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Watch out for fraudulent LIFEPO4 200AH "NEW A-GRADE" CALB cells

There are Grade A batteries direct from the factories from but they cost more. We have grade A batteries from EVE, the price is 2x the going rate listed on Alibaba sellers but they meet and exceed the manufacturers specifications.
I think it would benefit everyone on this forum if we start a list of vendors who offer quality cells, and others to stay away from. Like the supplier Michael Caro used for his CATL cells, If I knew their name, I would never do business with them.
Is that something one of the admins can corrolate?
 
Despite my many efforts to put a stop to these fraudulent offerings of "NEW GUARANTEED 200Ah Grade-A" cells, I'm sorry to say I have not managed to get the AliEpress so called "Expert dispute team" to realise the main problem of these offerings.

I got compensation for reduced capacity and some corrosion in the thread of one of the terminals, but they never understood the real problem, namely that NONE OF THESE CELLS ARE NEW !!!!

This is the main reason, none of them have the guaranteed capacity, why you can find corrosion in a terminal thread, where there are a lot of scuffs marks particular in the bottom, and why some of them are even swollen.

Despite proving that the QR- codes are indeed readable, and not some rocket science codes that only the factory can read, and that they of course should match what a glued on papersticker says, they never acknowledged this!!!

Either it's because:
1. They don't have the skills to understand the evidence I included, which by the way did not require much intelligence.
2. Part of an overall Chineese strategy to dump used cells outside China, and get top dollar for them.
3. AliExpress looking at the fenomenal turnover of these deals, and not wanting them to stop.

In any case, the result being that at present you CANNOT trust any battery offerings from China, neither on EBAY, AliExpress nor ALIBABA, as there has been no real accountability for producing falsehood offerings to their clients.

This is so sad, I actually needed some good 200Ah cells at an affordable price, but now I don't know where I could buy them.

The replacements the "PWOD Official Store" seller offered me, looked however much better, even though they were production code P861 and P862, which would seem newer than the P971 I had been delivered, the main difference being however, that they were proven to be what they claimed to be, as the QR-code on them MATCHED completely, whereas my cells QR codes were back from P641, P715 and P721, so in reality much much older.

By the way PWOD and OYE has turned out to be one and the same people behind, as both their advertising material is identical, they send out same promotional offerings on the same date, and they use exactly the same rhetorics and same pattern of denials and lies throughout their disputes.

So
Watch Out.
 

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Just found this forum and this post. I ordered these exact cells from OYE and now I am not so happy about that purchase. New to all this but thought I had covered my bases, guess not. Now I am not looking forward to fighting for my money if I get old cells. I did use Paypal with a CC so maybe I have a chance if they are bad and from reading this post I am pretty sure I am getting some junk. Really hurts my soul to know there are people still out there doing crap like this for a buck.
 
Yes, it's a problem that AliExpress has not taken this issue sufficiently serious, or not understood or been willing to understand the depth of these fraudulent offerings !?!

However one would expect by now, that the cells they send out nowadays, would be of more recent production dates, like P861... upwards, and therefore hopefully not as bad as the old cells they sent to me.

I only got a redicules compensation of 200USD on a purchase of almost 1.400USD, for cells with less than 80% capacity left. A +20% capacity loss really indicates either a cell more that 10 yo, or a cell having been used/abused substantially.

I have Winston THUNDERSKY 160Ah cells from 2009 used in small C1'EVs still performing over 145Ah capacity !!! Just to give you an idea of what a +20% degradation in capacity stands for.

Best Regards
WatchOut
 
Well, then they should all be swollen, which they are not. Only misused cells tend to get swollen.

However the Alu prismatic cells can expand a little during charging, and should in any case have a 1-2mm isolating thermal transfer foil between each cell, especially when connected in series, as the housing (though covered with a thin foil) has electrical connection with the negative pole, I am told (not having double checked it).

As I recall the actually cell is only 300Ah, calling them 302 and up to 310 is overselling them. They might have this extra capacity initially cause the factory produce them to insure they have at least the 300Ah they are specced to.
 
Simple, lower pressure at high altitude means the cells will contract, not expand.
Well this fact actually counteract the argument. The issue raised is if the cells expand when they then come down in normal pressure closer to sealevel.
 
Well this fact actually counteract the argument. The issue raised is if the cells expand when they then come down in normal pressure closer to sealevel.
Cells swell when mistreated, not due to altitude of manufacture.

The person is feeding you a line of BS.
 
Well, then they should all be swollen, which they are not. Only misused cells tend to get swollen.

However the Alu prismatic cells can expand a little during charging, and should in any case have a 1-2mm isolating thermal transfer foil between each cell, especially when connected in series, as the housing (though covered with a thin foil) has electrical connection with the negative pole, I am told (not having double checked it).

As I recall the actually cell is only 300Ah, calling them 302 and up to 310 is overselling them.
I think you've got the principle right but the numbers are off.
The actual manufacturer specification is 302Ah (CATL). Calling them 310Ah or 320Ah is overselling them (which is commonly done by grey market sellers and newbies), Calling them 300Ah is rounding down to a reasonable round number, but 302Ah is the specification in the datasheet.

