Neptune customer service stinks.

[philosophile]

So, my Apex controller just stopped working a while ago. The screen wouldn’t show anything and I couldn’t connect to the apex on my network.

I went through the online troubleshooting guides and none of them worked. I can’t update the firmware, I can’t see it on my network, etc.

I contacted customer service and the rep told me to do what I had already done. I told him that it wasn’t discoverable on the network. He told me to read the instructions....

So I go and do what I’ve been instructed. It doesn’t work. He asks me if I followed the instructions.... Really?

So now he tells me that I need to send it in for diagnostics. So I try to take it out of my cabinet. The screws are rusted and one turn of the screwdriver strips the screws. Apparently Neptune doesn’t include stainless steel screws. So I don’t have a lot of room in my cabinet, and I’m told to take a dermal to get it off. I simply can’t do that with the room I have.

I rattle off how I feel like I haven’t been treated well and that he is treating me like an idiot. He responds by telling me that the instructions were given because of your problem and that he’s explained this to me several times... missing the point...

So uh thanks. I won’t be buying Neptune products again, and I have a controller and power box in my cabinet that I can’t get out and can’t do anything with now. I’m not looking for anything. I’ll manage without the controller. Thankfully nothing except the chaeto in my macro algae reactor died.

 

[Daltrey]

If you have a drill you can just drill out the screw head.

An Ez out is also nice to have. They come in handy. Most stores like lowes or home depot that sell drill bits have them.

https://www.amazon.com/Bastex-Extra...8&qid=1514686400&sr=8-4&keywords=Screw+ez+out

 

[dealseer]

I switched to Digital Aquatics and never looked back

 

[Vu337]

I had the same experience two days ago!

 

[Mark Gray]

Sorry for your trouble I have to say I have had pretty good service from Neptune

 

[Fritzhamer]

I've also had really good service from Neptune. While I understand your frustration, stripped screws are user error. Allowing screws to get rusty, especially on a metal box that contains a lot of electricity, isn't the best move either. It sounds like you have an issue that 99.9% of the time can be fixed by going through some steps. If you've gone through all of them and that didn't correct it, something else must be going on that can't be diagnosed and corrected remotely. I think its reasonable for them, if that's the case, to ask you to send it back. The condition you've created making it difficult to send back, isn't really on them.

That being said, I'm not crazy about the screws they include for the EB832. I put them in and out several times and then switched to another screw.

 

[GK3]

I've also had really good service from Neptune. While I understand your frustration, stripped screws are user error. Allowing screws to get rusty, especially on a metal box that contains a lot of electricity, isn't the best move either. It sounds like you have an issue that 99.9% of the time can be fixed by going through some steps. If you've gone through all of them and that didn't correct it, something else must be going on that can't be diagnosed and corrected remotely. I think its reasonable for them, if that's the case, to ask you to send it back. The condition you've created making it difficult to send back, isn't really on them.

That being said, I'm not crazy about the screws they include for the EB832. I put them in and out several times and then switched to another screw.

I had to contact Neptune for a failed sensor and the customer service was ridiculously awesome. Couldn’t be happier. Sorry some of you had bad experiences, but I’m with fritzhammer, my experience with Neptune was great.

 

[Medic755]

I have had 2 issues with my Apex Classic. I'm sorry you had issues but I have received top-notch service from them. Prompt email service and even a rapid phone assistance when something went wrong (my own fault) the day we were leaving for vacation.

 

[FMF0331]

My display crapped out on me a while back , spoke to a Neptune representative at a local frag swap... explained to him my issue.
His reply was " do you really need that display , you can work off your computer or laptop or what have you "

Thanks Neptune

 

[recess62]

I don’t mean to hijack this thread but did you install the controller and power strip in an enclosed cabinet that contains water ie the sump? If so what do others do. I put my controller, modules,and power strips in a second “dry”cabinet because I was worried about high humidity affecting the electronics over time. I Purchased a power strip second hand and found all the screws were rusted. This made me happy that I had mine installed outside of the sump.

