Everything started with an announcement by the government about a Rs10,000 grant to each family for the purchase of a solar water heater in the process of making the “Ile Maurice Durable”.
At that time, the solar water heater was probably only some pieces of metal sheets. But at home, we wanted to give it a better life, for the coming 10-20 years…
The application
In mid December 2008, we went to the branch of Skyrays Solar Water in Triolet to inquire how we could help to make a Green Mauritius. We finally opted to take a 220L solar water heater which was at around 23k including the 10k of the govt. Loads of paper work was done!
After nearly 4months, we got the approval letter from the Development Bank Of Mauritius, hourray!
By this time, the metal sheets were perhaps already molded into a nice solar water heater, which took nearly 2 months to reach our doorstep.
yayyy, it’s coming home!
A few days ago, we got the confirmation that the delivery will be made today.
At around noon, I headed home since the guys were already there for the installation.
wow, after a few minutes on the roof, I felt like being roasted under the burning sun!
Fortunately they took only about 1 hour to complete the setting up, after which I returned back to Champs De Mars.
The first shower?
Goshhhhhhhhh, we will have to wait a few more days before getting hot water since the piping still needs to be done.
Our previous heater systems…
As you can see in the pictures above, we already had a solar water heater, which stopped working around 1999. The most amazing thing is that the solar water heater was blown away during the Hollanda (1994) cyclone!
An electric water heater replaced the old solar one for some years.
After some short circuit problems, a gas water heater took its place for a 1-2 years.
This gas water heater had undergone a minor explosion a few months ago, which left us with cold water!
Finally The new solar water heater is here!
I forgot to mention, this new solar water heater has even electrical connections built in!!! How it works? I forgot lol!
Did you get yours?
Initially targeted to be valid until December 2009, the fund allocated to the solar water grant scheme was exhausted a few days ago.
So, if you missed this free gift of Rs10,000, you will have to wait for the next offer!
btw, did you got hold of any of the siblings of our solar water heater?
Join in the interesting discussion about the rise of crime in Mauritius…
Yashvinblogs 
No. 😦
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I have both solar and gas water heater at home..xD
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baigne ek delo frais mem kuzzzzzzz :p
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Atleast am able to see how ugly d top of my house is :pp never had d courage to climb up der… :s
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Whow, the saga of the solar water heater. 4months for the paperwork.. yeah that sounds like Mauritian administration alright. Then 2months for delivery…..phew. They have a saying on the island of Jamaica: “soon come”, translated it means chill out you don’t know when it will happen. At this rate, “Maurice ile durable” may not happen in our life time? I am still using gas but wanted to switch to solar so I am glad to read about your experience which will make me consider a non-administrative alternative.
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Bisin baigner dan l’hiver??:(:(
P enkor atane banla vine kit kot mw, too much time sa r sa banla…
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@Varun : lol, d’habitude meme dans la neige dimoune baigner 😛
btw, how much time to p attane la? n ki company?
@Mike : When someone applies for this loan, the number of proof needed is somewat excessive. In some time, they will ask you to bring a proof to show that you are alive 😛
@Tushal : lol, they may come to use in case of heavy rainfall or lack of gas on the local market 😛
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Still in working con`d
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Hmm kapav plus ki 4 months p wait, pou fer 5 mths tou la..
Megabaron sa…
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@Varun : Ah, sa meme cpv li mega tarder TVR!
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😛 Yep, I already got mine…the skyrays solar water heater is surely great, till date never faced any “outage” compared to gas water heater(gas ending too quickly lol)
small tip: when installing any chauf-eau solaire – just don’t use those normal water pipes, use those orange pipes(heat resistant) so that your will not get those “rumoured” skin problems(fools who don’t know about ecology said that)and exploding pipes.
by the way I twitted on it a few months ago on twitter http://twitter.com/alomoris/status/1481633573
big hands to the government and dbm for giving this to Mauritians
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grant la ti bizin targeted sa! ban ki p gagne 30k-50k rupee par mois pa gagne grant la. ek li mari tarder pou ban zafer papier! li vrai ki ban la bizin check tou ban papier parski li pa pou bon si ena dimoune prend 2-3 solar heater pou un seul lakaze apres les autres pa gagner ler la. mais 3-4 mois kan meme!
encore 1eme mois la, still waiting for my solar heater. 🙂
initially 25,000 solar heater! bizin revote un envelope pou 100,000 encore, ek tire tax pou ban importater la (si pa fini tirer) met un maximum profit rate pou ban vender solar heater la aussi!
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nice sa. How about at night?
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@selven
at night, we’ll get it from moon and stars lol
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still waiting meme lol banne la pe dormi mo num 1500 zots dire mwa zotre lor numero 650 lol sa anner prochaines … in waiting i used electric/gas have two bath room n par fois du bois lol i take the 1o,ooo for kitchen only lol this will reduces mine electricity bills
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oh …it seems the evacuated tubes of that solar water heater were from our company,we’re professional solar evacuated tube manufacturer in china since 1998,you may see more about us at http://www.cnbg.cn
CHEERS!
