CNI PGL-III 400mW is now 200mW...

aryntha · May 2, 2011

Allright then.

So, USPS/EMS it is then. Thanks, Glenn. (Really seems like Ava is a lot more cooperative to you and Phi than she is with me.

)

I'll send it out tomorrow, and let everyone know how it goes and how the repair progresses; we'll see if it really is "held up for months in china custom" or not...!

csshih · May 2, 2011

pretty much depends on how much you declare the parcel as.
be sure to mark the parcel as returned, defective electronics, or something related.

Craig

aryntha · May 6, 2011

OK guys; Update on this. CNI was so adamant about FedEx that they helped me with FedEx shipping somewhat. I still have to pay for it, but not at the "market" rate of ~$150; it was less than half that. So about $65 for shipping FedEx, I went ahead and did that.

I'll be watching it as it progresses and updating here; since like my in-warranty PGL-473 thread, I think this could be useful to folks who are concerned and getting their CNI laser repaired out of warranty in the future. So. 5/05, we're shipped, and, we'll see how the process goes.

DJNY · May 6, 2011

Their replacement units are near always worth the wait. Good luck with this one!

:lasergun:

aryntha · May 9, 2011

"On the truck" in Changchun, now, with FedEx, for delivery to CNI.

Not bad, for ~72 hours (I did use Economy; I'm honestly hoping now that they didn't end up charging CNI like $300 or something...)

Fingers crossed that this continues to go smoothly.

Krogith · May 9, 2011

I was Plaining on buying Not a few PGL-III-C's my self, so i will very very interested how this turns out.

Hope you Get a Fire Starter... That Lasts :thinking:

DJNY · May 9, 2011

aryntha said:
"On the truck" in Changchun, now, with FedEx, for delivery to CNI.

Not bad, for ~72 hours (I did use Economy; I'm honestly hoping now that they didn't end up charging CNI like $300 or something...)

Fingers crossed that this continues to go smoothly.

Even if this is going to be the case, you should think about the $$$$ you saved on your last CNI purchase (589nm & 473nm)

BTW, I guess you get a >700mW laser back

jakeGT · May 9, 2011

I work at fed ex, so how about you use that, let me know when you ship it, and if it comes through my hub, I will take it out and play with it!! (very illegal btw)

aryntha · May 15, 2011

Delivered, (a few days ago) and Ava has written me saying that CNI is repairing it.
4 days from Colorado to Changchun. Waiting on repair status ago. Just want to keep it updated.

jakeGT · May 15, 2011

When you send it back, have them make sure it goes through the ashland kentucky hub Okay, I need to inspect it to make sure it is restored to full working order for you. I will do this for free

aryntha · May 15, 2011

hehe Jake, if there's any way you can keep them from knocking it around...

jakeGT · May 15, 2011

I can take real good care of it.. I would be very kind to it!

aryntha · May 25, 2011

Just an update to this 'event':

CNI says the laser will be ready by Saturday, May 28.
So, almost exactly 2 weeks for the repair (was received May 14).

Here's the cost breakdown they're showing me:

Repair: $115.00
Shipping Cost: (USA->CN) $65
Shipping Cost: (CN->USA) $65
Bank Charge: $20
----------------------
Total: USD $265

However Ava said in the email a "total cost of $245" including shipping and that "Remark : Bank charge out of China is on buyer’s account , we should be paid net value into our account ." They're paid by wire transfer; last time I didn't add $20. I'm not sure what that's about, and upon asking for clarification, I got:

"Thanks for your email, if you can make sure that we will get net value USD245.00, which will be ok."

So I'm going to do that, and see if it is indeed OK.

Anyways. The shipping was more than the repair. I'm not sure what to think about this. $115 for a repair is totally reasonable, but honestly if CNI had "allowed" EMS, the shipping charge would be half.

(That said, if they didn't allow me to use their shipping account, it would be double.)

I've asked for the specs of the repair, which they say they don't have yet. At very least, the repair cost is reasonable, but really, going forward, the shipping has to get under control for this stuff. Really a big consideration when buying stuff from China that may have to be repaired...

Also another note that Ava says the repair has a 2-month warranty. Not sure how I feel about that; at least there's some warranty, I guess.

