Docan 280 EVE cells - 2023 Quality check (update: Bad experience - scam beware)

[Daddy Tanuki]

I ordered EVE 280k us stock cells from Ducan last Noverber 2022, They arrived swollen and they kept stringing me along untill the return date had passed and Iwas guessing that they would be more than enough power and that they would age out before I could go thru 5000 cycles in my RV. Well guess what! One cell is leaking and another is growing 2 ea 3mm bulges in the case. Ive think I now have over 20 emails with them and there last email said that they were over a year old so no replacement..... BUT THERE NOT A YEAR OLD YET!!!! AND I'VE BARIEY USED THEM...... Where else should I worn others about Ducan?

so you bought the cells from their US wharehouse? if so take them to small claims court and pester the snot out of them. send them one certified mail listing court date and say nothing else after that. when they do not show, you win. then when they do not pay you go to regular court and sue them for all costs plus damages as you could not use your cabin, RV whatever for that length of time. the real court will get your money for you.

 

[42OhmsPA]

I ordered EVE 280k us stock cells from Ducan last Noverber 2022, They arrived swollen and they kept stringing me along untill the return date had passed and Iwas guessing that they would be more than enough power and that they would age out before I could go thru 5000 cycles in my RV. Well guess what! One cell is leaking and another is growing 2 ea 3mm bulges in the case. Ive think I now have over 20 emails with them and there last email said that they were over a year old so no replacement..... BUT THERE NOT A YEAR OLD YET!!!! AND I'VE BARIEY USED THEM...... Where else should I worn others about Ducan?

Post some photos of your completed pack and charge settings. Let's try to figure out the true root cause to avoid potential issues with your new cells.

 

[Alkaline]

I ordered EVE 280k us stock cells from Ducan last Noverber 2022, They arrived swollen and they kept stringing me along untill the return date had passed and Iwas guessing that they would be more than enough power and that they would age out before I could go thru 5000 cycles in my RV. Well guess what! One cell is leaking and another is growing 2 ea 3mm bulges in the case. Ive think I now have over 20 emails with them and there last email said that they were over a year old so no replacement..... BUT THERE NOT A YEAR OLD YET!!!! AND I'VE BARIEY USED THEM...... Where else should I worn others about Ducan?

I'm no fan of Docan, but that looks like the result of bad install. Were you using some type of case? How were they held in place?

 

[42OhmsPA]

@Fuelwerks where were the washers when you had the buss bars / lugs on the cells?

 

[740GLE]

Mobile applications are such another layer of complexity.

I’m not saying you got a bad batch from docan that might have compounded by a bad install.

How often was this RV mobile? 1000-5000 miles on this install? or did it roll 100 miles and sit?

 

[augiedoggy]

I ordered EVE 280k us stock cells from Ducan last Noverber 2022, They arrived swollen and they kept stringing me along untill the return date had passed and Iwas guessing that they would be more than enough power and that they would age out before I could go thru 5000 cycles in my RV. Well guess what! One cell is leaking and another is growing 2 ea 3mm bulges in the case. Ive think I now have over 20 emails with them and there last email said that they were over a year old so no replacement..... BUT THERE NOT A YEAR OLD YET!!!! AND I'VE BARIEY USED THEM...... Where else should I worn others about Ducan?

Were these properly compressed when in use? from the looks of the bottom of that one cell you just had the raw cells bouncing around in the rv? they really need to be encased with proper compression to prevent bloating and damage to the thin aluminum cases, more so in mobile applications. (Not saying they dont have issues here but some of these look to be self inflicted) were this cells subjected to freezing conditions and if so were they disconnected from any chargers first? Theres a lot that can go wrong

I have 4 230ah I bought from docan for my popup back in 2021 and they are not bloated.. not to say that means they all arent but ...

I also have 16 cells I bought from a seller on aliexpress last winter and only 2 have about 1.-2mm of bloat but have given me no issues since I installed them with the manufacturers recommended compression in a steel box. im sure those are used cells and for what I paid I expect nothing else.

 

[lfpinside]

Thats not a coincidence, that is the plan all along! Get people to start chattering and ranting and raving and then flood the remaining orders with the BS stock. If it gets too bad then start up another company.

As long as people think they are getting a deal this will continue, this is what happens when you live in a High Trust Society like the West and engage with a Low Trust Society like the East.

Sorry but I called this one: First it was Xuba, then it was Basen, and now we have Docan. I'm sure there will be another one to take there place soon.

I cannot guarantee that every cell from Gobel Power is perfect.

But I can guarantee that if you buy Grade A cells, you get Grade A cells. If you buy Grade B cells, you get Grade B cells (no fake QR).

 

[Nonlin]

Thanks for this thread.

Apparently local to me is a docan redistributor.

