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Multiple bad RMAs from BFG

V

veterator

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 26, 2005
Messages
1,909
I bought a BFG 1200 Watt LS series PSU when they were on sale back in December from Tiger...

I'd say roughly 2 weeks later I noticed the walls of the case near the PSU were kinda warm and that the back of the the PSU was warm but didn't have much air flow. So I checked the fan in it the PSU, and it wasn't spinning. Thinking this might be some sort of automatic spin-up and down thing in the PSU that I didn't see in it's specs and couldn't find. I emailed them. When it warmed up during the winter, I noticed the fan never spun up and the computer was getting quite warm. So about 3-4 weeks after buying the PSU I decided to RMA it with the bad fan, after calling they confirmed it was bad and recommended RMA.

I decided to do advanced replacement thinking it'd be quicker and I'd have their own shipping materials to ship it back so they can't complain. On 2-20-2010, a month after beginning the RMA roughly, I received a EX series 1200 watt, it's a modular PSU...quite a bit smaller. This particular unit was DOA. I called them to see if there was anything I might have missed since it came with no instructions and not much for labels..and nothing I had from the previous PSU even applied to it...even the plugs were different where they attached to the PSU. So.......after they tried to tell me I hooked up stuff wrong, had me try some different stuff. I called back the next day and got em to RMA it, got them to provide pre-paid shipping labels for both PSUs and shipped em both back 2-23-2010.

3-13-2010, I receive another EX 1200 series unit, it seems fine for a day or two. Then I get a power down during a gaming session...figured it might be an issue with the game. I think it was TF2, which I've always has sporadic problems with that game where I'd go for days with no problems and then have a bunch of them in a single day related to sound or the video drivers flipping out. Never found a cure for it that worked after updates. Then it turned off on it's own while I was sleeping one night letting it finish a download. Turned off a few more times..so I decided to RMA it today.

I informed the guy on the phone that this'll be the third unit they'll be sending me, and after number 3 if it doesn't last a significant period of time like half a year or more that I want my money back at the original purchase price. Since the way I look at it, I've owned the PSU for 3 months, but only used it about 1 month since I purchased it because of the lengthy RMA process. Of course Tiger Direct won't let me return it. The guy informed that they usually offer free upgrades on items, but since it's the highest wattage PSU they use that he doesn't know what they could do.


I just wanted to relate my experience with the BFG PSUs on here, mine only has a 5 year warranty while a lot of them have lifetimes. And maybe they handle it better if you're a lifetime warranty, I don't know. But it's been a real pain in the butt, and the PSU I was looking to replace has served me more than the new one...and it hasn't given me problems like it did when I decided to replace it (was a game related thing, probably a bad driver instead of power hiccups but research said power problem on it). So I figured with the big wattage PSU I could get some new components and not have to worry about power issues, and eventually use it in a new machine when the money situation is better. Instead I've ended up with this mess and it's just such a pain to keep pulling all those carefully ran wires out and doing it over again. I'm pretty upset with BFG at the moment, and I think a refund is warranted. Almost seems like they prefer to give upgrades or free stuff out instead........if they don't want to give me a refund then it better be something nice if this new replacement PSU is a dud.

So irritated.
 
Hi veterator,

Sorry about all the problems.

It's definitely not good that the first unit had a non-working fan. It's also really strange you've been having these problems with the EX-1200. These actually have a very low RMA rate and RMA replacements are actually pre-tested before they're shipped out.

Of course, BFG can't provide you with a refund because you didn't buy the PSU from BFG. And I think if BFG gave you a refund for what TigerDirect paid for the PSU, you wouldn't be very happy. I'd suggest going through the RMA process again, but also make sure everything is in check at your home. For example: Are you using a UPS and is the UPS functioning properly. Because, like I said, this kind of failure rate with ANY brand PSU is really unheard of. Even the cheapest PSU's on the market only fail at a rate of about 2-5%. We've been fortunate enough to enjoy a 0.5% failure rate.

Also, pay attention to how the RMA department packaged the PSU. If you feel the PSU was not packaged adequately, please let me know immediately. PSU's don't like being tossed around, so if they ship one to you with little to know packing material between the PSU and the side walls of the box, that in itself can cause failure. Even if the PSU came in a retail box, that box MUST be packed in a shipping box with packing material to prevent failure.

