# Benzing G-2 Clocks from Europe.



## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Has anyone had any experience with purchasing a Benzing G-2 outside of the US and shipping it to the states. There appears at first glance to be a huge mark up inside the USA. 

A club member purchased one and got a brand new factory fresh G-2 for about half what the US distributor charges. I just could not believe it. These things are selling in the US for hundreds more, which are used. I don't have the link where my club member bought one, but a quick search provided a few examples. Is there any difference in the clock ? Someone suggested it might somehow be different, but they all look the same to me. And for many hundreds of dollars less. 

http://www.homingpigeons.co.uk/benzing.htm

http://www.everythingforpets.com/be...ter_package.pet/use.id.5.item_id.7999.dept.0/


----------



## kalapati (Aug 29, 2006)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> Has anyone had any experience with purchasing a Benzing G-2 outside of the US and shipping it to the states. There appears at first glance to be a huge mark up inside the USA.
> 
> A club member purchased one and got a brand new factory fresh G-2 for about half what the US distributor charges. I just could not believe it. These things are selling in the US for hundreds more, which are used. I don't have the link where my club member bought one, but a quick search provided a few examples. Is there any difference in the clock ? Someone suggested it might somehow be different, but they all look the same to me. And for many hundreds of dollars less.
> 
> ...




i tried calling that everythingforpets customer service a long time ago and as far as i can recall on our conversation he said they cannot guarantee if something happened to the clock on shipment to US. another thing i am concerned is functionality of the clock to the US benzing clubpoint - has your club member with the european G2 able to test it already with the clubpoint of your club? would siegel be able to support it if they need to upgrade the firmware of the european G2 in case of incompatibility with the US clubpoint?



kalapati
SanDiego
http://bluebarloft.from-ca.com:81/Jview.htm


----------



## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

kalapati said:


> i tried calling that everythingforpets customer service a long time ago and as far as i can recall on our conversation he said they cannot guarantee if something happened to the clock on shipment to US. another thing i am concerned is functionality of the clock to the US benzing clubpoint - has your club member with the european G2 able to test it already with the clubpoint of your club? would siegel be able to support it if they need to upgrade the firmware of the european G2 in case of incompatibility with the US clubpoint?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


We will find out when we get everything set up I guess. I just can't imagine, why Benzing would make a small special batch of clocks, just for the US market, and then make it so that they won't be compatable with other Benzing equipment. If there is a US model and a European Model, and a China Model, etc. what is the difference ? I don't think it's any different from buying any other kind of clock. A Rolex is a Rolex. A Timex a Timex...a Benzing G-2 is a Benzing G-2.

If Siegel is an offical Benzing dealer, why would they not be able to service a Benzing model ? And if for some reason Siegle can't, what's the big deal, then ship it to the factery. As far as guarantee of shipments from Europe, I have imported pigeons worth many tens of thousands, and never once had any guarentee that the birds would arrive undamaged.

I think we have simply gotten used to over paying for things here in the USA. The one link to the UK, they are not permitted to sell their G-2's into US. "Protected" territory or something. Allows a single dealer to set whatever price the market can bear, since there is no competition. 

What get's my goat, is I didn't think of it. A new guy who is not native to US, simply found a non-US supplier, and bought one retail, for half the US price.


----------



## whitesnmore (Sep 9, 2004)

First difference would be the power supply. Anyone who has traveled to the EU knows our power supplys will not work there and theirs dont work here. There are adapters one can purchase but not sure of the costs on them. Not sure if there would be any other differences.
Ken


----------



## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

whitesnmore said:


> First difference would be the power supply. Anyone who has traveled to the EU knows our power supplys will not work there and theirs dont work here. There are adapters one can purchase but not sure of the costs on them. Not sure if there would be any other differences.
> Ken


Oh.......

We might just then have an issue. Oh....gee......


