Help Identifying the Fake Kanger Protank II (2?) with Many Photos

[aznnp77]

Been lurking for a few months, but wanted to get this post off, so I registered and made my 5 posts in the newbie forum to become eligible.

So I was told when I started vaping to be careful with buying Kanger stuff on ebay because a lot of them are fake. I stuck to only top rated sellers with near perfect feedback. I've received three (3) Kangertech Protank 2's over the past 2 months or so, and every time something is different about them. I'm really having problems determining which one is real (if any). I apologize in advance because I don't have a great camera to take pics with, but I think these do the trick.

I will reference these as tank #1 (Clear), tank #2 (Clear), and Tank #3 (Smoke).

Front boxes: Notice that on Tank #1 and Tank #2 the front photo is about at the same depth. The middle one is zoomed out more. The middle one also says "Protank 2" instead of "Protank II."



Back Boxes: The back boxes on #1 and #3 are very similar. The box on #2 is completely different. The box on Kanger's web site resembles #1 and #3.

• Boxes #1 and #3 say: 1. Mouthpiece, 2. Tube Body, 3. Coil Unit, 4. Connector
• Box #2 says: 1. Mouthpiece, 2. Glass Tank, 3. Coil, 4. Threaded Base.
  • Box #2 also has a keep out of children warning that the other two don't.
  • Box #2 also has a different diagram. It shows 1 coil instead of 2.

So at this point you're probably thinking that #2 is a fake one. But keep reading.....

Side Boxes: Tanks #2 and #3 both have the verification code that you can input on the Kanger site. Both codes show up as authentic. Box #1 does not have this code. So is this the dead giveaway that #1 is fake because it doesn't have the code? I don't believe any of them had the sticker either. Don't come to any conclusions yet.....




Manuals and Authentication Cards: Box #2 and #3 contain the another card to verify the authenticity code, while #1 does not. It's hard to see from the pictures, but the manuals on #2 and #3 are more glossy, while the manual in #1 has darker, but duller colors.




Inside Manual Tank #1: It appears to be done correctly. I don't really see an issue with it.

 

[aznnp77]

Inside Manual Tank #2 and #3: Another giveaway. The word "choice" in the sentence "Congratulations on your choic of Kanger Protank II" is misspelled. They are made in China, but would Kanger sell these to the masses with a typo in their manual?




Another thing I noticed was that the box of Tank #3 had a black dot on the top to note that It was black. I think I read somewhere it's suppose to be on the bottom. Sorry, I peeled it off to see if it was covering something.



The Actual Tanks: Sorry I won't be able to get into much detail with the actual tanks. They all look about the same. The lettering is a little clearer and split apart on Tank #1. They all say "Kangertech Protank II." The lines on the left side of the Kangertech logo are a little more defined in Tank #1. Tank #2 and #3 the lines look like they form into something more solid.

Note: I've never used the base that comes with any of them. I've always used the Kanger Airflow Control Valve since I got them.
Note: I've never used the coils that came with them. Don't ask me why.

Note: The middle pole in Tank #1 unscrews from both the top and the bottom. Also, the glass does not fit in both directions, only in one. I don't have pictures of that, but could probably get some if someone wants. The middle pole only loosens from the bottom in Tank #2 and Tank #3, and also I believe the glass is interchangeable meaning it can be flipped on either side.




Drip Tips: The thing I notice the most on all of them is that Tank #1 has a different drip tip than #2 and #3. You won't be able to tell from the pictures, but the tip on #2 and #3 does not match the body. They are darker and less shiny than the body.
Tank #1 has a shiny tip with a wider bore that actually matches that shade of the body.
Tank #1 is brand new, yet the drip tip fits kind of loosely. The other two when new, fit extremely snug.




Coils:
Tank #1 came with both 2.2 OHM coils.

Tank #2: cam with both 2.2 OHM coils.

Tank #3 came with a 1.8 OHM and a 2.5 OHM coil.


I just received Tank #1 yesterday. I only opened one to use, but it seemed to be working fine. Tanks #2 and #3 are somewhere between 1-2 months old.


Feedback:Tank #1 is from the seller with the best feedback (8000, 99.6% positive). Tank #2 is from someone with very good feedback (7000, 100% feedback). Tank #3 is from someone with just good feedback (Don't remember exactly, think it was like 500, 100%).


Tank #1: the seller offered me a 20% discount to keep them, or would pay for me to ship them back. Said they would look into it.

Tank #2: The seller insists that it's just old stock, or different stock, that's why the packaging is different. Said the authentication code proves it's real.

Tank #3: The seller said Kanger uses all types of packaging and that it is real.


Conclusion:
I don't need to hear that I shouldn't be buying stuff on ebay. I have my reasons for doing so, so you don't have to tell me "you could have paid a few bucks more and gotten it from x company."

I've also searched on this topic with differing opinions on what is fake and what is real.

