Fangpusun makes counterfeit Victron, Outback & others

[ChangeMachine]

Ya but... has anyone actually seen the inside of one?

 

[MurphyGuy]

Drop a nuke on them. I despise people that lack the drive to create their own widget and simply copy one that someone else created.

That is actually the Chinese culture and they are not shameful about it anymore than we are shameful about creating a successful business.

One must understand their culture to understand what's going on. They're actually doing it to spaceX now! They are attempting to copy Musk's Falcon and Dragon. (check out youtube video)

The Chinese do not view copying the works of others as a dishonorable thing, in fact, pretty much just the opposite.. Their culture views it as a success story.

 

[RoadTurtle]

The irony of all this, the Chinese consumer is very very discerning and critical. I retired from an auto OEM, and to sell in China, required higher quality than the typical US consumer. They even have service lifts in the showroom to show off the pretty underside too. A spot of rust on a bolt head, forget it.

 

[SparkyJJO]

That is actually the Chinese culture and they are not shameful about it anymore than we are shameful about creating a successful business.

One must understand their culture to understand what's going on. They're actually doing it to spaceX now! They are attempting to copy Musk's Falcon and Dragon. (check out youtube video)

The Chinese do not view copying the works of others as a dishonorable thing, in fact, pretty much just the opposite.. Their culture views it as a success story.

Then why are so many copies such utter crap?

Also, why did you dig up this old thread

 

[MurphyGuy]

Then why are so many copies such utter crap?

I think its because they're made to look the same but inside is maybe a lower quality to facilitate profit? Just a guess.

Also, why did you dig up this old thread

I didn't go searching for it or anything.. I think it was in the "New Posts" link.. you know, where the website shows all the latest post we haven't seen?

But after scrolling back, I see the time stamps make it look like I dug it up.. I hadn't looked at the time and thought it was a new post.

 

[fromport]

I didn't go searching for it or anything.. I think it was in the "New Posts" link.. you know, where the website shows all the latest post we haven't seen?

But after scrolling back, I see the time stamps make it look like I dug it up.. I hadn't looked at the time and thought it was a new post.

There was another thread about similar subject where @MurphyGuy replied that got deleted by a moderator. Even an account was deleted.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I think its because they're made to look the same but inside is maybe a lower quality to facilitate profit? Just a guess.


I didn't go searching for it or anything.. I think it was in the "New Posts" link.. you know, where the website shows all the latest post we haven't seen?

But after scrolling back, I see the time stamps make it look like I dug it up.. I hadn't looked at the time and thought it was a new post.

There was another thread about similar subject where @MurphyGuy replied that got deleted by a moderator. Even an account was deleted.

Must be this.

 

[LydMekk]

Holy necro Batman!

 

[Deveak]

Do they work? Actual copies or just a shell over a crappy pwm controller? I want to build a diy generator like David poz but I don’t want to spend 200-300 dollars and possibly fry an expensive victron.

 

[chriswy]

They do work very well! Just don't update.
On another forum I read they are similar even down to the Gerber-file. (Victron: "designed in the Netherlands, made in India" on a SmartSolar 100/50). I use both brands, first model was a 75/15 which works as it should, a 100/30 is in service too and a 100/50 Victron original.
The fangpusun cannot be opened easily except when using a dremel, the fuse is reachable though by digging decently into the blue case.

Main user problem is the stolen software running on them , "not allowed update" states Wenzhou Xihe on an extra label. This implies also not being able to use the wonderful "VictronConnect" app which updates its devices mandatorily unless it is an old² version.
Well, I updated mine and connected it some months later to the VRM cloud, which coincided with its complete malfunction after a few days. Soft kill, caused probably by its blacklisted serial number.
Conclusion: useful in digital island mode together with the additional "mppt control" display to set all parameters. Not recommended in VenusOS environments.

 

[m8ken]

I have both the Victron 100/50 and the Fangpusun 100/50, each on a separate string.

I monitor the Victron via the app and the Fangpusun via the separate display/control unit.

Both are comparable in performance and when the sun is high (middayish) each will generate more or less equal KW's.

My strings face, 1 east and the other west. But for those few hours when the sun is near zenith, equal.

I do plan on a adding a third string and a another MPPT, which one, I haven't decided yet.

