[GLLUG] Spot the cheap Chinese fake

[Mike Brodbelt]

On 09/04/14 21:20, Chris Bell wrote:

>     Chinese mains volts are 220 +/-5% and many Chinese PSUs are labelled as
> suitable for 110 to 240 volts. These are supposed to be absolute values, but
> UK mains used to be a loose 240 volts, now specified so as to meet EU
> requirements as 230 -5% +10% so up to around at least 253 volts, (and I have
> seen nearer 260 volts). Friends who are importers now specify up to 265
> volts.

For what it is worth, I recently received an identical power supply to 
the one John posted images of.

The PSU would not necessarily have drawn attention from the silk 
screening and CE mark, but was far too light in the hand. It's 
significantly underspecced, and it can't possibly have decent 
transformers in it. I have plugged it in, and it makes an unpleasant 
rapid ticking sound which I've never heard from a power brick before. I 
would not leave it alone in a room - it pretty much shouts "fire risk".

John showed commendable restraint in not naming the supplier, but as 
it's now been established that they're fully aware they're shipping 
potentially dangerous fakes, I'm not any longer prepared to give them 
the benefit of the doubt, so I'll say that mine came from Tranquil PC.

I was pretty disappointed, as they're a British company that seemed to 
take a pride in their products, and indeed the NUC in the machined 
aluminium case I bought from them is very nice. It feels like a solid 
piece of decent quality engineering - which is why I'm surprised that 
they are shipping such an appalling PSU with it. They also charged my 
card on order, and took 3-4 weeks to ship, which is not usually a good 
sign. On the other hand, they offer a 5 year warranty on their products, 
so the whole experience has been a strange mixture of good and terrible.

Mike