[Unsafe Product] AU to USB Wall Charger Adapter from ECOOLBUY

AssociatedLECOOLBUY @ EcoolBuy on 19/09/2015 - 20:07
Last edited 20/09/2015 - 12:27 by 3 other users

Moved to Forum: [LINK REMOVED]

Mod: This specific product appears to be unsafe and has been moved to the forums for discussion with the link to the seller removed. Additionally, this item does not carry the required Electrical Safety Certifications for Sale or Supply (and/or installation) in Australia. It may be dangerous to use this device.

ECOOLBUY offers this Wall Charger Adapter at USD$0.99, which well works for iPhone and all iPod models. Limited to 1408 pieces. Just add it to the cart, apply the coupon code CHEAPCHARGER and check out with paypal, you'll get it. Shipment would be arranged within 24 Hours from China.

Features:

Slim and compact Flat design
100% Brand new and high quality
Portable size, ultra compact design
Offer fast and efficient charging at home or in office
Works for iPhone and all iPod models with a dock connector
Light weight, excellent charger in travel
Excellent charger for all versions for iPod and iPhone; iPod touch 5/iPod nano/ iPhone 5/iPhone 4S/ iPhone 4
Charger Input: AC 100V-240V 50/60Hz 0.15A
Charger Output: Approx. 5V 1A
Size: 2.82.62.6cm(LWH)
Color: White
AU charger

Electrical & Electronics

Related Stores

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Comments

  • Shonky on 19/09/2015 - 20:12
    +4

    <Insert comment here about safety or possible/probable lack thereof>

    • eatwell365 on 19/09/2015 - 20:40
      +1

      Shonky comments on safety, "No comment."

      • nismo on 21/09/2015 - 17:39
        +1

        If it's not good enough for Shonky, I ain't touching it!

  • Less Point on 19/09/2015 - 20:13
    +8

    WTF are those holes and where is the plastic at the base of the pins?

    Not legal in Australia.

    Edit: On closer inspection, unsurprisingly, it doesn't have a C-tick. Definitely illegal. Looks like one of those ones that killed that girl.

    • Less Point on 19/09/2015 - 20:37
      +2

      Mod: This item & seller are from overseas and thus doesn't have an Aus tick(austest.com.au) to ensure safety of the product. Buyer beware

      What? A-Ticks are for telecomms stuff.

      What is Ozbargain gaining by not removing this 'deal'?

      The charger in the 'deal': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi-b9k-0KfE

      • Moderatorneil on 19/09/2015 - 23:07

        What is Ozbargain gaining by not removing this 'deal'?

        Guidelines are set by community feedback. Last year, we posed the question:

        Should Overseas Electrical Items e.g. lights (requiring mains power) be allowed on OzBargain?

        • 88% voted for these deals to remain (either with or without a warning)
        • 81% voted for these deals to remain with a warning

        Thus electrical items from overseas requiring main powers are permitted with a warning.

        • Shonky on 19/09/2015 - 23:25
          +2

          There's a big difference between "electrical products" and "electrical products that are probably unsafe"

          Can whoever is copying and pasting the warning at least get the facts straight then?

          1) There is no "Aus tick" and never has been
          2) If it was an A-tick or C-tick this does not cover safety. C-tick covers EMC compliance. A-tick covers telecommunications equipment.
          3) The link is to a commercial entity rather than the actual references i.e. ACMA for EMC etc.
          4) New suppliers should be using the RCM now.

        • Less Point on 19/09/2015 - 23:53

          Guidelines are set by community feedback. Last year, we posed the question:

          Should Overseas Electrical Items e.g. lights (requiring mains power) be allowed on OzBargain?

          No you didn't, that was the thread title but the question asked in the poll was:

          Should lights (req. mains power) sold by overseas sellers be allowed on OzBargain?

          The entire post was discussing lights. The only time you come in contact with lights is when you are installing them or removing them. This is a significantly lower risk compared to this device which is likely to be handled daily. Have you watched the video I linked?

          I wonder if Scotty's public liability issuance is up to date.

