The down side from buying Chinese goods

[BaronVerde]

I'll rebut that in the same way the "Baron" rebutted my assertion. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Either restrain the regulatory impulse to something approaching sanity, based on fact and evidence, or suffer poverty, decline, and the loss of more or less everything you take for granted. Choose wisely.

Wisodm does not limit itself to minimizing raw material exploitation cost. That is only one substep in a huge chain of value creation, which also includes but is not limited to infratsructure, logistics, environmental impact, decomissioning, recycling, societal considerations and so on. Someone must pay these costs at some point, and uncontrolled predatory exploitation (I believe that what's being advertized, but ofc I may be wrong) may raise them to exorbitant levels, including loss of property and lives. For instance still to freqeunt mining acidents that regularly happen because of mssing control, maintenance and inspection. Sometimes with grave and lasting impact for decades and centuries. That's why a regulation that tries to integrate some of these aspects and work against bribery, despotism and political arbitrarinessis is certainly needed.

And then, what happens when resources run out or become too uneconomical to extract at all, which certainly happens earlier in an uncontrolled environment ? Uncontrolled action is prone to greater losses and less efficiency, iow, it doesn't make stuff cheaper, in contrary. It leads to more inequality, as well. I mean, we're all here on the forum because we actually can afford making our own anergy, at reasonable cost.

Economy is a rather complicated conglomerate of interactions, and sometimes opinionated, for sure. Just want to say that there's more to it than might appear at first sight.

 

[NPhil]

Wisodm does not limit itself to minimizing raw material exploitation cost. That is only one substep in a huge chain of value creation, which also includes but is not limited to infratsructure, logistics, environmental impact, decomissioning, recycling, societal considerations and so on. Someone must pay these costs at some point, and uncontrolled predatory exploitation (I believe that what's being advertized, but ofc I may be wrong) may raise them to exorbitant levels, including loss of property and lives. For instance still to freqeunt mining acidents that regularly happen because of mssing control, maintenance and inspection. Sometimes with grave and lasting impact for decades and centuries. That's why a regulation that tries to integrate some of these aspects and work against bribery, despotism and political arbitrarinessis is certainly needed.

And then, what happens when resources run out or become too uneconomical to extract at all, which certainly happens earlier in an uncontrolled environment ? Uncontrolled action is prone to greater losses and less efficiency, iow, it doesn't make stuff cheaper, in contrary. It leads to more inequality, as well. I mean, we're all here on the forum because we actually can afford making our own anergy, at reasonable cost.

Economy is a rather complicated conglomerate of interactions, and sometimes opinionated, for sure. Just want to say that there's more to it than might appear at first sight.

Straw man fallacy: I didn't claim that minimizing raw material exploitation cost was the only wisdom. No one claimed that, because that would be silly.

Also, I don't recognize your authority to cross-examine me (for having failed to explain what we will do when some resource or other runs low, when the Earth cools, or warms, or the Sun expands, or contracts, on the way to the (predicted) heat death of the universe), or any wisdom at all in your comment's implied assumption that more regulation is the answer, unless I can prove that it is not.

 

[Britguy]

I live near China (1hr flight $40 or 8hr drive), almost everything on sale is made in China.
Shipping from China is between free and $1, no import duty, longest delivery takes 14 days but normally within 7 days.
Even the apples in my local stores come from China.

 

[Just John]

Where can I buy a US made iPhone?

BTW China does not have a monopoly on poorly manufactured products.

The last US made smartphone was for Nextel, manufactured in Plantation Florida. It's been gone for a long time.
I know, because I worked there.

 

[Just John]

Are you talking technology, and where it is made, which is arguably related to DIY solar power, or are you hijacking this thread as a platform for attacking "the enemy" of some hidden political agenda?

Personally, any technology made in China can easily be manufactured in the USA. I know this because I worked in the USA factories that used to do exactly that for computers and cell phones. We should adopt the same policies as other nations, no selling technology that doesn't have a domestic production partner. If that shoe fits a specific country, so be it.

 

[A.Justice]

Personally, any technology made in China can easily be manufactured in the USA. I know this because I worked in the USA factories that used to do exactly that for computers and cell phones. We should adopt the same policies as other nations, no selling technology that doesn't have a domestic production partner. If that shoe fits a specific country, so be it.

I think it all comes down to whether or not Americans are willing to pay for domestic products, and I think the answer, generally speaking, is no.

In my personal and professional experience, people always talk about being willing to support an american-made product, but when it comes down to it, and they see a price tag of twice the amount, their wallet starts talking for them. I'm definitely guilty of that too, but my solar system would have been three or four times as much if I stuck with domestic products, and honestly, I probably wouldn't have even started the project for that amount of money.

