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Equipment we supply is warranted against defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for the period stated on the applicable order acknowledgement. We handle the claim from first report to final remedy, so you deal with one point of contact throughout.
The warranty covers repair or replacement of the defective component at our option. Where a repair is practical it will usually be offered first; where it is not, a replacement component or complete unit is supplied. It does not extend to labor for removal or reinstallation, haul-out or dockage, loss of charter or production, or consequential damages.
What the Warranty Period Means
Unless the order acknowledgement states otherwise, the period runs from the date of shipment, not the date the vessel returns to service. If commissioning will be delayed significantly after delivery, say so at the time of order so the terms can reflect it. Repaired or replacement components carry the balance of the original warranty period, not a new one, unless the acknowledgement says otherwise.
Proper Application and Operating Conditions
A marine heat exchanger is warranted for the duty it was selected for. The engine rating, the fluids, the seawater source, the flow rates and the pressures stated on the order define that duty, and the warranty follows those conditions. Operating a unit above its stated ratings, running seawater through the shell side of a unit selected for tube-side seawater, or fitting it to a higher rated engine can all shorten equipment life and fall outside coverage.
If the installation changes after delivery - a repower to a higher rating, a move from open-ocean to brackish or chlorinated water, a new cleaning chemistry - contact us before the change goes into service. In many cases the existing unit is fine and we will confirm it; in others a zinc schedule, tube material or rating review protects both the equipment and the coverage.
Exclusions
Warranty does not apply to damage arising from operation outside the pressure and temperature conditions stated on the order, from corrosion or erosion caused by water or fluids other than those specified at the time of quotation, from freezing, water hammer or thermal shock beyond the stated design cases, or from zinc anodes left unreplaced.
It also does not apply to consumable items including gaskets and zinc anodes, to equipment modified without written agreement, or to damage caused by improper installation, commissioning or maintenance.
Common Exclusions Worth Knowing About
- Galvanic attack on tubes or tubesheet after the zinc anodes were consumed and not replaced. The damage pattern is unmistakable on inspection and the anodes are the least expensive part on the unit.
- Tube erosion caused by seawater velocity above the tube material's limit, usually after a raw water pump was upsized. Erosion thins the tube wall at the inlet end, and an identical replacement will fail the same way in the same time.
- Chloride pitting on stainless components in stagnant seawater during lay-up, where the unit was not drained or flushed.
- Gasket failure from over-compression, re-use of a used gasket, or exposure to a fluid the gasket material was not selected for.
- Freeze damage in equipment left full of seawater during winter lay-up.
Questions About Coverage?
If you are unsure whether a situation is covered, ask before it becomes a claim. A five minute call with the nameplate in front of you answers most questions on the spot: 1-805-484-2992.
Installation and Maintenance
Coverage assumes the equipment is installed, commissioned and maintained in line with ordinary good marine practice: the cooler supported on its brackets so it does not carry hose or pipe loads, seawater connected to the tube side, air vented at startup, zincs inspected on the interval the water demands, and the unit drained or flushed for lay-up.
Keeping simple records helps everyone. A note of the commissioning date, the engine rating, the seawater temperature at startup and the zinc change history makes a future claim faster to assess - and often turns a suspected equipment defect into a quick operational fix instead.
Making a Claim
Contact us with the part number and any serial number from the nameplate, the original order reference, a description of the fault and the operating conditions at the time it occurred. Photographs are usually helpful, particularly of tube ends, anode plugs and gasket faces where damage is visible.
Do not return equipment without authorization. We will advise whether inspection can be carried out aboard or whether the unit, bundle or component should be returned, and issue return instructions where a return is needed. Equipment returned without authorization may be refused, and freight on unauthorized returns is not covered.
What Happens Next
Claims are assessed against the order conditions and the physical evidence. Where the defect is covered, we coordinate the repair or replacement and keep you informed of the timeline. Where the damage points to an operating condition rather than a defect - consumed zincs, erosion, chemistry - we will tell you plainly what the evidence shows and what would prevent a repeat, and we can quote the repair on that basis.
Replacement Parts and Repairs
Replacement bundles, bonnets, gaskets and zinc anodes supplied outside a warranty claim carry the same defects-in-material-and-workmanship coverage as new equipment, for the period stated on their order acknowledgement. Using non-original parts does not void coverage on the rest of the unit, but any damage those parts cause is not covered - a bundle built to the wrong tube count or material, or an anode of the wrong alloy, is the usual example.
When ordering a replacement part years after the original purchase, the part number and serial number from the nameplate are the fastest route to an exact match, including tube material and pass arrangement.
Limitations
The remedies described here - repair or replacement of the defective component - are the exclusive remedies under the warranty. To the extent permitted by law, no other warranty applies, express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose beyond the duty stated on the order. Liability is limited to the purchase price of the equipment concerned.
Warranty coverage applies to the original purchaser and is not transferable unless the order acknowledgement states otherwise. Nothing on this page overrides the terms on the applicable order acknowledgement, which govern in the event of a difference.
