Motorola OEM batteries made in China ?

[RadioSouth]

Just ordered a few HNN9018 (for the SP50 full size) and to my surprise
'cell origin China' on the battery. Anyone else order new batteries lately and get this Chinese sh** ?

[MTS2000des]

have alot of Jedi batteries from 04/05 with "cell origin China"...more outsourcing of american jobs to slave labor camps of the world. Motorola has a battery mfg facility right here in Atlanta metro (well Lawrencevill/Suwanee in Gwinnett county) wonder how long till Ed Zander fires more of my fellow citizens to outsource this...maybe he already has.

[N4KVE]

Hello. I have a bunch of Jedi batteries that say "cell origin Japan". Close enough. GARY N4KVE

[ScannerDan]

just bought 2 Impres batteries and guess were the cells were made?? Japan. So much for using US stuff.

[Tony Soprano]

You guys act like this is some new thing. Motorola portable batteries have been made overseas somewhere for over ten years. As long as they are made to their own specifications, they will still perform.

I've seen quite a few catalog batteries that proudly state their "Made in USA" origin, but fail miserably in heavy service.

Kind of beside the original point, but it's nothing new.

Tony

[RadioSouth]

Yea, 'made in USA' is unfortunately something you see less and less and I've also seen some real garbage made in USA batteries like Tony. One of the companies went as as far as putting a flag on every battery and examining about 40 of these, about 10 of them the insides rattled around in the case like a kids toy. <br>
Point I was bringing up was Motorola's use of Chinese cells which aren't exactly known for their quality. I paid a premium to get OEM assuming they were still using high quality Japanese cells. Should have bought the Multipliers which were about $5. less in the 9018.

[Tony Soprano]

Seems to me like I've heard tha Japanese cells were of the highest quality, but I don't know where. Here's to hoping they do as well, and I would hope that they have done sufficient testing to ensure that. Motorola has always been known for the rigorous testing they do on the batteries, I hope that has continued here.

[MTS2000des]

Seems to me like I've heard tha Japanese cells were of the highest quality, but I don't know where. Here's to hoping they do as well, and I would hope that they have done sufficient testing to ensure that. Motorola has always been known for the rigorous testing they do on the batteries, I hope that has continued here.

I've replaced more Motorola batteries that have "Cell origin China" than any of the older US made packs, especially the Jedi batteries, even though they've been properly maintained and used, in as little as a year and a half. I still have some 1998 NTN7144's that perform as good as new.

Chinese made=garbage.
Mexican made=garbage.

Most Motorola cellular/PCS phones are Chinese or Mexican built. their quality (or lack thereof) speaks for itself. I'll take a Nokia anyday over the trash being made in third world countries.

[Bat2way]

I've only had to replace three bad Motorola OEM batts in the last 12 months. The only recurring problems I see is the clone brand X variety, the "buy 1 now, buy 1 later" type.

[boylo]

I am old enough to remember when cars and other goods from Japan were regarded as Garbage.

The cells that end up in Motorola batteries may be made in China by a Japanese owned factory such as Panasonic or Sanyo because of cheap labour costs.

Global companies like Motorola, Nokia and Sony will build factories where their costs are less to maximise their returns to shareholders.

My Nokia phone is made in China and it is just as ordinary as a Mexican or Chinese made Motorola. They are all made to a price and expected to last no more than 2 years just like Motorola batteries.

[kd6rfs]

I have (2) brand new NTN7143 Jedi batteries that are supposed to be OEM Motorola, they look OEM, but there is no "M" logo on the back, just a faint circle, and the plastic is not the same as the plastic on the original old style batteries, also, the old style clips wont fit these, I had to slightly modify the grooves to get my older quality clips to fit!! I complained to my Motorola dealer, but he assured me they are OEM, and that motorola changed the style slightly?? they work fine so far, but they sure dont look and feel like the original ones did....also they are much lighter then before?? kinda weird, anyone else see these type yet? David KD6RFS

[Bruce1807]

There are 3 main cell manufactureers in the world
All Nipponese owned companies.
Motorola buys the cells from these companies (the top 20% quality wise)
and then has a third party package them.
The cells are still japanese, the packing is is done in China.
Whats the problem. The cells have always been Japanese

[mancow]

I have (2) brand new NTN7143 Jedi batteries that are supposed to be OEM Motorola, they look OEM, but there is no "M" logo on the back, just a faint circle, and the plastic is not the same as the plastic on the original old style batteries, also, the old style clips wont fit these, I had to slightly modify the grooves to get my older quality clips to fit!! I complained to my Motorola dealer, but he assured me they are OEM, and that motorola changed the style slightly?? they work fine so far, but they sure dont look and feel like the original ones did....also they are much lighter then before?? kinda weird, anyone else see these type yet? David KD6RFS

YEA ! It sounds like a KENDOO.

I would promptly return it and tell him to shove it. I know what you mean about the plastic. Mine was like glass under stress and fractured all over. The clip didn't fit either.

