More On Corrosion - Warranty And Repair

August 21, 2013

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comments on corrosion and warranty and repair from August 14, 2013 article
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Ken
As Mitch Cohen pointed out in his explanation of NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers rating system) rating, I would also like to add that when you replace a corroded connector that has been exposed to moisture, the copper braid is subject to WICKING. That is to say that the moist salt water air will travel up the dielectric along the braid causing sorrosion up to a foot or more INSIDE THE JACKET where it will not be seen. When the salt moisture corrodes the copper the result will be an increase in resistance and a degradation of the signal.
(The same warnings apply to those that do work in and around indoor swimming pools. The chlorine will cause exposed metal parts to corrode as well as attack all copper in the system..)
Joel Kent
FBN
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Ken,
I read your posts, learn from your webinars & use your contracts regularly for our local installations – thank you. In addition to performing our own installs locally, AVS is also a nationally recognized CCTV service center so I just had to reply to the corrosion & mfg warranty article.
Use equipment from manufacturers that have U.S. based support and be aware that not all manufacturer warranties are equal.
My company has been a CCTV equipment service center for over 30 years - we perform in-warranty & out-of-warranty repairs on equipment. We save contractors and end-users money by repairing equipment and offering our technical expertise via phone support to our repair customers. We also act as an advocate for the contractor with the manufacturer.
I have found that most reputable manufacturers will rely on our electronic technicians evaluations on whether to cover an item in warranty if it’s within a reasonable time frame of the warranty expiration. There are also manufacturers such as Vicon that offer a 3 year “beneficial use” warranty – this basically means the warranty period starts when the equipment is installed (provided it was purchased for a project and not shelf stock). At the end of each project, just have your customer sign a completion document on contractor letterhead to keep as proof of completion. This adds value to your proposal over a standard purchase date warranty.
Another consideration is the manufacturer’s “bad out of box (BOB)” policy – some manufacturers will advance replace a BOB item within 30 days of purchase – that keeps your project running on time rather than dealing with the repair/tech support run around. What about repair turnaround time – it varies by manufacturer too. Do you want to wait 8 weeks for a manufacturer to send a camera overseas for repair? If there is a U.S. based service center for the manufacturer your turnaround is likely to be quicker.
Read the manufacturer warranty – pick your products and your manufacturers with the same care you use in choosing a central station – it will save you time & money in the long run.
Thanks for all the great info you share.
Regards,
Angela Barnard