Hoping it doesn't come back at something like 418mW, but, honestly, if it does, since it was originally purchased as a 400mW, I don't have any room to complain. But $245 to get it peaking at ~400mW from ~250 when I sent it in doesn't seem like it will be worth it. Not saying that'll bet he situation, so will have to wait and see.

Again, posting these updates so that if someone else has to get one of these repaired, they know what to expect.

bootleg2go · May 25, 2011

aryntha said:
Just an update to this 'event':

CNI says the laser will be ready by Saturday, May 28.
So, almost exactly 2 weeks for the repair (was received May 14).

Here's the cost breakdown they're showing me:

Repair: $115.00
Shipping Cost: (USA->CN) $65
Shipping Cost: (CN->USA) $65
Bank Charge: $20
----------------------
Total: USD $265

However Ava said in the email a "total cost of $245" including shipping and that "Remark : Bank charge out of China is on buyer’s account , we should be paid net value into our account ." They're paid by wire transfer; last time I didn't add $20. I'm not sure what that's about, and upon asking for clarification, I got:

"Thanks for your email, if you can make sure that we will get net value USD245.00, which will be ok."

So I'm going to do that, and see if it is indeed OK.

Anyways. The shipping was more than the repair. I'm not sure what to think about this. $115 for a repair is totally reasonable, but honestly if CNI had "allowed" EMS, the shipping charge would be half.

(That said, if they didn't allow me to use their shipping account, it would be double.)

I've asked for the specs of the repair, which they say they don't have yet. At very least, the repair cost is reasonable, but really, going forward, the shipping has to get under control for this stuff. Really a big consideration when buying stuff from China that may have to be repaired...

Also another note that Ava says the repair has a 2-month warranty. Not sure how I feel about that; at least there's some warranty, I guess.

Hoping it doesn't come back at something like 418mW, but, honestly, if it does, since it was originally purchased as a 400mW, I don't have any room to complain. But $245 to get it peaking at ~400mW from ~250 when I sent it in doesn't seem like it will be worth it. Not saying that'll bet he situation, so will have to wait and see.

Again, posting these updates so that if someone else has to get one of these repaired, they know what to expect.

I deal with international wire transfers both coming and going all the time.
Here's what they mean.
What they are saying is that their bank charges them $20 USD for receiving the wire transfer. Here in the US, when someone sends me one, my bank charges me $12 for the privilege of receiving a wire.

What they are saying it that they want you to wire them $265 so that after their bank takes out $20 for the transfer, they get their $245.
$265 is what you should send them, because if they don't get their $240, you will need to send them another wire for $20...or I should say $40 becuase if you just sent them $20, their bank would take their $20 and they wouldn't get anything.
Of course this is on top of the fee your bank is charging you to send the wire.

Those banks get you coming and going.

hope this helps

DJNY · May 25, 2011

Matt, if you´re interested in the output of the laser, you just have to ask. Maybe you feel more condident then. Or do you like surprises?

aryntha · May 28, 2011

Welp, Phi, I did ask, and the surprise wasn't that pleasant...

Ava sent me the testing report on the repaired laser;

464mW avg / 510mW pk...

That's over a 1-2 minute run, so maybe it has the potential for more. I'm hoping it's not borderline. Hoping that at 2min it doesn't dive down to 300 or something.

Can't say I'm thrilled, but also technically have no right to complain. I don't really know what I think of CNI going forward though; where the laser was doing 670mW for a year or so over ~10 uses, dies down to 250mW, then I have to pay $265 to get it back up to 464mW.

It *is* a PGL-III-C-400mW, so I guess I've got no real room to complain, but that 464mW has cost me around $1000 so far for just over a year of light use.

Maybe I'm lucky and it'll climb over a 5 minute period, but I'm not going to hold my breath...
Oh well, you pay your moneys and you take your chances, but I can't say this was a stellar experience so far on this laser.

I suppose it's better to have an on-spec 400mW 532 than an under-spec-formerly-over-spec 400mW 532. I believe they're shipping it back tomorrow.

CNI PGL-III 400mW is now 200mW...

aryntha

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