C.<p><a href="https://mindly.social/tags/AliExpress" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AliExpress</span></a> / cheap <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/Chinese" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Chinese</span></a> goods / <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/questionable" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>questionable</span></a> sellers, part 37:</p><p>1. Order <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/rechargeable" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>rechargeable</span></a> 3-speed folding desk <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/fan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>fan</span></a>.<br>2. Receive different version of same fan - no <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/electronics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>electronics</span></a>, no <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/battery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>battery</span></a>, just a USB lead, it runs at one speed when plugged in, unplug it to turn off.<br>3. File "item not as described" ticket with photos clearly showing it's the wrong item.<br>4. AliExpress rejects ticket, the human who spent 0.3s reviewing it didn't read it and just clicked "<a href="https://mindly.social/tags/reject" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>reject</span></a>".<br>5. Edit <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/photos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>photos</span></a>, adding big red "NO BATTERY HERE -->" and "NO ELECTRONICS HERE -->" etc and resubmit ticket.<br>6. AliExpress accepts claim this time. Get refund.<br>7. Place order for same rechargeable fan from different <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/seller" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>seller</span></a>.<br>8. Receive fan. <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/Charge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Charge</span></a>. Give to partner.</p><p>"It turns off after a few seconds", she says.</p><p>Take it apart. Examine the circuit board, <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/probe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>probe</span></a> it various ways, all looks good. <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/Measure" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Measure</span></a> <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/voltages" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>voltages</span></a>. Manually <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/power" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>power</span></a> the fan and see it draws half an <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/amp" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>amp</span></a>. See the suspiciously undersized lithium-ion <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/cell" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>cell</span></a> and think "they didn't just <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/cheap" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>cheap</span></a> out so much that the thing doesn't work, did they?"...</p><p>Yup. The plastic casing has a slot & tabs arrangement inside sized for an 18650 cell, but they've got a much smaller cell in there with some padding to keep it in place. It's a 14500.</p><p>When the fan's on, the load is too much for the cell. The voltage drops enough that the little 3-speed management <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/chip" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>chip</span></a> thinks the cell is flat, and it turns off.</p><p>Put in a good 18650, runs like a charm.</p><p>Sheesh.</p><p><a href="https://mindly.social/tags/LiIon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LiIon</span></a></p>