Aliexpress/Banggood Batteries. Worth the Risk?

YES, and NO!

I have found a few good sellers on all these Chinese based platforms; Alibaba, AliExpress, Banggood, eBay etc…
Unfortunately I have a bad story to share - this was two purchases on AliExpress.

The companies were; Shenzhen Foxell Technologies Co., Ltd run by Kevin Lee and Shenzhen Foxelion batteries Company Store run by Kevin Lee - this should have been the first sign, two companies, one name.

I purchased 100 X 66160 lithium titanate cells marked as GTK 40ah - these later tested out to be 27ah, and through identification of serial numbers that had been covered up - were found to be used c-grade YinLong cells. YinLong confirmed this for me. A $7,000 disaster that the seller washed their hands of.

The other was a bait-and-switch were I was sold “equivalent” cells after not having stock of what I ordered. These were 160 x 12.5am LTO pouch cells marked with Microvast serial numbers. Testing came out to 10amps - and 65 failed on their first use. I contacted Microvast with the serial numbers and was told these cells should not be for sale. They were faulty and due for recycling, not selling! Another $3,500 this same seller washed their hands of.

To date, I have found another seller with quality cells - but am still trying to recover my money through AliExpress with not much luck! DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SELLER!!!nd also note, GTK are re-wrapped cells, not new and original! Buyer beware - or donate $10,000 to me so I can feel happy again :frowning:

I’ve only bought 1 set of batteries from AE , 4x 18650, back in late January , still not got them

I got a refund I think

They still didn’t arrive now

I think once you find a good dealer in AE then maybe it’s good

But for me I only buy batteries from akkukauppa in finland , ok they are 1 euro more but they come to me in 3 days as I’m in finland and akkukappa is in finland

Thank you for sharing, you saved me lots of money.
I was also going to get from these places long cylindrical lifepo4 cells.
But will reconsider the idea. will need to use 26650 that I can source in my country.

Everyone shares his/her own story, his/her own experience. But where ones fail, others succeed. It's all in how one chooses to believe.

I am always successful with my battery purchases in AliExpress, or wherever. Caution and wisdom are your friends.

Yes indeed.

Same thing as experience buying anything else.
Scam artists, financial pyramid charlatans often survive on ‘plausible deniability’ argument.
Meaning that they made happy at least ‘10%’ or so of their clients, that will advertise/support their claim.
So the 90% that had bad experience, will meet the wall of ‘plausible deniability’ reinforced by the 10%.

Then the above, of course, totally inverted for good businesses… where 10% of the unhappy, yet very vocal customers,
will create an impression that the 90% are not happy… And good business will suffer, and value buyers such as us, loose alternatives.

.
I second your comment, my experience too. :wink:
.

Not saying Banggood was only one at fault but… In good practice one NEVER disposes of packaging of a product if it was DOA even local venders wont take back products without packaging.

I’ve bought many many far to many lights from banggood and not one of them have been “plastic wrapped” either…. just saying.

Returning stuff to China? It’s crazy expensive (no seller will pay for shipping returns on AE) since if you do you want full insurance on it. $30 shipping to get back $100 from a DOA item? Chinese sellers mostly they offer a refund (full or partial) in return for not sending it back and keeping you from griping, but even then it usually falls on dead ears. I am very leery of buying on AE and Banggood for that reason. Ebay is much better since you have eBay buyer protection (which works great), but selection is not as good for flashlights.

I purchase my cells at 18650 Battery Store - Lithium Ion Batteries, Chargers and Accessories. There here in the USA and shipping is fast. I just ordered two 30T cells for 14 dollars and change with shipping and had my cells in 4 days. At 4.99 a cell and 4.81 for shipping, it works for me :smiley:

I think the problem with AE batteries are mostly due to shipping. Many sellers have no idea to ship it properly and the shipment ends up getting confiscated by the authorities.

True. Shipping lithium batteries is tricky for overseas sellers and costs more due to customs. If you check out Convoy store on AE the shipping is more expensive than the batteries in some cases! I wouldn’t trust most Chinese sellers with batteries as far as I can throw them. I would only trust the Shockli Battery Store on AE. Great experience with them. Shipping was slow due to Coronavirus but I did get them.

My last four orders of batteries (averaging 8 cells per order) came from 18650batterystore.com. They have been running SUPER deals all year long and I can’t buy them elsewhere for less after figuring shipping in.

Best of all- they have LEGIT batteries… ALL have tested as OEM should. I never wait more than 3 days for an order. SO shout out to these guys who seem to be running a tight ship with LOW shipping to boot.

:+1: :+1:

You can ask sellers to sell a flashlight with the battery inside, its cheaper and more secure. I agree, the Shockli store is great.

Hmm I didn’t know you could do that. Good to know!

Well, it’s a crap shoot. You could buy those and save $2 per cell for unknown quality/origin, or buy the real thing for a little extra (I’m thinking of shipping cost as well). 30Q
It’s up to you, bit if you want to risk it and test them I’d like to see how they do.

Unno, but all my 30Qs were almost exactly 3000mAH, not as “generous” with their initial capacity.

WTF GTF was known for selling truly $#|+ cells before, so dunno if I’d trust ’em.

Emphasis on “crap”.

Yep, If it sounds to good to be true it usually is. I trust 18650 battery store and Liion Wholesale.

Well, also on my Opus (not on “optimistic” chargers like my Zanflare, etc.), they all clocked in at 3048, 3009, 2989, 3017, etc. Ie, almost precisely within a % or two. Nothing like 3548 or 3392 or anything like that. Those might be “3000mAH” commodity cells, but not 30Qs.

Interesting it got the 3-tab cap on it, though.