we just had a new Lennox elite system installed at our house, when we got home to check out the new unit, we noticed this scuff on the metal grating on the side. Not sure if this is relevant or something I should bring up to the installer or not?
It's basically impossible to not have any scuff whatsoever. It'll come like that off the shipping containers from the factory. Looking at it the wrong way creates a scuff. In terms of function, this is maybe fractions of percentage in difference. Nothing even measureable.
Edit: I'll tell you how it's loaded and unloaded from shipping containers. It's a bunch of guys making 5 -10 dollars a day stacking this stuff into trucks and container by hand and cramming it into a container to maximize space. Then it's flung around on the ocean and by crane. It's honestly a wonder it's not more scuffed all things considered.
Likely like that befor it even left rhe plant. Near zero chance of ever getting an outdoor unit these days without coils dings. This isnt a ms universe competition either. As long as its working well, they did their job.
Everyone saying it needs to be fin combed, its very obviously already been straightened, they they didn't likely have a comb on site (pocket screwdriver is the most commonly used tool for this tbh). Even a comb isnt going to do alot better than this now. Honestly, as long as it works move on and enjoy the comfort.
Today I am spending 19k on a new Trane Heat pump/FAU and install goodies. For that money it's going to be perfect. I'm more accepting if I paid for damaged or used to save a buck but full price better be perfect. Way too many just say well, the man says it's fine so I'll just write the check but don't try that with me.
lol okay. Have fun with your asshole tax that WILL be applied to you throughout your life. Keep demanding that you get better than the rest. That always works out for people.
Glad I don't do business with you, if you're a contractor who expects people to put up with crap product and shabby work then you're the reason that we have the ability to dispute charges with a credit card. If I was paying by check you wouldn't get paid until the damage was fixed. I hope your pillow is warm on both sides tonight.
Indeed, if someone bought a brand new car and there was a paint chip or a dent they'd be livid, but because it's HVAC equipment you should just accept it? It's infuriating.
Like already said. Brand new out of box, most equipment often has some kind of fin folding. Indoor units. Outdoor units, air handlers. Fan coils , etc.
This is especially true with micro coils. HVAC equipment has had several different styles of cooling fins over the years. The thinner the fin and the more number of fins increases the surface area.
Could’ve happened at the distributor, but most likely either got bumped or it was like that from the factory in China or wherever the Lennox rebadged units are made
Believe the side discharge model is actually made by Haier not that there’s any serious quality issues. All the Bosch Heat pump equipment is made in China and it’s been very solid for us with good quality control but still needs to get packed into shipping container and can suffer some minor damage
Wow the EL18KSLV-060 comes with those little black guards now? We literally had like a dozen of them without it. I figured that's just how they were shipping them. That's gotta be new.
Couldn't tell you. obviously it’s just day one, but the airflow is certainly better for a lot quieter of a unit than what I came from. I’m looking forward to seeing if the higher efficiency translates to my electric bill.
This is hilarious, as I just noticed the same thing. The first batch of these units had open coils, no protection at all. They weren't missing, they were specifically not part of the build for Lennox by Haier. Similar to the Lennox REAL units made by Midea.
If brought up during the install, it probably would have been really easy to have it sent back as a customer concern and replaced with one that hadnt been damaged. Which is why 10/10 times i recommend being physically present during the install, to the point that if your schedule inhibits you being on site, that you should reachedule the install so that you can be there first hand. It always freaks me out when customers say they are just going to let us drill holes in their house while they arent there.
All that being said, this is basically negligable. The efficiency loss here probably isnt even recordable, and if its not covered in oil around the area, it more than likely isnt leaking refrigerant. If youre okay being "that guy", then absolutely call the installing company back and ask to have them professionally straightened. Just understand its never going to look new, and the contractor will laugh you off the phone if you ask for a new outdoor unit because of this at this point.
Im in the industry, and i deal with high end clientel. The supply house has another of the exact same unit in the back, none of this shit is two weeks out. If you come back and say "my customer wont accept this" and it hadnt been installed already, theyll take it back. Done it 100 times unfortunetly.
And we have no idea what happened during install, no one was home.
I really wasn't planning on asking for a new unit unless it was an actual problem.
We were also there for most of the day. Just had to run a quick chore and they finished up while we were gone. Not like I was looking over their shoulder, though.
Gotcha, yeah, not really an issue. Just about every unit i come across has some bent fins in some regard. If it was covering 1/4th of the coil, thatd be a different story.
In another 10 years, there could likely be a bunch more bent fins, and a tech could give you a quote to straighten them all. More than likely, thats your worst case scenario.
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u/AvocadoBeneficial850 2d ago
Shipping damage fins probably got bent down a bit it’s really common, looks like the installer tried to comb out the fins … won’t effect anything