# Is a 14500 battery better than a regular 18650?



## jakepen (Nov 11, 2013)

I've heard about a 14500, what's the deal with it? 

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## RTR882 (Nov 11, 2013)

a 14500 is a rechargeable Li-Ion AA battery. An 18650 is larger and has naturally higher capacity.


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## StarHalo (Nov 11, 2013)

jakepen said:


> I've heard about a 14500, what's the deal with it?



It's 14mm wide and 50.0mm long, hence "14500" - this happens to be the dimensions of an AA battery. But it can only be used in devices which are specifically designed for 14500 cells, as its 3.6-4.2 volts is much higher than a regular AA's 1.2-1.6 volts. It's a lithium-ion cell just like an 18650, so it has some serious power density and amp draw ability; an AA light that's normally ~200 lumens on a standard AA can nudge the 500 lumen mark with a 14500 [again, only if it's designed for it.]


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## jakepen (Nov 11, 2013)

Awesome, thanks for explaining it. Do most flashlights allow hosting of the 14500? The zebralight sc52 for example, also the nitecore ea4? 

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## skr (Nov 11, 2013)

StarHalo said:


> It's 14mm wide and 500mm long, hence "14500" - this happens to be the dimensions of an AA battery.



50mm long actually. Presumably the "500" is supposed to imply 50.0?


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## reppans (Nov 11, 2013)

jakepen said:


> Awesome, thanks for explaining it. Do most flashlights allow hosting of the 14500? The zebralight sc52 for example, also the nitecore ea4?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk



A few full support (ie, retains all lower modes at spec) regular AAs through 14500s. 47's Quarks, Olight S15, ZL's 52 series, SWM/JB/NC? Infinitely variable ring lights, Peaks, a few more I'm sure. There are a bunch more that partially support them, but the low modes bump up so you won't have the same lows if that matters to you.


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## Norm (Nov 11, 2013)

skr said:


> 50mm long actually. Presumably the "500" is supposed to imply 50.0?



14mm diameter 50mm length 0 a cylindrical cell.

Norm


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## ChrisGarrett (Nov 11, 2013)

skr said:


> 50mm long actually. Presumably the "500" is supposed to imply 50.0?



I remember reading here, that somebody stated that the final zero was to denote that it was a cylindrical battery shape. Don't know if that's true, or not, but I've never seen a battery labeled 16347, or 18652.

Chris


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## StarHalo (Nov 11, 2013)

Yeah, there was a decimal in there that the iPad keyboard almost caught, ty, I edited the post.


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## rmteo (Nov 11, 2013)

Norm said:


> 14mm diameter 50mm length 0 a cylindrical cell.
> 
> Norm


Can it be anything other than cylindrical if it has a diameter of 50mm?


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## Nano-Oil.com (Nov 11, 2013)

ChrisGarrett said:


> I remember reading here, that somebody stated that the final zero was to denote that it was a cylindrical battery shape. Don't know if that's true, or not, but I've never seen a battery labeled 16347, or 18652.
> 
> Chris


18650 = diameter: 18.6 × length: 65.2
18650 protected is actually a 19670 19x67 mm
Remember, if you wish to measure using a caliper, either use a polymer caliper or use a sheet of paper at cathode or anode to avoid making a circuit else, of well, you know  LOL 
a well kept secret:
size 26550 5 amps/cell 26.5mm × 65.4mm  
I will tried to post a picture of a battery pack I make to replace D Size batteries in a flashlight with 90x 5mm LEDs, made it much lighter and has 10 amps 4.1 volts charged 
I just dug it out and the voltage still reads 3.9 volts ( 85% capacity) after 3 years without recharging it is an old type flashlight used infrequently, just hangs in the barn but gets used none the less.


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## Norm (Nov 11, 2013)

rmteo said:


> Can it be anything other than cylindrical if it has a diameter of 50mm?


There are other shaped cells but obviously only something round has a diameter.

None round cells are prismatic. 

Norm


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## jakepen (Nov 11, 2013)

Thanks for the replys guys. What are some good 14500s? 

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## Nano-Oil.com (Nov 11, 2013)

jakepen said:


> Thanks for the replys guys. What are some good 14500s?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


so far all the one I received from China have been fakes,
but I just ordered 2 batches 16 units specs given as follow:
Batch 1- 8x 2300mAh 14500 3.7v Rechargeable Li-ion 
Batch 2- 8x 2300mAh 14500 3.7v Rechargeable Li-ion 

exact same description different color skins and provenance.
Honestly, I do not believe those specs at all, this kind of capacitance belongs in a 18650 can 
but again if they only held 50% capacity this would be 5265 milliwatt/h or 5.265 watt/h that would not be bad at all.
I am hoping for more though, will keep you posted, they should be here in a couple of days .


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## schizeckinosy (Nov 11, 2013)

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?374237-Looking-into-options-for-protected-14500-s


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## ChrisGarrett (Nov 11, 2013)

jakepen said:


> Thanks for the replys guys. What are some good 14500s?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk



Anything with a protected, or naked, Sanyo 840mAh cell is what you want.

