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EEVblog #799 - How To Remove Warranty Void Security Stickers
Posted by EEVblog on 22 Sep, 2015 12:34 -
How to remove those pesky Warranty Void If Removed security stickers, without voiding your warranty.
Two Minute Tech Tip
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How to remove those pesky Warranty Void If Removed security stickers, without voiding your warranty.
Two Minute Tech Tip
www.metube.com/watch?v=colVXihqdG
Bad link (missing an 'o'), try this:
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I used the same method to remove the Sticker from my Rigol PSU. But I removed the whole sticker and put it away if I need it later.
To remove the sticker I used this special coated paper where new stickers are initially sticked on. Does this papes has a name?
This special coating doesn't wearout the adhesive.
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Very useful trick. Mike has a similar video.
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There was no such security sticker on my Agilent DSOX2002A back in 2013. BTW there are more videos on this topic.
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I used the same method to remove the Sticker from my Rigol PSU. But I removed the whole sticker and put it away if I need it later.
To remove the sticker I used this special coated paper where new stickers are initially sticked on. Does this papes has a name?
This special coating doesn't wearout the adhesive.
wax paper
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Haven't done it myself yet but I thought people warmed them up with hairdryers and they just peel right off.
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Does this papes has a name?
wax paper
I've heard it called "release paper". I get the sheets of free children's stickers and throw away the stickers and reuse the release paper.
Wax paper doesn't work very well for me any more, they don't put enough way on it and things still stick. -
Next they will introduce something inside the case that gets physically broken when you open it up, a light-sensing material that is normally sandwiched between parts of the case that would never otherwise see the light of day, or some electrical contact that trips a sensor powered by the backup battery (or all of the above... I'm sure there are more methods). All of these could be installed in the factory under conditions that you normally wouldn't be able to replicate to put things back together the way they were originally.
So the question is, what is the purpose of even using these stickers? Warranty is time-dependent. After that, you are on your own. The hell with the sticker, just cut it off and do whatever you want with your own equipment. Can someone explain to me what the point is?
Cool video though... I'm sure it will come in handy, but please someone explain why we need to put it back? And what do manufacturers really do when there is a problem, will they screw over their customer base because a sticker is ripped because the user had a go inside the thing? And why would they mess around inside in the first-place if it was still under warranty?
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I store my stickers separately from the equipment
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Haven't done it myself yet but I thought people warmed them up with hairdryers and they just peel right off.
It helps for releasing, but then a lot of glue remains on the case and then sticker might not hold well when applying it again. -
They should put a "Warranty void is not broken" sticker instead
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So the question is, what is the purpose of even using these stickers? Warranty is time-dependent. After that, you are on your own. The hell with the sticker, just cut it off and do whatever you want with your own equipment. Can someone explain to me what the point is?
The point of it is to prevent companies spending money on warranty repairs where the fault has been caused by clumsy idiots blundering around inside the device. If the device has been opened within the warranty period, then you have voided the terms of the warranty so the manufacturer can refuse to repair it (for free). -
I've always believed that these stickers cannot be enforced. Most countries now have laws that enable a guaranteed time limited warranty against manufacturing defects, and this is not something that a manufacturer can simply void away by making the sticker a condition of the warranty.
Most warranties are written to limit your rights, but cannot void your rights completely. The sticker might be legal only as a condition of a Full Warranty, sometimes also known as a Voluntary Warranty (i.e. the written warranty that might provide additional warranty protection above what your state or country already provides for in the statutes).
I think this was challenged once with ASUS in America, and maybe there are other examples in case law.
* In the USA, there is the States' Lemon Laws, and the Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act that mandate implied warranties that cannot be taken away.
* I thought Australia has the ACCC that covers this?
* Canada has the Canadian Competition Act that prevents something called "tied-selling" that ties you to approved service only, or approved parts, or approved anything.. i.e. breaking the sticker to make a repair or service it with something or at some shop that they didn't approve of is perfectly legal in Canada and cannot void your warranty.
Furthermore, even the statutes sometimes have a clause that says a manufacturer is perfectly within it's rights to void your warranty if they can prove that you DID NOT PROPERLY MAINTAIN IT. How can you maintain it if you cannot open it up to clean it? For example, if you use the device in a dusty environment, you'll want to open it up to clean it and prevent failure. If it fails because you couldn't clean it, you might try to get a replacement under the warranty, and they might be able to legally deny you. However, in order to maintain the device, i.e. clean the dust out, you have to break the sticker, and then the manufacturer says they will deny you because you broke the sticker. That's clearly a catch-22 situation that you cannot avoid.
