# What other devices can use 18650 batteries?



## bgiddins

Title says it all really. Are there any other devices besides flashlights that happily take 18650s in lieu of CR123As, or that are designed specifically for 18650 consumption?


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## RyanA

Laptops use 18650, so does the Tesla Roadster, THOUSANDS of 'em


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## bgiddins

Hmm. Waiting for the Tesla family sedan personally 

Obviously not much else consumer oriented - I assume that the 18650 has it's origins as a laptop battery cell, and so far flashlights are the only consumer item to pick the size up as a "drop-in" battery? Was hoping that maybe someone had released a radio or GPS that used them.


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## glockboy

B&D VPX power tools.
Many power tool used Lithium but I only open the B&D.


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## ekengle

Zombie thread alert!!

A google search brought me here when I was looking for other things to use my batteries with. Seeing how out of date it is I thought I would resurrect it with a couple of item I found and see if anyone else has more to add.

On Amazon I've found some 18650 lanterns, fans, radios, Bluetooth speakers, work lights, motion lights, and yard lights. The market is starting to expand on things that use 18650 cells. Several of the things listed though are pretty cheap and of questionable quality. 

Since my supply of cells has grown some I'd like to see what everyone else is using them in.


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## Bullzeyebill

The Tecsun ICR110 radio uses an 18650. Google Lithum Ion radios.

Bill

edit: Strike that suggestion. Does not work well.


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## ekengle

Bullzeyebill said:


> The Tecsun ICR110 radio uses an 18650. Google Lithum Ion radios.
> 
> Bill
> 
> edit: Strike that suggestion. Does not work well.




I saw that one and the reviews on it. I have a nice Sony shortwave radio already and several HAM radios around the house. We live on a farm and during the spring we lose power often due to the storms. I've been trying to come up with some ideas to utilize the 18650 cells and some 12V solar things.

I'm toying with the idea of an 18650 battery pack lamp that uses the 12v RV bulbs. There are a couple of 18650 hanging lanterns but I really don't want them all over the house. A couple of custom lamps that I can pick up and move around would work well.

It's a shame there isn't more out there that uses the cell, it seems to be slowly changing though.


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## Bullzeyebill

When power goes out use that other source of electricity to charge your cells. You auto. Of course you need a charger that has a car plug option.

Bill


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## Lynx_Arc

I just received a portable fan that uses 1 18650 battery and has 3 speeds and a single 5mm LED light also.


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## ekengle

Bullzeyebill said:


> When power goes out use that other source of electricity to charge your cells. You auto. Of course you need a charger that has a car plug option.
> 
> Bill




I got the charging part down. Several chargers, several ways to run them. I'm mainly looking for other devices that can make use of the batteries.




Lynx_Arc said:


> I just received a portable fan that uses 1 18650 battery and has 3 speeds and a single 5mm LED light also.



We've got 2 of these small fans. My wife has one to use at work and the other sits on my desk.

I'm looking at some of the yard security lights and work lights as well. It kind of sounds like there isn't much more out there.


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## Bronco

ekengle said:


> I got the charging part down. Several chargers, several ways to run them. I'm mainly looking for other devices that can make use of the batteries.



Aren't there vape pens that run on 18650s? I seem to recall hearing that the sale of these devices is largely responsible for subsidizing the recent advances in high amp, high draw, IMR type battery technology. 

Not that I'm suggesting you start vaping.


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## Overclocker




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## terjee

In a lot of ways, 18650s are just batteries, with a given voltage and capacity. For a huge amount of devices supporting 12V power (or thereabout) you could power them with a back of 3-4x 18650s, such as in a nice chassis with a plug. Would be an advantage to have a low-power cutoff, but it would surprise me if there isn't such as a product out there, and it wouldn't be too hard to make either.

In a similar ways, a lot of the 18650 chargers support 12V og 11-18V input for charging, meaning they' pair well with cars and some solar panels. That makes them pretty suitable for power storage between day (charging) and night (usage for light, radio etc).




Bronco said:


> Aren't there vape pens that run on 18650s? I seem to recall hearing that the sale of these devices is largely responsible for subsidizing the recent advances in high amp, high draw, IMR type battery technology.



Yeah, 18650s are pretty much the standard battery form factor for vapers. Some of these things are starting to becoming fairly insane, such as packs using 3x Sony VTC4s, supporting up to 200W or even above. In mass-market products I mean.



Bronco said:


> Not that I'm suggesting you start vaping.



If you're a smoker or otherwise using nicotine, I would. 

For the prepper-minded people in here, vaping even makes sense from a long term perspective. For a few hundres dollars, or half a grand or so, you could easily pick up everything you'd need for covering your habit for *years*. Drifting off topic though, so I'll leave it at that.

terjee


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