RELIABLE on-line sources of QUALITY li-ion cells?

[Winston2016]

As I'm sure you all know, counterfeit li-ion cells are extremely common, probably even prevalent. What the cell's label claims, whether it's the capacity or even the brand name, too often proves absolutely nothing.


My purchases of 14500 and 18650 cells from places like Amazon.com and DX.com have produced nothing but grossly over-rated (mAh wise) counterfeit junk. Reviewer comments don't count for much because most reviewers don't have the capability to actually measure what they have purchased.


So, what are some reliable on-line sources of li-ion cells where the vendor actually bothers to check to make sure they aren't selling counterfeit junk?

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Where do you live?

It might matter.

Chris

 

[Winston2016]

Where do you live?

It might matter.

Chris

In the US.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

In the US.

Yeah, it helps if you put that in your profile, so people don't recommend places that won't ship to your locale, or where it's expensive to ship to you.

http://www.illumn.com/

http://liionwholesale.com/

http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=common/home

http://www.rtdvapor.com/

http://www.orbtronic.com/

All are GTG.

Chris

 

[Winston2016]

Yeah, it helps if you put that in your profile, so people don't recommend places that won't ship to your locale, or where it's expensive to ship to you.

http://www.illumn.com/

http://liionwholesale.com/

http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=common/home

http://www.rtdvapor.com/

http://www.orbtronic.com/

All are GTG.

Chris

Thanks for that info. I think I recall there being no access allowed for profile editing until a new member does three posts. I'll try now.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Thanks for that info. I think I recall there being no access allowed for profile editing until a new member does three posts. I'll try now.

Yeah, I guess that might be the case.

Not busting your balls, but somebody might be living in Estonia and I don't want to post a bunch of links to places in America, is all, who won't ship internationally.

Good luck.

Chris

 

[Winston2016]

Yeah, I guess that might be the case.

Not busting your balls, but somebody might be living in Estonia and I don't want to post a bunch of links to places in America, is all, who won't ship internationally.

Good luck.

Chris

Yeah, I know, that's actually a pet peeve of mine, too... and here I went and did it myself.

 

[Str8stroke]

Chris nails it. I always try Mtn first. They are my default goto. Then I work from there.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Good choices listed. Mtnelectronics, illumn and orbtronic top my list. I have no experience with the others but have heard decent comments here about them.

 

[Wireman]

I was just about to order a 12-pack of Surefire 123a's off Amazon Prime when I read this post. Do I have to worry about those being counterfeit?

 

[snowlover91]

+1 for the retailers mentioned especially Mountain Electronics. Richard is great, excellent prices and you will get genuine cells.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I was just about to order a 12-pack of Surefire 123a's off Amazon Prime when I read this post. Do I have to worry about those being counterfeit?

The Chinese will counterfeit their own pile of poo if they could make a buck off of it. Look at the TrustFire brand of li-ion cells, chargers and lights. Not exactly the creme-de-la-creme in any of those categories, but they're the most counterfeited battery around, save for possibly AW and I don't think it's even close.

Know who you're buying from and go with reputable people.

Home Depot and Lowes sell SF branded batteries, so even though you're paying more, 2 for $4.50, you're getting the real deal. Another thing before buying CR123As, is to find out the dated code on them.

Lots of people will dump their older stock without posting that info in their ad.

Good dealers will and will lower the price accordingly.

Also, BatteryStation uses the same Panasonic USA made cell that SF, Streamlight, Duracell, Energizer, some Rayovacs and even Panasonic itself, uses, so look there, as they're usually cheaper than SF branded cells, but you still need to ask for the date codes before you buy.

Chris

 

[Wireman]

I won't use Batterystation after they sold me known defective batteries and then expected me to pay to return them before replacing them with the working batteries that I paid for.

 

[archimedes]

Although a bit more limited in terms of variety, Oveready is another reliable source.

Have had excellent experiences with both Illumination Supply (now called Illumn) and Mountain Electronics (mtnelectronics) , as mentioned above.

And still miss Lighthound ...

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I won't use Batterystation after they sold me known defective batteries and then expected me to pay to return them before replacing them with the working batteries that I paid for.

Care to elaborate, for the benefit of the rest of us?

Chris

 

[Wireman]

Care to elaborate, for the benefit of the rest of us?

Chris

I ordered BS 123a's. The first pair lasted about 20 minutes in a light that Surefire batteries usually lasted almost an hour. The same with the second pair, and third pair. I contacted them and a person named Kevin said that they knew they were faulty and to return them for exchange with Rayovacs, which at the time didn't have any issues like the BS brand did.

