Buying from Aliexpress
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Max Bender
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Bought a few thousand $$$ worth of stuff from AliExpress last year without any problems. All items came within a reasonable period of time (three weeks and sometimes within days), and leaving your CC on file for faster purchases is okay. My last purchase was 200aH CALB's for $699 from the BLS store on AliExpress - a set of four LiFePo4 200aH batteries, new, with buss bars, and arrived in about twelve days.
Max Bender
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Shipping is free. No duty, no tariffs, and I live in a no sales tax state - Montana, USA
atatistcheff
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I've spent about $1,000 on Aliexpress in the last year as well. Same experience as Max. I would probably buy more from there if the shipping was faster but still most items seem to come in around two to three weeks.
KauaiMolokai
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I've bought a lot of different things on AliExpress - guitars, chainsaws, electronics, etc. Small items are great because the cost for the Chinese sellers to ship small items to the US is very low (items like chainsaw chains, Apple computer cables). But the cost for shipping larger items is high, and packaging is often not up to taking USPS and other abuse (guitar necks cracked). Shipping is never "free" - its always included in the price or quoted separately. Many Ali sellers are really smart and also sell on Amazon and/or eBay. If they sell high volume they also ship in bulk either to their warehouse or to Amazon. They may start off asking higher prices on Amazon, but with popular items this soon comes down with competition. So its worth spending some time shopping. Occasionally US customs will open items (guitars) and you will have to pay duty, but its not much. Buying in bulk and shipping as a part container load is just as expensive as door to door air courier (Fedex, etc) once costs are figured in. I haven't done it yet but buying a full shipping container load and having the container dropped off at your place seems like it will save a lot.
Overall AliExpress is pretty much as good and safe as Amazon, IMO. I prefer to buy from AliExpress stores which will answers my questions before I order, but often I don't bother, especially if the item is cheap. Batteries and BMSs I would search AliBaba for manufacturers and ask them to suggest a retail store (AliBaba manufacturers are not set up for shipping small quantities and although they offer to sell "samples" shipping costs will be very high). Many AliExpress stores just buy from AliBaba manufacturers or others and sell retail on AliExpress. I was only ripped off once and that was by an Indian glove seller/manufacturer. In my experience AliExpress sellers are great and very helpful. Just be aware you likely won't get BattleBorn battery quality but it will cost you much less. I've never had a payment dispute on AliExpress but I'm confident that AliExpress would honor a claim of non-delivery or junk product, should I make one. PayPal definitely will NOT. If you have concern use a credit card which you know will help you if you have a dispute. Amex was very good at that. CapitalOne is pretty good. Chase will help but only with a lot of paperwork and time. Discover has great customer service, but I've never used them to help with a dispute. Read reviews - negative reviews are a bad sign; a few positive reviews only are a little suspicious.
Overall AliExpress is pretty much as good and safe as Amazon, IMO. I prefer to buy from AliExpress stores which will answers my questions before I order, but often I don't bother, especially if the item is cheap. Batteries and BMSs I would search AliBaba for manufacturers and ask them to suggest a retail store (AliBaba manufacturers are not set up for shipping small quantities and although they offer to sell "samples" shipping costs will be very high). Many AliExpress stores just buy from AliBaba manufacturers or others and sell retail on AliExpress. I was only ripped off once and that was by an Indian glove seller/manufacturer. In my experience AliExpress sellers are great and very helpful. Just be aware you likely won't get BattleBorn battery quality but it will cost you much less. I've never had a payment dispute on AliExpress but I'm confident that AliExpress would honor a claim of non-delivery or junk product, should I make one. PayPal definitely will NOT. If you have concern use a credit card which you know will help you if you have a dispute. Amex was very good at that. CapitalOne is pretty good. Chase will help but only with a lot of paperwork and time. Discover has great customer service, but I've never used them to help with a dispute. Read reviews - negative reviews are a bad sign; a few positive reviews only are a little suspicious.
KauaiMolokai
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I agree completely. If you want something fast Aliexpress is not the way to go. Amazon Prime one day shipping gets you stuff fast.
ghostwriter66
"Here - Hold my Beer"
Thats all depending on what your order .. our LIFEPO4 batteries normally come in 6-8 days ... our BMS's in about 14 ... heck we ordered a 5 foot pneumatic mast that erects up to 20 feet weighing in at 75 pounds and it came in 7 days ...
ghostwriter66
"Here - Hold my Beer"
The one thing you do NOT want to buy form the Chinese sites is CABLE ... 99.99% of it is "copper cladded aluminum cable" that has about 70% of the capability (capacity) of US made COPPER stranded ...
