OK this smart charger is Australia stock should have pass Australia Standard, so don't ask me to delete the deal.
5-port USB Smart Charger
Powerful 40W, 8A power output for charging multiple devices simultaneously
Charge up to 3 x 2.4A tablets, or 5 x 1A phones, or auto-share 8A
Suitable for iPhones, iPads, Samsung Galaxy series phones & tablets, GPS devices and other +5V charging devices
ignore the haters - If there were really problems with those cheap chinese chargers you would have people dying every week.
Not once every 2 years.
once every 2 years = user error 80%; faulty device 20%.
Tell that to the people who died.
Also not sure what user error with a phone charger could result in your death
Lol. People have died because of chargers, but not that many have died.
Also not alot of people ACTUALLY die from Chargers, but plenty of property does.
You can easily find usb chargers and fires online.
I know for a fact (yes im chinese), that it is common knowledge in the chinese community that when you want to cost cut in electronics it is usually the following:
1. Use super cheap components (unsafe components)
2. Remove safety features
I don't condone any of those practices, and feel its a very embarrassing thing to do. But sadly human life in China isn't worth much as you can see from various reports on the news.
Basically if you are unlucky, the transformer can break down, then send 240V through to the device instead of sending 5V. Which is why they should have some safety functions to avoid that scenario.
Which is why if you compare a china no brand charger weight to a lets say kensington or a brandname charger ,you will see the weight of the branded one is heavier. They don't put stones in it just to make you think that!, those are the safety components that adds to the weight.
More weight doesn't mean it's safer necessarily. Switch mode supplies which almost all are these days are generally pretty light. It comes down to design of the board for enough clearance/creepage and selection and design of transformer and feedback circuits.
Very true. Just giving a general example.
I do remember buying a elcheapo usb charger from China. Lol it was so simple that it scared me.
240v => Transformer => USB…
Haha.
hey you know what - a brand name charger does?
240v => transformer => usb
were you expecting 240v=>unicorns=>usb ?
and @DJ above -
User error = the person that died had to have the broken charger in a peculiar situation for it to cause a 240v loop
From memory the situation was
broken charger == phone == person == headphones == laptop == charger.
had she not been touching the phone and have the loop of the headphones there would not have been a circuit.
The faulty charger by itself would not have electrocuted her.
ok found a link
http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/116895/how-ca…
most popular comment makes note of there not being enough physical distance between the mains and the usb pots
http://www.righto.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and…
this is the genuine apple charger
this is a fake chinese one that you cant buy anymore
http://www.righto.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and…
the new "fakes ones are not squished into such a small space anymore so the address the main concern about their not being enough "distance" between the mains and usb
btw this has nothing to do with this deal as there is plenty of distance between the usb and the mains.
@voter1: Lol i think you better open a brand name charger up and see what actually its built of. Most of them have IC's and what not to regulate the current. You shouldn't have one which is simply just a transformer to USB.
If the transformer gives up, then it simply puts 240V through to the device. There is ways to avoid this by happening.
@lplau:
If the transformer "gives up", it won't "simply put 240V though to the device".
There is isolation/insulation which must breakdown for that to occur.
Edit: It's this isolation/insulation that is often lacking in Chinese products.
finally somebody understands some reality rather than spewing BS lies.
This is what I've been trying to say
If chargers fail and spew 240v - we'd have people dying every week.
They have to break in a certain way AND you have to be in a certain situation for bad things to happen.
I've had a few of the fake chargers go faulty - they just stop working. Just like when genuine chargers stop working.
Most of the time nothing happens - no fire no sparks.
Im not saying ALL of the time btw.
oh and also I have no idea why im defending these stupid fake chargers- im just more interested in defending the scientific process rather than having chinese whispers.
@voter1: Most of the time though. But wouldn't you want something which will attempt to prevent that from happening.
Lol, it would be funny when somebody asks "how did you burn down ya house?"… "oh it was caused by the $2 charger i got"….
@lplau:
Most of the time?
do you drive around in a rolls royce because driving around in a toyota was not safe enough?
