Astrolux FT02 and Banggood complaint!!

Lux-Perpetua · 2019-03-19T12:25:52.000Z

Apart from all this hassle that happened to the customer I actually wonder if he can be blamed for not checking if there’s a USB port underneath the rubber boot within 7 days. I totally understand that they can expect their customers to check their purchase for obvious damage. Now, the question is: What is obvious and what is concealed? I would not accept Banggood’s sorry excuses for a single minute.

I’m worried now if I should check all my lights with USB port if they actually have a USB port.

mattadores · 2019-03-19T12:49:03.000Z

I agree that all companies have policies which outline a certain amount of time where claims will be honored. Most importantly though, it sounds like he made the original claim within the acceptable time period for DOA claims?? OP would have to confirm.

If indeed he did make his claim within the DOA acceptable limit and now BG is trying to state that because the issue wasn’t resolved prior to that time period expiring then that is extremely bad business practices.

If he did make his claim 7 days after the DOA claimable period then yes I hate to say it but there is a responsibility on the purchaser to inspect their products within a 30 day window. We here on BLF all understand that we’re not normal users, we’re going to have many flash lights and most are toys that could arrive new, get tested and become shelf queens. In those situations it’s highly likely something like the USB port doesn’t get tested in the initial inspection and is finally discovered well after purchase. That however is not the distributor or manufacturers fault. We also must remember we live in a world where people take advantage of the system just as frequently (or almost) as people with legitimate claims. Since micro USB ports were ever introduced the mfg always advised that they were never meant for charging and repeated use. I’ve had $5-700 phones where repeated plugging and unplugging under normal conditions pushed the micro usb port into the device and separated it from the circuit board. It’s definitely understandable that with this particular type of claim on an otherwise fully working device that BG would impose any deniability they have at their disposal.

Nevertheless, aside from the rant. File this with PP with documentation of BGs crappy responses and get your money back

Lux-Perpetua · 2019-03-19T12:58:11.000Z

Another question that just came into my mind: Is this actually a DOA (dead-on-arrival) case? The light works but lacks the USB port. Anyway, it is hairsplitting what BG is trying by referring to their 7-days DOA rule. The customer submitted multiple purchase orders that all went fine. He seems to be an honest guy, not being over-meticulous. What’s the big deal for BG to show some goodwill?

Petr_J · 2019-03-19T14:40:18.000Z

I always shoot the opening and basic functionality checks on the camera on the phone. Several times the shipment was incomplete. From Aliexpress, Gearbest etc. Not everyone checks if there is a USB port missing under the rubber cap. This should be resolved immediately by sending a new part.

Petr_Sixta · 2019-03-19T17:07:52.000Z

I also have this flashlight.
Immediately after delivery, I contacted BG with the LED not centered and the hotspot containing artifacts. The lamp is of very low quality. There was no response from the seller.
Do not complain. I know that shopping in Chinese shops is a risk.
These traders cannot be trusted and rely on honesty.
BG is one of the better ones.
Although I recently bought a USB charger from them that caused a fire and damaged the installation in the apartment a few minutes after connecting to 230V. They continue to sell this life-threatening thing and have not published a review that describes this product.
For these traders, the one-time profit from the deal comes first. Decent behavior or responsibility is the last.
I know it and it depends on me whether I will take this risk.

SIGShooter · 2019-03-19T17:53:27.000Z

Petr Sixta:

I also have this flashlight.
Immediately after delivery, I contacted BG with the LED not centered and the hotspot containing artifacts. The lamp is of very low quality. There was no response from the seller.
Do not complain. I know that shopping in Chinese shops is a risk.
These traders cannot be trusted and rely on honesty.
BG is one of the better ones.
Although I recently bought a USB charger from them that caused a fire and damaged the installation in the apartment a few minutes after connecting to 230V. They continue to sell this life-threatening thing and have not published a review that describes this product.
For these traders, the one-time profit from the deal comes first. Decent behavior or responsibility is the last.
I know it and it depends on me whether I will take this risk.

Which charger was this?

Petr_Sixta · 2019-03-19T18:01:50.000Z

It was BlitzWolf BW-S2.
I feel nothing wrong with this brand, I have other products from them and I am happy with them.
This was the first and also the last product to be at 230V. Next, I’ll buy their products, but not those that are on the mains voltage.

pennzy · 2019-03-19T22:24:49.000Z

No warranty after 7 days?