[RadioSouth]

There are 3 main cell manufactureers in the world
All Nipponese owned companies.
Motorola buys the cells from these companies (the top 20% quality wise)
and then has a third party package them.
The cells are still japanese, the packing is is done in China.
Whats the problem. The cells have always been Japanese

The problem I'm trying to point out is some of the 'M' battery packs now containing the wording 'Cell Origin China'. Don't know where the're making them but it appears they're now using China made cells which are pretty much regarded as crapola as opposed to Japanese cells which are highly regarded. (Many retailers even make a point in their advertizing that their packs contain Jap cells).

[Al]

As someone else pointed out, where the cells are made is unimportant as long as they are built to and meet M specifications. Motorola still has to back them with their warranty, so the buyer is somewhat protected and if too many buyers get too many failures while in warranty M gets a bad reputation.

[kd6rfs]

Well, what should I do??? I bought these (2) NTN7143 batteries from eBay, from a guy who claims to be a Moto Tech/Dealer, and when I questioned him about these being OEM or not, HE SWORE TO ME, they are OEM, NOW....I might have been born yesterday, but I was'nt born last night!!! I know what a OEM Motorola Battery looks like, and these are NOT OEM, IF they are, then Moto has completely gone worse then the maker of "Space Cadet" Walkie Talkies!!!! HE is selling them on eBay as OEM, he even sells two types, aftermarket and OEM, I told him i wanted OEM and paid the extra 5-10 dollars diffrence....I could maybe call Moto and tell them he is selling these batteries as OEM??? they have Motorola stickers, date codes (4/20) which is kinda old? and numbers.....but they are NOT made the same, and look real cheap....they DO work fine so far though...but as I stated earlier, the clips dont fit, the OEM clips, and he sends you real cheap, one spring inside clips that do fit, that sit crooked along the body of the battery!! I had to slightly modify the grooves to make the OEM good clips fit... YES I know, I paid a rwal cheap price of $24.95 each, BUT I had no problem with buying aftermarket, and I told him so...he told me, NO, these are OEM for this price, so I bought them, otherwise I would have gotten the aftermarket ones from him for $19.95.....anyway, he wont hear it....he swears up and down, that they are OEM, and that he would never put himself as a Moto dealer in such a position as to sell counterfit items...Any suggestions anyone? what can I do? thanks, David KD6RFS

P.s. by the way, his eBay seller ID is: emsdadtimbo if you do a search for HT/JT1000/MT2000 batteries, you probably find him selling them as OEM I can take a pic of the battery, I dont know if it will come out to where you can see its a phony or not, but if you saw it up close, and you know Moto jedi series, or any Moto batteris for 2way, then you'll right away say they are phony, probably "Kendoo" like said earlier...

[Will]

I just got a flock of Jedi 2700mAhr and they have the Sanyo cell sticker, and a Made in the U. S. A. sitcker also, $36 ea.

[AEC]

Typical Circle-M outsourcing, as they have done with the cellphone market, they have done with batteries, and have been doing so for a number of years now as well.

Look at the current lineup...tell me what is NOT made in China these days.

From cellphones to two way radios, Circle-M is handing the financial golden fleece over to China in a major way.

How about a law that penalizes companies from exporting U.S jobs overseas, like a 200% TAX on IMPORTS.

We ship our currency, food and employment overseas....what's left for US to do HERE?

Oh that's right.....fill out UNEMPLOYMENT FORMS!

I wonder when Chinese will be the 'official' language here?

[wkr518]

Whelen makes thier LED products in the USA but buys thier Diodes from major Japanese firms who have been in the LED business way before USA was.
Anyone can buy cells from Chinese firms but it is what they do with them and how they design the battery around them that matters.
Because my wife buys pineapple from Hawaii ,same as my buddys wife,does not mean her upside down pineapples cake will be as good as my wifes.Oh,SHE told me to write this btw.

[Bruce1807]

The World Trade Organization may have issue with your tax.
You also must remember that the current regime promotes this.
But basically if you can get it built cheaper and at least the same quality or better, that means more profits and happy shareholders.
/\/\ is not responsible to US citizens.
It is responsible to its shareholders which are in all four corners of the world.
Remember system support for Europe the Middle East and Africa has been offshore for years; whist US only has N&S America

besides I like Chinese food

[escomm]

I am taken aback by the outsourcing issue.

People have long complained (and loudly at that) that /\/\'s products are too expensive, not designed for the little guy, and so on. Yet more than half of the posts in this forum are dedicated to models that are no longer supported by /\/\ and haven't been for years. /\/\ has been manufacturing its radios abroad for how long? They've had facilities in Mexico, Israel, the Phillipines, Malaysia, the list goes on and on... and it's nothing new.

