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Weil Mclain Tech Support Not to impressive

Danscrew
Danscrew Member Posts: 130
I called Weil Mclain Tech Support in reference to my problem with my WM97 Mod/Con. And i explained the problem when i set the warm weather shutdowns Setpoint to lets say 58 degrees to shut down. The Boiler keeps shutting down and restarting when the basement zone T-stat calls for heat. At that ODT i want the boiler off I should not have to shut all the Stats off. I asked Tech support if I can speak to an Engineer they said they are busy my reply was everyone is busy. I would have said there is no dead band in the Warm weather shutdowns setpoints . They told me to call warranty which i havent yet called not sure what they are going to do?

Comments

  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    It seems like all I ever do is complain about WM's technical support. I'll give myself a break from it in his thread and just address your issue directly.

    Where is the basement zone tied in? Was it accidentally set up as a priority zone or DHW zone?
    AlCorelliNYTinman
  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,766
    Another giant that is leading in the race to the bottom .
    You didn't get what you didn't pay for and it will never be what you thought it would .
    Langans Plumbing & Heating LLC
    732-751-1560
    Serving most of New Jersey, Eastern Pa .
    Consultation, Design & Installation anywhere
    Rich McGrath 732-581-3833
    icesailor
  • Danscrew
    Danscrew Member Posts: 130
    The basement was set up as zone #2 It seems like it is a software problem there is no dead band for the setpoint
    akajack
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Can you ohm out the outdoor sensor to make sure it is reading the correct temperature? The manual should have a chart for ohm vs. temp readings.
  • Danscrew
    Danscrew Member Posts: 130
    I checked the sensor with a Thermometer outside it is working fine. Not sure how many OHM sensor they use
  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
    Rich said:

    Another giant that is leading in the race to the bottom .

    I can see that you just don't appreciate how smart those Captains of American Industry are.

    I thought I read that Weil-McLain turned all of their Tech Support over to their reps. That Weil-McLain wasn't going to be doing Tech Support.

    They want another layer in insulation between their mistakes and their customers. The Professionals. Homeowners and Non-Professional DIY'ers can't be calling and annoying their engineers over their mistakes. That's now the job for Rep's like Emerson Swan.

    j a_2
  • RobG
    RobG Member Posts: 1,850
    Allot of manufacturers do it that way now, you call the rep, and if he or she can't answer your question they will call tech support and get back to you. In these days of big distribution centers the rep has to earn his money somehow. I know allot of reps that I trust more than factory folks any day.
  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,766
    Ice ,

    As far as reps go and performing Tech support if that agency must be anyone I would prefer ES over all others . Are you inferring that ES reps WM ? If so , I believe you are mistaken , ES does not and as far as I know has not ever represented WM products . Kudos to ES also for dumping AOS and picking up a true industry leader in manufacturing by replacing AOS with HTP .
    Just for the record . You are correct , I do not like how all of these supply chain / manufacturer relationships have evolved . Avoiding as much nonsense as possible and using proven products and lessening the effect of this BS is why I choose what I choose .
    You didn't get what you didn't pay for and it will never be what you thought it would .
    Langans Plumbing & Heating LLC
    732-751-1560
    Serving most of New Jersey, Eastern Pa .
    Consultation, Design & Installation anywhere
    Rich McGrath 732-581-3833
    AlCorelliNYj a_2
  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
    Rich:

    Who is Rep'ing Weil-McLain now? Somewhere I saw that they weren't going to be doinf Technical Support like they had before.

    There was a recent shift there. Maybe they dropped AO Smith and took on something else. I don't know. I saw something in PHCC-Progress about it. And someone I know moved there to ES. I never had any issues with ES. I never had any issues with ANY TS I ever called.

    I completely understand the reasons why. Some people doing installs and having problems, have absolutely no idea what they are doing when it comes to service or issues. They act like it is their work truck. Just turn the key. If it doesn't run, call the ramp truck and have the dealer decide and fix it.

    Whenever I called tech Support, it was after everything else had been covered. No "Is the power switch on?" for this old dog.
    AlCorelliNYj a_2
  • Tinman
    Tinman Member Posts: 2,808
    I don't know how other Chicagoland contractors feel but I think our local manufacturer's reps are awesome. Lyall, Thresher & Associates, RC Sales, and Bornquist.
    Steve Minnich
  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,766
    Some are better than others Stephen . Guess we are lucky enough to deal with the better ones .
    You didn't get what you didn't pay for and it will never be what you thought it would .
    Langans Plumbing & Heating LLC
    732-751-1560
    Serving most of New Jersey, Eastern Pa .
    Consultation, Design & Installation anywhere
    Rich McGrath 732-581-3833
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    I would classify the majority of our reps as ranging from good to great, but I really resent being blocked from contacting a manufacturer's engineering department when we really need that.

    Rheem, are you listening?
    icesailor
  • Paul Pollets
    Paul Pollets Member Posts: 3,656
    That's one of the reasons I deal with Viessmann. They have access to the technical behind the products, and usually listen. Notice I say "usually", because all products and companies have their issues.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,583
    Did this change happen recently?
    I talked to WM's tech support in 2011 and was surprised they were willing to talk to me. Burnham at the time basically told me to go scratch.

