Well this came as a bit of a surprise to me today. We ordered 2 Power transformers, 2 chokes and 2 SE Output from the Hammond Transformers in the UK. They all arrived okay last week in their Black Shrouds. We set about spraying the End Bells a different colour. We tested all of the them before putting them onto a Chassis. After about 2 minutes one of the Power Transformers started to Smoke. Long story short it is TOAST. On contacting the supplier we were told that because we had removed (the End Bells to paint them) that the Warranty was now Invalid (What ????????) That's a bit like saying that the warranty is now revoked because you used the product, what kind of BS is this.....please ALL be aware.
Hopefully you paid with a credit card. If so, you can protest the charge through them claiming a faulty product. If that doesn't work, I would consider returning the entire lot and also writing a letter to the CEO of Hammond. Send it certified assuming you have that service in the UK. That's all most presidents and CEOs are good for anyway. 
HAMMOND
Thank you for the advice. I have already given them a great deal of grief on the phone today, and will be delivering the faulty transformer to them in person tomorrow. I will not leave the premises until they replace it. At the moment I am giving them the benefit of the doubt and allowing them sufficient time to capitulate. Notwithstanding it is worth bearing in mind for the future their warranty policy is pretty shoddy. I will keep everyone posted on developments....lets hope they dont irritate me of anymore than I am now
Thank you for the advice. I have already given them a great deal of grief on the phone today, and will be delivering the faulty transformer to them in person tomorrow. I will not leave the premises until they replace it. At the moment I am giving them the benefit of the doubt and allowing them sufficient time to capitulate. Notwithstanding it is worth bearing in mind for the future their warranty policy is pretty shoddy. I will keep everyone posted on developments....lets hope they dont irritate me of anymore than I am now
I went with Hammond OPTs and PTXs when I did a project in 2005. They performed as advertised. However, I've been reading a lot about QC issues with Hammonds lately, and no longer recommend them. Stuff like out of spec performance, miswired tap-offs, like that.
Never heard of a Hammond PTX going all Chernobyl right off like that. Definitely not a good thing.
The supplier may or may not have a case here. It all depends, and this might have to go to small claims court if you decide to pursue it.
Anyhoo, these days, I recommend Edcor for decent iron that doesn't carry that audiophool "tax".
Never heard of a Hammond PTX going all Chernobyl right off like that. Definitely not a good thing.
The supplier may or may not have a case here. It all depends, and this might have to go to small claims court if you decide to pursue it.
Anyhoo, these days, I recommend Edcor for decent iron that doesn't carry that audiophool "tax".
You may have a case in fact, but probably not in law. Unless the data sheet describes how to remove the end-bells for painting etc. it would be regarded as a modification. Very few manufacturers will entertain a warranty claim after customer modification, unless such modification was a normal and expected part of product use.
Hopefully Hammond will change their mind, as a way of maintaining reputation. Modern businesses, however, are all too often run by bean counters who don't worry about reputation. Maybe Hammond are different.
Hopefully Hammond will change their mind, as a way of maintaining reputation. Modern businesses, however, are all too often run by bean counters who don't worry about reputation. Maybe Hammond are different.
On the other hand, virtually every time you modify a product you invalidate any warranty.
If you swap memory on your factory built computer yourself, you have no warranty.
If you put a new engine control chip in your car, ditto.
Manufacturers usually state this in written warranties but it's implied whether you agree or not.
If you swap memory on your factory built computer yourself, you have no warranty.
If you put a new engine control chip in your car, ditto.
Manufacturers usually state this in written warranties but it's implied whether you agree or not.
Hammond
It is interesting to get your views. It strikes me from what you are saying that even if you cut the leads (on the Transformer) to the length you want then you have modified it to the point where it invalidates the warranty ???? Maybe even mounting it onto a chassis you invalidate the warranty ?????....should this be the case then the warranty by implication has no value and is about as useful as a chocolate teapot
It is interesting to get your views. It strikes me from what you are saying that even if you cut the leads (on the Transformer) to the length you want then you have modified it to the point where it invalidates the warranty ???? Maybe even mounting it onto a chassis you invalidate the warranty ?????....should this be the case then the warranty by implication has no value and is about as useful as a chocolate teapot
Cutting the leads is an expected part of using it. Mounting it on a chassis does not modify it. Partially dismantling it then reassembling it is a modification. It is not a necessary part of using it. You should have asked them first. Don't let your disappointment cloud your judgement.
