International Retailer warnings - Poor Quality/Service

[Yob]

Doesnt really seem to be a spot as a register for poor performing online retailers, Im aiming this particularly at O/S (reads China) retailers and distributors.

Here's the story.

I needed a few barbs and thought Id get a hand full to make it worthwhile, stumbled onto a shop on eBay that at face value seemed like the goods

THIS GUY

(Ebay seller 2014online)

I waited the traditional 4 weeks for them to arrive, which was OK, I wasn't in any particular hurry,

Touted as 304 Stainless, a few weeks later I soaked them overnight in water and then leave out to dry... can you see whats coming? Rust.

I contacted the seller who asked for a photo, which I provided, emails went back and forward until it was past the 40 days, at which point ebay nor Paypal will assist you, Its not the money, I don't care, its the blatant lies, below is a copy paste from the last communication.

"OK.
Resend will be done today.

Hope the parcel could arrive soon.

Regards,

- 2014online"

In fact, Im going to buy another one just so I can leave bad feedback for them. I usually check out feedback before I purchase anything but didn't see this coming.

Lesson learned?

Buy local. Then these issues are somebody else's issues to have had sorted.

In fairness, I should point out that I could only see the rust on the outside, but it's enough for me to not use them in a brewing scenario, fortunately, Im going to be setting up some rainwater tanks (200L drums) in series and I think I'll use them for that purpose to not a total waste for me.

anyway, buyer beware

*Retailer Warning List

#1 2014online - Ebay Seller

 

[michaeld16]

Damn i just bought a heap of stainless fittings of this guy 3 weeks ago should turn up this week,

 

[Yob]

What grade stainless were they listed as?

 

[goomboogo]

What grade stainless were they listed as?

Silly post deleted by myself.

 

[michaeld16]

304 i`ll be giving them a good soak in water and see what happens

 

[QldKev]

I've used that seller for over 20 transactions, they also go by the name AV-RF. I've purchased plenty of 1/2" bsp fittings and also tri-clamp gear. Some are listed as 304 and some 316. Being cheap Chinese stuff I don't hold firm on what the real grade is. I've never tried soaking them in salty water, but in general use of the past year or so I've never had an issue with rust etc. They did send me 2.5" tri-clamps once instead of the 2" ordered. It took a couple of photos to show them what I meant and I got the correct ones sent out. Some of the fitting are not 100% perfect with small marks in the casting etc but they are a cheap ebay seller so I kind of expect it. I find it's the same quality if you buy from most homebrew shops etc, as they probably get them from China too.

If you want better try someone like T&S valves. I have had their 316 camlock fittings for a few years and they have been perfect. They are still priced pretty excellent.

 

[Yob]

304 i`ll be giving them a good soak in water and see what happens

My suggestion is that test before you add feedback, I was pretty slack in testing them, time got away from me and it's this I mostly blame, if I was in the protected time, I'm sure the handling of it would have been different.

 

[Feldon]

Just because they show signs of rust doesn't mean they aren't 304 or 316 stainless.

More likely that in manufacture they have been sorted on a steel table (or similar contact with iron) and have picked up iron contamination. This can set off surface rust within the iron in the stainless alloy that in bad cases can be hard to stop.

The fact that the rust is only apparent on external surfaces of the fittings supports this probability.

I would just clean them and re-passivate the surface with an acid (citric or even Starsan should do) and if its only been lightly contaminated it should come out OK.

In short: its not the quality of Chinese stainless steel alloy used in the fitting; its a lack of quality control at the particular foundry where the fitting was made in China. There are many, many such foundries in China and some are the best in the world.

 

[Yob]

I'm not comfortable with using them with wort though, just because I can't see it with my eye doesn't mean that they are food safe.

Overall, it matters little if the alloy is good if other parts of the QA are in tatters.. It 'could' of course mean the alloy being used is inferior

 

[Camo6]

I've used both av-rf and 2014online with mixed results. Postage has always been the usual four weeks with some bits coming a bit quicker. I've found the quality to be mixed. I bought a 3pc tap just because it was so cheap and found the casting poor and not well machined. However their compression fittings were ok and came in sizes I couldn't find in Oz without buying high quality ones from pro tech or similar. You definitely get what you pay for.
Any SS from China now gets a soak in tricleanium then starsan and air dried overnight.
Oh, and I've stopped leaving feedback for overseas products incase I need it later for leverage. Have dropped it subtly in emails before with satisfying results. Seems all they really care about.

 

[Parks]

Agreed Camo6. I had a similar experience with a Chinese based SS ebay provider. It was only when I said "if I don't get a reply today I will have to leave negative feedback" that I finally got a reply.

 

[Yob]

Sadly, due to decent (at the start) communication is gave positive feedback thinking the issue would be sorted, it's there that I got done in the rear..

I bought another one from them today for the sole purpose of leaving extremely negative feedback, for $4 it's worth it to me to stick it in.

I'm also interested to see if it's the same quality

 

[Hutch]

Have also just received a bunch of stainless from 2014online with mixed results.The Butterfly valve ($59) has a quality body, but an after-market, loose-fitting locking mechanism. The valve itself works well,and the machining is first rate, but the internal seal is rubber, and not silicon or teflon, as I would have expected. The 1.5" Tri-clamp fittings are well machined, and work as intended.

On the other hand, both Camlock male peices are about 3mm too long at the mouth, and simply don't fit in the existing camlock female connectors I already have (bought from brewhardware.com). I'd certainly advise caution on the camlocks - perhaps they're only made to mate with the female parts they also sell?

 

[sp0rk]

Are you sure the seal is rubber and not something like EPDM?

 

[Yob]

Got a new one

beautyzz2009 selling STC1000

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/131297233941?euid=ed922ea48a4b4ce6aa4ddb989a40b45b&cp=1

possibly nothing wrong with the actual units but they arent shipped with the rubber probe but a steel probe, cannot be immersed.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

eBay has a new money back guarantee. with the chinese sellers it 99.9% of the time results in receiving a full refund and you keep the parts (not a bonus in your case when they are useless).

It's very hard for sellers to win, I oft end up with the short straw as a local seller with customers who clearly tell fibs (return things they have damaged during attempted installation for example).... having said that doesn't help you if getting a functional product is your main aim and the cost aint the issue