So the question is which one(s), if any, are the real products?

P.S. I also have 4 Kanger Mini Protank 2's, and they're all different too. Didn't feel like making a post of those though. The middle post in all of them unscrews from the top and bottom. One of them shows no threads on the middle post at all (but it was defective I think). The other three all show some threading on the bottom when tightened. Also, the drip tip is different on 3 of them. I've cracked the glass on 2 of them from overtightening.

 

[aznnp77]

I welcome all arguments on this matter. Some people say that it doesn't matter because they're all made in the same factory in China. Some people say the fakes perform just as good, if not better than the real ones.

Not sure what I'm going to do yet. Give the sellers the benefits of the doubt though. Even if they are fake, they are so close to the real thing that many would get confused or overlook it. It's not like most of these sellers are absolutely experts on every product that they sell.

Do you think the "newer stock/older stock" argument has any truth to it? Does Kanger really change it's packaging and make slight design changes constantly during the same version/series?

Cliff Notes:
Does the genuine PT2 have a typo in the first line of the manual?
Does the pole in the middle of the tank unscrew from both the top and the bottom?
Is the glass able to be inserted either way?
Is the drip tip a different shade than the rest of the body?

 

[Augmented Dog]

First of all, take a breath and cool out.
If the codes on two of them show up as authentic, then those two are authentic. Box designs did change slightly at one time and yes, Kanger would send out manuals with typos in the older packaging. The box without an auth code on the outside could easily be just an older package. I don't know when they began putting the codes on the packaging, so maybe someone else does. But, auth codes weren't always there. The difference in the coils doesn't mean anything regarding authenticity.
Bottom line advice from me is that if that one odd tank works well for you, don't sweat it. Relax.
In the future, if you buy a kanger and there is no auth code, send it back.
If you check Kanger's website, they list vendors who have been reported to have sold fakes, or who are not "authorized" vendors.
Not being an "authorized" vendor doesn't mean they were selling counterfeits, however.
Hope this helps you feel a bit better, my friend!

 

[Harlen]

Lol
As long as it works for you it no matter what others think .
I get things off of eBay too.

 

[aznnp77]

Lol
As long as it works for you it no matter what others think .
I get things off of eBay too.

If it works it works right? Well, I don't like ebay getting a bad name for letting sellers sell these counterfeit products. Ebay is basically my go-to site for buying anything online. Usually cheaper than Amazon for most of the things I have looked up.

I can't condone someone selling fakes to unknowing people. If a seller is reported enough times for the same reasons, Ebay usually kicks them off. Ebay really doesn't play around with sellers that don't offer the best service. Part of the reason why I like them. It can be a pain for a seller, but paypal is so one-sided if you're the least bit unhappy they will take care of you.

P.S. I paid $11 for each of those tanks. That's pretty much their going price right now.

 

[aznnp77]

As an update, the seller of tank #1 originally offered me a 20% discount if I were to keep them. I messaged him back saying that I could't condone paying discounted price for a counterfeit item. He went ahead and refunded me for the full amount. That is a big reason why I purchase items on ebay. If you are unhappy, the sellers will bend over backwards to make you happy. If that fails, paypal will help assist you as well.

The seller did take care of me, but I felt it to be my responsibility to leave a negative feedback to warn others. I actually tried the stock base that came with it when I was fiddling around, and that thing worked AWFUL. You needed to get it over 4 volts just to get the coil to heat up at all pretty much.

Tank #2 and #3 may have a typo in the manual, but they are consistent and have better build quality than tank #1 which I deemed to be a complete counterfeit.

 

[Pinggolfer]

The only question I can answer is the glass fits both ways. If it doesn't I would think it's a fake. I agree if the code works it's real as well. Boxes do change but I have always thought Kanger used roman numerals for the Protank II.

 

[JustagirlTV]

I stupidly purchased a fake Kanger Tank from Ebay. When used it, it tasted HORRIBLE!! Like dirty wet dog and old bathwater. Cleaned it out multiple times. I'm not going to use it. There's something really off about it and it's not worth the risk. Oh well live and learn.

 

[Pinggolfer]

I stupidly purchased a fake Kanger Tank from Ebay. When used it, it tasted HORRIBLE!! Like dirty wet dog and old bathwater. Cleaned it out multiple times. I'm not going to use it. There's something really off about it and it's not worth the risk. Oh well live and learn.

Was it listed as a clone (fake)? If not tell seller you received a fake. You can always dispute the charge with Paypal and Ebay. Good luck

 

[JustagirlTV]

I looked back at the small print on the description and it says brand, Kanger Generic. I doubt I have any recourse. $11 wasted. The scratch off code had been used 497 times
Someone told me to clean it real good with hot water and white vinager. It was so awful, I don't want it near my mouth ever.

