Unhappy with autotopoff.com purchase

Megalodon · #1 02-25-2011, 12:37 AM

I purchased a "single nana switch" from autotopoff.com and received it today.

The drilled holes are sloppy and don't match up. They're off both vertically and horizontally. I'm not very happy with this as I will have to drill my own hole which will be so close to the next hole that it could break through. Plus I also have to find a drill to borrow now.

All I can do is put one of the zap straps on which allows it to move at an angle despite how tight I pull it. See pictures.

The shipping cost was $21.95 to me in Vancouver, which I thought was a lot, but hoped that maybe it was justified. When I open the box it's mostly filled with scrunched-up newspaper. A box a third of the size (or even a quarter of the size) would have done, thus saving me shipping cost.

This is the box it came in with the switch on top of it. For comparison, to the left of it is the 12 LED package I received from RapidLED.

golf nut · #2 02-25-2011, 12:43 AM

It is likely that you only need one screw to hold it in position, by having the holes in both entities you can get a greater degree of adjustment as to where to place it relative to the water surface.

wingedfish · #3 02-25-2011, 01:37 AM

All for a $2 ebay float switch and a cord. I just got 10 of those floats for $20 but i didn't know someone was in business building and fleecing customers with them. hope he doesn't have a patent....

Megalodon · #4 02-25-2011, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingedfish

All for a $2 ebay float switch and a cord. I just got 10 of those floats for $20 but i didn't know someone was in business building and fleecing customers with them. hope he doesn't have a patent....

I doubt it. For the $80 I spent he can't even drill straight.

Bloodasp · #5 02-25-2011, 06:05 AM

Made my own. $5 for 2 float switches, $20 for the pump, $15 for the relay. Transformer and everything else recycled from old hardware I had lying around.

wingedfish · #6 02-25-2011, 02:05 PM

I skipped the relay an used an aqualifter which draws practically nothing.

Megalodon · #7 02-25-2011, 11:37 PM

I emailed, Paul said I had to mail it back to them and they'd refund the purchase price, meaning I'd be out $21.95 X 2 = $43.90.

He also said I don't really need to put the zip ties through the holes, I can just wrap them around the two pieces and pull it tight. That doesn't seem stable enough for me. There should be nylon screws with aligned holes IMO.

no_bs · #8 02-26-2011, 12:02 AM

Try Oceanic Corals, i bet they have something. Worth checking them out.

Bloodasp · #9 02-26-2011, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingedfish

I skipped the relay an used an aqualifter which draws practically nothing.

I have this uneasy feeling about about ac current and water mixing specially for something that's a diy and not hemetically sealed. Which is why I used a relay to isolate it.

Megalodon · #10 02-26-2011, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no_bs

Try Oceanic Corals, i bet they have something. Worth checking them out.

Hey, I love your user ID "no bs" haha.

I checked them out and they don't have anything listed under auto topoffs but thanks for the suggestion I'll keep them in mind next time I'm shopping online. Cheers.