SIGShooter · 2019-03-19T22:39:24.000Z

Petr Sixta:

It was BlitzWolf BW-S2.
I feel nothing wrong with this brand, I have other products from them and I am happy with them.
This was the first and also the last product to be at 230V. Next, I’ll buy their products, but not those that are on the mains voltage.

I also have a number of BlitzWolf chargers and haven’t had any issues with them. It sounds like yours had some sort of defect. Hopefully it didn’t cause much damage to your place.

Petr_Sixta · 2019-03-20T05:04:07.000Z

This happened when I was home.
The wall socket and terminal box in the wall have been damaged. They hit the 35A circuit breakers.

It’s good that I have more than one hundred lamps at home. It was dark outside, and it was suddenly in the apartment.

The cost of repair has come close to $ 1000.

Friends from our local forum that is about lamps also have chargers of this brand and have no problems.
It is clear that mine had a problem, but the problem is that the USB charger has a devastating effect on the power cables. That’s what I’m afraid of. Usb charger could die, but it shouldn’t destroy its surroundings.

wstrachan · 2019-03-20T06:01:45.000Z

pennzy:

No warranty after 7 days?

They have a 7day dead in arrival clause but it wasn’t dead in arrival. It worked but I just didn’t try to charge it through the port. Banggood is trying to get out of replacing it. I asked for a head only, not a whole light. They are refusing and sticking to the 7 day rule. I filled a PayPal complaint and escaleted it to a claim.

djozz · 2019-03-20T09:07:20.000Z

This thread is about FT02 problems, right?

I have bought 2 FT02’s for friends before and now finally got one for myself, a cool white one because I wanted to change the led anyway.

Yesterday I swapped the led for a 4000K one and noticed something that made me sigh: the pocket that is machined in the head for the ledboard to sit in was way off-center, like almost 2mm. The screw-holes for fixing the board are however in the correct position. So the ledboard was screwed in with one of the edges slightly over the side of the pocket, so it was just not flush with the shelf, airgap under the board! I already noticed that the output s#cked, got 1600 lumen out of the cool white stock led, and just 140 kcd throw.
So I sanded a mm off the side of the ledboard so that it now fits centered on the shelf and reflowed the 4000K led. I now get 1830 lumen and 153 kcd throw. So what should have been less performance made it better.

My conclusion: Astrolux is getting better and better with their designs, qua design quality I think the FT02 is a homerun, but the quality control shows that they are far from a high end manufacturer: to continue assembly to produce a crooked light when the workers find a major flaw in production is a very bad sign. It is a bit sad that when I receive an Astrolux flashlight (50 dollar!) that like in any crappy budget light before using it I need to disassemble it first to fix it.

Petr_Sixta · 2019-03-20T09:50:36.000Z

I tried to loosen my head, but I couldn’t. Is the thread glued? Or should I use more power?

pennzy · 2019-03-20T10:38:36.000Z

wstrachan:

pennzy:

No warranty after 7 days?

They have a 7day dead in arrival clause but it wasn’t dead in arrival. It worked but I just didn’t try to charge it through the port. Banggood is trying to get out of replacing it. I asked for a head only, not a whole light. They are refusing and sticking to the 7 day rule. I filled a PayPal complaint and escaleted it to a claim.

So shouldn’t it be replaced under the regular warranty?

djozz · 2019-03-20T10:44:02.000Z

Petr Sixta:

I tried to loosen my head, but I couldn’t. Is the thread glued? Or should I use more power?

I used a strip of inner tire wrapped around the very edge of the head and around the corner, it took some force but it gave in. No glue in mine

Petr_Sixta · 2019-03-20T10:50:48.000Z

Thank you for the advice.

I’ll try to use more power.

wstrachan · 2019-03-20T14:31:32.000Z

pennzy:

wstrachan:

pennzy:

No warranty after 7 days?

They have a 7day dead in arrival clause but it wasn’t dead in arrival. It worked but I just didn’t try to charge it through the port. Banggood is trying to get out of replacing it. I asked for a head only, not a whole light. They are refusing and sticking to the 7 day rule. I filled a PayPal complaint and escaleted it to a claim.

So shouldn’t it be replaced under the regular warranty?

EXACTLY!

Petr_Sixta · 2019-03-20T16:26:10.000Z

Great, I managed to center the LED.

Thank you again for your advice.

djozz · 2019-03-20T16:42:51.000Z

Petr Sixta:

Great, I managed to center the LED.

Thank you again for your advice.

Was your ledboard cavity also off-center?

Petr_Sixta · 2019-03-20T17:14:17.000Z

Yes LED was off center.
Proxxon increased the screw holes and centered everything.