 

[Tomthumb62]

I despise people that lack the drive to create their own widget and simply copy one

Agreed, except it doesn't sound like an actual copy beyond what you can see on the outside and without "Victron" on it:

What is inside the box varies from item to item (really). It's often not even an attempt to clone the original product beyond the shell.

Now if they actually did copy the internal workings to the same degree of manufacture but sold it for 1/3 the price of genuine Victron, then they'd have a real copy. As it stands, anyone who buys this deserves the pure junk they get...maybe the "nuke" will be on them when their house burns down. I hope to God that no one actually experiences that, but that's a risk one would take. If it sounds too good to be true...

 

[Alkaline]

I'm sorry but if Nike, Gucci, Luis Viton, and Rolex can't stop fakes do you think Victron has any chance at all?

 

[fafrd]

Agreed, except it doesn't sound like an actual copy beyond what you can see on the outside and without "Victron" on it:



Now if they actually did copy the internal workings to the same degree of manufacture but sold it for 1/3 the price of genuine Victron, then they'd have a real copy. As it stands, anyone who buys this deserves the pure junk they get...maybe the "nuke" will be on them when their house burns down. I hope to God that no one actually experiences that, but that's a risk one would take. If it sounds too good to be true...

They manufacture for Victron.

That have resell rights under their own brand when Victron’rs demand falls short of contractual terms.

Victron attempts to limit the impact by only updating recognized Victron serial numbers.

It’s not rocket-science.

 

[Tomthumb62]

The irony of all this, the Chinese consumer is very very discerning and critical. I retired from an auto OEM, and to sell in China, required higher quality than the typical US consumer. They even have service lifts in the showroom to show off the pretty underside too. A spot of rust on a bolt head, forget it.

So all the junk gets sold to USA, second from the bottom to Europe and the best stuff saved for China themselves? Haha, jokes on us! Everyone in the States complains about how poor quality Chinese-made junk is, but in reality they're doing it on purpose?! If that's the truth, that is just hilarious. Because Americans are just eating it up. Don't like it? Shut yer mouth and DON'T BUY IT. Buy Made in the USA - for 3 to 20x the price. I know it's more complicated than that, but more than half the problem is greed. People want a good deal and stopped buying American-made, because it was cheaper to buy Chinese. Imagine if Walmart went 100% American-made? They'd be out of business in less than a week...maybe.

 

[Tomthumb62]

They manufacture for Victron.

That have resell rights under their own brand when Victron’rs demand falls short of contractual terms.

Do tell. Where can I verify this? Or how did you come to learn of this?

 

[Alkaline]

I thought Vinctron was made in India in Bangalore

 

[Nobodybusiness]

ok something to remember, when a company has their products made in china they are making a deal with the devil , meaning China will make your stuff then copy it and start to compete against you. Everyone should know China does not care about copyrighted items... this should come as no surprise

They originate nothing.

All they know how to Do is copy and make junk unless the partner company enforces QA and IP theft.

 

[fafrd]

Do tell. Where can I verify this? Or how did you come to learn of this?

Look back at post #30:

‘Main user problem is the stolen software running on them , "not allowed update" states Wenzhou Xihe on an extra label. This implies also not being able to use the wonderful "VictronConnect" app which updates its devices mandatorily unless it is an old² version.
Well, I updated mine and connected it some months later to the VRM cloud, which coincided with its complete malfunction after a few days. Soft kill, caused probably by its blacklisted serial number.’

If the software ‘ecosystem’ functions correctly but disables unauthorized units, that’s only possible with the same actual design with the same actual firmware - only ‘serial number’ / licensing separates ‘genuine’ / licensed units from clone / unlicensed units.

When the customer (Victron) purchases fewer units than forecasted, this allows the Chinese / Indian manufacturer to recover material cost without forcing the customer (Victron) to pick up the tab.

These kinds of contractual terms exist all the time.

Pictures of the actual underlying boards wound provide definitive proof, but the fact that you can apparently update but brick unauthorized / licensed ‘clone’ units is nearly as good (99% proof).

No amount of reverse-engineering can get you to that degree of matching ecosystem compatability…

 

[Tomthumb62]

When the customer (Victron) purchases fewer units than forecasted, this allows the Chinese / Indian manufacturer to recover material cost without forcing the customer (Victron) to pick up the tab.

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for taking the time to explain it. Weird but makes sense.