Hello community,
Just bought two BlueSmart IP65 12/15 chargers on Amazon and got two different models.
Both looks and feels same, just noticed difference in cable protection on housing.
Seems at one with longer cable protection is older model and replaced with shorter one which feels more sturdy.
Also all advertise pictures on the internet have shorter protection on the cables.
Do I need to worry and ask for replace ?
Can you give the first four digits of the serial numbers after HQ? Curious on the build year and week of them.
Of course.
With longer cable protection: HQ2444xxxxx 2024 44w?
With shorter cable protection: HQ2217xxxxx 2022 17w ?
Seems at unit with longer cable protection is newer model 
I think it will be fine. Perhaps log in to Victron Connect and make sure they can both be updated to the same and most current firmware to assure you have full functionality of both.
Updated both to FW 3.65 without any issues.
Didn’t tested them in the car yet, hopefully they will work.
I also assume at they will be OK, but is really weird that I got two different models on same order
Bought these to two to replace older NOCO 10 and CTEK 10
Update:
Found in this post image where on newer 12/15 models are changed packaging.
Interesting, picture on packaging box is newer modell with longer cable protection on exit from housing, but it’s still delivered old model with shorter cable protection.
Can someone from Victron explain differences between old and new modell (change log)?
Picture from post
I wouldn’t expect a changelog for insignificant differences in cable strain relief or retail packaging, honestly. To an extent, you may even see minor differences in such things between units produced on one assembly line to units produced on another, even from units that are produced on the same week of the year; it has no bearing on the function of the charger, so nothing to worry about.
that’s my post you linked
notice that the item doesn’t have the “IP65 waterproof “ language at the top of the item sticker.
thanks for pointing out the cord strain relief
what’s up with the smaller IP65s the Web page talks about? I haven’t seen that anywhere for sale or saw a picture of one
What’s more “concerning” IMO is that you got an over 3,5 years old device with only around 1,5 years of warranty left.
The devices are around 2,5 years apart, so it sure can happen that there are small design changes/improvements in that time.
@AndrewVanis The s-models look exactly like the non-s-models just smaller.
There is a picture of the 5A model on the product page.
The pictures on the product page are not updated, so they show the old strain relief.
IMO it’s not necessary to update the pictures.
To be fair, I’ve had Victron warehouses here in the US ship my distributor 3-year old units to send out to customers as new, with the assurance that the warranty starts upon sale to my distributor (invoice date), not based on the manufacture date. I don’t like it, but it is what it is.
…on the other hand, the OP also ordered from Amazon, which frequently sits on stock for years so maybe the warranty is partially expired. Very different ordering from Amazon than from a real distributor… tough to say.
I know, I work for a distributor 
Actually it’s 5,5 years starting at the distributors invoice date.
That way the distributor has 6 months to sell it and the customer gets the full 5 years of warranty.
Getting such old products is not normal but also depends on the product.
I would accept it for some special products with very low demand but not for a very common IP65 charger.
3,5 years is a bit too much for a normal charger.
As far as I know Victron doesn’t sell directly to/on Amazon so there is a distributor (and maybe another seller) in the middle.
I guess @BlueSmart bought both chargers at the same time from the same seller, in that case he should have get devices with a SN closer together IMO.
LOL so do I, but I don’t like to advertise it because it gets me a ton of hassle here in the US.
Issue with Amazon being, while Victron doesn’t sell to Amazon, there are a lot of dodgy sellers of Victron components on Amazon here in the US. So entirely possible that a fly-by-night seller / 3PL picked up a pallet full of older returns or overstock from a distributor or retailer and then listed them on Amazon, or that Amazon just had a bunch of older units sitting on a shelf in a particular fulfillment center… likewise entirely possible that the dealer or distributor who shipped these units to Amazon did, like my own workplace, receive a pallet full of several-year-old units fresh from VE warehouses. Tough to tell, especially over here where there isn’t a lot of close regulation on either Amazon or VE sellers.
