How to tell if an 18650 battery is fake?

[Twinbee]

I'd like to buy some decent 18650 batteries, possibly from Amazon.co.uk, but I want a way to test if they are fake once I receive them.

Will the XTAR VC2 help me here? Do I only need to test the mAh and voltage rating, or are there any other criteria I need to watch out for?

Also, do I need to fully discharge the battery, and then recharge it before I take the mAh rating seriously, or is that an unnecessary step?

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

Unless it a good fake, the weight of the cell is usually a big give a way even without scales to weigh it.

exaggerated capacity, bigger than samsung or panasonic or lg can make.

avoid cheap cells with the word fire in the name.

John.

 

[m.pille.led]

The steps you mention are a good way,
Measure true mAh rating is the most accurate way, the weight won`t help much to someone ho is kind a new to the 18650 and/or lithium world.

do I need to fully discharge the battery, and then recharge it before I take the mAh rating seriously, or is that an unnecessary step?

Yes, specially when the batteries are new they need around 5-15 cicles (depending on many factors) untill they get to their real capacity.

avoid cheap cells with the word fire in the name

Yes, this is a very very importante detail! All cells I bought in the begining where ....fire , huge Mistake!!!
I can only recomend you to go for brand cells(at least the cell) for exemple Panasonic, Samsung lg.... and all the other good ones!
Something I also recomend to you depending on the application is to buy protected cells, This saved me so many times! Even as my dive torch got a leak!

 

[billcushman]

Efest makes some very high performance 18650 IMR 35A 2500mAh (Purple) batteries. They have had so much trouble with fakes that they now include a sticker to verify that they are genuine. You must scrape off the hidden part of the security label and enter the 20 digit code that is unique to each and every battery. You will get a reply immediately with the results. Using the link below, click on ProductVerify for a good image of the Security Label.

http://www.efestpower.com/html/173504425.html

 

[m.pille.led]

And something else I can recomend you when looking for a good charger, the charger you posted is pretty good.

Altrough I recomend to you the one I have and use and love!
the name might not be the best but for me it was one of my best buys so far! Its the Soshine H2/H4 charger (got it from DealExtreme at 20€ and 24€)
It comes with 2 or 4 slots, also has a LCD screen with voltage, capacity take and other things. One of the things I prefer over the Xtar VC2 is that the Soshine H2/H4 can charge at 1A, 500mA and 250mA per slot, where the Xtar only up to 0.5A
Also it is a little cheaper, but If you dont need the USB operation I would recomend you the Soshine because of the higher Amperage charging capacities

I want to justify to you why 1A charge for me is so important, The highest capacity 18650 cells I have are Panasonic 3400mAh, so lets say you charge them at 0.5A, they will charge around 6hours. But with 1A charge they will only charge for around 3hours (wich is totally fine for these cells).


Regards

PS: I link it here if anyone wants a look http://www.dx.com/pt/p/soshine-h4-1...-26650-18650-aa-aaa-black-341209#.VfcvxO9RHIU

 

[NoNotAgain]

Yes, this is a very very importante detail! All cells I bought in the begining where ....fire , huge Mistake!!!
I can only recomend you to go for brand cells(at least the cell) for exemple Panasonic, Samsung lg.... and all the other good ones!
Something I also recomend to you depending on the application is to buy protected cells, This saved me so many times! Even as my dive torch got a leak!

Unfortunately purchasing protected cells isn't even a safe way to get good cells.

Like you, a few years back I purchased a zoomie off of eBay with the dreaded Ultrafire protected batteries. The capacity was exaggerated and the seller had good feedback for the light and cells.

After the fourth or fifth time charging, they didn't hold a charge as long as they first did.

By this time I had moved onto Led Lenser, Fenix and Nitecore lights and batteries.

The weight difference of the branded battery verses the Ultrafire made me slice the wrapper off to find no protection circuit. When I ran a capacity test, they came in around 1600 mAh verses the 3200 they were advertised as.

So now we have both Chinese lumens and Chinese milliamperes. Both are about 50% of advertised.

 

[Twinbee]

Am I right in saying that if the mAh comes out as advertised this will in 99%+ of cases prove it's not a fake?

Altrough I recomend to you the one I have and use and love!
the name might not be the best but for me it was one of my best buys so far! Its the Soshine H2/H4 charger (got it from DealExtreme at 20€ and 24€)

That Soshine charger doesn't appear to give the mAh number, so I'd rather go with the XTAR VC2.

 

[WarRaven]

Unfortunately purchasing protected cells isn't even a safe way to get good cells.

