Fake Nitecore Chargers even in very big stores, D4 and others

Hello,

I got this weekend a fake Nitecore D4 charger, its very difficult to see the difference.
They are made out of cheap components get hot and tend to break down after a while.
UK electrical safety homepage warns for danger that those fakes may even start a fire.

Even on internet Videos some people thought a better fake was the real deal as there seem to be different fakes one worse than the other.

I will add here information from BLF forum as well of my own results,
as there are minor faults in the BLF original thread and discussion and confusion about the magnet test.

Nitecore released a 2016 EU version to counter the fake products,
but in fact I will order a Klarus CH4S Charger as it can also handle 4.35 Lithium cells in addition and has higher charge currents.

A very good review for this and dozens of other chargers and batteries can be found at this website
http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger Klarus CH4s UK.html.


First I will list all differences between Fake and real charger.
As there seems to be more than one fake not all differences may be to found, but the majority of em.

P.S. new versions showed up that are showing Nitecore outside od power socket and cable
see post #20 for pictures of newer fakes

1. Sad to say that fake charger package is made of stronger cardboard than original.
   
2. Font is bold for original. Typeface is slight different.
   
3. (RCR123) label alignment is off to the left for fake.
4. This is the most obvious mistake. The word "Worldwide" spelling may be mistaken on some fakes "C" instead "E".

1. Yellow top sticker material is a bit translucent compared to original.
   
2. Air bubble formed due to double layer of screen protectors. Screen looks grayish in color instead of black.
   
3. "Deboss" depth of the battery icons is deeper for fake. Icons design is not exactly the same at closeup.
   

1. From 2014 models onward are installed with NITECORE designed power socket. Design is most probably to help consumer to differentiate between fake and original. First generation of sockets are blue in color.

1. the metal contacts and rails will attract magnet for fake. Only the negative contacts will attract magnet for original
   
2. Rail springs are stiffer and require slightly more strength to pull for original than fake.

1. Mode button for original charger has a more vibrant yellow.
   
2. Fin thickness is different.

1. NITECORE word is spaced out more. Letters are easier to read.
   
2. Original charger has a rugged texture pattern.
   

Original cable is thicker, longer and heavier.Emboss NITECORE logo can be seen on the pin side.

source of many pictures and text is http://budgetlightforum.com/node/44203
and my own Post here http://laserfreak.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=56468&p=289825#p289819

Thanks, great information!
Considering silly prices nitecore has on their chargers, it is no surprise, that someone wants to make couple of extra bucks out of it.

thanks for informing.. we all should carefully choose the product when we are in stores.. safety is more important then tha money

These can be "china original fakes" and today are sometimes of same quality and better price than the real ones. They are exactly the same factories, exactly the same raw materials.
They are not indistinguishable inside

http://budgetlightforum.com/node/44203

Freeme did a post about it as well.

mdorian said:

These can be "china original fakes" and today are sometimes of same quality and better price than the real ones. They are exactly the same factories, exactly the same raw materials.
They are not indistinguishable inside

Click to expand...

The fake chargers are sold for same price and some big stores seem to have ordered fake chargers selling em to customers, this is not a problem of chineese stores.

All so far known clones have very bad parts, overcharge often NiMh batteries, often break down after a few months and overheat.
You can find enough users who have broken fake chargers.

But there are better chargers on market with no fake issues like the Klarus.

Wow, thank you for sharing these details. I would have never realized if I got a fake one without this.

What advantages nitecore chargers offer?

CuriousOne said:

What advantages nitecore chargers offer?

Click to expand...

No advantages unfortunately, the brand seems to be good,
but with fakes on market I can only say go for other brands.

There are chargers from Xtar, Klarus, Astrolux and other brands that charge NiMh and lithium cells with higher charge current and also 4.35V option, for high voltage lithium cells, that also measure charge capacity.

I happened to glance at the Nitecore site the other day and wondered why they went to such lengths to identify their various methods for the consumer to verify a genuine product. Now it is made clear.

idleprocess said:

I happened to glance at the Nitecore site the other day and wondered why they went to such lengths to identify their various methods for the consumer to verify a genuine product. Now it is made clear.

Click to expand...

"Clear" is a relative term. At first glance, on shelf, a neophyte is going to sense that its the real deal because the cardboard is thinner...notice that the type font is "off" and catch the c spelling error? The rest of the differences are in-the-box and further found after taking the unit apart. No one is going to go to those lengths to verify authenticity. Face it, other than flashaholics and other people in the know, there are going to be very few if any other people are going to catch the difference between the genuine and the fake.

I hate to say it but the forgers "knocked off" this one out of the park.

When you have companies in China copying each other, the general public needs to have proprietary reflective stickers or some other bold hard to copy items to signify "genuine".

For curiosity, I've checked taobao and ebay for D4 chargers.

Ebay - starts from $10
Taobao - starts from $16

None shows packaging with errors, shown above.

Yikes! I am late to the party on this one. I purchased a Nitecore D4 from the "Vape Society supply" yesterday. I hope I don't get burned. I'm sure VSS would make good if mine turned out to be a fake unit but, I just don't need the hassle.

SixCats!

Hi Lex,

Thanks again for this thread. It appears that my new (just arrived) D4 is LEGIT!

SixCats!

Big thanks.:kiss:

Im glad I have an old I4

I ordered one from amazon a couple of weeks ago and it is good.

I ordered one from the Nitecore website, It should be legit, but after ordering it I realized it ships from China I think. What am I looking at for shipping time?

Well I forgot to add the proper address so was contacted by Nitecore in Texas so maybe they have a place in the USA that ships from here?

Thx to freeme on BLF forum

New Fakes show up showing Nitecore labels on parts like power plug, capacitor and cable

Nowhere on the PCB does it say Nitecore or Sysmax


Nitecore printed on all electrolytic capacitors

The AC socket looks like the authentic one

Verification code fails got used before and you find that code with google