That means that if you need 10 AWG copper cable and you are going to get it form China - you better be ordering 6-8 gauge ...
We buy 100% of our cables from TEMCO and get stranded WELDING wire .... its not the cheapest but well worth every penny
That means that if you need 10 AWG copper cable and you are going to get it form China - you better be ordering 6-8 gauge ...
We buy 100% of our cables from TEMCO and get stranded WELDING wire .... its not the cheapest but well worth every penny
new off grid
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Hi,
Bought 7000w Reliable Inverter directly from China maker, got it in 1 week, been running good
Bought 48v/200ah Lifepo4 Battery pack/w BMS thru Alibaba.com , came within 30 days, been running very nice
Been buying many other stuffs thru Aliexpress.com for years, so far so good,
You really need to watch out. I have also bought lots of stuff from AliExpress without any major difficulties...untill NOW!
I bought 16 cells advertised as "brand new Grade-A 200 Ah CALB LiFePo4". They came with app. 2 months delivery and was packed very nicely 4 in each 4 boxes.
I instantly put them on charge to max 3.65V and the initiated capacity tests.
2 cells had 150Ah, 1 cell only 174Ah, the rest between 158 to 168Ah, and 1 cell was slightly swollen.
Seller tried all kinds of tricks to avoid admitting what was obvious:
Cells could not have been new. CALB would never send out cells so far from specs and certainly never swollen cells.
Swoll cells are directly dangerous potentially catching fire, from dendrites developing inside. This may happen over several years of use.
I don't know about all stores, but many use exactly the same pictures and texts, so difficult to know who is honest and who is not.
If you don't have and understand how to make proper capacity straight after arrival, DON'T BUY. A voltage of 3.3V is no indication of SOC or capacity, it is simply the testing voltage of a partially charged cell.
My experience was with OYE store, stay far away from them !!!
Best regards
Others having capacity tested LiFePo4 CALB 200Ah cells from OYE store on AliExpres with problems please contact me. We need to stop such practices of selling used or very bad cells to customers that don't have any knowledge or equipment to test them
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Woody
Solar Enthusiast
I concur with KauaiMolokai.
AliExpress is along the lines of Amazon. There are really good venders and not so good venders. I’ve purchased 4 sets of LiFePo4 batteries of various Ahrs, 6 BMS, fuses, meters, tools,… and of the three years in doing business I’ve only once had a problem. A core drill tooling adapter I ordered was canceled minutes after placing the order. AliExpress reason was that the vender was being dropped. I order from Ebay and Amazon too and have had problems with them too. Usually the firm steps in and the issue is resolved. I do caution buyers to only do business with firms/venders who have been in business for awhile and have positive feedback. Someone with less than 96% positive feedback is a big flag saying run away. Caution too on new venders without any or virtually no sells. Use venders with 98+% positive feedback and things should go ok. Last point is that the quality of products coming out of China can be from spot on perfect to poor. This isn’t a dig, just a fact. One must screen incoming products or design on a lower quality product should you only purchase from the cheapest seller. This is also why this forum members are so helpful and share their good and bad vender/product experience.
AliExpress is along the lines of Amazon. There are really good venders and not so good venders. I’ve purchased 4 sets of LiFePo4 batteries of various Ahrs, 6 BMS, fuses, meters, tools,… and of the three years in doing business I’ve only once had a problem. A core drill tooling adapter I ordered was canceled minutes after placing the order. AliExpress reason was that the vender was being dropped. I order from Ebay and Amazon too and have had problems with them too. Usually the firm steps in and the issue is resolved. I do caution buyers to only do business with firms/venders who have been in business for awhile and have positive feedback. Someone with less than 96% positive feedback is a big flag saying run away. Caution too on new venders without any or virtually no sells. Use venders with 98+% positive feedback and things should go ok. Last point is that the quality of products coming out of China can be from spot on perfect to poor. This isn’t a dig, just a fact. One must screen incoming products or design on a lower quality product should you only purchase from the cheapest seller. This is also why this forum members are so helpful and share their good and bad vender/product experience.
