Hobby King Forum..is it real?

[NeilP]

Just wondering if the Hobby King Forum is real ? I just cant log on to it.

There stupid website just keeps linking back to their store home page.

I have got a user name and password, but even when I find the HobbyKing Forum page using Google..It asks me to login then takes me straight back to the store page again.

Clicking on the Community forum does nothing except refresh the store home page.

I tried last week and could not get in, and assumed it was because i had just created the account, but this week it is still the same.

Anyone know how to access the forum?

www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/forum
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/HobbyKing_Forum_link.asp

Thanks

Neil

 

[mdd0127]

When it did that for me, it was because I was banned for posting a bad product review. They only allow posts on their forums if you're a happy camper. If it's negative, exposing the truth about them.....banned.

 

[NeilP]

Well I never even got that far... never got on it once.

Sounds like the Apple Mac forums..

Was trying to order some Lipos from them, but it wont complete the order. The ordering system gives me three impossible options.
Here is the e-mail I sent their support:


Question:I am trying to order 8 LiPo batteries, but there is no way to complete the order or change the shipping options.

Here is the order I would like

8 x N5000.10S.25 - Turnigy nano-tech 5000mah 10S 25~50C Lip.. GBP494.55 11784
1 x iCharger3010B - iCharger 3010B 1000W 10s Balance/Charger GBP123.42 1189
5 x EC5 - EC5 5mm Connector (Pair) GBP3.46 115
5 x B10A1780-06 - Turnigy Pure-Silicone Wire 10AWG (1mtr) .. GBP4.81 225
5 x R10A1780-06 - Turnigy Pure-Silicone Wire 10AWG (1mtr) .. GBP4.81 225
Total: GBP631.05 13538g



The system first tells me the weight is too great.

So I split it down to only 4 of the Turigny nano-tech packs so the weight is now within limits.

I then continue with the checkout only to be told I have chosen a shipping option that you can't send the batteries by.

I get this info window:

Shipping Li-Poly batteries by Air Parcel
Due to international air safety regulations, parcels with a total battery capacity of more than 3200mAh cannot be sent via standard 'Air Parcel'.
Please select Air Mail, EMS Express, UPS, DPD, SingPost Air Parcel or DHL where available.

If you insist on using standard Air Parcel, then either reduce the lipo capacity ordered per parcel, or order from one of HobbyKings US, EU or AU warehouses without limitation.

Options.
1) Order via EMS Express, UPS, DPD, Air Mail, SingPost Air Parcel or DHL if available.
2) Reduce total battery capacity to under 3200mAh.
3) Order from Hobbyking.com DE, US or AU warehouse if available.




With regard to the options above, they are all impossible.
1) The checkout does not give you a 'Change shipping method' option
2) Impossible as each battery is 5000mAh
3) as far as the web site showed...I was ordering through the german warehouse anyway.

Can you tell me how to proceed

I was hoping to get this order in this week.

Thanks

 

[mdd0127]

If you want my advice, get your batteries from someone else. You might pay twice as much but you'll probably get respectable service. Even if it's a reseller selling HK's packs, you'll be better off. Also, if you must order from HK...you will want to order twice as many batteries as you need. This will hopefully offset the doa and shipping damaged ones you will most likely get. Also, forget about returns. Their policies pretty much make it an ASIS sale. Good luck!

 

[etard]

The batteries are obviously thier best seller, so watch carefully where they are coming from as they have setup warehouses in Australia, Germany, and finally in the USA. It will tell you I'm the item description where it is coming from, your best bet is the USA warehouse and then Hong Kong for cheap rates. I'm very skeptical about the forum, I think only repeat customers like LFP and others can post comments on there. I have seen quite a few negative comments so that is a good sign of it being real.

Another option for buying batteries is from rcgroups.com I. The for sale section often times you will se brand new batteries for sale on there, or slightly used. Rarely the nano techs though... You also have to be very fast to snatch up any deals, but I have bought quite a few batteries off of there just as described.

Hope that helps.

 

[nicobie]

Empty your cart and start over again. They wouldn't let me ship more than 5 - 6s/5ah batteries at a time. Try three at a time with EMS and fill in the extra weight with other stuff

If they have what you want in the USA warehouse, order it from them (if you live in the US) and get the rest from Hong Kong.

I wouldn't pay much attention to mud123 as he has a bone to pick with them and smears them every chance he gets. From what I can understand, he got pissed when they discontinued a product he wanted. Now he is in to turning them into the gov'mnt for shipping batteries to the US illegally and doesn't seem to care if we can get batteries at a decent price or not.

I'm not trying to start a war, but I thought you might need some info on his prior posts.

 

[liveforphysics]

If you want my advice, get your batteries from someone else. You might pay twice as much but you'll probably get respectable service.

