Purchased used Kessil light - Would You Guys Be Happy With This?

[Fish Fan]

Hey guys! I buy A LOT of my gear used on the R2R marketplace, and I have never had an issue at all. But recently I purchased a used Kessil A360we and mounting arm, and I'm genuinely not happy with what I received. I'd like to put in for a PayPal refund, but I did want to see what others here thought, maybe I'm over reacting?

When I first saw the other member's post, he had lots of gear for sale. He listed the Kessil light without a pic (and now I think I know why) but said he'd post a pic if anyone was interested. I replied right away and asked for a pic, and he did post one, and I mean it seemed OK to me in the photos. He told me the light was used for three years and it would include the flex mount.

But the light was just delivered, and in my opinion it's hammered. I believe the seller should have listed this light as "fair" condition, and elaborated further on its condition and the condition of the mount, and he did not.

I mean, this light is so caked in dust, it looks like he ran it in a woodworking shop. The pics here are AFTER I spent about ten minutes trying to clean the light up a little, to largely no avail. I don't think for one minute that this light is 3 years old, I have 5 year old Kessils that look better than this light. To be fair, the light does seem to work, but it looks like crap, don't want it on my tank, and with all the dust I have zero confidence that this light will last for me at all.

And the mount is again "fair" to "poor" condition at best. It's not only filthy, but it's incomplete. It has only one of the two screws to mount it, and it's missing those white things for the mount, I don't know what they are called. But there's no way to use this mount, it would absolutely damage a rimless tank.

Just typing that all out make me want to put in for a PayPal return, but this would be the first and only time I've had a problem like this. What do you guys think?

 

[Fish Fan]

Again, keep in mind this is AFTER I tried to clean the light a little.

 

[Fish Fan]

And here’s the mount. Notice it’s missing almost all the hardware to mount it.

 

[Fish Fan]

One last thing, but the title of the seller's for sale post was "Used HIGH-END equipment". There's nothing high-end here, in my opinion.

 

[Fish Fan]

Even the power supply is filthy, all the plugs are badly corroded.

 

[I never finish anythi]

Looks like it was over a hamster cage . Absolutely stinking. The nerve to even sell something so dirty looking. I'd contact them directly and explain to them you want a refund. If that fails I'd contact PayPal .

 

[JTP424]

I'm 50/50.
The note about high-end, I don't know if a Kessil falls under that, but, it is about a bunch of equipment, if it was just the light I'd raise a red flag.
It definitely should have been cleaned a bit more... but it is used.... anddd I think it depends on how much of a "used discount" you got.
Looks like it was WELL used for three years.
If I was selling it, I would not sell it in that condition. If I was buying it, I would expect the condition it's in as a WORST case scenario.
The missing hardware is kinda poopy though, skimmer poopy.

I think I have the straight arm for the kessil if you want it! honestly I'd give it to you for shipping cost.

 

[Fish Fan]

I'm 50/50.
The note about high-end, I don't know if a Kessil falls under that, but, it is about a bunch of equipment, if it was just the light I'd raise a red flag.
It definitely should have been cleaned a bit more... but it is used.... anddd I think it depends on how much of a "used discount" you got.
Looks like it was WELL used for three years.
If I was selling it, I would not sell it in that condition. If I was buying it, I would expect the condition it's in as a WORST case scenario.
The missing hardware is kinda poopy though, skimmer poopy.

I think I have the straight arm for the kessil if you want it! honestly I'd give it to you for shipping cost.

Thank you for the reply and offer, but I do have other mounts. I’m also not saying that Kessil is a high-end brand name, but I think the title of the post would make one think that this light is at least good condition. Good condition to me is worst case scenario. This is believe is fair condition at best.

I also get that it’s used, that’s kind of why I’m asking here, but I have bought and sold a lot of things here and on eBay, and I would never have sold this light without disclosing it’s condition.

It’s hard to photograph, but the dust goes right into the light itself. There’s no way this was used for only three years in a typical home environment. It was absolutely encased within dust when I got it, I should have taken a pic right away, but I thought hey, it’s used, I’ll try to clean it.

And honestly the mount alone I think makes my case. The mount was part of the deal, and it’s entirely unusable. Don’t you think the seller should have disclosed that the hardware was missing?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

have you reached out to them? i guess thats the first place i would start

 

[Fish Fan]

have you reached out to them? i guess thats the first place i would start

my first place too, but not yet, I wanted to get some replies here first.

 

[JTP424]

Thank you for the reply and offer, but I do have other mounts. I’m also not saying that Kessil is a high-end brand name, but I think the title of the post would make one think that this light is at least good condition. Good condition to me is worst case scenario. This is believe is fair condition at best.

I also get that it’s used, that’s kind of why I’m asking here, but I have bought and sold a lot of things here and on eBay, and I would never have sold this light without disclosing it’s condition.

It’s hard to photograph, but the dust goes right into the light itself. There’s no way this was used for only three years in a typical home environment. It was absolutely encased within dust when I got it, I should have taken a pic right away, but I thought hey, it’s used, I’ll try to clean it.

And honestly the mount alone I think makes my case. The mount was part of the deal, and it’s entirely unusable. Don’t you think the seller should have disclosed that the hardware was missing?

Yup. The missing hardware pushes it over the edge in all honesty. Everything else is RIGHT on the edge of along the lines of "gotcha!" but not a dealbreaker. If that makes sense
I.E. I'm in your corner

 

[F i s h y]

i would be disappointed as well in receiving this light. The mount is definetly a let down. As it is unusable in its current state.

The good news about the light is that you can actually take the light apart and clean it thoroughly and it will work really well for a long time. I used kessils for years and took them completely apart 2 times a year to clean. There is a really good you tube video out there about it, and i can look for a link if you want.
EDIT* for the record you shouldnt have to take it apart the seller should have*

I would ask for a partial refund since the light works, but i would definitely be asking for something.

 

[JayM]

My happiness would be entirely dictated by the price vs. new. If it's a $350 light that I paid $100 for, I'd probably be ok with it. If I paid $200, my happiness would be exponentially less.

 

[Fish Fan]

Thanks for all the replies and opinions, I appreciate the help!

I paid $175, I believe.

 

[Fish Fan]

i would be disappointed as well in receiving this light. The mount is definetly a let down. As it is unusable in its current state.

The good news about the light is that you can actually take the light apart and clean it thoroughly and it will work really well for a long time. I used kessils for years and took them completely apart 2 times a year to clean. There is a really good you tube video out there about it, and i can look for a link if you want.
EDIT* for the record you shouldnt have to take it apart the seller should have*

I would ask for a partial refund since the light works, but i would definitely be asking for something.

Thanks for the suggestions! I thought of that, but I no longer have an air compressor to blow the dust out. And just kind of feel like the buyer should have done that first, or described it accurately.

I’m telling you guys, if you saw how it looked when I first opened the box…..

And the missing hardware again I think makes my case.

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Looks like it was over a hamster cage . Absolutely stinking. The nerve to even sell something so dirty looking. I'd contact them directly and explain to them you want a refund. If that fails I'd contact PayPal .

Right?!?! How can some people think it's OK to sell that?? Wow..

 

[JayM]

Thanks for all the replies and opinions, I appreciate the help!

I paid $175, I believe.

That would put me in the, "I'm not happy, but not gonna send it back" territory.

 

[Coral Your World]

“I replied right away and asked for a pic, and he did post one, and I mean it seemed OK to me in the photos”

Do you have the photo he/she posted? Does it look anything like what you received?

 

[IceNein]

In my opinion if I were going to sell a reef light, for the kind of money our lights go for, even used, I would spend some time cleaning it before I shipped it out.

If it was in pretty rough condition, I'd probably cut my losses and not sell it. I would be fine giving away a light in that condition.

 

[Fish Fan]

Right?!?! How can some people think it's OK to sell that?? Wow..

Again, if you saw what it looked like out of the box today, but my first reaction was that I bought a used light, and this is what I got. But the more I looked and tried to clean it, and then when I saw the mount. I’m leaning towards asking for a full refund, I’d be glad to send it back to the seller at my expense.