Univalve versions

[steve garwood]

Worked perfectly today with both cold and warm water. No leaks at all and easier to operate the Univalve. Thanks

Did you apply the grease to the o rings only or other parts of the univalve?

 

[spruce]

Does that mean you'll chuck the old bits out ?

Don't be silly. Hoarders never throw anything away. I might need it for something else one day. ?

And let's just get this out of the way. Both kids get to share the house proceeds when we pass away or what's left after care requirements. They got to earn their inheritance by sorting stuff out.?

Did you apply the grease to the o rings only or other parts of the univalve?

Mainly to the large o ring but a little went of the spring as well which will have gone by now.

 

[Part Timer]

Don't be silly. Hoarders never throw anything away. I might need it for something else one day. ?

And let's just get this out of the way. Both kids get to share the house proceeds when we pass away or what's left after care requirements. They got to earn their inheritance by sorting stuff out.?

Mainly to the large o ring but a little went of the spring as well which will have gone by now.

You'll have castings made out of alloys that haven't been used for 50 years

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Many thanks for the repair kit @Skxawng?

 

[Skxawng]

Just as a follow up, I've had a message from ex-ceed that I thought I'd post here as it seems that they offer a repair service. I found the details of it on their warranty section of the website. It was £15. It probably doesn't include the cost of postage there and back and VAT so I'd imagine it being more like £25 although that's a guess. Still cheaper than buying a new one. 

As a result of me putting a service kit on ebay, they've sent me this message:

"You know your encouraging customers to DIY there valve that can result in damage.
To stop this from happening I'm going to offer a reconditioned uni valve for £8.95, free service." 

I don't know what the final price once p+p and VAT are added but it seems like a win for Univalve users in general. 

I sent this response:

"Hi, lots of windys have been looking for a way of fixing their Univalves as an alternative to simply throwing them away when they break. Which as well as having a financial cost of the replacement, simply disposing of them doesn't sit well with many as far too much wastage, especially of plastic is an all too common part of our lives. 

There was a thread started last year on the windowcleaningforums.co.uk about the subject, and as my second pair of Univalves had become almost unusable I participated in trying to figure out what was wrong with them and finding a source of spare parts. The possibility of damaging the Univalve wasn't an issue as the alternative was to dispose of it. 
The subject of sending them back to you never came up and I can only assume that it isn't common knowledge that you offer that service. I certainly had no idea. The fact that you offer a reduced price refurbishment is fantastic and will certainly help the window cleaning community and our throwaway society."

 

[Deleted member 257]

Just as a follow up, I've had a message from ex-ceed that I thought I'd post here as it seems that they offer a repair service. I found the details of it on their warranty section of the website. It was £15. It probably doesn't include the cost of postage there and back and VAT so I'd imagine it being more like £25 although that's a guess. Still cheaper than buying a new one. 

As a result of me putting a service kit on ebay, they've sent me this message:

"You know your encouraging customers to DIY there valve that can result in damage.
To stop this from happening I'm going to offer a reconditioned uni valve for £8.95, free service." 

I don't know what the final price once p+p and VAT are added but it seems like a win for Univalve users in general. 

I sent this response:

"Hi, lots of windys have been looking for a way of fixing their Univalves as an alternative to simply throwing them away when they break. Which as well as having a financial cost of the replacement, simply disposing of them doesn't sit well with many as far too much wastage, especially of plastic is an all too common part of our lives. 

There was a thread started last year on the windowcleaningforums.co.uk about the subject, and as my second pair of Univalves had become almost unusable I participated in trying to figure out what was wrong with them and finding a source of spare parts. The possibility of damaging the Univalve wasn't an issue as the alternative was to dispose of it. 
The subject of sending them back to you never came up and I can only assume that it isn't common knowledge that you offer that service. I certainly had no idea. The fact that you offer a reduced price refurbishment is fantastic and will certainly help the window cleaning community and our throwaway society."

**** ex-ceed, I’d still sooner buy your kit than give them any more money. 

 

[Skxawng]

**** ex-ceed, I’d still sooner buy your kit than give them any more money. 

Thanks I appreciate it, though I don't think it's too unreasonable a response, as from his point of view as he probably thinks that people messing with their Univalves and potentially breaking them will lead to lots of warranty repair claims... 