Well' you can't have it both ways. The reality of the situation is that labor in China costs less than 1/10 of what it does in the US. Why would you pay someone $20 an hour to produce a product when you can pay someone else $2 an hour for the same quality, and you are able to pass those savings on to your customers (who have been crying for lower prices all along...)? ISO certification is ISO certification... and certainly we all know that it was /\/\ that developed Six Sigma (despite it becoming popular because of GE successfully implementing the concepts).

Every person here, I am sure, has at some point shopped at a megaretailer like WalMart, Best Buy, Target, KMart, etc. Hence, anyone who has shopped at these stores is party responsible for each job that is lost to outsourcing because you are supporting retailers that drive this kind of activity. WalMart is the worst, no doubt, but just about every major corporation in the US has a hand in outsourcing... in fact you'd be hardpressed to find a megacompany that hasn't fled overseas because of the tough US business environment.

American manufacturing quality has long been hit or miss. Feel free to look at GM, Ford, Chrysler. All of those companies struggle to produce quality cars while companies like Toyota, Nissan, Lexus etc regularly produce award-winning products that are both functional and durable.

We live in a global society, and we need to come to terms with the fact that "Made in America" doesn't mean what it used to.

[Bruce1807]

excellent reply.
We want our cake and want to eat it too.

[Bat2way]

Well' you can't have it both ways. The reality of the situation is that labor in China costs less than 1/10 of what it does in the US. Why would you pay someone $20 an hour to produce a product when you can pay someone else $2 an hour for the same quality, and you are able to pass those savings on to your customers (who have been crying for lower prices all along...)?

The only reason companies close their US facilities and manufacture overseas is to increase their PROFIT MARGIN. No savings are passed along to the consumer because labor costs have been reduced. A recent example is the M Depot closing up and relocating to Juarez, Mexico. Any price reductions expected???

[escomm]

Well' you can't have it both ways. The reality of the situation is that labor in China costs less than 1/10 of what it does in the US. Why would you pay someone $20 an hour to produce a product when you can pay someone else $2 an hour for the same quality, and you are able to pass those savings on to your customers (who have been crying for lower prices all along...)?

The only reason companies close their US facilities and manufacture overseas is to increase their PROFIT MARGIN. No savings are passed along to the consumer because labor costs have been reduced. A recent example is the M Depot closing up and relocating to Juarez, Mexico. Any price reductions expected???

You have a good point. In the cases of WalMart and its ilk, the savings are passed on to the consumer in the form of price wars and undercutting.

As far as Motorola goes, I view it more as a means to keep costs down and keep the prices for service and repair and the "built-in to the unit" price for warranties and such from going up.

It does go without saying that megacorps (/\/\ included) answer to their shareholders first.

[MWalkerZone]

I've replaced more Motorola batteries that have "Cell origin China" than any of the older US made packs, especially the Jedi batteries, even though they've been properly maintained and used, in as little as a year and a half. I still have some 1998 NTN7144's that perform as good as new.

Chinese made=garbage.
Mexican made=garbage.

Most Motorola cellular/PCS phones are Chinese or Mexican built. their quality (or lack thereof) speaks for itself. I'll take a Nokia anyday over the trash being made in third world countries.

Motorola has indeed moved a LOT of thier battery manufacturing to China recently. And yes...There has been a rash of complaints similar to yours lately. Wether the two go hand in hand or not...Well...Who knows?...All I know is that it sure has made my job of preaching the gospel of the aftermarket battery SOOOO much easier.

[escomm]

Gospel of non-oem batteries? Most people who use /\/\ batteries in the applications they are intended for readily pay for /\/\'s higher price because of the universally superior quality and rock-solid warranty. Motorola often ships batteries with capacities ~10% greater than advertised because of their strict practices for sorting cells.

As noted before, Japanese cells are world-class and I find it curious that the website in your signature is silent on cell origin of the in-house brand. Very curious.

[Bruce1807]

http://www.motorola.com/governmentanden ... s/batt.zip

This is why people but /\/\ batteries.

They just work better, especially impres

[MWalkerZone]

Gospel of non-oem batteries? Most people who use /\/\ batteries in the applications they are intended for readily pay for /\/\'s higher price because of the universally superior quality and rock-solid warranty. Motorola often ships batteries with capacities ~10% greater than advertised because of their strict practices for sorting cells.

As noted before, Japanese cells are world-class and I find it curious that the website in your signature is silent on cell origin of the in-house brand. Very curious.

As noted in the title of this thread...
"Post subject: Motorola OEM batteries made in China ?"
Japanese cells being superior is a mute point. Everyone's complaint seems to be with the /\/\ OEM batteries that are labeled "Cell Origin China"

To satisfy your curiosity as to the origin of the cells utilized in our LMR batteries...Sanyo...hands down the best.

I find it equally curious that Motorola's web site also lacks information on cell origin these days...Even with their impress batteries.

Look for yourself.

http://www.motorola.com/governmentanden ... th=id_558i

But hey...To each his own. I sell OEM batteries too. And I'll sell someone an OEM just as quickly as our own brand. It matters not to me.