----------



## kalapati (Aug 29, 2006)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> ... I just can't imagine, why Benzing would make a small special batch of clocks, just for the US market, and then make it so that they won't be compatable with other Benzing equipment. If there is a US model and a European Model, and a China Model, etc. what is the difference ? I don't think it's any different from buying any other kind of clock. A Rolex is a Rolex. A Timex a Timex...a Benzing G-2 is a Benzing G-2. ...



i guess it's all about race format differences in every country and that's why they have different firmware for every nation. 

let us know the result when you guys are able to set up this UK G2 to your US clubpoint for i have other friends who are interested to acquire it from UK also.



kalapati
SanDiego
http://bluebarloft.from-ca.com:81/Jview.htm


----------



## parrisc (Feb 14, 2007)

They make power converters (transformer) that will step down the European 220v to US 110v. The other thing is they measure in metric.


----------



## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

parrisc said:


> They make power converters (transformer) that will step down the European 220v to US 110v. The other thing is they measure in metric.


Most of my family are back in Europe, and my Brother in law is an electrician here in the States. From what he explained to me, it was'nt the voltage but the amperage.
We have had limited success in trading electical good's...something always burns out prematurly.


----------



## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Brummie said:


> Most of my family are back in Europe, and my Brother in law is an electrician here in the States. From what he explained to me, it was'nt the voltage but the amperage.
> We have had limited success in trading electical good's...something always burns out prematurly.


220.....230 whatever it takes, why did those folks have to go and be different, it messes up everything from hairdriers to irons.


----------



## parrisc (Feb 14, 2007)

Voltage is the quantity and the amperage it the size of pipe that carries it. Like here in the US both are equality important. For instance your 110V light only need 15amp where your 110v microwave needs 30amps


----------



## learning (May 19, 2006)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> 220.....230 whatever it takes, why did those folks have to go and be different, it messes up everything from hairdriers to irons.


Careful Warren, our friends from across the pond may take offense. Did they go different from us or did we go different from them?! Of course from a good old American point of view...we are always right...right?

Dan


----------



## irishsyndicate (Sep 19, 2008)

First off, anything Siegel does to your clock would be minimum $100-$150 charge even just to look at it. And as I understand "sell you a warranty". No disrespect - but who needs that?

Secondly, 220 to 110 is NOT a problem. The inside electronics of these clocks are typically 3 to 5V, so what you are putting in (220 or 110 with a simple Radio Shack converter will be transformed to 3V-5V anyway).

Thirdly, the current rating on these electronics do NOT need AMPS. Trust me, these are in the milliAmp ranges. These are all low powered devices !!!

Bottom line - BUY these clocks overseas if they are half the price and tell all your pigeon friends. Let's start making the pigeon sport affordable!! 

I might just start a business on updating clocks, replacing batteries, etc for 25% of what is being charged..... it is NOT a big deal like we are made to believe in the USA. Millions of electronic appliances are shipped to the USA everyday without any damage - don't let stupid people and their scare tactics fool you....ummm, you can always get shipping insurance!


----------



## A_Smith (Aug 8, 2006)

irishsyndicate said:


> First off, anything Siegel does to your clock would be minimum $100-$150 charge even just to look at it.


I have to disagree here. Sorry. My neighbor had a house fire this year. He lost EVERYTHING.  His loft was not part of the fire. But we did find the G-2. It was very hot and black. I took it to my house to let cool, clean and tryied to test. I have the club unit. When it cooled, I cleaned the best I could. There as 1 fingerprint from carying out of house in the screen area it was so hot. Beleive it or not IT WORKED and was used in OB season with a screen you could bearly see through. The case was a nasty brown. Siegel's was called to see about replacement of case and shipped to them after OB season. The case replacement and probaly the battery (they don't like heat) is going to be under $100.


----------



## parrisc (Feb 14, 2007)

I guess someone has lost the jest of this conversation. If you buy a clock from Europe, they are going to send you a transformer that is expected to be plugged into a 220 V outlet and here in the US, at least in my parts, the outlets are 110 V, to me that is a problem. So yes, you can go out and buy a 110 volt transformer, but now you have added on the prices of the clock that was less expensive the ones sold in the US, thus bring the process closer together. 

This device DOES REQUIRE AMPS, anything the is consuming electricity needs amps. A milliamp is 1000 of 1 amp. Or 1000 milliamps =1 amp


----------



## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

OK...Mystery solved.

The model from Europe requires the Radio Shack adapter, no big deal, the clock works perfectly. Cost was $270 + $70 shipping. total cost, brand new G-2 = $340....but, you can't have one. 