Like you, a few years back I purchased a zoomie off of eBay with the dreaded Ultrafire protected batteries. The capacity was exaggerated and the seller had good feedback for the light and cells.

After the fourth or fifth time charging, they didn't hold a charge as long as they first did.

By this time I had moved onto Led Lenser, Fenix and Nitecore lights and batteries.

The weight difference of the branded battery verses the Ultrafire made me slice the wrapper off to find no protection circuit. When I ran a capacity test, they came in around 1600 mAh verses the 3200 they were advertised as.

So now we have both Chinese lumens and Chinese milliamperes. Both are about 50% of advertised.

Did these cells appear to have a PCB and strip visible through wrapper, or had you just assumed they had them being new to hobby?

 

[Grizzman]

Instead of buying from a source of potentially fake cells, why not buy from a reputable dealer....eliminating the need to test them, and deal with needing to return them if they're not legit?

 

[billcushman]

Only buy chargers that HKJ has rated as Good. His tests are highly technical and superb, but skip to the summary and see the rating of Good, Acceptable, or Unacceptable if you don't understand all the technical details.

http://www.lygte-info.dk/info/indexBatteriesAndChargers UK.html

My personal recommendation is the Nitecore D4 (slow with 4 batteries) or the Thrunite MCC-4 (fast but charges to slightly above 4.2 volts which reduces cycle life). The Nitecore D2 is another good choice for only two cells.

Assure the batteries you buy are genuine quality cells from a good supplier. Fakes can burn your house down, cause your flashlight to explode and injure you with shrapnel, or at best just deliver poor performance. The bitterness of poor quality can be very costly. Lithium-ion is safe when used properly. Tesla uses thousands of 18650s in their sedans.

 

[alternety]

Measure either (or both) the radius of damage and debris from the charging battery and the approximate size of the smoke cloud. If the structure burns, you may not use the data from the whole structure.

With measurements in meters, the calculations for both circumstances are similar enough to share the equation for FAKE LIKELIHOOD (FL). I do not have the proper math symbols available, so I will use text.


FL = {Integral (from 0 to max flame height) Pi R sq X (height of flame column) X [integral from 0 to height of operator in meters] X (burn level [first, second, or third degree) X exposed body area)} - 5% for holding an appropriate fire extinguisher

As an exercise to the implementer, modify the equation to consider collateral damage. This would include clothing, structure damage (though only the first 10% should be used if no prior arrangements have been made with the fire department - then 50% may be factored in. Factor WAF into all of the calculations. Reduce overall score by 10% if your insurance covers dumb.:devil:

 

[NoNotAgain]

Did these cells appear to have a PCB and strip visible through wrapper, or had you just assumed they had them being new to hobby?

You couldn't see thru the wrapper. The wrapper was solid red in color and had a large indent at the top of the cell. HKJ recently did a review of the Ultrafire batteries. They have the same spelling mistake of Shelf Life as Sheef Life.
The batteries came supplied with the light as a kit of batteries, light and charger.

I had been into flashlights, but was limited to Kel-Lights, Mag-Lights and large hand held search lights powered by lead acid batteries. When I purchased my EoTech sights, there was an option for AA or CR123 batteries. I elected for the AA as they were readily available verses having to hunt down the CR123.

After purchasing countless Panasonic, Nitecore labeled and Keeppower cells, the weight difference is rather apparent.

The Feds could place a stop to most of this counterfeiting of batteries buy seizing some of the shipments as they come into Customs. They'd rather go after knock-off NFL merchandise than a battery which can catch fire and burn someone to death.

 

[Gauss163]

HKJ recently did a review of the Ultrafire batteries. They have the same spelling mistake of Shelf Life as Sheef Life.

It's no typo. It's Ultrafire jargon: SHEEF-life is the half-life of the user due to Supremely High Elevated Expectation of Fire (SHEEF).

Of course, like all Chinese specs, your estimated half-life is highly-inflated. Plan your life accordingly!

 

[WarRaven]

I hear you friend hope I didn't offend you in hindsight.

What I was getting at is usually you can see/feel the metal strip that runs down length of cell from PCB at bottom, to the top of the cells positive anode.
Though newer styles like Olight new 3200 they've moved that PCB to top and there is no more metal strip on the side.
That's a pretty sure give away if cell has some kind of electronic protecting or not.
Must be careful not to damage said strip too.☺

Glad you caught this before it got it out of hand, kudos!
One day a border agent will scan a xxxxfire cell, see it's half filled with something and drill into it. That should be the end of these monsters.

These pictures are not mine but worth showing again..

Yup should be true to level if like this too..

Sometimes being cheap is costly later. ☺

 

[akhyar]

Sometimes being cheap is costly later. ☺

+1