and this isn’t an official support site. Maybe your installation is poop and the product is being blamed? Who knows. If you received an RMA and the issue persists, maybe the problem is somewhere else?

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offroadflow avatar image offroadflow commented ·
Tested everything three times in the end after receiving the broken MPPT not working again.

My question is still a completely different one, but thanks for your input.

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ offroadflow commented ·
How quick does it get fixed? Well, that depends. Going back a little bit, it wasn't too long at all, considering global supply issues. I have had longer delays across different industries and tech for the same reasons. Sign of the times.

Recently it has become worse because everyone is buying systems because of their own energy crisis, and many of them aren't equipped to install, don't RTFM and rely on an occasional youtube video for help. When it goes boom, or doesn't go to plan, perfectly good gear is thrown back at the repair center to sort out, who now have a healthy backlog.

Coupled with the supply issues, I am not surprised that repair centers end up with long turnaround times. Worth remembering that the repair center doesn't only just look after victron, they will have a broader range of product all stuck in the same boat.

The probability of being sent a duff replacement is really small and the reality is many issues experienced are all about the install/installer.

Regardless, this community can't do anything about that, and all of us that try to voluntarily help don't really need being bombarded by negative vibes.

Hope you come right.



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offroadflow avatar image offroadflow nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Thank you.

Honest responses are the only helping ones...

If the official service would act similarly I would not be that desperate for ANY NEWS instead of constant silence, basically not caring at all! Maybe you can see through.

And no, it's not the installation, I do not rely on YouTube videos but on my 15+ years of experience. Check my profile if in doubt.

And even making myself very clear in the process of having to get back at them since a month already I still get treated like the typical wannabe installer.

There's so much wrong about the whole process I'm still stuck in, but you would not believe me either I assume.

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nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

I can completely understand the frustration. Part of the problem is there is no separate channel (nor priority) for qualified installers vs Joe Soap when needing help. I can understand treating everyone as an ID10T, from a support perspective, that's what techies face most of the day so they will assume that of everyone. We have some faulty gear but it's working well enough, so being without it for 3+ weeks isn't going to fly.

There is room for improvement, Victron could be putting a bit more pressure on authorised repair centers, a bigger focus on measuring performance and KPI's. Ultimately, your reputation is only as good as the organisations that represent you.

It won't make you feel better, but this is not a unique challenge, it is really a global, cross-industry problem at the moment.

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

One last thing to add for a bit of context. This is an unprecedented time of demand for energy systems, we can see that in the metrics for this little community site. At the same time it is difficult to find people to fill roles, while managing ongoing supply shortages. It really isn't a fun time to be in the support business. I think it is safe to say that no one is actively trying to fall short of anyone's expectation.

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offroadflow avatar image offroadflow nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
I do understand you. Yet how would it be possible to "fill roles" if one gets brushed off as stupid even after explaining my background? They don't care much about all of this.


And I'm not so sure about the spanish blokes either. They failed me before big time with a Venus replacement.

But HQ insists that they are "highly trained and professional". Professional my behind...

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