Carefully removing the cover, then replacing it should not have damaged the windings so they may have been faulty already. The problem you have is that you can't prove you did it carefully. You could ask them (or an independent expert) to inspect the transformer and see what caused the failure. To be honest, the cost of this would probably far exceed the cost of the transformer.
Carefully removing the cover, then replacing it should not have damaged the windings so they may have been faulty already. The problem you have is that you can't prove you did it carefully. You could ask them (or an independent expert) to inspect the transformer and see what caused the failure. To be honest, the cost of this would probably far exceed the cost of the transformer.
I don't know how your local laws are. The actual issue is the nature of the defect. If you pinched a wire closing it up, the fault is yours. If it was a manufacturing defect, such as an insulation failure at high voltage, the problem is theirs.
Now are you dealing with the manufacturer, distributor or some other entity? Anyone other than the manufacturer is not responsible, although courtesy may have others handle the issue.
Now the first course of action is a documented letter of claim to the manufacturer. Second is to the consumer protection folks with a copy to the manufacturer.
One time when a bit ticked off I wrote emails to the advertisers in magazine explain how their interests were affected. That seemed to work!
Now are you dealing with the manufacturer, distributor or some other entity? Anyone other than the manufacturer is not responsible, although courtesy may have others handle the issue.
Now the first course of action is a documented letter of claim to the manufacturer. Second is to the consumer protection folks with a copy to the manufacturer.
One time when a bit ticked off I wrote emails to the advertisers in magazine explain how their interests were affected. That seemed to work!
When you take the transformer in, suggest they swap the end bells off another transformer. That way they can send Hammond an 'unaltered' unit, and you get to keep your 'modified' end bells.
Personally, I can't believe Hammond would reject a warranty claim when your actions could not have influenced the failure of the unit. At least, I hope not.
Personally, I can't believe Hammond would reject a warranty claim when your actions could not have influenced the failure of the unit. At least, I hope not.
I'm shocked to hear of this. I'd bet it is the local office following the letter of a policy or rule (perhaps written in the USA) as best they can, but have misinterpreted its meaning.
It might be worth the trouble to call the USA office and complain about this. If that's where the head office is. Who knows any more.
It might be worth the trouble to call the USA office and complain about this. If that's where the head office is. Who knows any more.
Consumer protection laws vary from country to country. In the Netherlands, and probably also in other EU countries, the warranty is the responsibility of the seller, not of the manufacturer. The thought behind this is, that when you make a purchase, you enter in a sales contract with the seller. There is no relation with a third party like a manufacturer. The seller is required by law to supply a decent product. If the product malfunctions within its expected lifetime, the seller needs to compensate the buyer. Often, sellers only quote the warranty that they themselves get from the manufacturers, but that does not excuse them from their legal responsibilities.
So, you need to know your local rights and confront the seller with those.
As said above, taking off the end bells can be considered tampering or modifying since you remove the protective casing. However, if a manufacturer holds opening as a reason for invalidating their warranty, they usually put a seal on one of the screws. Besides that, there are many transformers sold without end bells at all, so the argument of protection is not very strong.
In short: make sure that the fault is not obviously caused by you and try to come to a satisfactory solution. The suggestion to have them swap end bells with your replacement is a good one (for them!). Don't start a fight until diplomacy has failed.
I've taken a *lot* of Hammond transformers apart for painting and I've never had a fault with one as a result. I immediately replace and tighten the bolts while I'm refinishing the end bells. Also, be sure you use the little plastic "bolt insulators" so that you don't create a magnetic short.
