18650 Battery and Charger Recommendation

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Batteries and charger for a total newb

Thanks Chris about the xtar charger. I'll grab one of them. I read through this thread earlier before posting but I couldn't really come to a conclusion about what to go.

Can anyone advise if protected batteries will fit in the XT11?

There seems to be a large choice of batteries recommended by people - what are the top three most reasonable brands. I'm not looking for cheapies or crazy expensive ones. Just ones that carry the Panasonic cell and seen to be reliable.

When it comes to protected batteries, can I charge/top them up frequently or do they have to drain a certain amout? I don't use a multi-meter at work!

You can top them off at 4.10v, but I wouldn't do as I once did and keep dropping them on/off the charger trying to get that last 1/100v out of them. One cycle and then use them up a bit. Repeat rinse.

16 months ago, Xtar, Nitecore/Systemax (sic) and some of the cheap-O chargers were the only alternatives to the Pila, which is still well regarded. Xtar has since upgraded their first model line and now, more recently, added the SP2, WP2 S, VP1 among others and they've stepped up and knocked Pila off of the mountain top, IMO.

I went with the WP2 II because I had already spend close to $500 on NiMH batteries and chargers and a half dozen boutique lights listed below, so I needed to pinch pennies. HKJ had tested the newer version and stated that it was pretty good and since it didn't charge to 100%, the batteries would benefit over time. I could live with that.

I went with EagleTac 3100s (black/silver) and the WP2 II and the ETs work fine in both my PD 32 and SC-600, where the latter is said to be intolerant of longer protected batteries. I also run naked Pannie NCR18650As in both of those lights to good effect, but they need to be checked on occasion, for voltage drop.

Chris

 

[Btek]

Batteries and charger recommendations

Can someone recommend a charger and batteries for my cree XML-t6 head lamp? It takes 2 18650 cells. I have some cheap ultra fires and the charger it came with but I keep hearing about how they are junk and I should upgrade. I have done some looking but have been real confused when looking on eBay or amazon. And please include a link if possible. Thanks.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Batteries and charger recommendations

Can someone recommend a charger and batteries for my cree XML-t6 head lamp? It takes 2 18650 cells. I have some cheap ultra fires and the charger it came with but I keep hearing about how they are junk and I should upgrade. I have done some looking but have been real confused when looking on eBay or amazon. And please include a link if possible. Thanks.

If you read my post above yours, you'll see that I went with an Xtar WP2 II 16 months back and some protected EagleTac 3100s for my Fenix PD32 and Zebralight SC600.

Go to Ebay, type 'Xtar' into the search window and hit enter.

You can look for their SP2, WP2 II, WP2s and/or VP1. Look for a vendor who has excellent feedback.

I bought my stuff off of Ebay and everything was peachy.

Chris

 

[Floppy legs]

18650 batteries

I am going to purchase my first 18650 batteries.
I am looking at 3400ma from Xtar and AW.
The Xtar are twice the price of the AW.
Which are best ?

 

[timbo114]

Re: 18650 batteries

AW are very good cells.

I also like these - I have several pairs, no problems at all.
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1420/10001980/1141104-panasonic-ncr18650b-protected-rechargeable-3400mah
This battery may be more readily available to you in Jolly Old England.

 

[RI Chevy]

Re: Batteries and charger recommendations

Can someone recommend a charger and batteries for my cree XML-t6 head lamp? It takes 2 18650 cells. I have some cheap ultra fires and the charger it came with but I keep hearing about how they are junk and I should upgrade. I have done some looking but have been real confused when looking on eBay or amazon. And please include a link if possible. Thanks.

Welcome to the forum! :welcome:

XTAR is putting out some pretty good chargers right now. I would start by doing some reading here. Fellow member HKJ does the best reviews. http://www.lygte-info.dk/info/indexBatteriesAndChargers UK.html

I just bought a VP1 and am very satisfied with it so far. I'd also get some better 18650 cells. It seems that everyone gets suckered in to buying "cheap" Ultrafire cells when they first start out, but then upgrade to better, safer, more dependable cells.

 

[RI Chevy]

Re: 18650 batteries

Any of the "Panasonic" based cells are excellent cells. Many different companies re-wrap these Panasonic cells and place their name on them. Sanyo also makes some very nice cells as well.

 

[gopajti]

Re: 18650 batteries

I recommend Keeppower 18650 batteries. Of course they use Sanyo, Samsung, Panasonic cells, Japan IC's. Good reasonable price. AW was good choice several years ago, if you wanted to quality batteries, but now AW batteries are overpriced. Now in 2013, many good quality batteries, brands available, with reasonable prices. XTAR batteries are good also.

some excellent 18650 cell,

Panasonic NCR18650B, 3400mAh
Sanyo UR18650FM, 2600mAh

High drain

Panasonic NCR18650PD, 2900mAh (max. 10A)

4.35V

LG ICR18650 D1, 3000mAh (pink)

 

[Monocrom]

Re: 18650 batteries

I am going to purchase my first 18650 batteries.
I am looking at 3400ma from Xtar and AW.
The Xtar are twice the price of the AW.
Which are best ?

