Counterfeit Anderson Connectors

[Mercruiser]

Beware of counterfeit Anderson Connectors sold by an online retailer named after a really Big River with a rainforest.

See photo. The real deal has "Anderson Power Products" molded into the plastic housing. The counterfeit says "Made in China" on the packaging and does NOT have the Anderson name or the UL "RU" logo.

The online product listing lists the Brand and Manufacturer as "Anderson Power Products". Lesson learned: There is a reason why Big River online sells stuff cheaper than Digikey, Mouser, Jameco, etc. The Big River stuff advertised as authentic, but is actually fake.

Why should you care? Here are two of a dozen or more reasons.

Silver plated contacts. Do you think the counterfeiters use real silver? Result - More resistance and higher heat from counterfeits.
V-0 UL94 flammability rating. Counterfeiters use the cheapest plastic available. Result - Counterfeit plastics can spread a fire via flaming drops of burning plastic. In contrast, real V-0 plastics self extinguish when the flame source is removed.

Yes, I reported this to Big River online.

 

[BentleyJ]

Technically its not Counterfeit since the Chinese product does not have any markings identifying it as an Anderson product. Its more of a cheap Knock-Off and a poor one at that since its not the same size.

It is the company selling the product who is committing fraud by advertising it as a brand name product.

Point made: don't buy from that retailer

 

[robbob2112]

You can say Amazon, they won't send a blue van to your door to put your through re-education... at least I don't think they will.

I do not trust amazon products to be real anymore, none of them. They lost that trust when they started letting anyone advertise and sell direct and making it difficult to get some vendors removed.

I would guess half the stuff I get from them gets returned because it is in some way inferior to the good stuff. They are the WalMart of the online world now.

and I NEVER buy fuses or safety products from them... may as well order from aliexpress except the returns are easier on amazon.

 

[Mercruiser]

and I NEVER buy fuses or safety products from them... may as well order from aliexpress except the returns are easier on amazon.

I worked the last 20 years in electric power system protection. I am amazed that folks will knowingly buy knock-off brand fuses and breakers. I will only buy power protection and safety products from Littlefuse, Eaton (Cooper, Bussman), Schneider (Square-D), Siemens, etc. It just amazes me that folks will chose to save $1 on a fuse or $5 on a breaker and buy it from an anonymous manufacturer.

 

[robbob2112]

I worked the last 20 years in electric power system protection. I am amazed that folks will knowingly buy knock-off brand fuses and breakers. I will only buy power protection and safety products from Littlefuse, Eaton (Cooper, Bussman), Schneider (Square-D), Siemens, etc. It just amazes me that folks will chose to save $1 on a fuse or $5 on a breaker and buy it from an anonymous manufacturer.

I agree... I usually get my fuses from Mouser or digikey, same with the holders.

 

[Gold Country Russ]

If they have it, I will always shop first at Automation Direct. Always great prices.

 

[Will Prowse]

This is especially true with the smaller anderson connectors rated for 30A. There are lots of fake listings on amazon for those. I have melted quite a few now.

 

[Mercruiser]

If they have it, I will always shop first at Automation Direct. Always great prices.

I really like AD. I bought my Eaton (made in Europe) circuit breakers from them. Yes, you can buy $9 breakers on Amazon. But if you look at what's inside, there are three elements that have to work together: bimetallic strip for slow tripping on the low current part of the trip curve, solenoid for instantaneous trip at the high current part of the trip curve, and an arc chute to quench the arc.

It takes good engineering design and manufacturing quality control to make those work well together. Anyone can claim their breakers can interrupt 10 kA. But do they test it in a high-current laboratory? I know Eaton does.

https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/shopping/catalog/circuit_protection_-z-_fuses_-z-_disconnects/circuit_breakers_-a-_circuit_protectors/miniature_circuit_breakers_(mcb)/faz-b5-1-na-l-sp