 

[aznnp77]

I looked back at the small print on the description and it says brand, Kanger Generic. I doubt I have any recourse. $11 wasted. The scratch off code had been used 497 times
Someone told me to clean it real good with hot water and white vinager. It was so awful, I don't want it near my mouth ever.

If you didn't read the description thoroughly enough, and the listing did say generic, that would be indeed your fault, unless you feel the seller was deliberately trying to hide the fact that it was a fake, which might indeed be the case.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, but Paypal overly favors the buyer when it comes to the transaction. If you contact the buyer and they won't give you a refund, you try opening a case against them and get your money back. Even if you knowingly bought a clone, the fact that everything tastes horribly can be counted as a manufacturer's defect, and at the least, the seller owes you a replacement.

I paid $11 for all my Protank II's. That's pretty much the going rate for all of them. I also don't understand how it can have a code if it's a clone. Send the seller a message and see what he says. Then threaten to, or just open a case against him if he doesn't give you a satisfactory resolution. A case opened against you is very bad on ebay, and the seller will probably just refund you to not have to deal with it anymore.

 

[JustagirlTV]

I'm going to contact the seller. I boiled the thing, washed it with distilled vinager hot water, it's so gross. The auth code had been used 500 times

 

[aznnp77]

A couple of my Version 1 Kanger Air Control Valves started acting funny. One of them was very hit and miss on being recognized by my mods with a known good coil. The other one I started having issues with the bottom pin.

I ordered a couple of V3 Air Control Valves as replacements. One of my favorite sellers starting offering them on ebay. They sold so well that he raised the price 3 times since I bought them.

Since I rebuild my coils, the silicone insulator gets eaten away slowly and the gap between the coil and the bottom pin shrinks. A coil that was working perfectly fine on a V1 base would not fire on the new one. I got it working by pulling the pin down, but it started having issues by later in the day. I rebuilt the coil with a new insulator and it's been firing fine since then I believe.

I've had a dilemma about what to about about the kanger insulators for a while now.
* You can get 50 of the rubber ones for $10, or 20 cents a piece. People complain about the rubber ones leaving a funny taste and not holding up as well as the silicone ones which Kanger has converted all their coils to.

* The Silicone ones are 10 for $6, or 25 for $11, which is 44 cents a piece.

*Or you can buy the entire coil in bulk for around 70-80 cents a piece, which includes a new silicone piece to go over the chimney.

That's such robbery for a little silicone piece, but I might need to replace them more frequently with these new bases.

As far as performance goes, the V3 base vapes completely differently than the V1. I feel like the V1 hits you quicker and with more throat hit. The V3 I feel like it builds up vapor in the base before dispersing it to your lung. It feels like it gives you thicker, smoother vapor, but at the cost of the throat hit.

Now that I no longer smoke, I can deal with lesser throat hit, but for a person recently coming off analogs, or needing that throat hit when you're drinking, I feel it leaves a little bit to be desired. I've briefly tried my friend's aerotanks in the past, and IMO adding the v3 base to the PT2 makes it vape almost identical to an aerotank mega.

I was concerned that the adjustible portion of the V3 would spin too easily and possibly in my pocket. That is not the case. It may become easier over time, but it's actually kinda difficult to open the air hole. You have to use both hands to hold the base in place while you turn the adjuster. I almost wish it was easier to turn.

I've seen videos on the new kanger dual coils that don't have the wick exposed. Oh Kanger you tricky devils. Trying to make it even more work to rebuild them. I think I probably still could (as single coils), but it would be a little bit more difficult than rebuilding the PT2 coils because you have to wick them off the base, then line it up to meet the juice holes on the side. Also, the chimney requires 2 pairs of pliers and some force to get off. I usually just use my hands with no pliers.

I'll keep going as long as I can on these PT2 coils because they're so easy.


Just browsed ebay, and a seller stated that Kanger has discontinued the v1 aerotank coils with the exposed wicks! Even though I don't have an aerotank, I'm tempted to buy some coils while they're still available in case I ever wanted to get one.

 

[JustCoz]

I can't condone someone selling fakes to unknowing people. If a seller is reported enough times for the same reasons, Ebay usually kicks them off. Ebay really doesn't play around with sellers that don't offer the best service. Part of the reason why I like them. It can be a pain for a seller, but paypal is so one-sided if you're the least bit unhappy they will take care of you.

Paypal doesn't always side with the buyer. I bought an LG bluetooth headset from South Korea, not China, that turned out to be a knockoff, and got screwed out of $60 on it.

 

[cobalt327]

Ran across this thread while doing a search for Kanger air valves, thought I'd add a quick 'update': My authentic PT2 bought from My Vapor Store has the same instruction booklet w/the missing letter "e" at the end of what should read "choice". Even the authentic PT3 has (or had, if it's been corrected) the same missing letter "e" in the instructions. So yeah, that's what came with the authentic PT 2 and PT3. The typo in the booklets can be seen if you pause at 2:15 (PT3) and at 3:25 (PT2):