Flash Head in need of repair

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GaryK26

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Recently bought a set of Calumet Genesis 400 heads from the forum.
When the seller was demonstrating them, one of the heads was dead. He found that the fuse had blown, so swapped it out from one of the other heads.

When the head was plugged in and switched on there was a bang and spark out of the back of the head. Only the red power switch lights up now - the other LEDs on the back don't light up and the head won't flash. Needless to say, the seller reduced the cost of the set.

I took the faulty head along to Calumet in Milton Keynes today, but they will not investigate/repair as I did not buy the head from them. I wasn't asking for a warranty repair, I was expecting to pay for the repair. NOT HAPPY!

Can anyone suggest/recommend where I can get it looked at/repaired?

Thanks
Gary
 
I'm not going to comment on the customer service bit, but you may want to contact David Lawrence, who posts on here as flashted.

David has repaired (mainly) Bowens for many years. I'm sending you his details by PM
 
GaryK26 said:
Recently bought a set of Calumet Genesis 400 heads from the forum.
When the seller was demonstrating them, one of the heads was dead. He found that the fuse had blown, so swapped it out from one of the other heads.

When the head was plugged in and switched on there was a bang and spark out of the back of the head. Only the red power switch lights up now - the other LEDs on the back don't light up and the head won't flash. Needless to say, the seller reduced the cost of the set.

I took the faulty head along to Calumet in Milton Keynes today, but they will not investigate/repair as I did not buy the head from them. I wasn't asking for a warranty repair, I was expecting to pay for the repair. NOT HAPPY!

Can anyone suggest/recommend where I can get it looked at/repaired?

Thanks
Gary
Click to expand...

If what you say here is true, it means that anyone buying a used set of Calumet lights, cannot get them repaired, even for payment.

This is so ridiculous I'm inclined to think there must be some misunderstanding. Did you speak to the manager? Or if they were having a bad day, speak to the manager's manager?
 
Hoppy, I'm afraid that is what happened today.

I did send an email to their generic website email address earlier this week and apparently it was "doing the rounds". I got an email back from a lady at their MK location (which is a small counter / collection rather than full blown shop).....

"Hi Gary
If you would like to bring them
In for repair, we can send them off for a quote
before they do any work ."

Anyway, I took the head in to the same lady today and she started logging the details, but couldn't find any serial numbers on the heads. So she then phones someone else at Calumet who said that they won't touch them as I did not buy from Calumet.

That would be like me buying a second hand Ford from a private seller only to find that the Ford garage refuse to service it because I didn't buy from them!
Absolutely rediculous!

I think I'll send off another email to them expressing my thoughts!
 
GaryK26 said:
Hoppy, I'm afraid that is what happened today.

I did send an email to their generic website email address earlier this week and apparently it was "doing the rounds". I got an email back from a lady at their MK location (which is a small counter / collection rather than full blown shop).....

"Hi Gary
If you would like to bring them
In for repair, we can send them off for a quote
before they do any work ."

Anyway, I took the head in to the same lady today and she started logging the details, but couldn't find any serial numbers on the heads. So she then phones someone else at Calumet who said that they won't touch them as I did not buy from Calumet.

That would be like me buying a second hand Ford from a private seller only to find that the Ford garage refuse to service it because I didn't buy from them!
Absolutely rediculous!

I think I'll send off another email to them expressing my thoughts!
Click to expand...

Yes, take it higher. And higher still.

It's a crazy situation and this is Calumet we're talking about, possibly the best professional dealers in the country. It's not like you're asking any favours, though it looks like they owe you one now :eek:
 
Email sent! If unsatisfactory response received, then I will phone them and ask for a manager.

The fact that they implied that I could take the head in (50 mile round trip + day off work - MK only open weekdays) only to be told that they wont touch it is a joke. :bang:

Hey maybe some good might come out of this - maybe they'll repair FOC or at a discount. But then pigs might fly!

Of course, I will keep the thread updated.
 
:thumbs:
 
Who did you speak to at MK? As you say it is more a distribution centre for the whole UK Calumet setup with a little counter. Carol normally 'womans' the desk and although a nice lady is not in any way a technical guru or at all photographically knowledgable or senior enough to deal with this sort of thing.

It does sound like they are thinking that you are wanting the head fixed as a warranty claim, which of course you aren't.

I would talk only to the main Drummond street branch (ljust beside Euston Station) and ask to talk directly to the manager Steve.

I can't believe you are having this sort of trouble over just a head... pull your finger out Calumet!
 
GaryK26 said:
Snip......

