The Worst AC I have ever seen. Review on TCL Split Air Conditioner

The worst split type of AC I have seen. It is from a newcomer company named TCL. I never never recommend anyone to buy any product from this company, especially the AC which has probabl design defect. Please read on and you will understand yourself. I have purchased a 1.5ton split TCL air-conditioner, model no: TAC-18CS/H on 07th June, 2005, from their following dealer in Krishnanagar City, West Bengal, India. The local dealer convinced me to buy TCL AC against Voltas, by showing catalogs, press release and a lot of other TCL media kits. I paid him in full through local check and cash the same day and received the AC. The next day, his people installed it in my room.

Due to some technical reason, the same was unable to cool a 160 sq. ft. room effectively, and I called a technician who visited from Kolkata office on 14th June, 2005 and unable to rectify the problem. On some peculiar assumption, he reported finally the machine is okay, which I challenged. He failed to prove the fact mathematically. On a general observation, the machined failed to bring down the room temperature effectively even after more than one hour continuous running. After this neither the above mentioned local dealer nor their Kolkata service station is attempting to rectify the actual problem, instead they are visiting the place at their wish and forcing to believe me that the machine is OK.

I challenged their Kolkata technician that I can prove mathematically that the machine is not at all producing cooling anything close to 18KBTU/hr, in fact much lesser. Still nothing happened. Then I decided to write an email directly to Mr. Mr. Richie Liu of TCL Corporation, 16/F, Area B TCL Tower, Gaoxin Nan Yi Rd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, PRC-518057 telling him all the story. He then immediately informed his Kolkata office on 15th June to take a look after the matter, and Mr Anjan Dutta, who is the branch service manager in Kolkata, called me and I described him the problem.

He assured me a to replace the defective AC quickly and in about 10 days time, he visited my place personally with two other perosons with a new AC. His own techinician then took out the defective one and replaced it with a new system. It was completely box packed with factory sela and tape intact, brought directly from Kolkata to Krishnanagar.

I am pretty sure the AC is never opened before. During installation of the first AC by local dealer, it was NOT installed properly. They have not even made a vaccuam in the connecting pipes and the joints were also poor. I told the Kolkata tech everything who then installed the AC with great care and technically everything was OK to the best of my knowledge I gathered from Internet. Unfortunately, this time also the AC did not work properly.

The interesting part is that, they have realized it themselves and told me that the AC is not working at-all. During all this, they visited my place about 3-4 times but can't even figure out the problem. The 1.5T AC was unable to bring down room temperature of a 155 sq. ft. room to below 26 degree celsius even after continious run of 3 and half hours, when the outside temp. was 31 degrees. Amazing. The AC did not trip in 3.5 hours time. Later, after so many investigation done by them over a couple of days, they were unable to rectify the problem, and Mr. Anjan Dutta assured me a sale return. And he went back to his office in Kolkata. After that I called him many times for the sale return, he directed me to contact the local dealer from whom I have purchased the AC, and I tried to call the local dealer 3 times. I called his shop, a people told me that he is not available. I left a message to contact me when he returnes, but he did not contact me. Next day I was able to contact him to his mobile phone and he told that he is outstation, please call at night, and I called again at night, his mobile was switched off.

Failing to contact the local dealer, I have again called Mr. Anjan Dutta, and he told again that the dealer is responsible for refund etc..etc.. Please do not involve me in any further matter etc. etc... Then the case is taken over by Mr. Rajesh Khanna on 25th July, who is Sr Manager, TCL India Holdings Pvt Ltd, Kolkata. He assured me the sale return and the AC will be taken back by the local dealer. I then called the dealer and got a very rude reply. Their Kolkata office, and all other high officials were so gentlemaen, but the small local dealer behaves so rude. Still as he was on pressure from the company, he effectively took out the AC and tried to return me the full money.

But unfortunately, I discovered some fake 500 rupee note and refused to accept. He then assured me to replace them by that evening, and till today I did not received the replacement note. I sent one of my representative to that local dealer and he told he has refunded me in full. In conclusion, this TCL AC,which was replaced two times, did not able to cool down the room even after running continously for 3.5 hours non-stop. This will also cause compressor burnt out if runs day after day in this fashion. And it was unable to bring room temperature below 26 degree celsius.