unexplainable parts from China

[xjwmx]

From ebay I bought a kit that was a molded plastic hard drive bay cover, metal mounting plate, and rubber guides for a Lenovo laptop drive bay. Total cost about $1.50 incl shipping from China!

The cover was a different texture from the computer and didn't fit exactly right. Usable but not perfect. I am wondering where did the cover even come from? Floor sweepings rejects from before the final texturing was applied? Special manufacture? It costs a whole lot to set up to make a small plastic part, in the U.S. at least, so can't imagine that. The rest of the stuff worked great but they are likely off the shelf standard sizes.

 

[Paul Sutton]

I ordered two types of voltmeter from China for my XS. One type survived the motor being started twice and the other type has done approx. 1000 miles. Why was one type crap and the other good??? Perhaps the former was a QC reject and the latter end of line good stock?

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

...Floor sweepings rejects ...

"Floor sweepings" may sound like derogatory slang, but I've seen pics of that practice.

I ordered two types of voltmeter from China for my XS. One type survived the motor being started twice and the other type has done approx. 1000 miles. Why was one type crap and the other good??? Perhaps the former was a QC reject and the latter end of line good stock?

Paul, if you used the digital 2-wire versions, the 2-wire voltmeters don't have reverse-polarity protection, and can easily go *pffft* on our 70-79 bikes. Have a look in here:

http://www.xs650.com/threads/alternator-rotor-inductive-kickback.42605/

 

[xjwmx]

I've seen pics of that practice.

I've seen the practice in practice. I worked at a place where I was writing embedded code. There was suddenly a worldwide shortage of the chip. Our buyer enlisted an old friend with gray market connections and got a shipment of chips. A lot of them wouldn't work. A meter on the pins appeared to show a bunch of N.C. He took some to a doctor friend and they x-rayed them and there was literally nothing inside. I'm thinking these drive bay covers must have been left over or rejected, and not completely processed stuff. It's the only thing that seems plausible to me.

 

[Paul Sutton]

Twomany, enjoyed your reply and link to relevant thread. I have an 81 SH, but, I have replaced the rectifier/regulator with a DIY version. Is it possible that I have removed some protection from my electrics by removing the stock rec/reg? If this is the case then perhaps I should add a diode across the field winding. A diode will just be additional insurance over the regulator's build in protection - a "nice to have" addition.

Thank you.

PS. My apologies to China.

 

[xjwmx]

If it's right, then no. The parts you used will be as robust as they are and shouldn't affect anything else unless it fries and does it. But the stock ignition does have some protection built in for the coil that not all the others have.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

... I have an 81 SH, but, I have replaced the rectifier/regulator with a DIY version. Is it possible that I have removed some protection from my electrics by removing the stock rec/reg? If this is the case then perhaps I should add a diode across the field winding. A diode will just be additional insurance over the regulator's build in protection - a "nice to have" addition...

If it's right, then no...

Agreed, but your '81 has modern stuff I've not experienced. Inductive devices like the starter and its solenoid. Bring it over, and we'll hang the scope on it...

 

[Signal]

My latest experience.I bought a normally closed tether switch from Ali express. It was less than $5 US delivered. For this price I fully expected it to be a factory second but operational. I was not disappointed, when it arrived it was certainly a normally closed switch alright , it remained closed with the tether clip removed as well as installed. I pulled it apart and it looked as though a small spring had been left out during assembly, After fitting a spring it now works as it should. If I get a high speed miss in the future this will be the prime suspect.

 

[Paul Sutton]

Last Summer I bought a master cylinder with a smaller piston diameter from China. What a bargain - about £14 including p + p. I eagerly waited for several weeks. When it arrived I pulled it apart to inspect but found the lid was permanently stuck on so that the reservoir could not be filled up. What at bargain! I did get my money back after sending the seller a photo.

 

[xjwmx]

Do ypu ever google street view of the return addresses on your foreign packages? It is always interesting. I ordered a phone case on ebay supposed to be from China and the return address was this address in Kyrgyzstan

 

[Paul Sutton]

Has anyone noticed that Taiwan seems to deal in quality? I have had good experience with items from there. For example I have had 2 tachometers (£9 each) from China and both would not work. My £9 speedo from China lasted 120 miles. I now have 1000 miles on my £40 each stainless steel Tacho and Speedo which both carry the label "Made in Taiwan".

 

[650Skull]

Taiwan is not China.......... and has been building electronics or parts for years and seem to have a good rep. I think japan used Taiwan as a cheep source,due to labour, and the quality was for the Japanese standards......

 

[gggGary]

Taiwan and Hong Kong are generally safe bets.

 

[Paul Sutton]

I understand Taiwan is not China, an issue that is hotly disputed. What makes it so different from its nearest neighbors? Is it just the Japanese influence on manufacture? Wha ever the answer I just love to see that little gold label that reads "Made in Taiwan".

 

[Max Midnight]

Perhaps it is not so much about where it's made but how much you are prepared to pay for it?

If you expect a quality item that is fit for purpose and only pay, for example, £9 for a speedo or £14 for a m/c then I suspect in the majority of cases you will be disappointed or in the case of m/c's without brakes.

I reckon that if it seems too cheap there is usually a reason for it.

 

[650Skull]

Doing shopping on Friday, i was in a stationary wholesalers looking for a office diary. .............Made in China, ...........designed in Australia but Made n China.........Collins Dairy. No information on where it is made, has web information. Looking for information on where Collins dairies are made refers back to local or area suppliers, (seems to be area franchises for Collins products), and couldn't get any info on where they are made...........Wanna bet its China..........

Found a dairy, Made in South Korea ........good enough for me......

Decided to not buy Chinese anything that day........and in the future..........like looking for a needle in a hey-stack.............I know the saying, everything is Made In China, but literally everything is.........sure there are a few things that aren't, some clothes from other Asian countries but it has invaded our economies to the point of just about no return....................

Trump has been blustering about this, .....But all that has done is cause pain to locals....but the ones who could make a difference are us.

Maybe it is time people started to look beyond their pockets and spend a couple of more $ and buy products that aren't made in China where there is a choice.........Virtually impossible in some respects.......but....buying direct with next to no shipping costs should be avoided........By buying by this practice, all we are doing is destroying more of what is already a stressed situation, Postage. Amazon has destroyed cheap postage and forced postage companies to cut corners else where.......Deliverer's cop it and have to be faster for less after being screwed buy the postage companies............It will get worse............

The price of Postage from the US has got so high it isn't worth buying parts because it makes them the same as or more expensive than buying local......and local prices here is a rolling frame here buys you a couple of running XS's in the states.........I don't see how free postage from china is not contributing to the high cost of postage.........