I find it completely out of line that I have to go out and buy packaging and they pay for shipping to return batteries that they know are defective. They should have either sent a shipping label or just told me to throw them out, like every other reputable company does when they know that it is their fault that a broken or defective product went to a customer.

And the worst part about it is that those BS batteries were still for sale on the BS website, when they knew they were defective. They admitted that the BS batteries were faulty and they were trying to clear it up, but in the meantime they were going to give me Rayovacs for replacements... So why were the (known to be faulty) BS batteries still for sale on their website? My guess is because they could still profit off of selling faulty batteries because some people might not notice and the people who do notice might not want to go thru the exchange process since they would end up losing money on the cost of shipping.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I ordered BS 123a's. The first pair lasted about 20 minutes in a light that Surefire batteries usually lasted almost an hour. The same with the second pair, and third pair. I contacted them and a person named Kevin said that they knew they were faulty and to return them for exchange with Rayovacs, which at the time didn't have any issues like the BS brand did.

I find it completely out of line that I have to go out and buy packaging and they pay for shipping to return batteries that they know are defective. They should have either sent a shipping label or just told me to throw them out, like every other reputable company does when they know that it is their fault that a broken or defective product went to a customer.

And the worst part about it is that those BS batteries were still for sale on the BS website, when they knew they were defective. They admitted that the BS batteries were faulty and they were trying to clear it up, but in the meantime they were going to give me Rayovacs for replacements... So why were the (known to be faulty) BS batteries still for sale on their website? My guess is because they could still profit off of selling faulty batteries because some people might not notice and the people who do notice might not want to go thru the exchange process since they would end up losing money on the cost of shipping.

I always think that sellers should pay for return shipping on defective gear. I just had rdana send me two wall warts for my new Opus 3400 and he didn't want the old one back, that still works in part.

XtarDirect send me some chargers that weren't working well and sent a shipping sticker, on them.

Robert at MountainElectronics did the same for my recalled Xtar VP2 and DQG Tiny Triple light that went up in smoke, so yeah...I agree.

I don't know when, or how they knew that a batch of Panasonic USA CR123As labeled for them, were defective and whether they were actually selling the defective cells after the problem was discovered.

Not all BS labeled CR123As could be from that defective batch, so it's probable that they continued selling good batteries and pulled the bad, or it's possible that some of the bad batch got mixed in with the good ones and they just never knew which was which?

I don't know, but even Mercedes makes a lemon from time to time. Yours is the first complaint that I've heard here about BS CR123As, over 4 years, so I guess you were just unlucky?

Anyhow...

Chris

 

[Wireman]

I always think that sellers should pay for return shipping on defective gear.

Agreed. Especially when they knew the batteries were defective.

I don't know when, or how they knew that a batch of Panasonic USA CR123As labeled for them,

I'm not sure if they were Panasonic batteries. I'm not sure who the manufacturer was at the time.

Not all BS labeled CR123As could be from that defective batch, so it's probable that they continued selling good batteries and pulled the bad,

Then why would they send me Rayovacs as replacements instead of just replacing them with BS brand?

or it's possible that some of the bad batch got mixed in with the good ones and they just never knew which was which?

Maybe, but it's pretty crappy to send out batteries that you know may be bad and let the customer sift thru them, then let the customers pay to send them back for replacements.

I don't know, but even Mercedes makes a lemon from time to time.

I don't mind that the batteries were bad. I mind that A) I had to pay to send them back and B) they continued to knowingly sell bad batteries to other unsuspecting people.

Yours is the first complaint that I've heard here about BS CR123As, over 4 years, so I guess you were just unlucky?

This was more than 4 years ago.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Oh well, there are people/places that I won't do business with again, but I generally try and give vendors a second chance as long as they're not spitting in my face.

Sounds like BS spit in your face...

Chris

 

[Wireman]

Oh well, there are people/places that I won't do business with again, but I generally try and give vendors a second chance as long as they're not spitting in my face.

Sounds like BS spit in your face...

Chris

Yeah. I am all for giving companies multiple chances when they make mistakes, as long as they are willing to provide a reasonable resolution.

As a small business owner I deal with customers on a daily basis and make mistakes myself, but I always fix my mistakes and do it at my own cost.

The fact that BS admitted that they knew the batteries were defective, they wanted me to pay to return them, and they were still selling the defective batteries tells me that they are not a company I ever want to deal with.