KDM Embargos

[Leo Enticknap]

As you say, it's a question of the market sector they're aiming for. Chinese factories can produce high quality stuff, if western QC standards are specified and priced in, which is usually the case for western-branded products with outsourced production (e.g. Apple). If they're not, you're into Bangbong Manufacturing Co. territory, with a price point that reflects that. Without wanting to turn this discussion political, I suspect that Mad Vlad has just seen to it that the economics of outsourced manufacturing are about to change fundamentally, especially in relation to shipping and fuel costs. Covid had already started to turn things in that direction.

[Juan Jose Garcia Calvo]

That's an awesome idea! But, I would never use a consumer grade electronic switch for mission-critical applications in a theater or in a semi-industrial setting.

I worked in a shop that made electronics and I understand a lot about how things like that are made. If you have seen some of the bad solder joints, crappy wiring and shoddy workmanship that goes into some of those cheap, Chinesium* consumer products, you'd shit your pants! I'm surprised that half that shit doesn't burst into flames two minutes after you plug it in!

I would never connect a system worth many tens of thousands of dollars to a cheap, Chinesium* power strip!


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( * "Cheap Chinesium"... as opposed to "High-Grade Chinesium"... It does exist but it's much less common. )

Remember that I connected this switch only to one of the dual power supply of our server, so during the show there are another redundant power supply connected directly…
This way it’s not a mission-critical. If the switch fail (or stops), there only an alarm beep…

I’ve been using these BROADLINK an other Sonoff switches for years with no problem only some connecting issues in the sonoff app… (asking for the password repeatedly)

regards

[Randy Stankey]

As you say, it's a question of the market sector they're aiming for. Chinese factories can produce high quality stuff, if western QC standards are specified and priced in...

Absolutely!
Chinese manufacturers can even produce high-tech stuff.

China's EAST, Tokamak facility, claims to have sustained a nuclear fusion reaction for almost 18 minutes. (17.6 min.)
While scientific research and commercial manufacturing are two different fields, my point is that China CAN produce quality if they put their minds to it.

You do have to filter for the fact that the Chinese government isn't shy about making bold, unsubstantiated claims and whitewashing details but that's another thing. Yes, we know that they have a working reactor and, as far as anybody can tell, it has sustained a reaction for a substantial amount of time. Was it actually 17 minutes? It's hard to know for sure.

Juan, I understand what you are talking about. If it works for you, go for it!

I worked in movie theaters and legitimate theaters for close to twenty years. I have had too many shows go "boink" because an extension cord or power strip failed at the wrong time. Experience has taught me that, if I need a cord that won't fail at the wrong time, I have to either buy the right equipment or make it myself.

If I wanted a good power strip that I can always trust, I would make it out of heavy duty, 12/3, rubber jacketed electrical cord and a metal junction box with strain relief at both ends. If I wanted it to be remotely operated, I'd figure out a way. If I wanted something that was frickin' bulletproof, I'd probably call Leo.

Today, I work in a factory that produces high-reliabilty goods for military, medical and industrial applications. Our company has supplied parts to NASA for the Apollo missions to the moon. Some of our stuff is still up there, too! We've got parts that are on Mars. We even have stuff on the Hubbel Telescope and the James Webb Telescope.

If I wanted an extension cord or power strip to use for my work, I would have to ask an engineer what cord to use and he would send me to Maintenance to get a specific item that's approved for my use.

If I tried to use your Broadlink Wi-Fi gizmo, good as it may be, I'd have a supervisor breathing down my neck, yelling, "What the HELL are you doing with that?" I'd have our IT guy climbing up my ass for bringing in an unapproved network device and I'd probably have the Compliance Officer giving me shit about an ITAR violation, too.

ITAR = "International Trade in Arms Regulations." If your company does business with the US Government or works with certain technologies listed by the government as "sensitive," you have to follow a whole host of special rules for security and safety. Techincally, you aren't even supposed to have a cell phone on the production floor. You must either leave your phone in your car before you enter the building or you need to lock it in your locker and put a lock on the door.

I'm not telling you not to use your power switch if you want to but I hope you understand why I bristle at the idea.