Hammond
Greetings all and thank you for your interest in this topic. I am pleased to report that the matter has been resolved to my satisfaction. That said I had to go directly to Hammond's offices here in the UK this morning. I did meet with a less than articulate goods inwards clerk. Once I allowed them to flex their muscles a little they seemed to be cooperative. Notwithstanding it has left a bad taste in my mouth....will I use Hammond products in the future.....we shall see. Anyway thank you all for your input
Greetings all and thank you for your interest in this topic. I am pleased to report that the matter has been resolved to my satisfaction. That said I had to go directly to Hammond's offices here in the UK this morning. I did meet with a less than articulate goods inwards clerk. Once I allowed them to flex their muscles a little they seemed to be cooperative. Notwithstanding it has left a bad taste in my mouth....will I use Hammond products in the future.....we shall see. Anyway thank you all for your input
Pardon me, but only speaking Canadian English, i have no idea what you mean by a 'goods inwards clerk', or was that a typo?
While we're saying "You should have," I'll recommend testing a new component such as this, especially a power component that if not right could go up in smoke. A simple DC resistance measurement might have found the primary (120/240V) winding to have lower resistance than the secondary (for a lower voltage output solid-state amp or of the filament/heater windings), leading one to be suspicious of incorrect wiring of the leads, or of a shorted winding.
I had a friend who was having trouble getting a simple (1.5V battery and two transistors) LED flasher to work. I looked at his DMM to see that it had a transistor socket and HFE reading, and I told him "check the pinout of the transistor." An hour later I heard him say how he just looked up the data sheet of the exact transistor part number he ordered, and found it to be different from the transistor (from another manufacturer) he designed the PCB to use. I then realized that he hadn't interpreted what I said the way I intended it, and I should have explained it further. I meant for him to plug the transistor into the DMM in different pin combinations of BCE until it showed an HFE in the 20-300 range of what a "real" transistor would give, verifying the pinout that way, as well as the actual operation of the transistor.
Is it just me? I'm paranoid of parts being bad, so I test a lot of them BEFORE putting them together into a circuit - otherwise I'm testing both my wiring of the circuit and the correct operation of the parts (not to mention the circuit's design).
I had a friend who was having trouble getting a simple (1.5V battery and two transistors) LED flasher to work. I looked at his DMM to see that it had a transistor socket and HFE reading, and I told him "check the pinout of the transistor." An hour later I heard him say how he just looked up the data sheet of the exact transistor part number he ordered, and found it to be different from the transistor (from another manufacturer) he designed the PCB to use. I then realized that he hadn't interpreted what I said the way I intended it, and I should have explained it further. I meant for him to plug the transistor into the DMM in different pin combinations of BCE until it showed an HFE in the 20-300 range of what a "real" transistor would give, verifying the pinout that way, as well as the actual operation of the transistor.
Is it just me? I'm paranoid of parts being bad, so I test a lot of them BEFORE putting them together into a circuit - otherwise I'm testing both my wiring of the circuit and the correct operation of the parts (not to mention the circuit's design).
Aha. The USA (and perhaps Canadian) translations of these are Receiving and Shipping, respectively, though I have to admit Inward and Outward are a bit more descriptive, as some meanings of Shipping don't imply a direction, only the movement of goods. Some companies have a "Shipping and Receiving" department others just have "Shipping" though the same department receives goods as well.
Well,
If you remove end bells and put them back..how many people know about shorted turns?..OK people that build amps...from hammonds point of view how do they know there was not a shorted turn..via the mounting screws..nothing to do with the windings..its easy to do. Perhaps Hammond should look at this issue, if there were no mounting problems then the transformer is faulty..then again how do they know the transformer was connected correctly..
Its a bag of worms..so their warranty is (sold as seen or installed by an engineer)..or is it not fit for purpose?<<<how to prove it...
I would think Hammond would want to have a look at their product to see what caused it. QC would be suspect..
Regards
M. Gregg
If you remove end bells and put them back..how many people know about shorted turns?..OK people that build amps...from hammonds point of view how do they know there was not a shorted turn..via the mounting screws..nothing to do with the windings..its easy to do. Perhaps Hammond should look at this issue, if there were no mounting problems then the transformer is faulty..then again how do they know the transformer was connected correctly..
Its a bag of worms..so their warranty is (sold as seen or installed by an engineer)..or is it not fit for purpose?<<<how to prove it...
I would think Hammond would want to have a look at their product to see what caused it. QC would be suspect..
Regards
M. Gregg
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