Best high capacity 18650?

[Rinspeed]

Re: Need input and recommendations on Cree and Defiant flashlights

Agreed 100%. You cannot go wrong with OrbTronic. I've used their batteries for a long time, they just don't quit!:twothumbs

Placed another with Orbtronics last Friday and had my package delivered on Monday. Great service and their cells hold a charge as long as any I have tried so far. There might be slightly better cells out there but for me Orbtronics is first rate and they will continue to be my first choice.

 

[newbiebiker]

still 5000 mAh is the highest capacity in 18650 ? or non-fake are there, because 6000 mAh ultrafire are actually not able to hold that much.

 

[markr6]

still 5000 mAh is the highest capacity in 18650 ? or non-fake are there, because 6000 mAh ultrafire are actually not able to hold that much.

Lots of fakes out there. 3600mAh is currently the highest REAL cell you'll find. Panasonic NCR18650G comes to mind.

 

[WarRaven]

Seems all over the place so this should feel right at home.

Anyone here using Keeppower IMR 3200s?
Happy with them, fit most things you had intended?
Any issues with charging them to 4.23?

Have a pair coming I used points on, misread data an thought they'd be not bad in cold, no better or worse then what I have currently in hindsight.

If you're using these, in what?
Thanks.

 

[markr6]

Seems all over the place so this should feel right at home.

Anyone here using Keeppower IMR 3200s?
Happy with them, fit most things you had intended?
Any issues with charging them to 4.23?

Have a pair coming I used points on, misread data an thought they'd be not bad in cold, no better or worse then what I have currently in hindsight.

If you're using these, in what?
Thanks.

I think I mentioned it in another thread, but I have 3 of those in my MX25L3C Nichia. No problems at all. My Opus 3100 charger seems to stop around 4.17v or 4.18 on any cell. I'm OK with that. 4.23v seems a little high and I wouldn't do that often if I could avoid it. Mine are unprotected WITH button top, so they fit EVERYTHING. I don't think there's a light where it wouldn't fit.

 

[WarRaven]

Right on Mark, thanks.

You've no issues in multiples either.
Yeah, little high on charge, I have another that tops around what yours is. I'm torn on that, selfish reasons mainly ☺

I grabbed button tops too, was thinking of using these in MH20, one for back up. Maybe Olight idk yet an now working on their direction instead of buying another light to put them in.
I got to get me behind back to work lol, I'm getting poor.

I don't have any modded lights that pull crazy amps, just wanted better cold temp performance, but I read it wrong lol.
So now where to use these little blasting electron caps.

 

[pabcor]

Does anyone know when 18650 will be launch with more capacity of real 3600 mAh? will Panasonic? LG? Other?

 

[Phlogiston]

Panasonic have been "working towards" producing a 4000mAh Li-Ion 18650 for a couple of years now, but it hasn't appeared yet. I suspect that they may be having trouble cramming that much capacity into the 18650 form factor.

I haven't seen any aspirational press releases (or even rumours) relating to the other cell manufacturers' targets.

 

[pabcor]

Thank you

 

[checkerfred]

So currently, what's the best bang for your buck 18650 protected battery out there? (from a reputable U.S. dealer) I've been looking at 3400mAh Panasonics and the cheapest I've found has bee right under $10 each.

 

[markr6]

So currently, what's the best bang for your buck 18650 protected battery out there? (from a reputable U.S. dealer) I've been looking at 3400mAh Panasonics and the cheapest I've found has bee right under $10 each.

I don't buy protected cells, but I think the 3500mAH $9.95 cells at mtn electronics are the best value. Out of stock ATM though.

 

[Bretcoe]

So, I'm the new guy here and wanted to see what kind of unprotected cells you guys like. I am going to be getting an 18650 flashlight, its just a matter of when my OCD allows me to pull the trigger instead of continually diving deeper and deeper into every little detail of these lights (thinking Fenix PD-35, or Zebralight SC600 but still have a lot to learn).

I've never used a protected cell, but have a fair amount of experience with unprotected, high drain, 18650's. I recently quit tobacco (chewed my whole life), and began "vaping".


Here are a couple questions I have:

What are the advantages of using a protected cell?

Those that like unprotected cells, are you using high drain (some say discharge)... do you really need the available amp draw for these flashlights?


I imagine that there is little need for 20-30A current draw on the smaller 1x flashlights. So, if I used one of my unpaired 18650h high drain "vape" batteries I would just be sacrificing a couple hundred mAh.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I'm thinking/learning about this as I'm typing (I have way too many tabs open right now).

Thanks



PS. Be aware that there are VERY MANY clone, fake, re-wrapped batteries out there right now as the "vaping" industry is growing and there is money to be made in batteries. As far as I am aware there are really only 3 or 4 actual battery manufacturers out there, Panasonic, Sony, and Samsung for sure, and possibly Sanyo. Every other battery is just one of these with someone else's name on it. Be wary of cheap, high mAh batteries. The current limit on mAh is right around 3400mAh.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

So, I'm the new guy here and wanted to see what kind of unprotected cells you guys like. I am going to be getting an 18650 flashlight, its just a matter of when my OCD allows me to pull the trigger instead of continually diving deeper and deeper into every little detail of these lights (thinking Fenix PD-35, or Zebralight SC600 but still have a lot to learn).

I've never used a protected cell, but have a fair amount of experience with unprotected, high drain, 18650's. I recently quit tobacco (chewed my whole life), and began "vaping".


Here are a couple questions I have:

What are the advantages of using a protected cell?

Those that like unprotected cells, are you using high drain (some say discharge)... do you really need the available amp draw for these flashlights?


