Beware of eBay pricing for test plugs & test leads - lots of thieves out there

[Kiriakos GR]

E-bay Member since: Jun 09, 2007 ... and definable I have experiences of how E-bay this transformed over the years.

Nowadays there is no more any small sellers from Asia,  about 80% of products of any color and any shape, sale pricing this is controlled by huge logistics companies them having one number of at least 15 E-bay stores registered with different names.
 
E-bay it self accepts the fact that a single logistics company ( front man) he can legally own up to seven stores with different names.

Speaking of products I will use as example one basic insulated banana (shrouded version).
a) In packages of 100 pcs this is priced for  0,15 $ its one (factory price).
b) In packages of 1000 pcs this is priced for  0,7 $ its one (factory price).

Nowadays there is no source ( E-bay store ) selling them less than 1,20$ for small quantity 2~5 pcs,  and for larger quantity (20+) price never drops below 0,90$ its one.
No matter how hard you will search eBay,  pricing of those goods will be similar.

Additionally E-bay this is now an organization, with marketing tools, this translate that any major seller by paying advertising fee, he gets extreme visibility.
If you type keywords as :  4mm banana plug  ( E-bay search) you will get 20,000 results.
   
Additionally if you are using several E-bay localized channels ( Ebay.UK, Ebay.DE,  Ebay.IE ) you will again discover that search results those are further controlled, and that there is a huge manipulation.

With a such distorted and manipulated Market Place, nowadays it might worth to search and find of what you need in local stores ( in your area).

Nowadays I am using E-bay with tremendously caution,  I will shop only for unpopular goods that local shops do not have in stock, and even so I will spent over two hours about finding what I need at lowest price,  by looking in 2000 search results so to discover if there is any E-bay store this not be aggressively controlled by those New logistics companies lobby.     

 
Last day I did succeed to get 10 PCS banana plugs for 0,90 EUR its one,  and because of that I feel like be a hero.          

[Kiriakos GR]

Now starts the real FUN .....   

Bellow they are two pictures.

First this is the advertised stock photo.

Second this is what you really get.  ( I got )


Now according every reasonable man expectations,  you would assume that there is a screw in the banana hole this would secure the cable ...
In the cheaters world there is alternative path,  this is a plain hole with a blob of solder on the top, and this is a sign from God that there is no screw in this banana.

My advice to all would be, do not be that fast to deliver eBay feedback with out making a close examination of what you get for your money.

From the other hand feel free to avoid eBay shop:   av-rf
This seller does not respect your time or money. 
Probably he is busy washing  his new BMW which he got by stealing other people money ( with blessings of eBay too - they are partners ).
 

[Kiriakos GR]

I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS  !!!!    Second attempt to buy from another seller and I got ever worst in quality plugs ....

This time issues :
1) The factory forgot to drill a hole for the cable

2) Plugs arrived with plastics assembled...  Half destroyed from production line or by the seller whom though to make savings at plastic bags per single plug.     
Such safety plugs must be only once assembled by the end customer.

3) Quality control issues also at a few metal pin isolation ( I got 10 plugs) .

4) Quality of plastic it self ?  Worst quality of plain nylon probably from the recycled one, the one which decomposes by it self after several months.

5) One metal pin was deformed at the back, creating one larger ring than the hole at the plastic plug, I was had to use grinding wheel to remove excess metal so external diameter this to return at proper pin specifications.   

 I am gain after this new seller, and I hope that he will accept that he were fooled by a dishonest supplier.
Generally speaking I lost all ready two months by all those attempts about  acquiring 10 plugs, and I have nothing worth using in my hands yet.




 

[Kiriakos GR]

I think it is time this topic to turn in to further more usable by an offering of Safety banana plug assembly instructions.

Now lets sum up and clarify of few tecnical details.
REAL Safety banana plug for use up to 600V AC CATII category this is the one manufactured with precision, this including a tiny screw inside the 4mm hole.
Now bellow this screw there is a cross section with a hole or holes,  cable this pass thru the hole and tiny screw inside the 4mm hole this holds the cable in place.
Such a cable this is secure to be used for continues loads at 10A or higher according to cables specifications.

Personally I was totally unaware of cheap version of soldered type, and I got trapped twice because of pricing.
Neither PayPal this is a source of justice, when some one send deliberately to you factory defects products, expected unfair resolution this is always your responsibility to return the goods in China (tracked) at your own cost for getting an refund.
And 90% of times its not worth it, and they know that.
 
Soldered Safety banana plug this is a product design gimmick, even so there is a chance to use them if you accept your self to use them at specific applications, as for example Max current of 10A and not for prolonged time.

In my case I did the choice about using right away only the type of banana plug which gave to me a bit more confidence (over all product design quality), about  making cables for power quality evaluation applications up to 600V AC & 10A Max.

Nor of those banana types has any drilled hole for inserting a cable.
At best scenario someone at this factory did a bit of grinding over the pin and added a solder blob for you.
   

Speaking of soldering tips, I did use temperature of 360C.
Banana plug were totally dismantled for soldering.
Cable must be soldered carefully and in an angle, assembly of pin back to female plastic chamber this is tricky (a bit of force and use of pliers this is required).

Bellow there is a set of pictures carefully selected as additional aid for assembly.

My plan for using the most terrible type of bananas which I got, this is exclusively Low-Voltage applications ( battery charger, and nothing higher than 60V DC).
Bananas plastic insulation this is clearly similar to cheap thick nylon.