Aliexpress and other Cheap Stuff Thread

Do you buy/trust cheap unbrand/nobrand Chinese stuff?


  • Total voters
    96

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I had the rivet in my el-cheapo EMT shears rust away and fall out when I actually needed them
Thanks - I'll definitely be checking that every couple of dives now. Also run with a trilobite style knife on my shoulder as a backup and more accessible knife, so I should be relatively good. One of the things I do to mitigate risks of chinese quality issues is to diversify my el cheapo equipment and as always, have a few backups. If the price is 1/10th of a US brand name, I'll buy and pack a few more of something, because why not.
 
Questions:
1. does your life depend on it? Then NO
2. will it get me into trouble if it fails? Then NO
3. does any of this matter? NO I never buy chinese crap if I have the option.
 
Its correct several main brands are manufacturing in China but hopefully with a proper quality control.
The pure cheap Chinese non branded equipment??? nobody knows if there is any QC/QA performed any where in the production and feedstock line.
A small back-up light, no problem, a DSMB, no problem, a reel and line for before mentioned DSMB, have a few of them and its reaching the APEKS/Mares standard of alu reels with flat line.

But a BCD, drysuit, or regulator, cylinder, straight out of China/ebay/Ali...... no never.
 
US $12.1 39% OFF|Severe Cold Professional Diving Photographic Flashlight Handheld Handle Scuba Flash Light U type handle Mount|Portable Lighting Accessories| - AliExpress
US $35.51 26% OFF|BORUiT 5*XM L2 LED Scuba Diving Flashlight 6000LM 3 Mode Diving Video Photography Torch Underwater 80M 18650 Spearfishing Light|LED Flashlights| - AliExpress

Just an update, I bought and got these about a month ago. Went into a hardware store and got a *Steel flat-top M6 machine screw* (14mm worked well for me) and some washers. I took a large drill bit to the underside of the goodman handle to create a pocket for that machine screw so it would be flush against the top of my hand. I *really* cranked the single screw tight after my first dive with it, as it got loose after being tossed around underwater (might add some fixtures if this is still a problem later). As far as brightness goes, this will function pretty well in caves. When testing the burn time, this thing lasted 4 hours before I pulled it. During the last hour it grew much dimmer (when I pulled it, it was around equivalent to one of my 1000 lumen lights). Confirming my suspicions, this thing will eat your batteries past a healthy voltage point, so ensure that it isn't left on unintentionally. For 60ish bucks after modding, this seems to be a great light for budget divers. Will be using as my cave primary in the future, and as always will have a few more backups than usual to compensate for the chinesium.
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I buy stuff on aliexpress all the time. Not diving stuff though. I guess I'm a slave to "brands" that I can look up and think I know something about when it comes to diving.

ESD Tweezers
DC Brushless motors
PTFE magnetic stir bars (many)
heating magnetic stirrers
mig torch nozzles
kapton tape
crystal oscillators
potentiometer knobs
various 7400 series IC's
1.5w UV lasers

etc

this thing will eat your batteries past a healthy voltage point, so ensure that it isn't left on unintentionally
You can solve that easily by switching to "protected" 18650 cells. The cells themselves will disconnect before draining below a safe level.
 
Questions:
1. does your life depend on it? Then NO
2. will it get me into trouble if it fails? Then NO
3. does any of this matter? NO I never buy chinese crap if I have the option.

When I look at or buy no-name chinese stuff, I consider a few more questions:
  1. What immediately happens if it fails (in the case of regulator failure, I effectively lose a tank and have to react pretty quickly - in the case of a light fail, I pull out another within 15 seconds, signal a buddy, potentially call the dive)
  2. Do I have backups (plural) - if one of my many cheap chinese items fail, I'd prefer to have plenty more backups so I wouldn't have to call the dive necessarily
  3. From a costpoint/practical perspective, would it make sense to have 2x as many backups and still be much ahead?
  4. Do I value features/quality/warranty of branded alternatives?
 
You can solve that easily by switching to "protected" 18650 cells. The cells themselves will disconnect before draining below a safe level.
Didn't know that was a thing - I'll definitely check into those, but I'd prefer to destroy some batteries rather than lose a light's functionality in a dark place (in the unlikely event I forget to recharge them, etc). For open water though, that sounds like a good idea.
 
I'm not in the mood to go out of my way to spend money on Chinese goods, since their government has pretty much ruined my life this year. Separated from my family for 9 months so far because of Covid travel restrictions. I'm voting with my wallet on this issue.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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