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Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

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JR8
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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by JR8 » Fri, 22 Apr 2016 3:15 pm

x9200 wrote:I suspect the said appliances are of the built in type (not a stand alone) so it may not be that trivial top test them at the very connection point.
Probably just one more question to verify, was the failure noticed within the same day or within the single time span both of them where used?
Yeah, I considered that. IME if say an oven is of the built-in type then indeed it is often bolted/screwed into the surrounding kitchen cabinet.
But with the likes of microwaves, they (IME) can often be used as work-top/free-standing appliances or with an additional 'built-in' fascia kit slotted into a cabinet so giving the 'built-in' look.
I've just checked our built-in micro in the kitchen now, and indeed the steel surround around the micro can be pulled off - it's simply held in place by spring clips. Take off that surround and the micro is free-standing. Take the micro out and reach into the cabinet void and you could then unplug it from the socket behind. So if it were our micro having a problem I'd a) take the micro out and check if it works from another known functioning socket b) put a known-working small appliance into the socket the micro was in and see if the test-appliance powers up...
Agree with your 2nd point.
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Goldy740
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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by Goldy740 » Fri, 22 Apr 2016 4:17 pm

I can do that with the coffee machine which slides out. i plugged my phone charger in and it worked so the issue is either with the appliance or the plug. at least i have narrowed it down but the outcome is starting to look depressing as all signs point to the appliances. they did not both stop working at the same time, probably about 1 month had lapsed between the coffee machine and the microwave

thanks everyone for your help so far

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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by JR8 » Fri, 22 Apr 2016 4:35 pm

Goldy740 wrote:I can do that with the coffee machine which slides out. i plugged my phone charger in and it worked so the issue is either with the appliance or the plug.
So can you now take the fuse out of it's plug, and from another working plug find a similar fuse, likely to be a standard 13A rated one, flip that into the coffee machine plug and see if it now works? Whilst you're at it, if it's the kind of plug that unscrews into two halves give it a 2-second visual check outside and in to see if there is any soot or browning around the fuse or any of the brass connecting pins.
Also - apologies if this is 'teaching you to suck eggs' - check that each of the 2 or 3 coloured wires are securely screwed into the tops of the brass pins inside the plug... as it's not uncommon for them to have been dislodged if the cable has been tugged hard.
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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by kaseyma » Fri, 22 Apr 2016 7:45 pm

JR8 wrote:
Goldy740 wrote: The machines simply don't turn on, if they were showing an error code then it would be easier. The fuse box is working.
It is perhaps less unusual for three appliances to break around the same time if they are made by the same company.
I still think the 'same manufacturer' theory is likely a red-herring.
The estate I live in has appliances from another German brand - Miele.
Had to replace the refrigerator by year 3, and the microwave the year after (kept tripping the breaker). Also had problems with their wine cooler, but it seemed to recover (for now).
I see their service truck here frequently.
They look nice, but reliability is lacking.
Much prefer Japanese and Korean appliances.

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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by JR8 » Fri, 22 Apr 2016 8:35 pm

I did a Google and came upon this ..->
'Miele Singapore - Avoid At All Costs'
http://www.waleedhanafi.com/2009/04/mie ... costs.html
He doesn't sound happy either! Which is curious to me, as in Europe they have a *very* good reputation. In fact my parents have a Miele vacuum cleaner, it wasn't cheap to buy, but it's still going strong after about 30 years! Hence across it's lifetime it's worked out as something of a bargain. Following on from their positive experience I decided that when I bought my first home and kitted it out that it made sense to 'invest' in one too. And 25 years later it's still the only vacuum that I've owned.