Edwin
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Hi.Sir.This is maufacture in China.Skyrays do OEM in our factory.If you need any information,Please tell me
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who can send me one photograph of the pipe that carries hot water to the bathroom
what is the name of the pipe,,
is there any reference on the pipe,,
someone told me that his pipe carrying hot water becomes brittle and breaks after one year and a half year???
thanks
christian yow sang………meet me on facebook
cyowsang@gmail.com
7543073
Vacoas
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Hello, can the writer of this article please get in touch with me!
Doing my End of Studies project of heating systems, and any help would be the most welcome!
THanks..
Email me on in_no_sense19@live.com
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Hi can the authour of this article contact me! PLease
Im doing my end of studies project on heating systems, and any information can be helpful!
Thanks a lot!
Email me on in_no_sense19@live.com
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Having looked on internet about Skyrays I came to your blog.
Be very careful guys with Skyrays aka Sun industries, after sales service is the worst I have ever experienced, I made a purchase at almost the same time as Yashvin did. Payment effected on the 14/03/2009 for a high pressure 225 Lt installed on the 30/05/2009. I had some leak on the joints of the collectors and rubber washers were changed. Recently the tank started overflowing I reported the fault on the 5th Feb 2014 and everyday I had to call to be able to finally get someone to come for an intervention, they finally came on the 4/03/2014 (yes after 1 month after having called them almost everyday ) the diagnosis on that day was that the copper coil inside the tank is leaking, but it seems that a second diagnosis will have to be made as this entails the change of the whole water tank, on the 06/03/2014 another more experienced tech came and confirmed that the tank copper coil was leaking.
I was asked the guarantee card but that was never delivered to me , I produced all my original receipts to the technician. The office called me and informed that without the guarantee card they will not repair the unit. I asked to talk to the manager Mr Kush Varma and I demanded that I be issued with a guarantee card as none was issued to be when the purchase was initially made, he informed me that he will need to check on my file and will revert the next day at 15:00. He also said that the copper coil was not under guarantee, hahaha he wants me to pay for something that his technicians said was to be replaced. If anyone has can send me a scan of a guarantee card for a pressure type Skyrays please let me know. I have the feeling that he is just trying to get my money. I inquired with another company Duraco and their solar water heater tank including the copper coil is guaranteed for 8 years.
As Mr Kush Varma never returned my call I sent him a registered letter and as at today no reply or phone call from him. JUST BE CAREFUL IF YOU PURCHASE FROM SKYRAYS SERVICE IS BAD NO CUSTOMER CARE. Below is the letter I sent to Mr Kush Varma Director of Sun Industries. My next step is to contact a local news paper to have an article published. I will also post a voice recording of the phone conversation I had with Mr Kush Varma and put the link in here , everyone will be able to draw their conclusion about the poor quality of service of Sun industries aka Skyrays.
——————–Registered Letter which is as at today unanswered ————–
Attn Mr Varma (
Director Sun Industries)
Royal
Road,
Montee S
Grand River North West
Port Louis
Date 08/03/2014
Dear Mr Varma,
Following our phone conversation of the 06/03/2014 at around
15:00, where you yourself promised to phone me at 15:00 as you were going to
find out what was required to be done for the repairs of my pressure solar
water heater, no call from your office has been received on my contact number.
Let me remind you of what have been discussed :-
1.
You seem to be saying that without the guarantee
paper /card I would normally not be
liable for any repairs although that I have all the original receipts of
payment, I pointed out that this guarantee/warrantee card was not delivered to
me upon purchase or installation, I therefore requested that such guarantee
paper be now delivered to me as this is an omission from your company, you informed me that you need to find the file
related to my purchase and will do needful .
2.
When the
1st technician attended the problem on the 04/03/2014, they
diagnosed the problem as being on the copper coil leaking causing the water to
overflow , again on the 06/03/2014 a 2nd technician diagnosed the
same problem without any fix. I fail to understand why there were 2 persons to
attend a problem to come to the same conclusion. From the conversation I had
with your technician the problem was such that the tank unit had to be replaced
and I also understood that it was covered under warranty and you seem to be
telling me the contrary!!!
3.
Now it seems when I talked to you , I feel that you are trying to make
me pay for something that is covered under warranty because I don’t have the
guarantee/warrantee card, as mentioned this has never been delivered to me and the
onus is on your company.
4.
I have inquired with another renown supplier of
Solar water heater pressure type and for them the copper coil is guaranteed for
a period of 8 years, allow me to have doubts on what you said about the copper
coil not being covered under warranty .
I feel that the level of customer service that you company
offers is very low nearly non-existent, I find it unacceptable that I had to
wait for more than 1 month for a technician to attend the fault. Your employee Dina makes promises that she
cannot keep, she herself promised that last Saturday she will phone me, never
was there a call initiated from her. It seems that there is no proper planning/management
and there is no notion of priority whatsoever. It was only when I threatened to
bring the whole thing to the public media that I started getting some sort of
attention. Even yourself Mr Varma the director of the company had promised that
I would be contacted on the 07/03/2014 at 15:00 but no call or missed call
alert was received.
I now demand a written reply on the following :-
1.
When would I receive the warranty/guarantee card?
2.
Is the copper coil covered under warranty? If yes for what period?
3.
What is the expected time for the onsite
intervention once a problem has been reported on a unit under warranty?
I will bring this whole case to the public attention,
through the local media and also on internet should I feel not satisfied with
your answers and not received any written communication from your company at
latest on the 11/03/2014.
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