AW.

 

[torukmakto4]

Re: 18650 batteries

Do you need protected? Does your application not protect against overdischarge (i.e. some popular high end drop-ins that will happily drain a cell to death)? If you don't need that PCB to be there, avoid protected cells and avoid rewrappers. It's a cheaper, cleaner, higher-performance, more likely to fit, and in some ways safer option (due to not having that positive nickel strip going down the side of the cell can with nothing but kapton tape preventing a uncontrollable short).

You can buy Panasonic NCR18650B and Sanyo UR18650FM for 6 to 8 bucks a pop from fasttech, and these two cells are the king and queen of flashlight batteries in 18650 size (NCR-B for absolute maximum capacity on the market and good durability, FM for high voltage under load for linear and buck driven lights). These and similar top of the line cells are what all the best rewrapped protecteds have under that shrink wrap. What this means is first of all that no rewrapper can offer you an advantage over another in terms of cells, and second that a lot of rewraps are at a substantial markup and cost you as a user a lot more than you could be spending on that cell.

What you are paying for when you buy rewrapped cells is partially the PCB and assembly. The quality of a PCB install and rewrap is important, so it is worthwhile to choose wisely, but I wouldn't pay twice AW cost under any circumstances. AW is a standard of quality when it comes to protecteds.

Word of warning about the Fasttech house brand protecteds, they do not remove the factory shrinkwrap from the cells first and add a very tall button top and second positive insulator, which results in a battery that may not fit devices designed strictly for an 18650 cell i.e. may be too big in both directions to stuff into certain lights.

 

[NeedMoreLight]

Battery choices.

These are going to be used in a Thrunite TN30 and Fenix TK75, and using a Nitecore i4 charger. I am a bit undecided because of cost, and not sure of quality compared to each other, or performance in actual use.
Prices are per 2 batteries. These are protected.
Samsung 2600mah $9.53
Sanyo 2800mah $11.01
Panasonic 2900mah $13.35 The Panasonic 3100mah is close in price, but not sure the charger will get it that high.

I have Tenergy now and they bend the tail cap spring a bit in one light I use because of length. Don't have the TK75 or TN30 yet, so not sure if length will matter with them. Different sites list the Tenergy at different lengths and can't find my calipers to measure them.

Not using light for serious work, just fun at night, camping and a little wow factor. Of the three, I am thinking Panasonic is best in quality, followed by Sanyo, but for my needs, I am not sure it matters, so I am asking the pros.

 

[tripplec]

Re: Battery choices.

I got my FASTTECH Sanyo 18650 cells today. Now to charge them. My son has the I4 charger from the weekend so I have to wait. I believe that 1 & 2 positions are the high current single channel positions for the fastest charge of 2 of them.

 

[american]

Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

The cheaper the better as long as its safe I only have - light that needs it. I see a tenergy for 14 bucks then I'd want 2 batteries which I want to be safe.

 

[tacticalpineapple]

Re: Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

The cheaper the better as long as its safe I only have - light that needs it. I see a tenergy for 14 bucks then I'd want 2 batteries which I want to be safe.

I called BatteriesPlus in MI today to see what 18650s they carried. The clerk recommended the BP private brand of 18650 called a Nuon. The clerk recommended this brand over Surefire which he claimed customers were constantly complaining about. I was skeptical of his dubious claim b/c I use Surefire 123s in my Fenix TK15 w/ great results. Also, I believe Selfbuilt did a review of the SF 123 and it scored highly, but I digress. I did some research online for Nuon batteries and found many reviews claiming Nuon is garbage. Looks like I won't be buying from BP in the near future.

I don't know enough to recommend a battery, but I've read other threads that have recommended Panasonic Protected 18650s from fasttech.com.

Ehdios,

TP

 

[1nterceptor]

Re: Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

Is $7 cheap enough? I've been using this for over 2 and a half years now, SKU: 936.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96fIh307fc0

 

[Vesper]

Re: Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

The cheaper the better as long as its safe...

Make sure to read up on these batteries and how to be safe. If you insist on going the cheap route, be extra careful.

 

[Dark Slayer]

Re: Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

I found the Panasonic Protected 18650B 3400 to be very good. I use the botton top and they are on the long side which works out good for me. Mine were 19.98 for 2 on ebay. I got four and am very happy with their performance.

 

[RI Chevy]

Re: Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

Read up on http://batteryuniversity.com/

Some battery reviews from HKJ. http://lygte-info.dk/

Nothing wrong with Surefire CR123 batteries. They are some of the best on the market.

 

[american]

Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

So I think I'll go with 2 panasonics but what charger cheaper the better

 

[degarb]

Re: Recommend me a 18650 battery and charger

From where does fasttech.com ship?