The Caravaner
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Hi, I just stumbled over this articele. I have the same issue with OYE store. 156AH Capacity. I ran a test with a constant load of 15A and the BMS triggered after 10hours and 23 Minutes. I recorded and uploaded the test. They refuse to accept, questioning my testing method and expertise, asking for single testing and pictures of equipment and later even reject a return. In the beginning they offered return only to China, although I ordered from European Stock, just to raise the costs for me, so i would gave up. I launched a dispute and am struggeling since weeks, without any progress. I asked them to name any testing equipment that they accept and that I can order, if they guarantee a n exchange free of charge for ever y cell that does not reach 180AH in the test. They just ignored it. I uploaded the following suggestion afterwards (let´s see the outcome...):
"Because the Seller does not agree to my previous proposal of single testing, I will return at any cost, so the fraud dont pays of for the seller! Even if it costs me 200 € shipping to China. A loss of 25% capacity because of testing in a 12V pack is IMPOSSIBLE!!! These batteries are aged and lost capacity already."
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Don't give up in the dispute. In the end AliExpress backed me up partly with a 200USD refund, and don't ever resort to sending the cells back! OYE store will just resell them to another customer who then perhaps don't have any testing capability or knowledge.
Don't also fall for their trick of requesting different test gear. Suggest instead having a test performed at an accredited Technical Institute in you country, and that they pay for such testing if the cells don't meet the advertised specifications. They will most likely ignore this proposal, since they know very well they don't meet these specification.
Please look up my other postings here for Meri information about this theme.
Best regards Watch Out
Don't also fall for their trick of requesting different test gear. Suggest instead having a test performed at an accredited Technical Institute in you country, and that they pay for such testing if the cells don't meet the advertised specifications. They will most likely ignore this proposal, since they know very well they don't meet these specification.
Please look up my other postings here for Meri information about this theme.
Best regards Watch Out
OYE store are ruthless deniers of everything. They don't present any real evidence of their claims, just repeat the same rediculess statements over and over again.
They even claimed that the cells needed cycling several times before achieving their full potential/capacity, but at the same time claimed that they had already tested them to meet specifications. Obviously both can't be true.
On top of the cells you can possibly find a little QR-code partly covered by another sticker. Please install a WR reader on you phone and read these codes. You may need to reposition the other sticker if it covers part of the QR-code, but then you should easily be able to read them, then please post them here together with the associated lower papersticker code on the side of the cell.
You will notice a substantial difference between them, but OYE store will just claim they can't be read, which of course is bogus. But unfortunately we can't get the actual production dates these QR-codes relate to, but it is evident it is from some much older series.
Best regards Watch Out.
They even claimed that the cells needed cycling several times before achieving their full potential/capacity, but at the same time claimed that they had already tested them to meet specifications. Obviously both can't be true.
On top of the cells you can possibly find a little QR-code partly covered by another sticker. Please install a WR reader on you phone and read these codes. You may need to reposition the other sticker if it covers part of the QR-code, but then you should easily be able to read them, then please post them here together with the associated lower papersticker code on the side of the cell.
You will notice a substantial difference between them, but OYE store will just claim they can't be read, which of course is bogus. But unfortunately we can't get the actual production dates these QR-codes relate to, but it is evident it is from some much older series.
Best regards Watch Out.
Please fill in your paper sticker production numbers and QR-codes for comparison.
I now also received 4 more cells from a different Aliexpress supplier, which I have not had any issues with before, but they seem to be getting their cells from the same place, packed in the same way, still used cells even with corrosion in one of the terminals causing problems with the bolt, Also only 162 to 165 Ah capacity.
This time it was PWOD store.
Whoever supplies them,.must be running a major scam exchanging batteries from EV busses or something like that.
It is a shame AliExpress does not stop this scam and force them to advertise the cells for what they are: Used unballanced cells with maximum 170Ah capacity, guaranteed only 150Ah, so people can decide if they really want that kind of product.
Best Regards
WatchOut
I now also received 4 more cells from a different Aliexpress supplier, which I have not had any issues with before, but they seem to be getting their cells from the same place, packed in the same way, still used cells even with corrosion in one of the terminals causing problems with the bolt, Also only 162 to 165 Ah capacity.
This time it was PWOD store.
Whoever supplies them,.must be running a major scam exchanging batteries from EV busses or something like that.
It is a shame AliExpress does not stop this scam and force them to advertise the cells for what they are: Used unballanced cells with maximum 170Ah capacity, guaranteed only 150Ah, so people can decide if they really want that kind of product.
Best Regards
WatchOut
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