Pitty that no other battery seller, even the ones charging 4x higher prices have products that can compare with Nano-Techs (which he was trying to buy). Makes it hard to buy somewhere else if you're wanting the best.

Just curious, has anyone here ever got a bad cell in a nano-tech pack, or had a nano-tech pack have an issue?

 

[mdd0127]

Empty your cart and start over again. They wouldn't let me ship more than 5 - 6s/5ah batteries at a time. Try three at a time with EMS and fill in the extra weight with other stuff

If they have what you want in the USA warehouse, order it from them (if you live in the US) and get the rest from Hong Kong.

I wouldn't pay much attention to mud123 as he has a bone to pick with them and smears them every chance he gets. From what I can understand, he got pissed when they discontinued a product he wanted. Now he is in to turning them into the gov'mnt for shipping batteries to the US illegally and doesn't seem to care if we can get batteries at a decent price or not.

I'm not trying to start a war, but I thought you might need some info on his prior posts.

You might want to get your facts straight. I got 7 out of 8 busted up packs with cells having crushed corners from improper packaging and one pack with a dead cell. They didn't even try to make it right and treated me like a criminal from my first, nice and patient, contact with them. Now it's war. I'll quit when they refund my money, replace my bad packs, or go out of business. Others here are starting to post issues with DOA's and poor packaging/shipping, warranty absurdities too. I may have been the first one to speak out about them but I guarantee that other people have had similar issues.

Oh and by the way, I think that everybody should be paying a lot more than HK is charging for these things. If you want cheap stuff and don't care about what it takes to make it that cheap for you, you have a few lessons to learn and a new world about to slap you in the face.

I really wish someone else would jump seriously into the battery game. I haven't given up on finding a good supplier yet....meaning I'm still looking. What if we all started emailing other manufacturers begging for a hobbyking alternative? I don't know what needs to be done to break their monopoly but something's got to give!

 

[NeilP]

OK, thanks for all of that,

I'll try emptying the cart and having another go.
You (and they) mention about changing which warehouse then stuff ships from.

As of now, I have not been able to see where that is selected. No option to choose that as far as I am concerned.

will try the other site mentioned...as I am already well pissed off with them and there crappy site and I have not even bought from them yet.

Until a month or two ago I had not even heard of them before

I was planning on spending about $1200 on this first order to get my bike battery pack...but I may have to reconsider

Thanks

 

[neptronix]

*sigh* You know, as a company HK has been real good to me. Made 5 orders so far and no problems with packing, shipping, or actual product. Local companies want 2x the $ for the same thing.

Keep in mind that these are cheap batteries made for the RC market - no guarantees for eBike duty. They sometimes come mismatched in capacity by up to 500mah, and even worse, 1 pack out of 10 can sometimes come with a dead cell.

But they're bone cheap compared to other options.

mdd's situation is unique and i hope he finds a resolution but if you search around, everyone else seems to be happy with zippy/turnigy batteries.

But if someone else came out with 10ah/20ah lipo cells of decent quality i would be all over them even if they cost 15%-33% more.

 

[Harold in CR]

Anyone checked out the Enerland Packs ?? Seems to be close to Turnigy, maybe ?? Drag Racers of cars are building large packs from the smaller ones. Don't have a link handy.

 

[neptronix]

Enerland packs seem hard to come by. I wonder if they are no longer selling the packs. It would not surprise me.

I found one on eBay:

http://compare.ebay.com/like/270497...f876906&itemid=270497425943&ff4=263602_309572

And there's your reminder why everyone uses turnigy/zippy

 

[Harold in CR]

The info I found on Enerland, is, they are not equal to Turnigy-Zippy. However, there is the 1 guy that is building a drag car pack with these, and he has ran it 4 runs, without charging, maybe ?? I will look for that info. Wait 1. :lol:

 

[Harold in CR]

Enerland packs are?? sold by Hobby King. They are listed under another name. Polyquest is the name.

Can't find the info I was looking for, BUT, John metric is the guy using the pack. Might find the info on the nedra site.

I'm thinking what I read was inside another thread, and the search function didn't sort it out, on the other forum I read.

EVDragRacer, on this forum, is the one who posted that info. Maybe he will add it here ??

 

[AussieJester]

EVDragRacer, on this forum, is the one who posted that info. Maybe he will add it here ??

Hes using nano-techs....

KiM

 

[AussieJester]

*sigh* You know, as a company HK has been real good to me.

Ditto never had an issue all consignments were well packed and delivered promptly....now we have a HK in OZ
i will try them too when they get products i want. HK rockzor IMO, so some people get a bad deal, happens with all companies, HK have an enormous turnover of products not surprising they get it wrong occasionally.
Be placing an order for another 12 packs of 22v Zippys this Thursday highly recommend anyone chasing quality
packs do the same.

KiM

 

[Harold in CR]

Yes, Kim. I know, but, he is the one that wrote the post I was searching for. :wink: