Is my a/c unit a fake??? please help.

[technique786]

Hi All,

I have bought what looks to be a Chigo air conditioning unit from energybulbs.co.uk, it is said to be a toshiba compressor but when i called an a/c engineer he took one look at it and said its a fake and not a toshiba.

here is a link to the unit i purchased i just want to know if i have been had and if so what can i do?

http://www.energybulbs.co.uk/products/Energy+Saving+Products/Air+Conditioning+Systems/KFR-51GW+Air+Conditioner+Powered+by+Toshiba/3291837401

[jdunc2301]

The unit may well have a Toshiba compressor in it, but that doesn't make it a Toshiba AC unit. I searched the mod number and other sites are advertising it as being "powered by a toshiba compressor"

I wouldnt worry too much about it myself

J

[install monkey]

toshiba compressor- chigo manufacturer- if youve just bought it- return it- as they are cheap units- as are others that are imported from overseas
http://www.airconcentre.co.uk/products/Wall+Mounted+Split+Units/KFR-51GW%2FX1c+Air+Conditioning+Unit+%28Wall+Split+System+KFR51GW%29/293862256?gclid=CO_y0qC_5LACFUUhtAodESoPzQ

[monkey spanners]

I wouldn't worry to much about the compressor failing, from what i've read about them the circuit boards never last long enough for the compressor to wear out...

You have bought one of the cheapest air con units you can get, there is a reason for its cheapness, it is not necessarily a bad unit, just depends on what you expect of it.

[install monkey]

when the boards do fail- you could always send your tosh compressor to kompulsa- but make sure you send a datasheet with it!!:o

[The Viking]

Fake?
You bought Chigo A/C system, I'm fairly confident that nobody would try to make fake Chigos...

Look at it as if it were a car.
Peugot makes a lot more engines than what is fitted in to Peugot cars, if say Ford buy a bunch of the excess engines and put in their Mondeo range... would that make the car a Peugot???
Volkswagen engine in a Skoda... VW or Skoda? (Skoda engines in VWs :rolleyes:)

You bought a £500 aircon system and you got a £500 aircon system.
Admittingly their advertising is shrewd and I bet you would never see Toshiba advertising that they use Chigo compressors... (nor would they ever actually use them but that is beside the point)

Fake, no it wouldn't be a fake unless it says TOSHIBA on the case of your unit.

Morale of the story?
Find an air-condition engineer that you can trust then ask him for a quote to supply and install the air-condition system you need.
He asks for too much money? Get a second quote and ask the 2 engineers to explain the difference between their 2 options.

Experience never come cheap, in your case it seem to cost about £500, if you haven't got experience the cheapest option is normally to pay someone who does.

Sorry but it is a reason why none of the experienced members here would ever buy Chigo units and I bet it isn't who manufactured the compressor...

:cool:

.

[install monkey]

viking- 1 of our customers has a sanyo ghp vrv- it has a toyota engine in it- so is it a vrv or a hilux/aygo?? :o
Fake?
You bought Chigo A/C system, I'm fairly confident that nobody would try to make fake Chigos...

Look at it as if it were a car.
Peugot makes a lot more engines than what is fitted in to Peugot cars, if say Ford buy a bunch of the excess engines and put in their Mondeo range... would that make the car a Peugot???
Volkswagen engine in a Skoda... VW or Skoda? (Skoda engines in VWs :rolleyes:)

You bought a £500 aircon system and you got a £500 aircon system.
Admittingly their advertising is shrewd and I bet you would never see Toshiba advertising that they use Chigo compressors... (nor would they ever actually use them but that is beside the point)

Fake, no it wouldn't be a fake unless it says TOSHIBA on the case of your unit.

Morale of the story?
Find an air-condition engineer that you can trust then ask him for a quote to supply and install the air-condition system you need.
He asks for too much money? Get a second quote and ask the 2 engineers to explain the difference between their 2 options.

Experience never come cheap, in your case it seem to cost about £500, if you haven't got experience the cheapest option is normally to pay someone who does.

Sorry but it is a reason why none of the experienced members here would ever buy Chigo units and I bet it isn't who manufactured the compressor...

:cool:

.

[cadwaladr]

viking- 1 of our customers has a sanyo ghp vrv- it has a toyota engine in it- so is it a vrv or a hilux/aygo?? :oi have a vw engine with a merc sprinter body built around it is it a sourkraut?

[technique786]

So what is the advantage of having a more expensive ac or what are the disadvantages of having the one i have?

[The Viking]

It's all down to reliability and backup if (when) things go wrong.

Your Chigo unit is pretty much like the top your wife bought at Next, it looks OKish and will be worn for a season before it gets thrown out. If (when) a seam goes on it then it's not worth finding a tailor to repair it.


.

[technique786]

It's all down to reliability and backup if (when) things go wrong.

Your Chigo unit is pretty much like the top your wife bought at Next, it looks OKish and will be worn for a season before it gets thrown out and when a seam goes on it then it's not worth finding a taylor to repair it.


.


I knew that dam top would be trouble the day i saw it :D

[Goober]

[QUOTE=The Viking;261249]It's all down to reliability and backup if (when) things go wrong.

Your Chigo unit is pretty much like the top your wife bought at Next, it looks OKish and will be worn for a season before it gets thrown out. If (when) a seam goes on it then it's not worth finding a tailor to repair it.


Couldn't agree more, usually the back up and subsequent spare parts supply that becomes an issue. the main components, compressor, condenser fan, reversing valve etc are usually easily replaced with equivalents. But the electronics and control systems is where it all comes unstuck. Each systems will have slightly different code and method of operation, and also physical fit too.


Same with refrigerated cabinets...all the main components easily replaced, its the door hinges, latches, trim that one can spend hours trying to source to no avail, that you then can't ever be bothered looking at the cheap imports!

[MikeHolm]

i have a vw engine with a merc sprinter body built around it is it a sourkraut?

Only if you stole it from a German and he wanted it back....sour kraut:D

[Loops]

Install Monkey that Sanyo gas engine should be a Nissan engine (Navara) not Toyota but I understand the idea you were making.

I worked for Toshiba AC UK tech support for 28 years and the ammount of calls we had for these systems 'powered by Toshiba' was unreal and very annoying.

You could feel the frustration from the caller when told sorry they are not Toshiba products they just use a componenet or two from Toshiba. Of course back up from their supplier was usually non-existant.

I guess a triumph of marketing as the units have 'powered by TOSHIBA' on the front and the real manufacturers name almost hidden. To my mind this speaks volumes of what they think of their own products.

Cheers

Loops