Iwaki- stay away!

[Dawn II]

Bought 2 pumps in Jan of this year. One burned out. We returned it; they said it must have been standing in water. After sending them photos of our tank to prove it.(the tank is surrounded by carpet and expensive hardwood flooring) They decided water must have gotten on it somehow, "and by the way, is that a calc. reactor next to it in the cabinet" When I told him it was a chiller, he said "I thought you had a salt water tank", and couldn't figure out how I'd need a chiller in FL! They finally decided they wouldn't honor the warranty, but refurbish it for $70.00. There are too many good companies out there- stay away from this One! Very shabby treatment.

[JetCat USA]

Other then being loud Iwaki pumps are excellent, I've had a few dozen different models over the years and never had a single problem out of one. can't blame the pump MFG if it got wet regardless of marine or fresh water.

[coralnut99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10525836#post10525836 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JetCat USA
Other then being loud Iwaki pumps are excellent, I've had a few dozen different models over the years and never had a single problem out of one. can't blame the pump MFG if it got wet regardless of marine or fresh water.

I don't own an Iwaki, and never have, but I think you may have missed the point of the post. I think you'll find plenty of happy Iwaki owners out there. But how many people have had to actually get them to stand behind their warranty? This is a poor customer service experience, not a product reliability experience.

[JetCat USA]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10529136#post10529136 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
............I think you may have missed the point of the post..............This is a poor customer service experience, not a product reliability experience.

i guess you missed from my post:

can't blame the pump MFG if it got wet regardless of marine or fresh water.

[Dawn II]

Jetcat- it was an axternal pump that did not get wet- thus the pictures- after Iwaki didn't believe we didn't have it standing in water -
showing this impossibility due to the location.

[coralnut99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10529475#post10529475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JetCat USA
i guess you missed from my post:

can't blame the pump MFG if it got wet regardless of marine or fresh water.

The pump getting wet was Iwaki's assumption in spite of photos sent. From the quotes in the in the initial post, it sounded like the Iwaki rep. wasn't very knowledgable about sw OR fw.

[Engine 7]

I agree with Jetcat, they are good pumps but Jetcat didnt read the origional post carefully or he wouldnt have sritten what he did. The Iwaki rep sounds totally useless and not helpful at all.

[JetCat USA]

i read the original post, anyone familiar with the insides of a pump (and their technicians are) can look inside and tell if it has had water damage be it from marine or fresh, a chiller or a CaCO3/CO2 reactor, even if a little got splashed onto it from topping off, working in the tank, etc..... water damage is water damage and not a warranty issue..

[Engine 7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10532636#post10532636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JetCat USA
i read the original post, anyone familiar with the insides of a pump (and their technicians are) can look inside and tell if it has had water damage be it from marine or fresh, a chiller or a CaCO3/CO2 reactor, even if a little got splashed onto it from topping off, working in the tank, etc..... water damage is water damage and not a warranty issue..

OMG....
Read it again. Dawn stated that there was no water damage and that they asumed that there was. No water, no water issue, mistaken Iwaki rep.

[tridacna5]

Iwaki has always been strict with their warranty, but I can't blame them. I rebuild Blueline pumps and 95% of the problems are caused by water damage. A pump doesn't have to get wet for water damage to occur. When you keep a pump in a cabinet full of saltwater or even near a tank you have to remember there is a lot of humidity and salt spray. Now add in a fan which is blowing that air across the motor all day and all night.

[coralnut99]

All my hardware is in a fish room. Humidity abounds to be sure. My Gen-X Mak4's have been workhorses for almost 3 years now. Does keeping an external pump in a humid cabinet void the warranty?

[Dawn II]

My tank is a divider between my dining room and living room. Below it, in one cabinet is the sump, and in the other cabinet is a chiller, uv, and the pumps. There is NO water or salt spray. If being in a cabinet voids it's warranty, they shouldn't be in the business. We are reps for decorative, outdoor lighting-they are not made to submerse in water- but humidity and rain won't void the warranty.

[Dawn II]

As a side note- when I returned from vacation, and writing this thread- my Tunze skimmer went out- this is the 2nd time, and they readily admit a problem with this motor, and are replacing ASAP. I have other Tunze products, they stand behind what they sell! Ditto for Hagen- my aquaclear 50 on my quar. tank went out- no problem, it is replaced. Right before vacation my Solaris LED power source went out- no problem- 2nd day air. My point is, there are manufactureres in all fields that stand behind what they sell, and there are those who look for, and manufacture reasons not to. Iwaki, obviously, is one of the later.

[JetCat USA]

Hopefully your run of bad luck with the equipment has come to an end and you can start enjoying the tank more.

have a great day.

[Dawn II]

Not really a bad run of luck. Ground breakers like LEDs always have bugs to work out, and Tunze had a bug too, but admitted it! Yes, I do enjoy my tank, just like I enjoy my Jag, even with the repairs!