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NCE POWER CAB faulty speed wheel

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  • Member since
    February 2019
  • 255 posts
Posted by Hawks Rule on Monday, June 21, 2021 12:25 PM

BATMAN

There are no duties or taxes on warranty repairs. I order stuff from all over the world and tell them if they don't send it by mail I don't want it. I have never paid brokerage/taxes/duty on anything that has come in the mail. Courier companies are another matter. 

UPS tried to soak us $70.00 for a $45.00 used item once, we refused it at the door and the guy left, two days later the guy brought it back and handed it to us, no charge.

 

 

Well,

I tell you what.

You email NCE and tell them that, because after a few emails, this was one of their responses:

"We fix things free of charge, we ask that you pay the return shipping charges that NCE will incur"

Why should I?

If I am paying the shipping charges to send it to them at my expense $20-$25, why is it that they want me to pay the return shipping a well?

That is not customer service! 

That is terrible in my books!

Think about it, this piece of crap NCE controller cost me $250.00 and now I have to fork out another $100.00 to fix a .50 cent wheel?

No way!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Monday, June 21, 2021 12:15 PM

There are no duties or taxes on warranty repairs. I order stuff from all over the world and tell them if they don't send it by mail I don't want it. I have never paid brokerage/taxes/duty on anything that has come in the mail. Courier companies are another matter. 

UPS tried to soak us $70.00 for a $45.00 used item once, we refused it at the door and the guy left, two days later the guy brought it back and handed it to us, no charge.

 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    February 2019
  • 255 posts
Posted by Hawks Rule on Monday, June 21, 2021 12:07 PM

Well,

After exchanging emails back and forth with NCE.

The only solution they came up with is, since I will not incur the shipping and brokerage fees, they suggested I buy the encoder that is soldered to the wheel from DigiKeys at my own expense!

I will not!!!

Poor customer service in my books and they have lost me as a customer!

This is what today's world of customer service is like.

Do I recommend NCE!

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,877 posts
Posted by maxman on Monday, June 21, 2021 12:02 PM

Hawks Rule
2. cost of it being shipped back to me plus Brokerage fees $ 40-$60!

Why can't the unit be shipped back to you via the mail?  I thought there were no brokerage fees for mail shipments.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Monday, June 21, 2021 12:01 PM

Hawks Rule
A few months ago a poorly CHINESE made Athearn Genesis 4-8-4 Northern with gear problems.

I have the same problem with those poorly CANADIAN made hockey sticks constantly breaking in my hands. 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    February 2019
  • 255 posts
Posted by Hawks Rule on Monday, June 21, 2021 11:24 AM

NCE just got back to me.

Good news, they will fix it for free if I send in the whole unit.

Bad news, they want me to pay shipping and brokerge fees, since I live in Canada.

1.cost to ship the unit to NCE $20-$25.

2. cost of it being shipped back to me plus Brokerage fees $ 40-$60!

Definitely, not worth it!!!

So, once again I get burned with DCC products.

Last year, a new Bachmann 2-8-0 with lose wires and connectors.

A few months ago a poorly CHINESE made Athearn Genesis 4-8-4 Northern with gear problems.

Now, a problem with a DCC controler!

Add NCE to the list.

It never ends!  

I think I will take your advice Batman and try and use a compressor to clean the wheel.

 

  • Member since
    February 2019
  • 255 posts
Posted by Hawks Rule on Monday, June 21, 2021 10:34 AM

As a note, on staruday I contacted the model train store that I purchased the Power Cab from.

They told me that there was a 1 year limited warranty on the unit and to contact NCE, which I did.

I find it odd that today's Model train hobby stores do not have there own people who can fix things that one purchases from them?

Instead, I have to mail the **** thing at ridiculous post office shipping rates!!

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, June 21, 2021 10:20 AM

I agree with Brent.  Allowing a customer to poke around with a soldering iron isn't a good idea.  They meant send the whole thing back.  Otherwise they would have offered just to send you the wheel.

Stuff happens, just ask Boeing.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Monday, June 21, 2021 10:11 AM

Hawks Rule
I emailed NCE, this was their response: " We will replace the wheel at no charge if you send it in for service"

To me, this statement means send in the whole control unit, not just the wheel. Also, the flakey wheel could be a dirt issue, a little blast with a compressor or canned air may blow out the little varmint that crawled in. Good luck.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
  • 693 posts
Posted by woodone on Monday, June 21, 2021 10:11 AM

Has they say s**t happens- I have a Power Cab thottle thats over 10 years old and to date no problems, also have a second throttle that's over 5 years old and no problems with it either. Maybe the wheel just decided to retire? Bad component that is hard check quality on? Do not know, but do understand your frustration . I am sure if you told them you are not willing to replace the wheel yourself they will do it-charge you for that service- do not know. I would send it to them and have them repair it- Good Luck

 

  • Member since
    February 2019
  • 255 posts
NCE POWER CAB faulty speed wheel
Posted by Hawks Rule on Monday, June 21, 2021 10:00 AM

Well,

Once again quality contol in ANY DCC product comes into play.

I have owned my NCE Power Cab for about 1/1/2 years now, hardly ever used.

I have it hooked up to my test track only.

My Power Cab seems to have developed a fault when I use the wheel to increase speed it is flakey and not consitant.

I am also finding decreasing the speed is flakey, sometimes the speed actually increases when you roll the wheel to decrease speed.

I emailed NCE, this was their response: " We will replace the wheel at no charge if you send it in for service"

Well, here is the problem, I would have to open the back of the power cab and de-solder the wheel from the encoder!

I answered NCE back and told them that I did not feel comfortable opening the unit and de-soldering the wheel form the encoder and said would it not be easier to just send back the control unit and have them do it?

Once again, I am finding that DCC products seem to have NO QUALITY CONTROL!

How can a fairly new unit, hardly used already have a defect?

Are they using cheap inferior pieces?

I will not, repeat will not open the back and try to remove the wheel!

Why should I?

If they believe in CUSTOMER SERVICE, they should just instruct me to send back the unit and fix it!!

Better still, if they made a more reliable product, I wouldn't have to go through this crap!!

 

QUALITTY CONTROL IS LOST IN THE DCC MODEL TRAIN HOBBY!!!!

 

 

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