 

[TWC]

**** ex-ceed, I’d still sooner buy your kit than give them any more money. 

Totally agree. It seems exceed are just capitulating to the product you’ve created @Skxawng

Well done you for fighting the corner for all of us. I’ve not forgiven them for discontinuing the slick connector with no spares available and launching the slick connector 2. Yes a better product but after spending £60 on them for all my hoses and backpacks having to replace them all with the slick 2 left a bitter taste. Why couldn’t they have just kept both products and explained the benefits of slick 2. 
All about the money which I know that’s what there in business for but you have to think about your customers as well

 

[Skxawng]

Totally agree. It seems exceed are just capitulating to the product you’ve created @Skxawng

Well done you for fighting the corner for all of us. I’ve not forgiven them for discontinuing the slick connector with no spares available and launching the slick connector 2. Yes a better product but after spending £60 on them for all my hoses and backpacks having to replace them all with the slick 2 left a bitter taste. Why couldn’t they have just kept both products and explained the benefits of slick 2. 
All about the money which I know that’s what there in business for but you have to think about your customers as well

Again I appreciate the support, but I haven't really created a product, well, the opener is mine but the o ring and springs are generic parts that anyone with enough determination could source and buy themselves. 

They do seem annoyed at me though. I just got another message saying that the kit is breaking their copyright.

I consider it a mod, and didn't realise they own the copyrights on those size o rings and springs... 

 

[ched999uk]

Again I appreciate the support, but I haven't really created a product, well, the opener is mine but the o ring and springs are generic parts that anyone with enough determination could source and buy themselves. 

They do seem annoyed at me though. I just got another message saying that the kit is breaking their copyright.

I consider it a mod, and didn't realise they own the copyrights on those size o rings and springs... 

I would be surprised if you can copyright a 'standard' spring! Looks like you can't!!!!!

Have a look here: https://www.gov.uk/copyright 

It would appear that copyright is nothing to do with products:

You automatically get copyright protection when you create:

original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including illustration and photography

original non-literary written work, such as software, web content and databases

sound and music recordings

film and television recordings

broadcasts

the layout of published editions of written, dramatic and musical works

You have definitely rattled their cage. If they made their products with stainless springs then there would be much less of an issue. They would sell a lot less though!!!

As for warranty issues I was under the impression that if someone broke a product trying to open it up then there was no warranty as it's misuse!!!  

I might be inclined to ask them to specify how any of the components in your kit are copyrighted by them and ask for the proof!

While I appreciate that they may have 'invented' the univalve if they didn't protect it with a patent then they only have themselves to blame!

 

[Martyn]

Well I'm a new convert to the Univalve having been using the Gardiners twist valve for a while. I appreciate that  @Skxawng has made a service kit available and I am sure that I will buy some at some stage if they are still on the market when I need them.

The idea of having to send one back for refurbishment doesn't really float my boat.

We do all need to be less wasteful otherwise there will be nothing left for our grandchildren.

 

[Skxawng]

I would be surprised if you can copyright a 'standard' spring! Looks like you can't!!!!!

Have a look here: https://www.gov.uk/copyright 

It would appear that copyright is nothing to do with products:

You automatically get copyright protection when you create:

original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including illustration and photography

original non-literary written work, such as software, web content and databases

sound and music recordings

film and television recordings

broadcasts

the layout of published editions of written, dramatic and musical works

You have definitely rattled their cage. If they made their products with stainless springs then there would be much less of an issue. They would sell a lot less though!!!

As for warranty issues I was under the impression that if someone broke a product trying to open it up then there was no warranty as it's misuse!!!  

I might be inclined to ask them to specify how any of the components in your kit are copyrighted by them and ask for the proof!

While I appreciate that they may have 'invented' the univalve if they didn't protect it with a patent then they only have themselves to blame!

I imagine they'll have a patent on the pull mechanism (although it does work in a similar way to the retractable pen mechanism so maybe maybe not). They'll have a design right on the look of the product and it's various injection moulded parts. They'll have a trademark on the name Univalve and may potentially have copyright on any pictures of the Univalve. Although I'm not clear on that one. Definitely on a picture they make. If you take a photo and make your own picture are you breaking copyright? Not sure. 

The only copyright I may potentially be breaking is the trademark and representations so for the time being I've removed all mentions of Univalve in the listing and and removed the picture that shows one being opened. 

Won't do much for the seo! ?

I think I may just stop suppling them. It was never a profit thing. I've spent that much on springs, o rings and various other things that turned out unsuitable that it might be a while before I make any profit. 

 

[Skxawng]

If they made their products with stainless springs then there would be much less of an issue. They would sell a lot less though!!!

If they used a more corrosion resistant material in their spring. They would last a long, long time. The plastic parts are very robust and in normal use shouldn't ever break. After 3 years of use, one of mine had barely any wear on the moving parts inside. High grade SS springs are more pricey though so will cut into their profit margins.