    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    Jean-David Beyer
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    WM tech support has always treated me like complete garbage. I've got no time for that.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,583
    JStar said:

    WM tech support has always treated me like complete garbage. I've got no time for that.

    When it comes to steam, who is your company of choice for support? Slant fin?
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    j a_2
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    ChrisJ said:

    JStar said:

    WM tech support has always treated me like complete garbage. I've got no time for that.

    When it comes to steam, who is your company of choice for support? Slant fin?
    Myself. We use Peerless a lot, but they are impossible to get a hold of on the phone.
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356

    That's one of the reasons I deal with Viessmann. They have access to the technical behind the products, and usually listen.

    I can say the same about both Triangle Tube and Lochinvar. If I come across a really tough problem, I know who to call -- and I know they will run the issue to ground. They know that if I am calling them it is likely to be something they should know about. We used to call this a business relationship. Now it's become something extraordinary.
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    I generally stuck with a small handful of products..The product you install,like it or not,is a direct reflection on you…I can’t think of to many manufactures that have not been slammed on this or any other forum…If the install is by the book or above and when you leave you are proud of your work,and the owner is happy its all good…Then one day it shuts down and starts a series of issues, Mr.Happy home owner is now not happy….You on the other hand did a perfect install…The owner then starts a little googling, he comes upon a site that slams the manf. of your chosen product…Now your perfect job, is crap,in the owners eyes…Cold house,no hot water, can’t say I blame him…You just can’t win sometimes…I believe if you do slam a manufacture you should be 100 percent sure its there fault….and if it is there fault and the do not honor and support then they should be slammed and on the s..t list….Just like the crappy installers get..
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Guess I should clarify my comment about Rheem. The new furnaces are fantastic, but I simply can not get answers to a couple of basic questions. As a result, I currently can't specify them for several jobs.
  • Bob Bona_4
    Bob Bona_4 Member Posts: 2,083
    Last week. New client calls for routine service of a Buderus GB142. Though I like Buderus stuff despite some maddening quirks and have been installing them 15 plus years, am Blue Flame certified, I would NEVER install an aluminum block boiler of any make.

    So, I call the boys up in Londonderry, to inquire about any anticipated gaskets etc so at the end of the call, the client has a functioning boiler again. Hit the wrong button and get "customer service". Oh well, they will send me over to tech. Wrong. First woman wants to start a case history, won't transfer me over and eventually hangs up on me. Call back, ask for call supervisor. Get same run around, won't transfer me despite me establishing my credentials, again. Hang up. Call tech direct. Am explained that the women are the "front line" (love the military reference, really people oriented) and they are there to weed out the chaff.

    Nice.
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    We employed 50+ support agents at a former company. I fully understand the need to screen the more expensive level 2 & 3 support staff from clueless customers. If you can figure out who is clueful and allow them access to the right resources, things tend to work better.
  • Bob Bona_4
    Bob Bona_4 Member Posts: 2,083
    That's understandable to a degree. But when you stick to a script despite a human explicitly directing their attention to a list of registered factory certified techs and installers, something is grotesquely wrong and it is no longer customer service.

    Especially when you can jump right over them by selecting the right phone extension.
    RobG
  • RobG
    RobG Member Posts: 1,850
    Bob Bona said:

    That's understandable to a degree. But when you stick to a script despite a human explicitly directing their attention to a list of registered factory certified techs and installers, something is grotesquely wrong and it is no longer customer service.



    Especially when you can jump right over them by selecting the right phone extension.

    That's where a good rep firm is invaluable (and they are usually in your time zone). However a bad rep firm just makes the situation worse.
  • Jean-David Beyer
    Jean-David Beyer Member Posts: 2,666
    I am just a homeowner, not a professional heating expert.
    I have a W-M Ultra-3 boiler installed by a company that used to have a good reputation. Because of the installing company's mistake, condensate from the vent pipe got into the electronics control board. It was easy to find the board under water, but difficult to find where the water was coming from. My new contractor dried the board out and we tried it and it worked. But he was dissatisfied to leave it that way (fortunately). He said he would charge a lot of money sitting around and watching for more water to appear, and I could do it pretty much for free. But I did not find the source of the water either. The techie called the W-M rep and he came over. We all looked and found where the water was coming from.

    That rep said he could not let us run that boiler with an electronics control board that had been under water. Reasonable. But in a great demonstration of customer relations, he gave me a brand new electronics board for free, and asked me to return the old one to a local wholesaler where they had an arrangement to sent it back to W-M. I do not know if they repair those things, or if they just want to be sure that they do not get re-used. I understand that those control boards are very expensive.
    ChrisJ
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Hopefully, your system into working good...this site is not about costs. Coming here for voluntary assistance to help is fine ....suggest find some other site for the pricing stuff
  • Sailah
    Sailah Member Posts: 826
    icesailor said:

    Rich:

    Who is Rep'ing Weil-McLain now? Somewhere I saw that they weren't going to be doinf Technical Support like they had before.

    I believe Sweeney Rogers is the WM rep in New England and upstate New York.

    Peter Owens
    SteamIQ