Here is my LHS= Local Hydro Shop horror that is still pending.

It has been 1 week since I sent my meter back and have gotten no word.

I chatted with a lady working at my LHS and bought a Milwaukee TDS, EC, PH tester with probe for a couple bills. After my purchase and before inserting batteries a friend told me he got the same meter/tester for $60 bucks less. I immediately called the shop (the day after my purchase) and told her of what I learned about a better price, and that I truly didn't need the meter at the moment, and asked if she'd refund me since I hadn't used it or inserted batteries. I guess I didn't notice the signs in the store when I made my purchase, but she informed me that all meter sales are final and that there are signs hung in the store. Obviously the answer was "No". I told her that if her sales representative took it back, she'd gain a customer for life. Again, the answer was "No".

I'm not disputing that there are or were signs, I just didn't see them or there was something obstructing them when I was there. The signs are not my real issue here. -but now that I have read what I have typed, I'm beginning to wonder about the shops responsibility to inform the buyer about the return policy because I was not told that my purchase was not returnable at the time of purchasing.

She told me that the same disclaimer is on the receipt, but I also know that legally, when a receipt is given for a cash purchase, the receipt is given after the fact of purchase and does not hold weight in a court case. I used a credit card so that does not apply to me, but take note for yourselves.

My real issue begins when I inserted the batteries and attempted to calibrate my new meter using the 1500 ppm solution that came with the mete (which had some dark liquid dried on the side of the probe when I opened it), and discovered that the TDS and EC functions did not work properly.

I don't know much about Milwaukee's electronic meters and have only owned a $60 ph meter prior to this purchase, so I read numerous websites to learn how to calibrate the meter.

I calibrated the ph with 7.01 solution and it seemed accurate, but the EC and TDS could not be adjusted to the numbers to the numbers of the calibration solutions. Turning the adjustment knob, the TDS did not get higher than 1270. I cannot remember the highest number for EC, but Brian at Milwaukee Instruments told me it was way off and it needed to be diagnosed.

To make a long story short, Brian told me to call the shop and give them his information, have them call him, and they would figure it out together. I called my LHS and gave them Brian's phone number. At that point all seemed to be going smooth.

When I spoke to Brian at Milwaukee Instruments and he suggested I take the meter to the shop and they use another unit from their store to dianose the problem. Anyhow, I stopped by the shop the next day and they wouldn't help me by even ordering/opening another probe or meter to determine the problem. They told me that it is my problem and that I have to deal with it (Milwaukee) because they didn't want to open the packaging on a new meter to test my meter.

Is that shitty of them, or am I just a sap?

I let her know that I wasn't happy and that she just lost a lifelong customer that has big ideas. She still didn't attempt to help.

So, in the meantime, I've got 3 $15 each babies a friend got that are looking pretty sad, and I have no meter to test their solution, even though I've already spent $60 more then another buddy who has the same meter I Paid $20.00 to ship back to Milwaukee Instruments...

Seriously, give me some feedback because I'm getting angrier by the day as I realize just how much they have inconvenienced me, and have ruined my potential grow. Now I have spent $80.00 more than my buddy on the same meter and still don't have it. It has been 1 week since I sent the meter back and I have seen nor heard a thing form the shop or Milwaukee Instruments.