Anyway, I took the head in to the same lady today and she started logging the details, but couldn't find any serial numbers on the heads. So she then phones someone else at Calumet who said that they won't touch them as I did not buy from Calumet.

That would be like me buying a second hand Ford from a private seller only to find that the Ford garage refuse to service it because I didn't buy from them!
Absolutely rediculous!

Snip......
Click to expand...

To be honest I think the issue may be more to do with this, if there is no serial No. i.e. possibly removed, and assuming there should be, this may be why they are saying they can not be repaired unless bought used from there outlets, as they may have concerns they are stolen (not implying they are by the way), and to put it in context with your other bit, if you took a used ford to a dealer with no chassis No. or engine No. they would not touch for the same reasons.

Just my thoughts as someone who has a past in the security industry.
 
Great news - Calumet just called me and will be arranging for the head to be collected from me. They will send it off to the company that they use for repairs and take it from there.

Anyway, thanks for all your help & suggestions. :thumbs:
 
GaryK26 said:
Great news - Calumet just called me and will be arranging for the head to be collected from me. They will send it off to the company that they use for repairs and take it from there.

Anyway, thanks for all your help & suggestions. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Result :thumbs:
 
Customer care took a leap forward when pushed hey... good luck, I hope its just a capacitor gone pop or similar
 
OK, so I hadn't heard from Calumet for a while so I gave them a call today.
When I asked for the person that I spoke to the other week I was told that he doesn't work there any more!

Fired off another email and got a call shortly from customer service afterwards. I was told that the power supply (or circuit) is faulty and the repair would cost £155!!!!

I had emailed their repair company after I was first "turned away" by Calumet and explained the fault to which they suspected power supply / circuit fault and gave a quote / estimate of between £29.95 and £79.95 which seemed reasonable to me - I would even be prepared to pay up to £100. BUT £155!!!! That's double what they "quoted". :suspect:

If I had been advised that it would cost that much, then I would have just gone and bought a new head for £199. But now, if I turn down the repair, then I have to pay £36 fee for inspection. That would effectively mean that a new head will cost me £235. Telling them to forget it and keep the head is not an option either, because I sent it to them in a 3 head hard case which wouldn't be cheap to replace.

So the way it's looking now is that I'm on to a lose - lose situation :(

I've sent another email to customer support to see if they can do anything to help.
 
Not good. Calumet have messed you around and maybe they can yet sort something.

But you took a punt on these lights, at a reduced price knowing one was faulty. Some you win, some you don't... :(
 
You're right, I did take a punt on the lights and maybe it'll bite me on the backside.

I'm just annoyed at how Calumet have dealt with this so far and their repairers wanting to charge double the estimated cost. Oh well, you live and you learn.

Watch this space

(Anyone want to buy 2.5 lights? ;))
 
I had considered buying these Calumet lights thinking there would be some security and back up buying from such a big company. Not after this thread!! Back to the drawing board for me as I investigate which companies have good spec lights AND decent aftersales service.
 
norrisphysio said:
I had considered buying these Calumet lights thinking there would be some security and back up buying from such a big company. Not after this thread!! Back to the drawing board for me as I investigate which companies have good spec lights AND decent aftersales service.
Click to expand...

So your buying decision is made on the basis of one internet based thread where you get half the story :thinking:

I bought a secondhand Multiblitz head only to find that it was an old spec one and the later models had an extra stop of output adjustment. I contacted the UK distributor who talked to Multiblitz and it was agreed if I footed the postage, they'd put in the newest boards and bring it up to the latest spec for free :thumbs:
There you go - great service, great product - you need to buy Multiblitz ;)

Paul
 
Got a reply from Calumet this morning.....

Whilst they are unable to help with the repair cost, as a gesture of goodwill they are not going to charge me the £36 inspection/decline repair fee and will return the head to me.

This whole episode has been a real pain, but I suppose credit is due for Calumet's goodwill.

So now I need to see if anyone can repair for a more reasonable cost or whether to just go and buy a new head.
 
As I said before, David Lawrence is your man.

Without making any kind of comment on your experience, there is a cost involved in taking a flash head apart to see what's actually needed in the way of repairs. In fact, with most repairs, it takes almost as long to diagnose the problem as it takes to fix it.
From the description, it sounds to me like a blown capacitor, which is a simple fix once the techy type has actually got to it. We don't get many repairs at Lencarta, but when out of warranty repairs do happen our techy tends to just fix the fault first and ask afterwards - nobody ever complains because the normal charge for a blown capacitor is just £35 including return delivery and VAT:)
 
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