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Saturday March 20, 2010

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Hinch tackles Brivis horror stories

Posted by: By Derryn Hinch, 3AW Drive | 14 January, 2009 - 1:31 PM
Brivis With the temperature today hovering close to 40 degrees – around 100 on the old gauge most fortunate people will have turned on the air conditioner for a bit of cool relief.

Or the fan or the water-cooled system. But not if you are the owner of one brand.  A Brivis. Specifically a Brivis Evaporative Cooler. Manufactured here in Victoria at Braeside.

Brivis had a recall last month. And that can happen to any product. And they acted properly. Saying things like:

Brivis Evaporative Coolers

Date: 12/12/2008

Supplier Name: Brivis Australia Pty Ltd

Product Info: The Evaporative Coolers are manufactured in Braeside, Victoria and are primarily used in residential homes for cooling. They consist of cooling pads, an axial fan and motor assembly, a control box, pump and solenoid valve mounted on a metal chassis with a plastic cabinet exterior which is mounted on top of a roof. These units use water stored in the base of the unit which is pumped into a distribution system within the unit's roof that directs the water to the cooling pads through which air is drawn and cooled. This air then passes into a system of ducts within the roof space to provide cooling. The units were sold in Australia from 1 August 2001 to 31 October 2003. The affected units are Brivis Contour Evaporative Cooler and Brivis Profiler Evaporative Cooler serial numbers447638 to 559848.

Defect Details:  Brivis has identified a potential defect in the supply fan motor starting device of some of its evaporative cooler units. The starting device in these units may fail and, in rare cases, property damage and/or personal injury could result.

Consumer action: If you had a Brivis evaporative cooler installed in your premises between 1 August 2001 and 31 October 2003 please stop operating the unit and contact Brivis at 1800 754 553 or visit the dedicated recall website at http://www.briviscoolerrework.com.au so that Brivis can make arrangements to carry out the desired work free of charge.

Market Coverage: National

Recall Coverage: National

But that's where the good corporate stuff ends. When they say 'The starting device in these units may fail and, in rare cases, property damage and/or personal injury could result'. They mean it could burst into flames – and it could burn you, or if you are out and it is left on, burn your house down.

Now that recall notice went out on December 12. One month ago. Some people, many people, still haven't had their units fixed or replaced. And you have to ask what the hell is going on here when people – especially older people, sick people, desperately need relief.

3AW.com.au note: The 'Last' link below does not work, please click on each individual page link or 'Next' only. The latest comments appear last in this blog.

Blog comments Your Say

  • have several customers with brivis contours which have overflowed (over outside of unit) onto roof. solinoid spontaneously opens or just does not shut when cooler is activated in cool mode. have tried replacing solinoid, controller and probe in successive visits; have also tried using pressure limit valve in mains line + anti hammer devise; so far no long term result achieved. any one with anouther suggestion? would be grateful as we veiw our customers satisfaction as paramount.... chris

    chris Saturday 13 March, 2010 - 11:43 PM

  • my brivis evaporative air-con is dumping 6 litres of water per minute when on and seems excessive? technician has replaced snorkel and found fault in N-E6. Also replaced. Why is so much water coming out?

    liselle Sunday 28 February, 2010 - 4:50 PM

  • Just found out mine is on recall list. Only problem is it's 21/2/10 and it was purchased and installed on the 25/1/02 by Mannix.I would of thought I should of been notified.

    Mark B Sunday 21 February, 2010 - 7:41 PM

  • had a Brivis aircon,3 phase large unit (model 38cda15-9) feeding ducts into 12 rooms, installed before xmas, Has not worked at all, Brivis service tech says compressor is faulty and will take 3 weeks to get a new one. Cannot speak to the service manager as his calls go to a complaints department whose phone is on a pre-recorded service and in any case she does not return calls. It is now over 2 months since the machine was installed in a new house and has not even worked once.. summer will be over in 3 weeks and I will not need the aircon until Jan 2011. I am sure that this is the kind of time frame I can expect to have the aircon working, or we pull out the unit and have it delivered to the Managing director's private residence
    at 2 am, and buy another system. NB. I am certain that their MD does not use Brivis..
    If you are building a new house do not get conned by the builder to have a Brivis system fitted, They live in another planet, they do not have any idea of business marketing,repeat customers,they are a typical fly by night organisation (sell and run)
    NB Your house will lose value if you install a Brivis unit in it..
    NB. Carrier is also run by the same Morons..It is 36*C today and I am not impressed with these monkeys.

    Gaetan Monday 8 February, 2010 - 4:37 PM

  • I have a 2004 Brevis coutour with, a dual controler, which has never worked properly. It turns on cools for five minutes then turns the pump off and blows hot air. I switch it off then on and it works again for five minutes then the cycle repeates. Brevis help centre is of no help.

    John Wednesday 3 February, 2010 - 9:27 AM

  • to joe wed 27th jan they were probably looking at an elbow on the water feed system.mine let go the second time we used it on the 12th of jan 2010.severe water damage to our kithen was the result.

    peter Tuesday 2 February, 2010 - 9:16 PM

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