Filter Systems Australia

Why was a known problem not noted in the problem solving ? This cost me !! – I have used FSA since around 2018 when I first had a 7 stage RO system in Hervey Bay QLD. The system was easy to install and whilst I used a plumber initially, I completed all the servicing over the next 7 years, myself. I make colloidal silver so the state of the silver electrodes is really telling with water quality, and I can tell when the… Read more

filters need changing, and in that case, even when the magnesium filter (PH adjuster) was running low. Ordering filters was a breeze as they simply looked up my account and sent me what I needed according to age and honestly, without lab testing but going by my electrolysis Silver system, it seemed on par.

Where they lose stars is now as of yesterday and today. I ordered a system without the PH adjusting and without the "Hydrogen" module, because those were not necessary for my needs and actually impede making colloidal silver. I did however need to remove Fluoride as that is in the South Australian water (Where I now live) but was not in the water in my last abode. The setup was exactly the same as the system I owned but as I am now renting, I hired a plumber to complete the install as is required by the estate agent (something about insurance).

The system did not work.. we spent a bit of time trouble shooting but then had to leave it for the tank to fill up which can take a few hours. We also took into account the RO filter and that it might need time to saturate. So we did that. Hours later, nothing.. water was just dribbling out and was not usable. So the plumber came back in the evening and both him and myself did complete trouble shooting from ground up. We disassembled everything, made sure we understood, we matched the diagrams in the book with what we had done, we tried to isolate what we could (to fully isolate we needed things not included in the install kit), and then we emptied the tank as stated in the book, then I repeated that at midnight, and let it fill overnight.

The next morning - problem still there. So now the plumber had been at this job for 3.5 hours. 2 of those hours, he had his apprentice with him. Later, it was just us and when I say we were testing everything, we actually broke out the flow velocity math and did some calculations, and it was not adding up. What did add up however was my bill.

We called the company FSA in the morning, and spoke to a guy called [Name Removed]. I had spoken to him a few times since 2018 about random things, and [Name Removed] told us to reverse the carbon filter which has a hard printed direction flow arrow on it. The Carbon filter is a sealed unit so when replaced, the entire thing is replaced. We never thought to put the thing on the wrong way, as that normally voids warranties and no one is that irresponsible.. right ?

So we reversed the carbon filter (As instructed by [Name Removed] from FSO) so the arrows are now pointing in the wrong direction, and the system works. In fact the flow arrows are redundant as the filter should work fine from either side as it is not RO simply a passthrough.

[Name Removed] admitted (and I recorded this on a Dictaphone I had beside me with him on loud speaker) that he was aware some of the current batch of carbon filters from the manufacturer were doing this. I pushed about why he did not notify, and he didn't want to and I then cycled the conversation over this a few times, hitting it from different angles (Im a therapist so I am good at this), and none of his excuses for not notifying customers or adding it in the "problem solving" section in the booklet, made any sense. He may of been simply afraid that people would question the quality of the product and totally disregarded the responsibility and moral issue, not to mention the added cost to the clients who normally hire plumbers to install these, who charge an hourly rate. Whatever his motives, the end result is an unexpected and unfair cost to the customer, one that would be easily mitigated.

In legal terms, he breached his duty of care, causing financial damage to his customers who did experience this problem, by failing to notify them that such problems may exist with this particular batch of carbon filters.

So I am not saying the product is bad, because it is not. I am about to do a water test sample and send off to a lab as several of the plumbers other customers are doing the same. I will review how these rank against the other brand filters and give feedback on that. But that is not what this review is about - that will be an actual product review. My review here, is critical of the breach of duty of care by "[Name Removed]" and it matters not who [Name Removed] is, he represents FSA.

Back to the conversation - I did ask for a set of filters to compensate my loss due to this issue. Initially he said no, but then I continued and chipped away with ideas of "customer feedback" and "responsibility" and was quite careful in my language. I did not threaten, and was very careful, especially as I was recording. In the end he decided a free set of filters on the next time I call to order, will be given to me. How many filters.. that is to be seen. This is a token of apology and goes part way in making up, but those filters will not be free as they will not offset the hourly rate of the plumber I had to use.

In my experience, that the company has been good over the years. Their products seem legit and are pretty much standard. The price is competitive against other brands, but as of yet, I have not tested water quality only used my electrolysis colloidal silver making as a guide.

If you have the same issue as I have, perhaps you can try reversing the carbon filter. I would highly recommend you call and speak to [Name Removed] if you have problems, and do not be afraid to be critical and assertive.

I am only marking this down in the ratings due to this "duty of care" issue as it is purely an ethical moral and legal issue, not a question about the product (despite some problems with a batch of carbon filters was still sold knowing there were faults).

If the owner of FSA reads this, I will change the review if he can demonstrate he has started to include information on this problem, in the manual or even as an attachment. Simply placing on the website is not enough as not even we checked the website. My recording of the phone call.. I am not yet decided what to do with that. I may simply hold it for integrity.

The standard I am using is washing machines, dryers, Air conditioners, computing equipment and routers, motor vehicles, kitchen appliances, in fact anything that has known issues that can or may arise, normally has a section in the back of the manuals or a reference to a fault section on a website, listing all the potential problems no matter how rare those problems may be.

Disclaimer: I have written this review honestly without purposeful prejudice or bias. I am 100% truthful and have a recording to support all that I have said which I will I can make available for legal purposes. It is probably not suitable to publish a telephone call on a public website even if recorded legally on a Dictaphone in a room and not on the phone itself. If you have any issue with this review, please get in touch. If my review is proven to be factually incorrect, bias or prejudice, I will remove or change it as required.

************************************************ I have changed the review as the company sent me a set of yearly replacement filters which I accept as settlement for the cost incurred by the company omission on what I listed above.

The filters perform very well, and the prices are extremely reasonable. **************************************************************

CASH BAN – Hi, so I was going to spend in their store of $663.85 on the purchase of a Triple pH Neutral + 0.1 Micron Ultra Fine Cyst Parasite + Bacteria Reduction Under sink Water Filter (GT1-38TMAFCC ) in store. But because they have a self imposed ban on cash they will not never ever get my business or my cash. Just so you know, Cash is legal tender, you… Read more

can not refuse to except cash. It is illegal and against the law to refuse to except the taking of cash. If you are a registered/Legitimate business.

CASH IS KING!

Good Luck Freewill