Air conditioners sold in Australia are not fit for purpose

Home Improvement
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I tried that and it said the only extensions allowed were .tiff, jpgs, jpegs. I’ll try dragging. BTW, are these replies visible to everyone?

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Yes.

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image

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I tried dragging and got the same message. Is there a regular email to use?

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I have taken the upload/document query off line.

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For @ChrisBarnes send an email to community@choice.com.au with “For attention of Chris Barnes” in the body or subject line.

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Thanks @grahroll. That is the best way to send stuff to CHOICE staff rather than put a direct email address into the chat… I get too much random mail already!

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@Redlandsneen yes, I’m happy to look at your submission. As per @grahroll’s suggestion below, send it to community@choice.com.au marked “For attention of Chris Barnes”.

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I certainly am a “novice.” To use community@choice.com.au, can I just click on something? I don’t know how to initiate a message. If I click on your name, it just gives me a message option for you. :frowning:

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This is an email address to use in your normal email software/app, you can also click on…

community@choice.com.au

and it should open a new email message with the email address inserted automatically into the recipient box.

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Observations that may be of interest or use for future discussions.

A practical observation and comparison.
Solar PV inverters are high energy electronic devices with voltages able to cause significant harm. An internal fault has potential to cause a serious fire. They have similar exposure to gecko hazards. They are typically rated for outdoor builds with an IP54 or better ingress protection. When installed correctly with properly sealed conduits and switches IP65? rated they exclude rain and dust, and obviously geckos. The CEC has seen fit to specify these minimum standards for product approval. The manufacturers have demonstrated they can comply for devices more powerful than most inverter air conditioners.

The reliability of inverter air conditioners is more than a shonky?

  • Our regulators have failed to ask the same of air conditioning equipment and installation. Although they are subject to regulated approval. There are standards that can be applied to the design of air conditioning units. A requirement for enclosure of the electronics and high powered electrical components to meet IP 54 per the Australian and ISO Standards is all that it requires. It’s just one portion of each unit that requires compliance. I’m happy to comment further on this as appropriate.

  • It’s an unfair contract condition!
    Product warranties are written to exclude damage due to geckos. These typically imply it is up to the home owner to control geckos and thus ensure they are not present on a property. It’s not practical for many home owners or reasonably possible to meet this condition. Australia has some 40+ varieties of native geckos and one species of introduced gecko. All native species are protected wildlife and the Asian introduced species is not a Prohibited or Restricted invasive animal in Queensland. The options for eradication when both native and introduced species may come to harm are not legally acceptable. Deciding which to save? For absolute certainty telling the difference can come down to whether or not there is a claw on the first toe of the foot.

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Crikey! The more I read about a/c issues, the happier I am that I chose to go with portables and window a/c… The expense of an a/c install which may or not turn out to be reliable, safe, free of pest ingress, is just not worth it, for me.

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Hi all. I’ve been touch with the air conditioner standard committee again on this subject. Nothing yet to report, but one of the members intends to raise it on the agenda of an industry meeting next week. Hopefully I’ll have a useful update after that.

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Thanks @ChrisBarnes for your efforts. Should some of responses raised here be forwarded to give some ammunition to the request and agenda item eg the reference to Solar Inverters having to be ingress proof Air conditioners sold in Australia are not fit for purpose

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@grahroll The link to this thread has been sent to the committee, most of whom are industry reps. I will remind them to have a read, and note those references.

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NP at all. Sorry that my suggestion was a double up, no intention of disrespect.

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No problem!

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Hi Chris. It’s been a couple of months since I submitted my claim form to the ACCC and have not heard back regarding strengthening or implementing a rating system vis-a-vis gecko infiltration of split system air conditioners. Anything on your end?

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Most often the ACCC do not respond or provide feedback. Usually you are given a case number, you may have more success ringing them and quoting the case number. This may give you some response but it may just be “Sorry we don’t have any further information for you and we do not usually respond to submissions individually”.

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Good idea. Thanks, I’ll try that.

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