What's the catch ? The dealer arrangement. Apparently these clocks could be sold even in Europe for less then $270 and still be profitable to the dealer. However, the dealer arrangements restrict where and how much a clock can be sold for, and where they can be sold. Only the US dealer (Siegel) can sell G-2's, M-1's in the US. Dealer's are not permitted to sell outside their protected territory. So, the M-1's and G-2's being sold in US are marked up to what the dealer feels, the market will pay. If there was a free market for these clocks, the prices would be much less. But, there is a monopoly on the distribution.

About the only way you could get your hands on one of these things, is to have a fancier who lives in one of these other countries, buy the clock himself, and ship the items to you. And those chip bands, which we pay $2.20 or $2.30 for here in the US, sell for around a buck in Europe. Best I can figure, Americans are paying more for these clocks then anyone else in the world. Perhaps that is why the US dealer can produce those nice expensive glossy catalogs, and send them to every pigeon fancier on a list in the USA.

I know, my mind was thinking the same thing. Heck, I could make a good living just selling chip bands for 25% less then currently available in the USA. With the clocks, even paying retail and then turning around and selling to US fanciers, at a huge discount, I could still make a pile of money. But, the pigeon clock supply mafia, will not allow that to happen. You must be a European club member, and those sales are recorded. If a European fancier started to buy a bunch of clocks and supplies, his G-2, M-1 dealer, would have to cut him off, or risk losing his lucrative arrangement with the manufacture. There is a concerted effort to keep retail prices and thus dealer profits high.

So, mystery solved.


----------



## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

learning said:


> Careful Warren, our friends from across the pond may take offense. Did they go different from us or did we go different from them?! Of course from a good old American point of view...we are always right...right?
> 
> Dan


Hey Dan,

You are a teacher, did you forget that Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity ?! And Thomas Edison came up with practical ways to use it ?
Since "we" had it first, they should have followed suit. But, I think they had to form a couple different commissions and some goverment offcial wrote down 220 thinking that was twice as good as 110. Well........that's what I heard.


----------



## irishsyndicate (Sep 19, 2008)

parrisc said:


> I guess someone has lost the jest of this conversation. If you buy a clock from Europe, they are going to send you a transformer that is expected to be plugged into a 220 V outlet and here in the US, at least in my parts, the outlets are 110 V, to me that is a problem. So yes, you can go out and buy a 110 volt transformer, but now you have added on the prices of the clock that was less expensive the ones sold in the US, thus bring the process closer together.
> 
> This device DOES REQUIRE AMPS, anything the is consuming electricity needs amps. A milliamp is 1000 of 1 amp. Or 1000 milliamps =1 amp


Your power supply (ie. the thingy with the two metal prongs) may be rated at 1 Amp - however the device not need amps. All the inside electronics run on mA. I design these chips (not the potato kind or the bands). This is the low voltage realm of semiconductors.

A 220-110 transformer rated at 1A or 5Amps is fairly inexpensive to all who get apprehensive about electronic gadgets. And they are readily available at your local Frys Electronics, Radio Shack, etc...


----------



## irishsyndicate (Sep 19, 2008)

A_Smith said:


> I have to disagree here. Sorry. My neighbor had a house fire this year. He lost EVERYTHING.  His loft was not part of the fire. But we did find the G-2. It was very hot and black. I took it to my house to let cool, clean and tryied to test. I have the club unit. When it cooled, I cleaned the best I could. There as 1 fingerprint from carying out of house in the screen area it was so hot. Beleive it or not IT WORKED and was used in OB season with a screen you could bearly see through. The case was a nasty brown. Siegel's was called to see about replacement of case and shipped to them after OB season. The case replacement and probaly the battery (they don't like heat) is going to be under $100.


If you do not buy a clock from Siegel or one that has the "Siegel" seal, you have to buy a "warranty" from him for $100 - $150 for him to even look at it. Ummmmm, MANY people in our clubs have bought clocks from overseas and have run into this.

I am speaking from first hand experience here. I was there in person when the conversations took place.

Bottom line is you can buy a clock overseas, can have it work here with or without a 220-110 converter, but the money you save may be taken back in getting updates/warranty/shipping unless you can change batteries, perform updates like myself.


----------

