Chinertown
Other Resources => Component Deals & Selection => Topic started by: Mühi on July 24, 2026, 03:27:08 PM
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Hi guys,
I have built up a Velobuild 368 with the new SRAM Force a few months ago and was slightly outraged by the price of SRAM derailleur batteries (50€ for one, no way I'm paying that...) so I decided to go for the Ali version from ZRTZ for ~10€ on sale (like the one here, couldn't find one on sale https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005012677753434.html (https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005012677753434.html)).
I couldn't notice a difference between the fake batteries and the two real ones I have on my other bike, apart from the fake ones being slightly harder to clip into the derailleurs. That was until yesterday, where I noticed one of the batteries had spontaneously stopped working a few hours after having washed the bike (I'm not sure the wash had something to do with it, that's just when I noticed it). I'd expect the batteries to be waterproof anyways to handle rainy rides and not leave the derailleur pins exposed during washing, so that's no excuse.
At first I didn't think too much of it, and thought maybe some moisture has gotten inside, so I set it outside to dry out and maybe recover. After that didn't help for a day I decided to open it up to see what happened, and noticed a strong popcorn smell coming from the battery even before touching it.
Opening it up revealed a pretty horrifying sight: The internal connector from the cells to the PCB is burnt half way, and in a more unlucky scenario could have set the cells (and with that probably my apartement) on fire! I also didnt't notice any signs of water in the battery, although it's be possible that it just evaporated already, even though I find that unlikely as the battery seemed pretty sealed to me when opening it up.
I'm relieved nothing more has happened in my case, and the only damage is to the battery itself, but I sure as hell won't be buying any more batteries from overseas.
TL;DR: Don't by fake SRAM batteries, the 60€ saving for two is not worth the risk :)
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just a short reminder.
if you somehow get your battery to burn especially lithium based then drop them into water literally submerge them and dont take them out the water. use a bucket or something, bring it outside and let it burn out.
you can not stop lithium from burning it will reignite as soon as you take it out the water.