Used Phill home units on ebay

[parkside415]

Just getting a little info about home units. There are two used, non-working Phill units for sale on ebay. One is $4499 obo and the seller said it has 356 hours and a bad printed circuit board module. The other is $3595 obo and has 1000-1200 hours and shows error code 00111 no pressure riser.

Any thoughts on these two units? Cost to repair? Good deal or should I just wait for the next generation of better home units to come along?

TIA

Robert

[Eric Rosenberg]

Yeah, WAY too expensive!! Why buy overpriced equipment that you have to send to Italy to repair? Buy new for nearly the same amount of money, get a warrenty and not have to wait for one of these units to be serviced?

[Amfuel]

Ditto..... I wouldn't trust the seller either. At least he admits this one is a dud. The only way I know to replace the board is to either buy a used unit with a good board (same revision) or send it in for remanufacture. One in that condition I wouldn't spend more than about $200. (if the board is bad he won't know the hours.)

The other one with the 00111 is a low pressure rise... leak in the hose, nozzle, breakaway, vehicle, or the inlet line. Used value? My guess would be $2000-2500.

Not aware of any revisions coming out but the Italians will tighten up on the tolereances though and that is a good thing.

I sell new ones for $4496 but your not in my area. Dealers have to sell with in a servicable area.

[John Mitton]

Fuel Systems (parent of BRC who owns Fuelmaker now) is working hard to get the Phill down to a reasonable cost... below $3k is what I am hearing. With the $2k tax credit for home refueling installation (which expires Dec 31st unfortunately) this could really be a winner. Stay tuned!!

[parkside415]

Many thanks to everyone who replied. I'll wait until the more reasonable, better models come out. Just wondering about the installation. Aside from the codes (distance from the street, vents, etc) what are the big-ticket items to install a Phill? Seems very similar to an "on demand" pilotless gas water heater. The water heater you can do yourself. What's so hard about installing a Phill?


Thanks

Robert

[Amfuel]

The hardest part of installing a Phill is getting the 100 lbs up 5' in the air to hang it on the wall.

The tech side is commissioning. Purging, setting the electronics, and testing. On new machines the requirement by the manufacturer is to have commissioning done by a factory trained technician.

If you're waiting for the price to come down, expect inflation to make them feel like their lower cost. Now that gasoline is substantially over $2 gallon higher than CNG home refueling I don't see the hesitation. When ever the economy improves so does the price of gasoline. (to the + side)

For me the beef is clean air, OPEC, oil related wars, and the list goes on. To me it is a no brainer. When I invested in CNG the joy was (is) the preceeding statement.

[Amfuel]

BTW waiting to purchase just could cost $2000 more. No one can say if and/or when the senate will act on an energy policy and the existing tax incentives expire 12/31/2010.

[parkside415]

I contacted the local (to SF, CA) certified installer and he answered all my questions about installations. If anyone's in the area and is interested in getting a home unit installed, his contact info is:

James O'Dowd
O'Dowd Plumbing
San Bruno CA 94066
1-650-952-6578

[lcovelli]

I contacted the local (to SF, CA) certified installer and he answered all my questions about installations. If anyone's in the area and is interested in getting a home unit installed, his contact info is:

James O'Dowd
O'Dowd Plumbing
San Bruno CA 94066
1-650-952-6578

Thanks for this Information!
I'm in Gilroy and GESI told me that RS electric would do my install.
He is in Livermore which is much farther so this information helps out a lot.

[parkside415]

Glad it was of some help. Let us know what the process is for Gilroy. Information about permits, etc, would be very useful. In Gilroy do you need a permit to install? Does the installer have to be certified? Gas line sizes? Electical connections dedicated and needing a permit? Vents?

Good luck with the install and please keep us up to date. I'm going to give the SF Planning Dept a call and see if I can get some answers to my own questions.



Robert

[lcovelli]

Glad it was of some help. Let us know what the process is for Gilroy. Information about permits, etc, would be very useful. In Gilroy do you need a permit to install? Does the installer have to be certified? Gas line sizes? Electical connections dedicated and needing a permit? Vents?

Good luck with the install and please keep us up to date. I'm going to give the SF Planning Dept a call and see if I can get some answers to my own questions.



Robert

You can see my blog
http://cngchat.com/forum/entry.php?49-BRC-Fuelmaker-Phill-SF-Bay-Area-BLOG

[parkside415]

Thanks for the info provided in the blog. Very comprehensive. My garage is a lot smaller and the meter/gas line are just a short distance of the car. How long is the Phill hose, anyway?

I'm not familiar with the blog pages. When you update your blog is there a message or do I have to subscribe to the blog?


Robert

[cngpathfinder]

Head's up that someone posted another used unit on ebay this week (i'm not the seller) for a starting bid of $2000. Take a look. I am also considering selling my Phill (made in Toronto Canada, I'm in Western NY but will ship) which is also working perfectly, but haven't set a price yet or wrapped my head around the idea of the sale yet (tired of fixing transmissions on my Honda GX with the poorly designed CVT transmission. . . .which is working well now, but who knows what will happen in the next year when the warranty runs out and may need to face a $3-$4k fix.. . . for another thread. . . ). Phill isn't realistic for filling my F150 as it takes a full 20 hours to fill it.

[holtek]

I sell new ones for $4496 but your not in my area. Dealers have to sell with in a servicable area.

Is Sheboygan County within your serviceable area? I have Phill that is reaching the end of its useful life. If I can't reset the clock, I guess I gotta buy another one.

[Amfuel]

Hi Holtec,

Fuel Maker has a re-manufacture program that you can use. PM me with your phone# and we can talk.

Sheboygan is a quite a ways from La Crosse but doable.

[Amfuel]

Oh, and the hour meter can be shut off. If it is operating properly there is no need to re-build it.

[HOV Rider]

Head's up that someone posted another used unit on ebay this week (i'm not the seller) for a starting bid of $2000. Take a look. I am also considering selling my Phill (made in Toronto Canada, I'm in Western NY but will ship) which is also working perfectly, but haven't set a price yet or wrapped my head around the idea of the sale yet (tired of fixing transmissions on my Honda GX with the poorly designed CVT transmission. . . .which is working well now, but who knows what will happen in the next year when the warranty runs out and may need to face a $3-$4k fix.. . . for another thread. . . ). Phill isn't realistic for filling my F150 as it takes a full 20 hours to fill it.

CNGPathFinder: You still looking to sell your Phill? When did you buy it? How many hours on it? Live in Los Angeles, CA: how much for shipping? How much for the unit?

[Lakewood90712]

HOV Rider, check your PM notification for a message. FYI: cngpathfinder has not logged for several months. You may want to start a "Wanted" thread for a phill.

[Teri510]

You can see my blog
http://cngchat.com/forum/entry.php?49-BRC-Fuelmaker-Phill-SF-Bay-Area-BLOG

Your blog is helpful -- thanks for paving the way. We just bought a 2007 GX from a private party in Utah and are thinking of getting the Fuelmaker at home. Is your offer to come by Gilroy to look at your setup still open? We live in the East Bay and can maybe plan a trip to Gilroy Gardens as an excuse to be in your 'hood.

Thanks,
Teri510

[707CNG]

@Teri510
I have a new HRA-p36-G1 that was a package deal with my civic...Please let me know if you are interested . I am in Vallejo,CA so you can save on freight cost and see the Unit.

JON