 

[Part Timer]

Again I appreciate the support, but I haven't really created a product, well, the opener is mine but the o ring and springs are generic parts that anyone with enough determination could source and buy themselves. 

They do seem annoyed at me though. I just got another message saying that the kit is breaking their copyright.

I consider it a mod, and didn't realise they own the copyrights on those size o rings and springs... 

Glad you've rattled their cage and made them improve their after sales service. As you are only repairing their product with readily available products then I doubt they have a leg to stand on regarding copyright. I think I'd be writing back to them saying you don't appreciate being bullied and the window cleaning community will be informed of their tactics. 

 

[Martyn]

I imagine they'll have a patent on the pull mechanism. They'll have a design right on the look of the product. They'll have a trademark on the name Univalve and may potentially have copyright on any pictures of the Univalve. Although I'm not clear on that one. Definitely on a picture they make. If you take a photo and make your own picture are you breaking copyright? Not sure. 

The only copyright I may be breaking is the trademark and representations so for the time being I've removed all mentions of Univalve in the listing and and removed the picture that shows one being opened. 

I think I may just stop suppling them. 

As a 'photographer' I would say that you are not breaking copyright by using your own picture, just avoid showing the word Univalve in the image to be safe.

There are plenty of businesses that manufacture items for another manufacturers products and name them in advertising without issue, camera accessories, phone accessories, car accessories etc.

 

[BigFoot]

It’s a repair kit with generic parts, you are supplying parts to fix it.
They are being idiots. 

 

[CMcB]

Hope you decide to carry on selling them! Or atleast get bought out by exceed ?

 

[Skxawng]

Hope you decide to carry on selling them! Or atleast get bought out by exceed ?

I don't think that'll happen ? although if anyone wants to make me an offer for the 3d file for the opening tool.. ?

 

[Jango]

It’s a very good repair kit. Mine has been leaking for a while, while it was cold the other day I decided enough was enough. So with the new kit, it was repaired my afternoon was much better not wet through. I needed the repair. I couldn’t remove it send it back and wait a week or so for it to be repaired which I never thought exceed did anyway. So my option would have been remove it, throw it away and put a new one on. But this wasn’t necessary with the kit. So I am grateful. I hope you don’t stop making them, the tool is fab to open them up with, so much easier. Let’s hope there is some way to work around for you. 

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Just as a follow up, I've had a message from ex-ceed that I thought I'd post here as it seems that they offer a repair service. I found the details of it on their warranty section of the website. It was £15. It probably doesn't include the cost of postage there and back and VAT so I'd imagine it being more like £25 although that's a guess. Still cheaper than buying a new one. 

As a result of me putting a service kit on ebay, they've sent me this message:

"You know your encouraging customers to DIY there valve that can result in damage.
To stop this from happening I'm going to offer a reconditioned uni valve for £8.95, free service." 

I don't know what the final price once p+p and VAT are added but it seems like a win for Univalve users in general. 

I sent this response:

"Hi, lots of windys have been looking for a way of fixing their Univalves as an alternative to simply throwing them away when they break. Which as well as having a financial cost of the replacement, simply disposing of them doesn't sit well with many as far too much wastage, especially of plastic is an all too common part of our lives. 

There was a thread started last year on the windowcleaningforums.co.uk about the subject, and as my second pair of Univalves had become almost unusable I participated in trying to figure out what was wrong with them and finding a source of spare parts. The possibility of damaging the Univalve wasn't an issue as the alternative was to dispose of it. 
The subject of sending them back to you never came up and I can only assume that it isn't common knowledge that you offer that service. I certainly had no idea. The fact that you offer a reduced price refurbishment is fantastic and will certainly help the window cleaning community and our throwaway society."

What you've done shows a commitment to reducing plastic waste and affordability in an unstable financial climate.

Why haven't they thought about that as it's still a revenue stream for them.

Luckily your only selling a spring, & O rings opposed to a brand specific design that would lead to receiving a Cease and Desist 

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Again I appreciate the support, but I haven't really created a product, well, the opener is mine but the o ring and springs are generic parts that anyone with enough determination could source and buy themselves. 

They do seem annoyed at me though. I just got another message saying that the kit is breaking their copyright.

I consider it a mod, and didn't realise they own the copyrights on those size o rings and springs... 

A copyright and intellectual property only applies to taking or using something that belongs to others whether is be mechanical or theoretical in appearance.

Trademarking and patent cover the practical design and finished item to which none of your modifications are based on the shape or function of a univalve.

They've used and replicated the design application of a retractable ball point pen so how does that stand up.

People have been making non OEM parts and equipment for years and competition is healthy within business and manufacturing