I run naked Sanyo 840mAh cells in single cell lights and they work well.

Chris


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## HKJ (Nov 11, 2013)

Norm said:


> 14mm diameter 50mm length 0 a cylindrical cell.
> 
> Norm



The notation ICR18650 means (According to some standard):
IC is Lithium cobalt cell
R is round
18 is 18 mm diameter
650 is 65.0 mm length

In praxis the length and diameter has some tolerance, especially on a protected cell.


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## StorminMatt (Nov 12, 2013)

StarHalo said:


> It's a lithium-ion cell just like an 18650, so it has some serious power density and amp draw ability; an AA light that's normally ~200 lumens on a standard AA can nudge the 500 lumen mark with a 14500 [again, only if it's designed for it.]



From what I have seen, your typical 14500 doesn't really excel when it comes to energy density or current output. The amount of energy in a 14500 is roughly the same as a NiMH AA. And current draw is under 2A. However, the one thing it has going for it is higher voltage. Even though an Eneloop can actually kick out more watts than, say, a Sanyo 840mAH 14500, power to an LED is limited by the driver in a 1xAA light. Simply put, there are no 1xAA boost drivers that can deliver the maximum rated current of a 14500 (which is typically around 1.5-1.75A). This (and not the ultimate power the battery can deliver) is why an SC52 puts out a maximum of 500 lumens with a 14500, but only 280 with NiMH. At 280 lumens (which is what you drop down tomwith a 14500 after a minute at 500 lumens), runtime is no better with a 14500 vs NiMH.


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## HKJ (Nov 12, 2013)

StorminMatt said:


> And current draw is under 2A.



Remember when comparing current that LiIon has 3 times the voltage, i.e. a AA cell must deliver 6A to match a LiIon delivering 2A.
On top of that a boost converter running from NiMH has considerable lower efficiency than running a driver from LiIon.


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## jakepen (Nov 12, 2013)

When I receive my 14500, or Abby rechargeable battery, should I use it, and drain it, than recharge it? Or do I charge it before I use it? 

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## HKJ (Nov 12, 2013)

jakepen said:


> When I receive my 14500, or Abby rechargeable battery, should I use it, and drain it, than recharge it? Or do I charge it before I use it?



There is no need to cycle LiIon batteries, just do a normal charge and then use it.

With NiMH you can sometimes gain some extra capacity when cycling, depending on how long they have been stored.


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## degarb (Nov 12, 2013)

Norm said:


> There are other shaped cells but obviously only something round has a diameter.
> 
> None round cells are prismatic.
> 
> Norm




I am not impressed with the engergy density of 14500. 18650 yes.

Prismatic.. Yes, I often daydream of the 18650 that increased it's capacity, not by being longer or wider, but giving up it's cylinder shape, in favor of square. But I shake my self awake, and change the cells.


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## sunnypaul (Nov 12, 2013)

Norm said:


> 14mm diameter 50mm length 0 a cylindrical cell.
> 
> Norm



+1 the final '0' denotes shape/profile...


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## Nano-Oil.com (Nov 12, 2013)

HKJ said:


> There is no need to cycle LiIon batteries, just do a normal charge and then use it.
> 
> With NiMH you can sometimes gain some extra capacity when cycling, depending on how long they have been stored.


Generally, you should receive all your Lithium Ion batteries in a long term storage state which is at about 3.6 3.7 volts, 
some good chargers has that function setting also built into them (I never use it in my routines), 
hence STORAGE CHARGE OR DISCHARGE depending on the state of the battery that the controller is sensing.

so just charge what ever you received,
However a load test can tell you if you received a good battery in terms of specs given at purchase versus true specs.

things that can reveal crappy batteries:
1- I always weight my battery (all chemistries) on a metric precise scale and take a note
2- do a load test if you are equipped to do so, (notice voltage drop under load, an easy proposition) take notes
3- if you have a smart charger with a display for amps and settable charging AMPs set it for 1 C (1 time capacitance written on battery)
(exact same Amp value that the battery is supposed to be)

All the Chinese batteries that I bought so far on eBay are all FAKEs including Cell phone batteries, 
not saying that there are no good ones out there, 

FAKE DEFINED AS SUCH: DISCREPANCY OF CAPACITANCE BY A WIDE MARGIN BELOW SPECS GIVEN.

so Try to buy from USA companies that have a vested interest in doing their jobs in their PRE order of industrial quantities. 

such at Matt at Battery Junction or 4 seven or a number of quality outfits represented on these forums (mis spelled)
who have to be on top to continue supply the fine bunch that we represent at CPF

if the charger refuse to give you at least half of your amp setting while charging, 
chances are they are pretty much fakes.
but do not draw conclusion too soon, let the meter ramp up for a little be before call 611 ( brigade of counterfeit )  LOL.
I will be posting some real specs soon in terms of what should be what in different Lithium Chemistry Flavors.

Hope this helps


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