PS: IANAL
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Useless as always, Dave.
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Hmm, doing all this trouble while recording it for youtube, something tells me that is not the best way :-)
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hmm, why is this video not on the blog website ?
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Hmm, doing all this trouble while recording it for youtube, something tells me that is not the best way :-)
Why?
Do you think he would worry about it as a regular user?
He's a controversial but yet recognized public figure. If shown products and sponsors are okay and get promoted by this website, all goes okay.
This isn't your typical electronics website. Dave is a geek, but surely a very unconventional one.
Some people might not like his style, but I find him very funny and didactic. I just wish he really gets more resources, associate with other videobloggers and makes more cool OSHW that makes things in a cheaper and great way.
And while others might think putting Sagan is sentimental manipulation, I find it cute and very interesting how is geeks could show them our stuff to any little people or even our own ones. I find amusing to see how these small "demons" react intuitively to technology, maybe we have something to learn from them
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Hold your horses, I was not serious. I just thought it was funny to remove the sticker very careful so no-one can see you opened it while half the electronics community and the dealer is watching it. I know it was just a tip for his viewers and not a serious action to hide his own action.
I have seen most of his video's so I know his style. -
I've always believed that these stickers cannot be enforced. Most countries now have laws that enable a guaranteed time limited warranty against manufacturing defects, and this is not something that a manufacturer can simply void away by making the sticker a condition of the warranty.
The warranty is only to cover defects in manufacturing.
If the sticker is broken then manufacturers can claim it's because of something the user did. Oscilloscopes are delicate, people are perfectly capable of poking around inside them with screwdrivers while it was powered on. The manufacturers shouldn't have to pay for that by giving them a free repair/replacement.
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The warranty stickers are utter nonsense. I'm sorry but equipment gets bashed about, moved, scraped, etc. If the sticker gets torn during the move from one desk to another, or scratched with a test probe or something the warranty is void? really?
It's just theatrics. The law (at least in the UK) won't let them off with that nonsense. In fact if a piece of equipment is less than 6 months old then no matter what is wrong with it the default is any problem is considered a manufacturing fault - even if the problem is the idiot using the equipment, it is for the manufacturer to prove it was the user who broke it and a poxy little sticker is not adequate proof.
That then gets on to the usual 12 months warranty. Again that is actually not the law. A piece of equipment should last as long as should be expected for what it is - determined by the courts. This will often mean much longer than 12 months. I would say all test equipment is expected to last longer, however the onus is then on the user to prove the failure was caused by a manufacturing defect rather than himself or fair wear and tear. -
I usually remove the sticker completely, even any remaining adhesive residues. If anyone would ask about a "warranty void" sticker I would just say it did not have any when I bought it. Would be hard for them to prove that I removed it. But that has never happened I do not think anyone cares about the stickers.
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I've always believed that these stickers cannot be enforced. Most countries now have laws that enable a guaranteed time limited warranty against manufacturing defects, and this is not something that a manufacturer can simply void away by making the sticker a condition of the warranty.
So these laws also apply to non consumer products such as oscilloscopes? -
* I thought Australia has the ACCC that covers this?
As with most things, its complicated. For instance:
That would depend on how it was purchased, if an Australian in Australia bought it from an Australian shop with their personal name on the invoice/receipt then it was a consumer purchase and treated as such. As the owner of the product you would be entitled to dismantle the product and it would likely be on the onus of the manufacturer (or party representing them) to prove how damage had been caused by the user ignoring the instructions for use which usually include "do not open [product] no user serviceable parts inside". I have successfully received refunds for and replacements of products that were deficient where the problems/faults were only able to be found by disassembling the product.I've always believed that these stickers cannot be enforced. Most countries now have laws that enable a guaranteed time limited warranty against manufacturing defects, and this is not something that a manufacturer can simply void away by making the sticker a condition of the warranty.
So these laws also apply to non consumer products such as oscilloscopes? -
Useless as always, Dave.
Why are you still subscribed then?
Why watch videos you think are always useless?