However I agree in part with the above blog writer's experience. I had to replace the motor's carbon 'brushes' a few years back, whilst still in SG. That's perfectly normal in something owned that long since they by design progressively wear out. If you haven't seen such brushes they're not anything like a brush or for brushing as such, they're electrical contacts like 6-8cm chunky pencil-shaped graphite rods with electrical connectors on the end - pretty basic stuff! So I contacted Miele via their local service agent asking where I could buy replacement brushes from. The answer was 'You can't, you have to bring it in to us for repair and we estimate it will cost $[$tupid price!]'. I forget the price now, but it was ridiculous, never mind having to visit their workplace too. So, I bought a generic set of the right model off the internet and replaced them myself, and it cost about S$15 incl p+p.

So I'm thinking that maybe it's a case of when you choose appliances you need to consider where to get parts and who locally might repair them. Are you in a place where service/parts are controlled by one 'authorised agent'? Is Miele large enough in SG to do it's own repairs, or are they farmed out to such a local service agent? IME local service agents are where quality of service can be lacking, coupled with inflated costs. If that is true, then perhaps in a market like SG the JPnese/Korean mega-brands would provide better value in the long-run? Well, on the theory that if the manufacturer provides it's own service and repairs they might be less incentivised to stiff you.
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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by kaseyma » Fri, 22 Apr 2016 8:43 pm

They run their own service centre.

If I remember correctly, they charge $200-250 to come out to tell you how much they will charge you to fix your appliance.
:mad:

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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by kaseyma » Fri, 22 Apr 2016 8:56 pm

JR8 wrote:I had to replace the motor's carbon 'brushes' a few years back, whilst still in SG. That's perfectly normal in something owned that long since they by design progressively wear out. If you haven't seen such brushes they're not anything like a brush or for brushing as such, they're electrical contacts like 6-8cm chunky pencil-shaped graphite rods with electrical connectors on the end - pretty basic stuff! So I contacted Miele via their local service agent asking where I could buy replacement brushes from. The answer was 'You can't, you have to bring it in to us for repair and we estimate it will cost $[$tupid price!]'. I forget the price now, but it was ridiculous, never mind having to visit their workplace too. So, I bought a generic set of the right model off the internet and replaced them myself, and it cost about S$15 incl p+p.
Actually, you should also "turn" the commutator - which is tech speak for light grinding of the commutator (the spinning part that the brushes contact) followed by cleaning out the grooves (the gaps) between the segments. They might change the bearings, too, while it's disassembled.

However, even with this 20-30 min task added I'm sure it still doesn't justify the exorbitant price they wanted to charge you.

I think some of the excessive charges are to cover the cost of their expat service manager, among other things.

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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by JR8 » Sat, 23 Apr 2016 9:03 pm

I think it's also because such products (not pitched at your typical Heartlander) are just seriously inflated in price in Singapore. And perhaps that carries over re: the spares too. If I'd had bought genuine Miele replacement brushes, well they go for about £60 a pair... wow! AND that's in England, lord knows what they cost in SG, if you could source them.
http://www.espares.co.uk/product/es1613 ... urerId=254

Same way the replacement Nespresso Pixie we bought in Europe last week cost us Euro119 ie S$180, but it's S$340 in SG, 88.888% more [maybe all the lucky 8's compensate for being gouged hehe]. Both prices from local official franchises.
'Do it or do not do it: You will regret both' - Kierkegaard

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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by BrunoKorvines » Wed, 27 Dec 2017 11:49 pm

As far as I understand, there is still the risk that when I move and settle down, after or even during the warranty can break down home devices without which I should wait until somebody delivers the parts for which I will still have to pay. Is at the moment there the same situation?

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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by PNGMK » Fri, 29 Dec 2017 6:00 pm

BrunoKorvines wrote:As far as I understand, there is still the risk that when I move and settle down, after or even during the warranty can break down home devices without which I should wait until somebody delivers the parts for which I will still have to pay. Is at the moment there the same situation?
Just as long as the blender or iron still works when it runs into your cock I'm happy.
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Re: Brand new condo, all the appliances have now broken

Post by PNGMK » Thu, 08 Oct 2020 7:04 pm

Ah I see what provoked my response. the profile pic.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

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