CATL Makes a 302Ah Cell (pdf)
EVE Makes a 304Ah Cell (pdf)

They might have this extra capacity initially cause the factory produce them to insure they have at least the 300Ah they are specced to.
They are specced to 302Ah and 304Ah respectively. But you've got the principle right.
They have a couple % additional capacity initially which is why many of the grey market resellers misrepresent them as 310 or 320 Ah cells despite what the manufacture datasheets state.
 
They have a couple % additional capacity initially which is why many of the grey market resellers misrepresent them as 310 or 320 Ah cells despite what the manufacture datasheets state.
I don't think there have been any examples of broker sourced cells testing to 310ah let alone 320ah.
 
I don't think there have been any examples of broker sourced cells testing to 310ah let alone 320ah.
I don't recall seeing 320+ but I could swear (with a low level of confidence ;) ) I remember some people reporting 310+ on the forum (then again, I take individual user reported capacity tests with a grain of salt).
 
SCAM!!!! I bought 64 'Brand new 200AH' cells tested them and only got 117-133AH. Watever you do do not buy from this company. They only sell used and substandard cells. Don't fall for their cheap prices there is a reason for it. They insist the batteries are new and refuse to resolve the issue. They have no interest helping their customers. Please see my test results below.
 

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SCAM!!!! I bought 64 'Brand new 200AH' cells tested them and only got 117-133AH. Watever you do do not buy from this company. They only sell used and substandard cells. Don't fall for their cheap prices there is a reason for it. They insist the batteries are new and refuse to resolve the issue. They have no interest helping their customers. Please see my test results below.
Name and shame your seller, and link the URL you used to buy the cells etc.
 
SCAM!!!! I bought 64 'Brand new 200AH' cells tested them and only got 117-133AH. Watever you do do not buy from this company. They only sell used and substandard cells. Don't fall for their cheap prices there is a reason for it. They insist the batteries are new and refuse to resolve the issue. They have no interest helping their customers. Please see my test results below.
It would be nice to include details, if only to allow others an opportunity not to deal with the company.
 
Yes, it's a problem that AliExpress has not taken this issue sufficiently serious, or not understood or been willing to understand the depth of these fraudulent offerings !?!

However one would expect by now, that the cells they send out nowadays, would be of more recent production dates, like P861... upwards, and therefore hopefully not as bad as the old cells they sent to me.

I only got a redicules compensation of 200USD on a purchase of almost 1.400USD, for cells with less than 80% capacity left. A +20% capacity loss really indicates either a cell more that 10 yo, or a cell having been used/abused substantially.

I have Winston THUNDERSKY 160Ah cells from 2009 used in small C1'EVs still performing over 145Ah capacity !!! Just to give you an idea of what a +20% degradation in capacity stands for.

Best Regards
WatchOut
Hi watchout, I am also after being conned by this one store on 8 batteries, delivered last week, The batteries are ranging from 140ah to 173ah , pure junk. Why didn't AliExpress compensate you for the batteries been outside capacity specifications? Regards Adrian
 
Hi watchout, I am also after being conned by this one store on 8 batteries, delivered last week, The batteries are ranging from 140ah to 173ah , pure junk. Why didn't AliExpress compensate you for the batteries been outside capacity specifications? Regards Adrian
Never use Ali Express. I have never had an issue with Alibaba.
 
Hi watchout, I am also after being conned by this one store on 8 batteries, delivered last week, The batteries are ranging from 140ah to 173ah , pure junk. Why didn't AliExpress compensate you for the batteries been outside capacity specifications? Regards Adrian
Well if you read my postings here on DIYsolar, you will find that I did manage to get some compensation from AliExpress, but certainly NOT thanks to these gangsters, who constantly refused to give any form of compensation, just denying, lying and refusing all Proff presented to them.
The big problem is that AliExpress still haven't understood and prevented this continous "business" practice of fraudulent advertising.
I never got a proportional compensation to the poor performance of these cells and their real aging and capacity loss.
I really had to fight hard with time-lapse video recordings and lots of other proofs.
For instance their fraudulent re-labeling of the cells, they just claimed the QR could not be read, which was OFCOURSE also falsehood.
Now there are new shops, that haven't even bothered to have a proper name, just "Shop-############" (some long random number), even trying to promote some 80-100Ah MAXIMUM as 150Ah brand new cells. Looking at the dimensions and weight, you can calculate that this is also just bogus, as no LiFePo4 cells have such high energy density that would enable such high capacity.
Anyway, they keep insisting they are 150Ah, but when you read their description, you will also notice that they will ONLY offer any refunding, unless you return their cells,which of course Is impossible, given the harsh safety requirements when sending Lithium cells.
They also advertise as if goods are already in stock in EU or US, but infact they are never in stock!!!

Best regards and
Watch-Out
 
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