I imagine that there is little need for 20-30A current draw on the smaller 1x flashlights. So, if I used one of my unpaired 18650h high drain "vape" batteries I would just be sacrificing a couple hundred mAh.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I'm thinking/learning about this as I'm typing (I have way too many tabs open right now).

Thanks



PS. Be aware that there are VERY MANY clone, fake, re-wrapped batteries out there right now as the "vaping" industry is growing and there is money to be made in batteries. As far as I am aware there are really only 3 or 4 actual battery manufacturers out there, Panasonic, Sony, and Samsung for sure, and possibly Sanyo. Every other battery is just one of these with someone else's name on it. Be wary of cheap, high mAh batteries. The current limit on mAh is right around 3400mAh.

It all depends.

I use unprotected cells because I'm checking voltages often and I really don't use my lights for very long periods on any given day.

Some people want the added over-charge, under-charge and current limiting safeguards offered by protected cells.

Some people run monster lights and can't use protected cells without tripping the PCBs in protected cells.

Some people do 'sub ohm' vaping mechs and need 20A+ cells like the Sony VTC-5, or Samsung 25Rs.

Some people just need a cell that does 3-4A and want capacity, not really needing high current cells.

Some people own lights that protected cells DO NOT fit, so they're stuck.

I got into the 4.35v cells just because I could with my then new Xtar VP2 charger. They hold a bit higher voltage, but are still low drain cells.

I have a modified SupFire M6 from Mountain Electronics and it pulls about 7A in stock form, so I bought some Samsung 25Rs to run in it. I don't really fret over lower capacity, since I don't use the light all that much.

We have the Big 5: Japan: Sony, Panasonic and Sanyo. South Korea: LG and Samsung. There are other Chinese makers MNKE, but the above are quality cells.

Life's too short to muck with XXX-Fire and some of the other 'off-brands,' IMO.

Chris

 

[KeepingItLight]

If you go with the latest ZebraLight offering, the ZebraLight SC600w Mk. III—which I think is a good idea—then your decision is made for you. Flat-top, unprotected batteries are mandatory. The ZebraLight has its own protection circuits, including a low-voltage cutoff that completely shuts off the flashlight if the voltage falls below 2.7 volts. ZebraLight has been a little hazy in describing exactly which batteries are best. I would probably use a high-draw battery such as the Samsung 30Q.

For other flashlights, my philosophy is to be cautious. If a light can operate using a protected battery such as the EVVA Sanyo-Panasonic NCR18650GA Protected 3500mAh, then that is what I use. I am, for instance, using protected batteries in my ZebraLight SC62 and my Nitecore P36.

On the other hand, for a burner like the BLF A6 Special Edition, which can be operated using protected batteries, but performs better with high-draw, unprotected batteries, I go with the latter.

Chris made some excellent points above. He probably knows more about batteries than I do.

 

[Bretcoe]

Not you derail the thread too much, but I have x10 18650 Sony VTC-5's currently for my girlfriend and my box mods which drive 0.3 and 0.5 Ohm coils. I have built subohm coils for my 26650 mech mod (efest rewraps) as well as a 18650 mech mod I have, but don't like the hassle building brings so we use variable voltage/variable current controlled box mods with pre-built, factory coils. This offers some built in protection and convenience, as well as allows for the use of tank style atomizers. These box mods allow for x2 18650 cells for longer use between battery changes. I'm currently using a 0.5 Ohm coil at 30W, about 4 V and 7 amps. With x2 VTC-5's I get very nice time between battery changes. It's far less hassle than dripping on a mech mod that is drawing 20-30 Amps and draining batteries every 30 minutes. Lol, especially when driving.

Those Samsung 30Q's are probably the next batteries I'll get. I've been eye'ing them for a while but just don't need them currently... until I get a new flashlight (I have a post in the recommend me a new flashlight forum).

I'm a firm believer in quality when it comes to things that go boom.

Not to beat the horse, but I increasingly hear about fake/clone/rewrapped knockoff batteries from people in the vaping community. They are out there, and there's more and more of them as the demand increases. It's so easy to do and most people know so little about them, that foreign companies are selling them cheap with ridiculous "specs".

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[hauer]

Re: Favorite 18650 battery of your flashlight

NPS tends to sell lots of weird stuff and who knows where the Thanks for the tip. As far as I can tell they are genuine NCR18650B's battery. I looked them over close. I think the reason they are this cheap is because the label didn't make sense. The blue label had them as "NI MH 1000mAh 3.7V." Well the 3.7V is correct. y got them. Obviously these wouldn't be sell-able as labeled in a normal retail store.

It look like many other brands re-wrap Panasonic NCR18650 battery as a new their brand.

 

[Bretcoe]

I think they buy the batteries that get put in the "less than optimum" or whatever the bin is called that has the batteries that are "ok", but fail some aspect of Panasonic's testing. Than they wrap em and sell them as theirs.

I assume Panasonic keeps the class A batteries and sells the class B batteries to whomever.

There must be some grading at the factory or wherever.

This would account for the cheaper prices at least.

 

[staticaz]

LG INR18650 MJ1

 

[ChrisGarrett]

LG INR18650 MJ1

Yeah, for 10A or less, the MJ1, the S/P NCR18650GA and perhaps the 15A Samsung 30Q are going to be three that I would buy.

For the super high drains, the Sony VTC-5 and Samsung 25Rs are worthy, although they're about an Ah less in capacity than the above.

It's a good time to have our cake and eat it too, when it comes to good quality 18650s.

Chris

 

[Ace12]

Are the keeppower and zebralight 18650's pretty much the same battery with different wrapper?