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That $400 test adapter I bought off eBay was a total scam | Avionics Technicians - Free To Speak

That $400 test adapter I bought off eBay was a total scam

I was chasing a weird fault on a 737 NG a few weeks back, the weather radar kept dropping signal. Saw an adapter for the R/T unit on eBay for $400, half the price of the aircraft spares catalog. Hooked it up at the hangar in Phoenix, and it worked for about 5 minutes before the pins just crushed inside the connector. Ended up having to order the real one anyway, plus paid my shop to replace the mangled harness socket. Has anyone else gotten burned by cheap test gear from auction sites, or do you have a source for reliable used parts that actually holds up?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotm571mo ago

Honestly, sounds like you got exactly what you paid for. That $400 adapter was probably a knockoff from a seller who bought a real one, took it apart, and made a cheap copy. The real deal costs $800 for a reason, and that reason is the pins don't crush on the first hookup. Ngl, the harness damage is on you though, a good tech checks connector alignment before forcing anything. Tbh, auction sites are full of guys dumping their problems off, and that's just the gamble you take. Next time, spend the cash up front or find a rental shop that actually tests their gear before shipping it out.

foster.tessa1mo ago

@elliotm57, you're right that the copy was likely junk, but the real one from spares isn't $800 either, it's closer to $1,200 once you factor in the cage and cable assembly. Still agree the cheap route bit me, just saying the price gap was more tempting than you're making it sound.

king.eric1mo ago

Wait, $1,200 for that thing? I've been running this shop for years and never seen one that high even at dealer rates. Are you sure you weren't looking at a full assembly with the motor mount or something? Because $800 already felt like robbery for a part that size, and now you're telling me it's actually worse. That makes the $400 copy seem almost reasonable, which is exactly how they get you. Still, crushing the pins on the first hookup is brutal, that part I don't doubt at all.