Thanks!
Jon
 
JonGerow said:
Hi veterator,

Sorry about all the problems.

It's definitely not good that the first unit had a non-working fan. It's also really strange you've been having these problems with the EX-1200. These actually have a very low RMA rate and RMA replacements are actually pre-tested before they're shipped out.

Of course, BFG can't provide you with a refund because you didn't buy the PSU from BFG. And I think if BFG gave you a refund for what TigerDirect paid for the PSU, you wouldn't be very happy. I'd suggest going through the RMA process again, but also make sure everything is in check at your home. For example: Are you using a UPS and is the UPS functioning properly. Because, like I said, this kind of failure rate with ANY brand PSU is really unheard of. Even the cheapest PSU's on the market only fail at a rate of about 2-5%. We've been fortunate enough to enjoy a 0.5% failure rate.

Also, pay attention to how the RMA department packaged the PSU. If you feel the PSU was not packaged adequately, please let me know immediately. PSU's don't like being tossed around, so if they ship one to you with little to know packing material between the PSU and the side walls of the box, that in itself can cause failure. Even if the PSU came in a retail box, that box MUST be packed in a shipping box with packing material to prevent failure.

Thanks!
Jon
Click to expand...

I do have a UPS, nothing else on the UPS has displayed any problems. My old PSU was not losing power for the whole month I had it in there waiting on the second replacement from BFG. If I get the third unit and it has problems I'll post here and you can make specific requests of what you'd like me to try.

So far the first PSU has been the best of the BFG bunch, a non-functional fan versus completely not working or turning off at random times of the two replacements. I will say this, when Tiger Direct sent me the unit..it was the same style box BFG ships them in with it's own package...and that whole box wrapped in another box. BFGs packaging has been below that level. Usually it's a thing plastic bubble wrap square around the PSU, the cables tied and the box randomly stuffed with bubble wrap and/or foam pieces. It's a pretty loose packing job. When I ship them back I put 4-5 layers of bubble wrap around the PSU make a pad at the bottom of the box and fill in the gap that's left around it and on top of it then seal it.

I just notice that the PSUs have no molded containers or set standard packaging. No retail boxes have been in this at any stage. It's a brown box with PSU and a mix of bubble wrap/foam pieces.

As for failure rates, yes I think this is awful high. I can understand one bad RMA PSU every so often, but two in a row after my new PSU was faulty in less than a month after purchase....is bad. And I know it makes me look suspect as well, but I don't know how to prove that I am not killing these PSUs besides saying that I have repeatedly put my OLD PSU back into this system several times while the BFG ones have failed and it's kept on going. It's a 5-6 year old 700 W OCZ PSU.....same connections, same hardware in the computer.


So without having to purchase extra hardware to test theories, if you can work out a way for me to adequately check the functionality of my UPS, or anything else you have concerns with. I'll be happy to do so if it finds a problem, or eliminates doubt from your mind as long as it's within reason. I suspect this third RMA will get a little more attention than the last two. I was told that BFG was moving to different warehouses sometime in Jan/Feb or thereabouts and it shifted everything back. But if this next one comes in non-functional in some way as well, I'll let you make some requests of me to get it functional. Then I think Im done messing BFG whether you decide to refund me or not because even though money is tight and I'd love to have a better PSU for future upgrades, spending hours pulling power supplies in and out of my computer and having to double and triple check everything when something acts up is not worth the hassle. I mean I really shouldn't even have to come on here and write this to get the attention of someone above the first guy who answers the phone after the 30-45 minute wait time for the RMA department.

Guess we'll see how it plays out and go from there...took around 18-20 days to get the last PSU back...which I'll be shipping it out tomorrow via FedEx ground. I have to pull it out of the machine tonight and put my OCZ back in. It'll be going out in the same box/packaging it came in...I'll probably wrap it in a few more layers of bubble wrap going out. And it'll be at least two weeks until I get the new one...and I'll post back here once it's ran a couple days.
 
Just so this thread doesn't slip away into never never land. It was shipped out 3/26. BFG acknowledged receiving it on 3/30. No replacement has arrived, it'll be 3 weeks tomorrow since it was sent out, so probably wait another week or two before I start calling to find out where it is.
 