I have an order with 18650batterystore for some grade A cells but in the talks with a docan sales rep supposedly local to me on Facebook.

Will see if I can check the goods prior to purchase or not trust them and not purchase at all.

An interesting question is who officially gets to make the call that something is Grade A or B? Assuming original manufacturer? If so anyone who tampers with the official stamp of approval is commiting fraud. Id also be inclined to take the risk and if fraud was committed just get a refund with my bank and get the batteries for free.

 

[740GLE]

Good luck fighting with someone (to obtain free grade B cells) when they are willing to go so far as new QR codes, I can’t imagine they’d go down without a fight.

 

[Nonlin]

Good luck fighting with someone (to obtain free grade B cells) when they are willing to go so far as new QR codes, I can’t imagine they’d go down without a fight.

Picture proof is picture proof. If you can prove it and they know they did the fraud lets see what kind of fight they can put up.
Unless the counterfeit by now how gotten really good and hard to prove.

 

[740GLE]

The only thing I could see in your favor is if your local and don’t have to pay return shipping.

If you’re not happy with what was provided I can foresee the seller demand you return the items for a refund. For many that return shipping would probably cost a pretty penny.

I don’t think there’s a CC clause that states items are free if proven to be “fraudulent”.

 

[Nonlin]

The only thing I could see in your favor is if your local and don’t have to pay return shipping.

If you’re not happy with what was provided I can foresee the seller demand you return the items for a refund. For many that return shipping would probably cost a pretty penny.

I don’t think there’s a CC clause that states items are free if proven to be “fraudulent”.

Its called fraud protection

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

Its called fraud protection

yep my credit card would claw back even when paid to china or alibabba if i could prove to the bank my allegations of fraud. and they would not care one bit about the return, they would tell the vendor figure it out yourself.

 

[EcoRV]

I received 20 of the LF280K from Docan Jan/2022 and built them into 5 batteries in parallel. The max charge / discharge rate has never been above 60amps per battery and normally is ~ 30amps. I have used them in my RV for those 2 years ~ 35k miles where they have occasionally been in some rough places. I have done 2 discharge tests over the last 2 years with the most recent one being last week . On both tests i was short of the 280 threshold and the last test I averaged 248AH per battery.

 

[740GLE]

Previous quality isn’t a sign of current quality.

I’m also fairly happy with my 230 8s, granted I haven’t put more than 4 full cycles on it but meets my needs.

I would be cautious of what docan sells today. I think I’d pay a couple more $ and go with a different brand.

 

[S Davis]

I bought 28 cells from Docan a couple years ago they are performing well, but I bought right at the beginning and got good cells, it seems like they get a batch of cells and sell off the good ones first so depending on where your order is in the cycle. I went with a different supplier this time because of the negative posts lately about them, just did about a $6000.00 order.

 

[Jason.Blier]

Ive bought 100's of cells from Docan over a 3-year period. Half are EVE 280K and half are REPT 280. All cells have been performing amazingly well. No issues with any shipments, no issues with cell quality (everything tests out ideally - even after 2 years in service. No bloating, no cell drift.

I buy directly from Amy Zheng and she has been amazing and continues to be reliable for me (I have more cells and battery enclosures on the way).

I guess your mileage may vary, but Ive had nothing but good experiences

 

[740GLE]

When was the last time you purchased? They do seem to share stock with ezeal cells.

 

[Jason.Blier]

When was the last time you purchased? They do seem to share stock with ezeal cells.

last order was a month ago - still en route.

order before that was in Sept - those 96 REPT cells are now in service - 0 issues

 

[740GLE]

You ordering from US stock or long ship across the pond?

I was amazed by US in stock shipping times, can’t really be beat.

 

[Jason.Blier]

You ordering from US stock or long ship across the pond?

I was amazed by US in stock shipping times, can’t really be beat.

I usually order DDP from china if possible.

 

[Hanzo86]

I usually order DDP from china if possible.

I'm local to one of their US warehouse, but am hesitant to buy from them because of this thread.

 

[HRTKD]

I'm local to one of their US warehouse, but am hesitant to buy from them because of this thread.

I used to live in Houston and am familiar with where their warehouse is. If I could walk into a place to return a bad cell, I wouldn't have a problem buying from them. Shipping all the way from China is a different matter.

 

[Hanzo86]

I used to live in Houston and familiar with where their warehouse is. If I could walk into a place to return a bad cell, I wouldn't have a problem buying from them. Shipping all the way from China is a different matter.

That's a good idea. Do you know if emailing Wendy Wu or using their website to purchase is better?

 

[HRTKD]

That's a good idea. Do you know if emailing Wendy Wu or using their website to purchase is better?

Sorry, but I don't know the answer to that. I haven't purchased from them. Docan popped up about a year after I bought my cells from China.