eBay Purchase Washing Machine Not Work with 240V

Lghostdom on 19/05/2015 - 10:52

Hi All,

I bought a samsung baby care washing machine on Ebay from an international seller (USA). washer arrived and installed and found not working properly (still power up) And I could smell something like burnt (not an electrical component burnt smell). more like the belt worked too hard and get hot and make the smell.

Then I noticed this might be only for 110V power input. checked on the ebay page, cannot find any information relating to 110V input only. and checked on Samsung US product page. no information at all. Finally I was able to locate in the user manual says "connect it to 110V power outlet". So I realized it is not designed to take wide range power input like some products can work under both 110V and 240V.

Contacted with the seller, the seller advised a universal adapter, which obvious is not helpful. And the seller is happy to do full refund but advise the shipping cost will be on me. I did a few shipping rates and it would cost me over $1000 dollars to get it shipped back to US (how could seller list the shipping cost is less than US$40 from USA to Australia…). So surely I will not accept as this is even over the money I paid for the washer.

Now I have issued a formal return request on Ebay and explained that I think it is inappropriate to sell something to countries which the item will not work in. And also no such relative information was mentioned in the listing description. Based on this, I requested seller to cover the shipping cost. and now waiting for their response. If not agreed, I will go further to have Ebay involved.

I understand I can purchase a 240V to 110V step down transformer. But first, this unit is not cheap. around 100 dollars. Secondly, I am not confident with the unit anymore because of the burnt smell. maybe parts already broken.

What do you guys think the correct procedure for this case. And do you think who is responsible for this? And last, any advise on the shipping will be great just in case I still need to pay for the shipping cost.

The unit was about 800 AU dollars inc. shipping. below is the link:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/201251902490?_trksid=p2060353.m27…

and this is the samsung US product page

http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/washers-dryers/WB09H730…

Thanks in advance for all advises.

Cheers!

Electrical & Electronics

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Comments

  • spackbace on 19/05/2015 - 11:02
    +13

    You didn't research this beforehand? Buying a major electrical appliance from the US, and you didn't ask the question?

    I believe that the seller is in their right to ship it anywhere they want, it's up to the buyer to make sure it works for their purpose.

  • daalinz on 19/05/2015 - 11:11
    +4

    As far as I know the standard voltage in the US is 110V. It is your fault for not making sure the product will work here. You need to check whether the product will work for 240V and if not you will need a transformer to bridge the gap.

  • bevn on 19/05/2015 - 11:19
    +6

    Unfortunately I would agree that this would be your fault for not checking the voltage of the unit. If you smelt a burning smell, it would have likely fried. You could go to somewhere like JayCar or DSE and pickup a step down and confirm their returns policy. Try it out, if it works great, if it doesn't and the machine is fried, just return the transformer.

  • chazfg on 19/05/2015 - 11:32
    +3

    Same as above. I would call it an $800 lesson for online buyer to be more careful with what they purchase, especially from overseas. Any electrical appliance that has motor in it will not be available on dual voltages. The burnt smell, I guess came from the motor windings trying to energise on lower voltage, but you have a good chance it is still working. Like the Schrödinger's cat, you just have to try.

    • elusive on 19/05/2015 - 14:12

      You're more likely to burn a (induction) motor coil by running it on a lower voltage than it's designed for.

      Running something higher than it's designed for is more likely to fry any electronic components. Or maybe other motor designs if it's not the induction type…

      Either way, yea, try and pray it still works. Especially at double the voltage, anything could've happened.

  • constipated on 19/05/2015 - 11:45
    +6

    A painful lesson but honestly I would have thought it was common knowledge regarding the voltage differences between US and Australia.

    I don't think the seller has done anything wrong here.

  • mskeggs on 19/05/2015 - 12:21
    +6

    I'm sorry, but if ebay enforces a return it will be a great injustice to the seller, especially if you damaged the item by using it at the wrong voltage.

  • retiredfeline on 19/05/2015 - 12:27
    +1

    I think it is inappropriate to sell something to countries which the item will not work in.

    I just want to touch on this point. It seems common these days to say "they should ban this or that", they being government, business, whoever. However this ban would rule out useful situations. For all the seller knows the buyer might be a person who owns a step down transformer and knows what they are doing. Or the buyer may be taking it to a 110V country. And so forth.

    And there are even countries with two voltage systems.

    Really you have failed to do due diligence. You could have asked here for example. Others have in the past.

  • Bonsaichop on 19/05/2015 - 12:57
    +1

    Ontop of everything above, when you purchase an item overseas, prior to either making a purchase or placing a bid a page comes up warning you that because you're buying from a different country the voltage may differ.

  • Nutrino on 19/05/2015 - 18:32

    Oh dude, run while you can, ozbargain mob gonna get Cha!

  • pinoy on 22/05/2015 - 04:30

    Wow. Betchya didn't know it is illegal for you to have plugged that non compliant (aust standards) washing machine into your mains power. Should that machine have caused major havoc, example: injury, fire or death.. you would've been criminally liable (unless you died as a result and you are unable to be prosecuted). Less worst scenario than you dying, you asked somebody else to turn it on and they ended up being electrocuted, you would've been up for manslaughter.

    A less severe scenario would be if that causes fire and damaged your house, not only will your insurance be void, you are still open for prosecution. You get the gist.

    Your ignorance will not hold well for an excuse in court.

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