You said you have a UPS. What brand/model? You might be straining the UPS with a PSU this big (and I am assuming you have other stuff hooked up). Maybe the PSU is not receiving what it need from the UPS and then you have problems.

You probably tried without the UPS being plugged directly in the wall right?
 
Cyant said:
You said you have a UPS. What brand/model? You might be straining the UPS with a PSU this big (and I am assuming you have other stuff hooked up). Maybe the PSU is not receiving what it need from the UPS and then you have problems.

You probably tried without the UPS being plugged directly in the wall right?
Click to expand...

Yeah when I first set it up it's running straight from the wall since it's an easier place to take the computer apart and see everything is working. Goes on the UPS after it seems to do OK. The first PSU I had, fan was bad in it...otherwise it worked fine on the UPS never gave me problems..it just got a little too warm due to fan deciding it'd quit spinning after awhile. If I goosed it with some compressed air it'd spin for awhile.

First replacement PSU wouldn't power on, it'd get enough power to spin the fan about 3 rotations before it'd turn off. So it was like blink of an eye power on, and off before you could count to 2.

Second replacement PSU would turn itself off randomly, it mostly occurred at night when I was sleeping since it's the time it does virus scans/defrags/etc. Which means nothing but that computer was powered off the UPS, monitors were off. Might be a network hub or USB hub plugged in, I'd have to crawl under to confirm.

It's a Cyperpower 1500 AVR model UPS. The load on it goes up to 5 bubbles, it's typically 1 bubble, goes up to 2 if the game is particularly demanding at that time. With both computer and monitor on. If I turn on the big tv screen it'll be 3 or 4 bubbles of load, mostly 3.

But like I said, PSU turned itself off randomly at night when it was the only thing drawing power besides maybe a small network switch or usb hub. And.....the first PSU I had with the bad fan never had problems, if the fan hadn't crapped out I would have kept it.

It's just a little too convenient to say that the UPS suddenly develops freakazoid problems when I stick in a BFG PSU replacement. It's not beyond the realm of possibility, but in my mind it's not the most reasonable explanation. It's running on my old OCZ PSU now, and it hasn't done anything similar since I removed the BFG and sent it in.

Next one, if it's bad, Im going to let the BFG rep that posted here earlier suggest ideas to try..and if I have the parts or ability on hand to do it, Ill do it. But Im not going to spend more money on the PSU and eventually time will be cut off too.

Bought it in Dec 09, fan failed early Jan, I contacted via email didn't get a response in a week or twos time, kept an eye on the fan noticed it was stopping more often after being goosed to get going, called, replaced. Did advanced replacement, got the dead one back in late Feb, sent both back in, got latest one march 13th or so, after a week of it I had multiple power offs. Gave it another few more days to see if anything seemed to cause it, called to replace it and sent it back 3-26.

So.......I had a "functional but slightly broken" psu for 1-1.25 months in the beginning. And another "functional but slightly broken in a more annoying way" PSU about half a month in march. So we'll just call it 2 months of working PSU after 4-4.5 months of owning it.

If next one is bad after suggestions from the BFG rep and what not, then Im done doing replacements. And if I get stuck with a dud PSU and they won't offer anything else, I'll let this thread reflect so and be a former BFG customer.
 
Hmm you should just request a new sealed in box replacement.
 
Received the third BFG replacement today. I didn't take pictures, but the box actually had crisp edges, the PSU was in some fitted foam ends, and the large bubble wrap was used this time. It looked like it was new in box compared to the other replacements I've had where the boxes are all worn out and the bubble wrap used was the small bubble kind with random pieces of foam thrown in.

It's the modular version I mentioned in the first post. It's installed and running. I did a quick PSU test on it with a cheap PSU tester I bought a couple months back after receiving the dud PSU. It doesn't tell much, but at least it gives some indication if there's a problem. The tester tested fine, so I went ahead and installed and we'll see how it goes. I'll mess with it more tomorrow to see if it has any gaming issues, but I'll be running it day and night for awhile to see if it has the random shut off problem the last one had.

This replacement actually looked like someone spent the time to package it carefully...so here's hoping it went through some extra testing time before it shipped out.
 
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