Heki Rooflight jammed

[flicka]

Our Heki Midi or Heki 3 plus ? Rooflight has jammed on the offside.

It has a crank handle with both Flyscreen & Blind.

 

The crank handle turns & starts to raise the nearside & then stops as the offside becomes stiff.

There appears to be a wire strap which connects the crank handle to the lift mechanism, but I have been unable to get my fingers in the gap.

 

Has anyone managed to dismantle these & if so, I would appreciate any advise on the procedure.

 

[onecal]

Hi Flicka,

Yes you can but be careful, you can lift off the grill like pieces and then un screw the cover and winder which will drop down exposing the arms. It is a slow job but drops down easly you can then access the mechanism which you should wipe clean and spray some silicon oil on it which should help. make sure none gets on the blinds. /files/repair_heki_3plus.pdf

Hope this helps,

Brendan

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi Flika, I had the same problem and managed to download a full diagram from Heike website and printed it out.

 

Unfortunately I cant remember the web address, but a google search should throw it up.

 

The problem stems from a poor finish on the nose of the catches which snag as the light begins to rise, and I had to carefully file the nose of the nearside catch to ease the release and improve the taper.

In order to release the light to gain acces I managed to use a very small probe (screwdriver to manually release the catch as the mechanism started to lift the light, in order to gain access to get at the latch itself.. The more you wind the handle to try to force the roof open, the tighter the latch becomes and wont release..

 

A spot of lubrication helps, but I still had to resort to some careful filing to reshape the latch.

 

Dismantling was relatively easy, but reassembling was rather more awkward due to unwanted effects of gravity. The dropped bits seemed to disappear into oblivion as well, so do take care and I suggest a sheet or something similar to catch the small screws etc.

 

Hope you manage to get it sorted.

 

tonyg3nwl

 

[flicka]

Thanks for your comments Brendan & Tony, which I'll take on board.

I had been searching the Dometic site for info without success.

 

Now managed to locate Installation instructione here:-

http://www.leisurespares.co.uk/files/installation_instruction_midi-heki.pdf

 

 

[wildrover]

yes ive got that prob ,and your dealer should be aware about problem and if not heike are aware and will supply and dealer will fit new winder gear also try for a newer style window i got one and its fine also according to cc club your dealer IS responsible for any defects for up to 6 yes 6 years good luck

[lennyhb]

wildrover - 2011-06-08 7:15 PM

 

yes ive got that prob ,and your dealer should be aware about problem and if not heike are aware and will supply and dealer will fit new winder gear also try for a newer style window i got one and its fine also according to cc club your dealer IS responsible for any defects for up to 6 yes 6 years good luck

 

The dealer is only responsible for the first 12 months after that it's up to you to pursue the manufacturer.

Actually there is no time limit on manufacturing defects but 6 years is the generally accepted time limit however there is one big BUT it is up to you to prove there was a manufacturing defect.

In practice the cost of the replacement part will be negligible compared to the cost experts & lawyers you will need to employ to prove it and even if you did succeed you could get costs awarded against you.

[flicka]

At last I have managed to have a look at the Heki.

I disconnected the winding handle & there is a protruding spindle to one side (other than the spindle the winding handle fits) this started to rotate of it's own accord.

So I took the view that somehow it had overwound (like an old fashioned watch spring ?)

 

Refitted the winding handle & was able to operate the Heki up & down, but it was not smooth. Also the off-side retaining lever was not engaging when fully lowered.

 

Raised the Heki again & sticking my head through the opening there is a wire with a coil around it.

Nearside is taught, but the offside is very slack. Unable to find any way of removing the inner liner to have a closer look, so I think it's back to our Dealer with a warranty claim.

[Brian Kirby]

lennyhb - 2011-06-08 7:54 PM

 

wildrover - 2011-06-08 7:15 PM

 

yes ive got that prob ,and your dealer should be aware about problem and if not heike are aware and will supply and dealer will fit new winder gear also try for a newer style window i got one and its fine also according to cc club your dealer IS responsible for any defects for up to 6 yes 6 years good luck

 

The dealer is only responsible for the first 12 months after that it's up to you to pursue the manufacturer.

Actually there is no time limit on manufacturing defects but 6 years is the generally accepted time limit however there is one big BUT it is up to you to prove there was a manufacturing defect.

In practise the cost of the replacement part will be negligible compared to the cost experts & lawyers you will need to employ to prove it and even if you did succeed you could get costs awarded against you.

 

Not strictly relevant to Flicka's problem - I hope (for which OT I apologise), but in case the above may cause confusion in relation to other matters.

 

The seller alone is legally responsible for the adequacy of the goods he sells. There is, as you say, no time limit on this, but 6 years seems generally accepted as the maximum probable liability. However, it will depend what he has sold: think mince pies! :-)

 

You are obliged to draw a defect to the seller's attention as soon as you notice it, and you are obliged to notice it as soon as it ought reasonably to have been noticed. That is to say, you cannot be complacent with maintenance, care, or repair of the goods. If the defect relates to neglect on your part, you will be likely to lose your claim. However, if the defect could not reasonably have been spotted any earlier by an average Joe, that is when the clock starts.

 

The manufacturer's warranty is for as long as it says it lasts, and covers only what it says it covers. There is no concept of reasonable interpretation with warranties. The existence, or otherwise, or terms, of a warranty does not limit the seller's liability. If a defect can be established, the seller must act irrespective of the manufacturer's willingness to deal with the defect under warranty.

 

If you are rejecting the goods, and seeking a full refund, you have to prove the goods are not as described, not fit for purpose, or not of adequate quality, before you accept them. The legal point of acceptance can be difficult to establish.

 

Once the goods have been accepted, if you return them as defective within the first six months after purchase, it is the seller who has to prove the fault was not present at the time of purchase.

 

If the goods are returned more than six months after purchase, the onus for proving the goods defective falls back on you.

 

Unless you are rejecting the goods before acceptance, and claiming a full refund, the seller has the right to repair them, or replace them. He must do either within a reasonable time, and the repair must be to your reasonable satisfaction. If this cannot be achieved, you may be able to rescind the contract, claiming back all, or part, of the cost of the goods. If this is the only remedy that is acceptable to you, and the seller refuses, you will have to put up with it, or sue.

 

If credit of more than £100 and less than £30,000 was involved, the the credit company, or card company, become jointly liable with the seller. Useful if the seller is totally uncooperative, or goes bankrupt.