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Thread ID: 150852 2022-08-26 21:09:00 Homeowner accuses installer of buying 'rubbish' Chinese wind turbines piroska (17583) PC World Chat
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1488013 2022-08-26 21:09:00 www.nzherald.co.nz
Marcel and Sandra Hannon had just built their dream Waikato home in 2018 but were left shivering through a cold winter with limited heating.

The problem was an off-grid power system the Hannons paid more than $40,000 for but which generated barely any electricity, he says.

Marcel accuses installation company LZ Lighting's owner Liberio Riosa of buying "rubbish" wind turbines from a Chinese website and installing them at his home near Cambridge for a premium price.

Designed to produce up to 1000 watts per hour each, the turbines instead maxed out at around 250 watts in high winds, Marcel claims.

Riosa told the Herald he could not comment. But a Disputes Tribunal hearing has ordered Riosa to pay $30,000 for the failed products, while the Sustainable Energy Association of NZ has confirmed it "terminated" Riosa's membership.

The Hannons' troubles started when LZ Lighting installed the wind turbines on their property in 2018, yet it took until February this year before they won their Disputes Tribunal ruling against the company.

In the months since, LZ Lighting has failed to pay the $30,000 in compensation.


Owner Riosa continues to advertise the sale of similar wind turbines and solar panels through another company he operates called Dynamic Energy.

Marcel says he and his wife decided to buy an off-grid electricity set-up for their new-build home on the family's "windy" farm, near Cambridge, because - at their remote location - its pricing was similar to the main power grid's connection fee.

But immediately after the turbines were installed, they failed to work efficiently, Marcel says.

Engineer Paul Botha from Roaring40s Wind Power, who consults on large wind farms, told Marcel that based on his calculations the turbines would likely produce only a quarter of the claimed 1000 watts per hour output.

That was because the ability of the turbines' "sails" to catch wind was so poor, Botha said.
He also noted a safety risk because the turbines were rusting just two years after installation.

The Hannons ultimately paid $42,646.81 of the $53,308.51 quoted by LZ Lighting, after refusing to make a final payment when they discovered the turbines didn't work.

Disputes Tribunal referee Sara Grayson backed Marcel's claims, finding Riosa engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by selling turbines that did not work as advertised.

She ordered Riosa to pay the Hannons the maximum compensation amount possible in the Disputes Tribunal of $30,000.11374
piroska (17583)
1488014 2022-08-29 01:36:00 Buy quality and you only cry once. Agent_24 (57)
1488015 2022-08-29 03:44:00 ....In the months since, LZ Lighting has failed to pay the $30,000 in compensation....

As an aside, this is the major problem with the Disputes Tribunal - some people simply refuse to pay and it becomes a major headache for people to get the judgement enforced.
decibel (11645)
1488016 2022-08-29 06:48:00 As an aside, this is the major problem with the Disputes Tribunal - some people simply refuse to pay and it becomes a major headache for people to get the judgement enforced.

unfortunately thats all to common because they know the courts are to weak to throw them in jail.
also many businesses are in whatever industry to make a big profit, not to do a good job. common in a lot of greenie related industries, all talk and no results.
tweak'e (69)
1488017 2022-08-29 07:17:00 The court can send in the bailiff if necessary, mucky business though.

Ken
kenj (9738)
1488018 2022-08-31 11:51:00 There was nothing wrong with the machines we supplied; the client used substandard wind. Of course it failed to perform R2x1 (4628)
1488019 2022-08-31 21:47:00 There was nothing wrong with the machines we supplied; the client used substandard wind. Of course it failed to perform

Was the wind made in China too?
Agent_24 (57)
1488020 2022-08-31 23:24:00 "There was nothing wrong with the machines we supplied; the client used substandard wind. Of course it failed to perform"

LOL R2x1
zqwerty (97)
1488021 2022-09-01 00:13:00 Was the wind made in China too?

It was Lucas Finest English Stationary Stationary wind. (Pat.Pend.) :waughh:

;)
R2x1 (4628)
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