 

[slayerhellfire]

The service for neptune is the best I have had, not sure why you had so many issues with them. I would say there up there with BRS and they are fantastic

 

[instareefer]

I have also had great customer service with Neptune. Don't give up. Do what you can to get it out of there.

 

[Daltrey]

I don’t mean to hijack this thread but did you install the controller and power strip in an enclosed cabinet that contains water ie the sump? If so what do others do. I put my controller, modules,and power strips in a second “dry”cabinet because I was worried about high humidity affecting the electronics over time. I Purchased a power strip second hand and found all the screws were rusted. This made me happy that I had mine installed outside of the sump.

Mine is also installed outside of the cabinet. Putting electronics in an enclosed cabinet with a sump is just a bad idea. The screws rusting will be the least of your problems.

 

[Mark Gray]

Mine is also installed outside of the cabinet. Putting electronics in an enclosed cabinet with a sump is just a bad idea. The screws rusting will be the least of your problems.

Mine is also outside on the wal, and my new one will be in another room on the wall also

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I’m sorry but I can’t see how this is on Neptune. I’ll admit they have some procedures that need changing but I can’t see how your problem make them STINK.

 

[Z-man]

No experience with Neptune, but multiple challenges with the cable company, and Sony. Pretty much all customer service reps have a scorecard in front of them that has possible issues and what steps to take. These people are not technicians, nor do they know your situation. They simply walk you thru the steps that most possibly will correct the situation. When that doesn't work, send it in for repairs is the next step. Just my $.02

 

[csockwell]

I love Neptune products but I'm not a fan on their customer service either. Bought a new 2016 Apex on Black Friday. It ran for a week and then completely reset itself and dumped a whole bunch of NOPOX in my tank. Thankfully I caught it very quickly and saved the tank.

Called Neptune and they said it was fluke. Four days later, it reset itself to factory again. Called Neptune and was told it was my wireless router. Scheduled a time with a support technician and was told again that it must be my Wifi. I told the guy that I've never known a device that factory resets itself because it doesn't like a WiFi network and that I wanted it swapped out since it was less than 30 days old. Again no dice from Neptune. So... I sent one email to BRS and explained the situation, guy responds back saying he wouldn't trust it on his tank and sent me a new one out. That's why I love BRS!

 

[rkpetersen]

Scheduled a time with a support technician and was told again that it must be my Wifi. I told the guy that I've never known a device that factory resets itself because it doesn't like a WiFi network

May not apply to your specific situation, but it's actually not that rare to find chronic or intermittent IP address conflicts on a home's LAN, especially if you have a lot of devices. Some devices may not play well when requesting a DHCP address, and others may have once been set with a static IP address, forgotten about, and then interfering with the DHCP table. With some router software, like Netgear Genie, you can actually watch this conflict occur in semi- real time as one IP address flickers between two devices. If one of these conflicts happens to involve your Apex's current IP address, it can definitely result in lose of communication with Fusion, Apex reboots, and even spontaneous router reboots. I have had these issues myself and solved them by fixing IP conflicts detected.

Of course, a full factory reset is a whole 'nother issue. That's not tolerable.

Also, and this is anecdotal, but I believe that the Apex appreciates clean power, meaning filtered through a UPS. For some, this seems to resolve mysterious Fusion disconnects and Apex reboots.

 

[Sleepydoc]

I've actually had good luck with Neptune customer support, too. From your description, it sounds like he was trying to make sure that you had done everything you could at home since the next step was sending it in.

As far as the screws go, I can't really fault Neptune for that. Even stainless can rust, depending on the grade. If you don't have room for a Dremel you must have things packed in *really* tight

 

[GoVols]

If someones screws have rusted and you can't get your Apex out.
How is that Neptune Systems fault???


Happy New Year!!!