Beware of Xantrex products.....!!

[hattitude]

I just want to save any of you from the hassle I'm going through with Xantrex....

I bought a Statpower TC40 in 2002 to charge the three battery banks on my 46C. There are two banks of parallel 8D's and one bank with a 4D for starting the generator. The charger was mounted in the engine room on a forward bulkhead. It worked flawlessly for 11+ years, and finally failed.

I noticed that Xantrex is now the parent company and they sell a new, redesigned version of the Statpower chargers. I decided to buy a slightly larger charger this time, and I purchased a TC6012, their new 60 amp battery charger. This time, I mounted it on the other side of the forward engine room bulkhead in a closet. This location will keep it a lot cooler, and give it cool air to circulate through it.

I installed it in October of 2011, and it failed in January of 2012. Customer service wouldn't accept my diagnosis that the charger failed and gave me a list of "checks" to make. I made their checks plus a few others. I recontacted the guy and went through my findings. He stopped me halfway and agreed the charger was the problem. He gave me a return authorization.

I shipped the charger to them and three weeks later I get a box from Xantrex. They sent me a new charger and a new remote control panel. I was a little shocked that they sent me a new remote as I had isolated the charger and there was no apparent problem with the remote panel. I still had the original remote panel installed on my boat.

I went to install the new unit and I realized why they sent me a new remote panel...... because they sent me a 40 amp charger instead of a 60 amp charger.....!?!?

WTF..!? They had to know they were sending me a smaller charger, because they sent me the appropriate remote control (the 60amp remote panel is different from the 20amp & 40amp panel).

They haven't seen fit to answer my email yet, but I'm kinda at a loss at this alleged customer service... No note, no email, no phone call..... they just sent a smaller, cheaper unit as a warranty replacement.

Do yourselves a favor and avoid Xantrex products....!

[magnawake]

I heard the same kinda crazy story from a friend. I have a Xantrex and currently crossing fingers that it wont fry my batteries. I'm thinking about changing to a inverter/charger anyway. Sorry to hear your trouble.

[bobk]

Xantrex has had a bad rep for many years re their inverter chargers. Seems they fail just outside of warranty and are hard/impossible to repair. There are many reliable brands out there including Magnum, Victron, etc. They have been discussed here in the past as well as the trawler forums.

Bobk

[hattitude]

I still haven't heard from Xantrex...... Time for another phone call......

I searched this forum and found some not-so-good reviews of Xantrex. I wish I had read them before this purchase, but hey, my last charger worked well for over 10 years...

I should have bought the NewMar, even though it was more money..... I guess it's true, you get what you pay for....


UPDATE: Well I actually got to speak to a person at customer service. I spoke with Shaun LeMay. He was the original person I dealt with. I must admit, he was extremely helpful and apologetic. He said the case showed that I would be sent a new series 60 amp charger and remote panel. He said it was a "picking error" at the shipping point. He arranged to have a new charger sent out this week, and UPS will stop by to pick-up the 40 amp charger sent in error....

So it seems I will get their new series 60 amp charger and remote (about a $40 difference from what I paid). Once I got a person on the phone, they were courteous, helpful, and apologetic about the mix up, and corrected it. This may work out in the end (fingers crossed)..........

[fissioneng]

It seems that the old Statpower products performed well. When Xantrex came into the picture, that's when things went south.

[Canuck Dennis]

A mixture of beancounters and sub standard Chinese parts, I had a similar issue with a Analytic Systems charger, failed outside warranty, repaired $800.00, failed 10 mos. later, the repair guy said the original repair parts were "sub standard" and not used anymore.....3 yrs on, still all ok....

[SKYCHENEY]

I think Analytic has really improved. I had to replace mine as well. The first one was on the boat when I bought it so I don't know the age. The new one has an extra cooling fan and they also added the equalize feature.

I had to pull a bad 48v Analytic from a 60MY. I sent that in and they repaired it. Something was wrong with the temp sensor board. All is well on both and it's been several years now.

[jim rosenthal]

Xantrex changes their product line too often, and they don't back up their old stuff. If my current charger, a Statpower 40, finally packs up, I will get something else. I had a Xantrex battery charge meter (a Link 20) and it did not last long and was unserviceable and unreplacable- and I had a hole in the panel I had to fill. Next time, it will be some other outfit I buy from.