I just did some looking around to see if I could "rebuild" my system with ONLY U.S made components, and how much it would cost. I'm having trouble finding any components that are manufactured from start to finish here in the states. Even the major brands here are using Asian labor. I'm sure there's exceptions, but I couldn't find any.

I personally believe that any sort of "ban" on products manufactured elsewhere would only open up a black market. People need to be incentivized to buy products made here, not forced. The last thing we need is another 3 letter agency kicking in doors looking for unlicensed Chinese electronics.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Yes for all to be made at quality at home most people would have to give up their standard of living in dealing with increased prices and shortages. Careful wanting to bring all this home. The MAGA agenda would have incredible consequences and hardship.

So all the people just got to learn to code is that it?

Got news for ya chief. Most don't have time, Intellect or desire to be in the service industry.

I guess they will just all die because we cant be bothered to have any manufacturing jobs..

Those MAGA people you so scorn are blue collar workers who just want what everyone wants.
A place to earn a living without have to study Tensor calculus.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

I think it all comes down to whether or not Americans are willing to pay for domestic products, and I think the answer, generally speaking, is no.

In my personal and professional experience, people always talk about being willing to support an american-made product, but when it comes down to it, and they see a price tag of twice the amount, their wallet starts talking for them. I'm definitely guilty of that too, but my solar system would have been three or four times as much if I stuck with domestic products, and honestly, I probably wouldn't have even started the project for that amount of money.

I just did some looking around to see if I could "rebuild" my system with ONLY U.S made components, and how much it would cost. I'm having trouble finding any components that are manufactured from start to finish here in the states. Even the major brands here are using Asian labor. I'm sure there's exceptions, but I couldn't find any.

I personally believe that any sort of "ban" on products manufactured elsewhere would only open up a black market. People need to be incentivized to buy products made here, not forced. The last thing we need is another 3 letter agency kicking in doors looking for unlicensed Chinese electronics.

Exactly why tariffs were invented. To make domestic products comparable to Slave labor grey market products.
Japan was as Insular as they come for 50 years.

 

[Batvette]

I think it all comes down to whether or not Americans are willing to pay for domestic products, and I think the answer, generally speaking, is no.

In my personal and professional experience, people always talk about being willing to support an american-made product, but when it comes down to it, and they see a price tag of twice the amount, their wallet starts talking for them. I'm definitely guilty of that too, but my solar system would have been three or four times as much if I stuck with domestic products, and honestly, I probably wouldn't have even started the project for that amount of money.

I just did some looking around to see if I could "rebuild" my system with ONLY U.S made components, and how much it would cost. I'm having trouble finding any components that are manufactured from start to finish here in the states. Even the major brands here are using Asian labor. I'm sure there's exceptions, but I couldn't find any.

I personally believe that any sort of "ban" on products manufactured elsewhere would only open up a black market. People need to be incentivized to buy products made here, not forced. The last thing we need is another 3 letter agency kicking in doors looking for unlicensed Chinese electronics.

I bought a 75amp power supply from a brand named "fat boy" products, with the understanding it was made in usa. About $400+. Opened it up, its 3 25amp chinese power supplies ganged together. Dude just makes the aluminum enclosure, ties em together with a fan, fat pot and voltage display. And isnt even competent at it. Its advertised as a battery charger too but if you leave it connected to the battery and shut it off the fan keeps running.
Its not awful and hasnt blown up. But seems kind of lame and shuts down at 67amps.
From pix on the site the guy seems to be pretty chubby so on that at least I guess he is legit.

 

[brum]

I don't trust Chinese specs. A recent one was a LiFePo4 BMS that got fully tested on 4 old 3.7V 18650 cells. Just to make sure cutout voltages are as expected and the balance voltages are right. This one worked pretty well.

And for something that is a bit more high-tech than regular junk always check the feedback on the internet. An example was my choice of SCC. A few MPPT-marked controllers happened to be just PWM ones. Youtube teardown or test videos resulted in getting an EPEVER. I didn't know that brand before that.

China has some good brands. Usually, a good brand stands behind its products and the quality is good. Yep, they cost more than the no-names, but the time you lose with no-names doesn't justify the cost difference in most cases.

 

[pollenface]

I rarely have a bad run with Chinese made products.

 

[A.Justice]

I rarely have a bad run with Chinese made products.

Same, I do research before my purchases, and haven't gotten any crap from AliX yet. I got what I paid for every time.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Same, I do research before my purchases, and haven't gotten any crap from AliX yet. I got what I paid for every time.

So far so have I but I didn’t just open AliExpress and point and hope either.

Like you I researched a lot before buying.