Its all about cost vs risk association - TOOOO many people here are believing these fake chargers are like literally having a hand grenade in your hand when in reality its like the difference in risk between buying a BMW and a toyota or a hyundai. and people still buy toyota's and hyudais without people snobbing them all the time saying they are idiots.
@voter1:
I very much disagree with that analogy. Some of the isolation is very much lacking and would fail impulse and isolation tests which are significant safety items. e.g.
http://www.righto.com/2014/05/a-look-inside-ipad-chargers-pr…
well its not really for me to decide if you think the cost/risk difference is worth it. Only the individual can determine that.
What is true though is that the risk is not so great that you are going to cause fires/deaths EVERY time it fails.
Otherwise you'd have people dying left right and centre.
Of course I know corners were cut - thats how they keep costs down. Basically if a person buying one of these $2 chargers doesnt know/realize that - they probably deserve it.
I have to agreed fake charger is danger because I heard news about bad quality fan, rice cooker, etc. burn down house in China, Hong Kong, etc.
@voter1:
It's incorrect to make this a cost risk analysis.
Toyota and Hyundai are not cutting corners to save money which your analogy suggests. They produce cars with similar safety ratings to BMWs in your example just at a lower price. They also meet the safety specs and standards required for vehicles. A better hypothetical example would be say Toyota makes car A with a proper seat belts. Cheaper XYZ brand makes Car B but instead of proper webbed seatbelts they use some rope.
These Chinese chargers do not follow the standards and unfortunately most people think a charger is a charger.
Yes the analogy isnt perfect because the cost difference isnt big enough.
How about something else like generic groceries - say you have brand name biscuits selling for $2 and generic brand for $1 (this is approx the true cost difference)
the public assumes that some slight corners were cut but the product is basically the same thing - the cost difference comes from marketing/profits.
This is probably basically true although I have no insider knowledge of this.
However if the cost of the generic biscuits was only 20c - would the public still assume that they are basically the same and the difference in price is only due to marketing/profits?
This is basically the situation here. The cost difference is so great that the public should inherently know something was cut.
A more significant danger is if people are selling these fake dangerous chargers for a lot more causing people to think there werent corners cut.
Or more likely what is going on like the OP deal above is that you pay more you get more - the cost difference is only half so about the same as normal reputable "generic" vs the brand name anker for example mentioned below.
If you want a safe alternative, Anker sell a 5 port charger that is much the same but a little more expensive.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Anker-40W-5-Port-USB-Charger-Blac…
I have this charger at work (purchased direct from oo a few months ago) it is great.
I have the Anker 50w (I think) at home which I purchased direct from Amazon for about double the price of the mbeat.
My unqualified opinion is that the quality is equal between the units. If anything the mbeat remains cooler (even when under full load) when compared to the Anker - not that this is any sort of technical comparison.
For $35 you wont find cheaper for this quality of this product. In my opinion the mbeat is not akin to the "cheap chinese" chargers commonly available at flea markets etc, from my experience it is a quality product which works well.
There is a cheaper alternative at Banggood for AU$ 28.37, called Blitzwolf Charger:
http://www.banggood.com/BlitzWolf-40W-Smart-5-Port-High-Spee… (there is also a black one)
Same specs, 5 port, 40W, cames with AU plug. Have been using it for a month now, works great.
There are also 6% off coupons, if you played with the game on their site, so the price go down to AU$ 26.67. Or, new members can use 9ANNVNEW coupon to get 9% off.
6% off coupons of mine, I won't use them:
Put a hashtag before them.
OK this smart charger is Australia stock should have pass Australia Standard, so don't ask me to delete the deal.
I found no records online of the item having the mandatory Australian Safety Certification.
It's not mentioned on the manufacturer's site. It's not found on the National Database https://equipment.erac.gov.au/Public/.
I couldn't find any photos online that show the certification marking etc. And the product MUST be marked to be compliant.
So, my vote is "nope, it's not approved". And if it is approved, then the manufacturer should be disclosing that.
Note this is all basically self compliance. Unlikely something like this direct imported will be in compliance
As far as I know, you technically don't have to mark it.
