Dangerous fault simply refunded

[meoldnick]

To whom do I report a dangerous fault in a gas burner? As I have simply been refunded and asked to send the unit back. When I tried to reply to Ebay's email  ebay  @   ebay.  com it was bounced.

Recently I bought an LPG gas burner, used for localised heating and hand held. I bought it to replace a Bernzomatic unit that I had owned for several years until one day it burned my hand because gas leaked out  near the trigger on the handle, and then ignited.

When I tried this unit I thought I could hear hissing as soon as I opened the gas valve on the unit, But stopped very quickly and did not recur in the minute or so that I used the new burner. But then when I used it again it hissed and continued to for several seconds until I closed the main valve. I did not try to ignite the burner for obvious reasons.

Thanks for any help.

Nick

[*sons_and_daughters*]

I'm guessing you bought it from a Chinese seller? Check their feedback page to see where they are registered because that's probably where it came from. If you have been refunded, throw the item in the bin, because if it's a shonky knock off, your insurance won't cover you should your house burn down (which can be a major issue with cheap Chinese knock offs).

If they want the item back, they need to send you a postage label. If they can't/don't because of location, then they need to physically send you the funds for postage to get it back. DO NOT send back at your own expense because you won't get that money refunded, regardless of what the seller or ebay says. 

How long ago did you buy the burner? Do you have an item number for the listing?

[jellybirddesigns]

Buying on Ebay can be fraught with risk, especially electronics and fuel based items. There are so many knockoffs and many items are just cobbled together cheaply in China with no thought as to expected standards.

There are no warranties either unless your seller is located within Australia AND an authorised seller of said item (the vast majority of items on Ebay will therefore never have a valid warranty).

But in terms of your issue - you must never be out of pocket for an item that is defective or not as described. If the seller wants it back, they must issue you with a label (if Australian registered) or send the postage funds upfront (if overseas registered). Please do not post it anywhere at your expense. Since you have been refunded, it would be best to safely dispose of it and not send something dangerous through the mail system.

You can see where is a seller is registered by looking at their feedback page (usually in the "About" section), but even if they are based in Australia, they could be drop shipping or stocking cheap Chinese junk.

Why not buy from a reputable store? You might pay a bit more, but you will get a warranty and better quality products.

LOL - Snap @sons_and_daughters

[papermoon.lady]

I think the OP bought the item from a seller in Australia based on the fb he received, although it could be another item and the seller could still get their items from China.

[springyzone]

I looked at meoldnick's last feedback left for others and there was a positive statement but saying whatever it was had not been tested. That was bought from a Chinese seller, so I am wondering if that could be the item.

meoldnick, I don't think there is anywhere you can report it. It isn't much use contacting ebay and saying an item is unsafe as how is ebay supposed to judge? They are not in the job of quality control or inspection.

As far as they know, it could be a one off defective item and as long as you've been refunded, ebay would consider its job done.

If the item is direct from China, it probably doesn't conform to Australian standards. If a shop here hoped to import a lot of them, maybe they wouldn't make it through customs, I don't know. Yours got through but if the seller is in China then that seller has probably done nothing illegal according to Chinese law and you can't touch them from here anyway.

If you have been refunded, then you have the power to do whatever you want with the unit you bought.

Personally, if I believed a unit was dangerous, I would not be returning it to a seller unless they really seemed concerned and wanted  to examine it for faults. 

[springyzone]

By way of PS. If by chance that last feedback left was for the defective item, it could be a good idea to write a follow up statement about the safety or otherwise of the item. Just as a warning to other buyers. 

[gutterpunkz05]

So apart from a hissing noise, which may or not be normal, what is the fault, have you checked for leaks.

[papermoon.lady]

Yes, that could also be the item. I was looking at one of the 3 feedbacks the OP received in the past month. Now I looked again and there is another seller (out of the 3) who sells gas burners - and this one is in China, so maybe the OP should tell us more... I thought after being lucky with the first hit that was the seller, but another seller from China has left fb for the OP in the past month, and he sells gas burners too + the fb left by the OP, so we really cannot know for sure if the OP does not come back and lets us know.

[springyzone]

That's exactly right, papermoon. It would help to know the item number.

Unless the item was bought in Australia, it's not going to be much general use submitting the item anywhere for testing. It's hard for us to know online if it was a one off defective unit or a design fault.

[meoldnick · Accepted solution]

OK. Thanks for the replies. Sorry I have not come back earlier. I did not know I had received so many, or any at all.

The item was Australian-sourced,but yes it is a Chinese piece of gear. The Aust seller refunded me and I was provided with a return ticket for it. But when I said I wanted to check into it, there was an immediate offer to bring it in to what turned out to be a local outlet in Perth, so that it could be checked.

However, I cannot repeat the fault. The unit does not leak. It was such a surprise that I am wondering if I was imagining things.

Three things:

- the vendor has been more then wiling to help to see what is going on

- the one that burnt my hand was not a Chinese knock-off, but a genuine Bernzomatic unit!

- I m not going to jump up and down about investigating, as I cannot repeat the problem.

So. Thanks again. My apologies all round.

Nick