        • Moderatorneil on 20/09/2015 - 02:03

          @Shonky:

          Thanks for the input.

          The warning probably needs rewording. Mentioning A-tick, EMC compliance, RMC is probably not useful to the average consumer so we'll have to come up with a simple warning that is easy to understand. Perhaps you could recommend a consumer friendly website that we can't point to?

        • A3Australia on 20/09/2015 - 02:46
          +1

          @neil:

          The warning probably needs rewording.

          "WARNING: This item does not carry the required Electrical Safety Certifications for Sale or Supply (and/or installation) in Australia. It may be dangerous to use this device."

          Or you could use:

          "WARNING: This item does not carry the required Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) for Sale or Supply (and/or installation) in Australia. It has not been certified to comply with Australian Electrical Safety Standards. So it may be extremely dangerous to use this device in Australia."

        • Moderatorneil on 20/09/2015 - 12:30

          @matt6589:

          We missed that video the first time. We have now watched it and discussed with other mods. Due to the safety issue about this specific product, our decision is to move this from a deal to the forums and remove the link to the product. This enables the discussion to continue.

        • Moderatorneil on 20/09/2015 - 12:31

          @A3Australia:

          Thanks. We will use that for further overseas electrical deals.

        • A3Australia on 20/09/2015 - 14:46

          @neil:

          Thanks. We will use that for further overseas electrical deals.

          Ok. Great. BTW - I included the bit about "installation" to cover uncertified Light Bulbs and Power Points etc.

    • Shonky on 19/09/2015 - 20:38

      C-tick isn't safety and for new items it's RCM anyway with respect to compliance.

      There was never such a thing as an "Aus tick" either.

    • sigh on 19/09/2015 - 20:57

      (Pdf showing compliance from vic gov)
      http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/Portals/0/Electricity%20Profession…
      This one being sold is basically same as one the vic government says is non compliant with australian law

  • cpho on 19/09/2015 - 20:13

    <Insert ebay link for same thing, same price>

  • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2015 - 20:22
    +2

    yep dont buy this shite… had 2 kogan adapters burn up avoid at your own risk why is this stuff on ozbargain mods?

    • eatwell365 on 19/09/2015 - 20:43
      +2

      cause life is cheap?! no bargain to me.

    • Moderatorneil on 19/09/2015 - 23:09

      why is this stuff on ozbargain mods?

      Just in cased you missed it below, I'll repeat

      Guidelines are set by community feedback. Last year, we posed the question:

      Should Overseas Electrical Items e.g. lights (requiring mains power) be allowed on OzBargain?

      • 88% voted for these deals to remain (either with or without a warning)
      • 81% voted for these deals to remain with a warning

      Thus electrical items from overseas requiring main powers are permitted with a warning.

  • pmupsinep on 19/09/2015 - 20:43

    Most government agencies have issued warnings about these cheap phone chargers, there have already been deaths caused by them, just keep this dangerous shit out of the country. Neg for dangerous and deadly product.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2015 - 20:46
    +1

    Just dont risk it…

    • Dreamily on 19/09/2015 - 21:17
      +2

      Completely agreed, not worth the safety risk.

  • figarow on 19/09/2015 - 21:13

    I'm only seeing one side to this…

  • AssociatedECOOLBUY @ EcoolBuy on 19/09/2015 - 21:40
    -8

    QC dept. acts before shipping

    • A3Australia on 19/09/2015 - 21:47
      +5

      >
      QC dept. acts before shipping

      Do they act stupid, or put on a play?

    • AlexF on 19/09/2015 - 23:07
      +1

      Yep, too many sceptics and contrarians here… It clearly states on the device "CAUTION: for use with infor mation technology equipment", so, it's user's own fault if they use its USB port to power hair dryers, etc. All reviewers gave it 5-stars (coincidentally, posted on same date, 9/18/2015), so, I'm sure it's all good.

      By the way, does that little green circle mean it's good for the environment?

      • A3Australia on 20/09/2015 - 01:01
        +1

        By the way, does that little green circle mean it's good for the environment?

        The original Apple 110V-120V chargers were also unsafe and had to be recalled by Apple USA.