Since lets say you have it certified for A and mark A, then they say "A is no longer valid you need B", do you recall all the stock that is on the shelf and mark them with B? No you don't.
You can check downlights at Bunnings, they don't have marks on their transformers, but when you ask the company they can provide you with certificates.
Also as far as I know ERAC is only 1 of the many certification companies around.
There is also SAA, and forgot the other one which is also in Australia.
So before you say it isn't compliant, make sure you call up the mBeat Company and ask them if they have gotten those certificates.
There is a grandfather period, so you don't for that period but after that you must move to the new compliance so yes you would need to recall technically. The C-tick/A-tick has a period of approximately 2 years.
I noticed quite a lot of devices bypass that by simply printing the logo on it but now the certificate number. So they can avoid having to do recalls.
I think you don't know what you're talking about.
Presuming you are talking about the RCM, you don't need to provide any numbers. The old C-tick required a supplier number (same for every product they sell), not a certificate number.
@Shonky: Haha Yup don't know what i'm talking about, I have no idea about all this approval thing.
Just looking at a few devices I have around the house. They were all bought from Australia large retailers, and they only have a tick no numbers on it. Some of them have a SAA/TUV approval number but most of them dont.
Also when i went to bunnings, I remember they were selling DETA branded Downlights which didn't have any approval / cert markings at all. Its weird that a company that large can sell illegal goods?!?!
@lplau:
The new RCM ( http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Suppliers/Supplier-resources… ) doesn't require any numbers.
It's unlikely something like DETA sold through someone big like Bunnings will be non-compliant. It is dependent on the exact product too.
SAA is a local approval. Other approvals are often equivalent but not enough. Still needs the local requirements.
This is a good short summary of some approvals.
http://www.meanwellaustralia.com.au/news/saa-approved-led-dr…
The C-tick/A-tick has a period of approximately 2 years.
C-tick has nothing to do with Safety.
The new RCM ( http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Suppliers/Supplier-resources… ) doesn't require any numbers.
It still must be TRACEABLE.
In any case, RCM is not a Safety Approval… it can also be just for EMC (replacing C-Tick). The requirements for High Risk items does not change due to marking… the device MUST be legally certified and it must be REGISTERED.
SAA is a local approval. Other approvals are often equivalent but not enough. Still needs the local requirements.
SAA is not a "local approval", they are one of a number of certifiers.
Product must still be marked and registered in accordance with the LAW, irrespective of who certifies it.
As far as I know, you technically don't have to mark it.
All High Risk items MUST be marked with RCM (and the traceable supplier code) or the Certificate of Approval number. This is THE LAW, it is a criminal offence to not do this.
Since lets say you have it certified for A and mark A, then they say "A is no longer valid you need B", do you recall all the stock that is on the shelf and mark them with B? No you don't
No you don't, because the certification lasts for whatever period it is valid for. But it MUST be marked on the item.
Also as far as I know ERAC is only 1 of the many certification companies around.
You don't have a clue what you are talking about. Absolutely no idea.
ERAC is the Australian Government regulatory body.
There is also SAA, and forgot the other one which is also in Australia.
There are numerous approved certifiers. But the certification MUST BY LAW be marked on the product and the device must carry certification. All valid, current certification will be listed under the ERAC scheme.
http://www.erac.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=art…
I'm not making this up and I KNOW what grief occurs if somebody reports your company as being non-certified. This is stuff I deal with every single day, it's a significant aspect of my full time job.
So before you say it isn't compliant, make sure you call up the mBeat Company and ask them if they have gotten those certificates
I could just dob them into ERAC and their local Electricity Regulator, and let the government bodies deal with it. I won't, but the point is that I can.
The charger in this deal is not registered on the ERAC database, so I know 100% for sure that it is not legally certified for sale. The mBeat brand isn't even registered.
- and no, you cannot use the certification of a different brand name… that is also a Criminal offence.
None of this shit matters until there is an "incident". That means a fire, a injury, etc then BY LAW the event must be reported to the Electrical Safety Regulators. And the regulators will investigate and they WILL take action. It happens, trust me.
Damn, if it had QC2.0 i'd snap it up!