Test equipment from Ali Baba is so much cheaper.....is it ok? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Faringdon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2022, 05:57:51 pm
content: Hi,We are in for the following test kit...its often more than 4 times cheaper from Ali Baba or "China-via-ebay"Do you know of problems with these items sourced from AliBabaFluxLeaded solderHV Diff probeKynar wireKynar stripper100:1 probeMains Safe blockESD mat with htab and cord/earth plugESD wrist strap and plug/cordESD footstrapPolyamide tapeTransformer coil tubing7/0.2mm wireVarious Enamelled copper wire0805 bookisolation transformer 230/230...100VA to 2200VA

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2022, 06:05:53 pm
content: Quality is random, and if you receive something sub-par, customer service is a long way from ebay standard.

author: TomKatt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2022, 06:15:59 pm
content: China is a crapshoot - you need to get by the product description lies before you can even begin ascertaining quality...Thank goodness I'm just a hobbiest - because I still do not know how to identify real copper wire from all the plated crap listed as solid copper.Even if the origin was China, if the use was commercial, I'd be sourcing from a place like Digikey etc.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2022, 07:06:01 pm
content: General rule is don’t buy anything that can kill you or you can’t afford to immediately throw away from China.Polyamide tape is usually ok though.

author: graybeard
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2022, 02:07:25 am
content: Quote from: bd139 on June 28, 2022, 07:06:01 pmThe tape cheap enough from Amazon prime and returnable for free if it sucks.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2022, 03:14:55 am
content: FluxLeaded solderHV Diff probeMains Safe blockisolation transformer 230/230...100VA to 2200VAThose I wouldn't get due to OHS, the 0805 book is ok for prototyping but not production and everything will be dependent on quality. if your goal is to sell a product you need factor in the risk of using low quality components. You get a few things returned or deal with customers on the phone troubleshooting and those cheap components become costly.

author: f14
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2022, 01:01:21 pm
content: try aliexpress( same company with alibaba)HV diff probe from micsig they have good price with some nice voucher

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2022, 09:18:08 pm
content: Quote from: Faringdon on June 28, 2022, 05:57:51 pmPolyamide (Nylon, Kevlar, etc) or polyimide (Kapton)? They’re different things.My experience with Chinese Kapton is that the adhesive is very substantially weaker than that of name-brand Kapton tape. But it’s also a tiny fraction of the cost.There are numerous discussions here about Chinese solder, mostly describing it as utter garbage. Why anyone would bother with that when even the most expensive solders make up a negligible part of the cost of a project or product, I don’t understand. Why risk ruining expensive parts to save some tiny fraction of a penny on solder?Flux seems to be ok. But given how cheap name-brand flux can be, again, why bother?

author: abdulbadii
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2022, 11:39:50 pm
content: kits ok 90-95%equipment i.e. device ok 70-80%real point is we can't easily to determine which class of imported productsChina has two class export for two targets; rich/developed countries & mid/poor/undeveloped onesso there'll be ~95% or more the same product but actually more 50% of the material quality of significantly different ones of the two

author: DH7DN
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2022, 11:45:37 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on June 30, 2022, 09:18:08 pmThis makes no senseKapton is a trademark of DuPont for a polyimide film.Nylon etc. = polyamide

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2022, 11:57:07 pm
content: It's surely a typo. =)

author: aronake
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 04:28:32 pm
content: I live in Hong Kong so have quick access to taobao / alibaba. Around 4 days from order until arrive. I buy lots of things from there. Generally its good, but need to be observant and develop a skill for what is probably good or bad. And many things so cheap, so just to put an order, and if not good, just throw away.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 07:05:48 pm
content: I would not buy anything safety critical and difficult to properly evaluate, e.g. isolation transformer, straight from China. That stuff should come from sources you can easily drag into court if the device ends up trying to kill you.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 07:28:44 pm
content: Quote from: DH7DN on June 30, 2022, 11:45:37 pmD’oh!It’s fixed now.Quote from: SiliconWizard on June 30, 2022, 11:57:07 pmIndeed. The formatting tag buttons here are super buggy on iOS, which I frequently use to do my everyday browsing, and so I instead copied the tag pair with the clipboard and forgot to change the letter!

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 07:55:14 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on June 28, 2022, 07:06:01 pmWhat do you mean? Most electronics stuff come from China. Do we really have choices?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 08:00:03 pm
content: Quote from: BeBuLamar on July 01, 2022, 07:55:14 pmYes:China -> quality control -> distributor with a reputation to protect -> customerChina -> customer

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 08:59:23 pm
content: Quote from: aronake on July 01, 2022, 04:28:32 pmYes, you have to develop a sense of what's good and what's bad.I've bought alotof good stuff on there though. In the long term you'll save a moneyeven if you get a dud every now and again.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 09:00:40 pm
content: Yeah same as my point above. You have to do your own quality control.I got a good strip of 10x working new AD8307 log amplifiers from China for $10. They are £15 each here!

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 09:20:18 pm
content: I know there's a few things you shouldneverbuy on there, eg. 18650 batteries and power MOSFETS.Anybody have any others...?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 09:21:32 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on July 01, 2022, 09:20:18 pmFaringdon should only be buying stuff that is made locally.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2022, 09:24:25 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on July 01, 2022, 09:21:32 pmQuite right too as he can't distinguish the wood from the Treez !