        Apple released a new, safer, charger and distinguished it by having a green dot on its body.

        The Chinese counterfeiters copied the Apple charger using inferior components. They still use the same design today.

  • A3Australia on 19/09/2015 - 21:44
    +2

    I have, perhaps stupidly, purchased several of this type of AC Charger. About 20 pieces. There have been about 5 or 6 different manufacturers I would say.

    All were far too unstable and dangerous to use in Australia.

    Putting aside the lack of insulation on the pins. The first problems were failure to maintain a stable output. The screen of a phone being charged would go crazy and not respond properly to touch. Then some would just fail. Others would go up in smoke - fortunately no devices were damaged and no fires resulted. I gave them all to a technician friend. He checked them and reported that most had internal components that were not up to handling our voltage of 220-250v. Some did not have correct internal insulation. All did not have enough clearance between circuits/tracks. If/when they failed 240v could be passed through the USB port.

    Please do not risk buying these small types of AC Chargers.

    I have found that if one wants to buy inexpensive USB chargers it is better to buy the multi port variety. Those 4-5-and 6 port chargers that have been opened, tested, and reviewed by others on the Internet. You can find reviews on YouTube and tech type websites.

  • spackbace on 19/09/2015 - 22:29
    +1

    With the exception of TA's finger lasers, this mob definitely need to up their game

    • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 05:35

      And as it turned out, not even TA's finger lasers were immune!

  • [Deactivated] on 20/09/2015 - 01:38
    +1

    bad deal, risky, and could burn down your house.

  • [Deactivated] on 20/09/2015 - 08:08
    -8

    Talk about scare mongering from the ill-informed.
    There's not one iota of evidence that these particular devices are unsafe.
    Plenty of certified by <insert local cert body> devices have caused house fires, blown up, etc
    As for inferior components, which components? If anything it mostly likely poor quality control or even design that causes issues.

    Having said that, the 1A output would kill it for me.

    • Shonky on 20/09/2015 - 09:03
      +1

      If everyone is ill-informed then you'll enlighten us? There is plenty of evidence that these sort of cheap Chinese adapters are unsafe. How many people have been killed by Apple adapters? Inferior components like transformers in particular although you could argue that's design too. Ultimately everything is "design" really. What do you think you're really going to get for $1?

      • [Deactivated] on 20/09/2015 - 11:11
        -3

        I agree with the $1 sentiment. Although price doesn't necessarily correlate to quality.

        I'm not informed on this particular product, which is why I'm not giving ill-informed comments on its quality. Again I suggest that no one above has this product, let alone tested it for quality. You're speculating, just like your assumption the components. Why do you say the transformer is inferior? And an inferior transforms means its just less efficient (2% power loss rather then .01-1% of the high end ones with better wiring). I'd be more worried by the noisy rectification circuits which doesn't provide a smooth dc voltage. Also by components which aren't rated to the max current supplied.

        Not many people have been killed or injured by dodgey charges (or electronics) especially when taken as an overall percentage of these being sold. What maybe a dozen worldwide?

        I'd be a lot more worried by the output power quality which may wreck my expensive toy.

        Again its all speculation as we don't have a tear down & test of this particular device.

        • Shonky on 20/09/2015 - 12:30

          Transformer efficiency is nothing to do with safety. The fact you say that efficiency is the only issue suggests you don't understand what makes up a product like this. Likewise components rated to "max current". Isolation is critical to safety though and one of the main reasons it's part of the design.

  • tko6070 on 20/09/2015 - 17:08
    +1

    The fact is has 'Power A Dapeer' on it doesn't instill confidence in the workmanship.

  • eatwell365 on 20/09/2015 - 20:23

    A friend of mine mentioned today the news about a girl in Philippine got electrocuted when sleeping and listening to iphone6 while being charged. Googled it which was fake news with graphic photo.

  • [Deactivated] on 21/09/2015 - 16:47

    I just make my own chargers. Hate paying for overpriced genuine chargers. Mine is better designed too, because I don't cheap out on the components like the big companies do. More than half the time is spent on reducing the cost of circuits in the big foundries.

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