[time-nuts] OT Gel Cell question

[Charles Steinmetz]

Brooke wrote:

>It turns out that "Made in China" does not in and of itself mean inferior.

I did not say that it did -- please actually read what you are 
replying to.  Here is what I said:

>>These manufacturers are capable of designing and constructing 
>>first-quality products, but the batteries that are commonly 
>>available in the US are made for brands that ask for the cheapest 
>>batteries possible.

"Brands" here means distribution companies (many are US companies, 
but not all) that order batteries to contracted spec from the OEM and 
sell them in the US (or wherever) under their own brand.  PowerSonic 
(which you mention by name) is one.  Actually, pretty much anyone who 
markets SLAs in the US is one.

>But there may be an unauthorized night shift that uses the same raw 
>materials and makes a product without any QA.  It may or may not be 
>as good as the "official" product.

Oh, please.  OEMs make what buyers order.  It's got nothing to do 
with "unauthorized night shifts" or "shadow factories," it all 
depends on what the buyer (the "brand") orders and is willing to 
check for when it inspects the received products.  When you press an 
OEM for cheaper and cheaper products, it cuts more and more corners, 
sometimes including corners that the contract specifies shall NOT be 
cut (if you push a contractor to pinch every penny, you may get 
product that does not comply with the contract).  This is infamously 
true of Chinese electronics OEMs, but applies generally to OEMs, 
including many in the US and EU.

>it may be that a battery with the Power Sonic label is a quality 
>battery even if it does have a "Made in China" sticker.

PowerSonic batteries are, in fact, some of the better SLA batteries 
available in the US today (although they are a far cry from the best 
that can be made).  Back in March I wrote this on the volt-nuts list:

>>Also, I strongly advise against using the cheapest batteries you 
>>can get.  Those will invariably be very low quality batteries, 
>>which will fail prematurely.   There is a huge difference in 
>>quality from good SLAs to poor ones.  I have found that PowerSonic 
>>SLA batteries give good service in the 732A (about $35 each).

There are all-black batteries, sold under the "AJC" brand and many 
others, that are unmitigated crap.

Best regards,

Charles