# 18700 or a 18650???



## ryguy24000 (May 16, 2011)

I was wondering at what point do we start calling the 18650 a 18700? I was checking the size if a cell and the manufacturer listed a 18650 at 69.4 mm. Is there an official size standard?


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## brandocommando (May 16, 2011)

I have a couple Xtar batteries and they are marketed as 18700 actually. They are protected and the extra circut in the BOTTOM of the battery makes them longer/taller.
They fit in all my 18650 lights just fine.

18700 battery.


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## HKJ (May 17, 2011)

ryguy24000 said:


> I was wondering at what point do we start calling the 18650 a 18700?



This is more manufacturer related than size related. The standard name for the cell is 18650 and adding a protection circuit will make it longer, most stay with the 18650 name, but Xtar used the 18700 name when they introduced their cells.


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## Glock27 (May 17, 2011)

That is cool that they moved the PCB from the bottom to the top on those Xtars. Gets rid of that Positive ribbon that goes down the side. I'm always afraid that it will short out inside a light if it was dropped just right.

G27


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## HKJ (May 17, 2011)

Glock27 said:


> That is cool that they moved the PCB from the bottom to the top on those Xtars. Gets rid of that Positive ribbon that goes down the side. I'm always afraid that it will short out inside a light if it was dropped just right.



:thinking::thinking: The Xtars I have is with the PCB at the bottom.


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## bshanahan14rulz (May 18, 2011)

18650 refers to the lithium ion cell, not the battery.


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## ryguy24000 (May 21, 2011)

bshanahan14rulz said:


> 18650 refers to the lithium ion cell, not the battery.


 

Yeah, kinda false advertising don't ya think? Maybe light manufactures should ad ertise the actual battery size in mm the specific light will take??


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## RepProdigious (May 22, 2011)

ryguy24000 said:


> Maybe light manufactures should ad ertise the actual battery size in mm the specific light will take??


 
Were would be the fun in that, if they took that route you wouldn't have to read all the review here when looking for a new lights and miss out on some great stuff!!


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## ryguy24000 (May 23, 2011)

RepProdigious said:


> Were would be the fun in that, if they took that route you wouldn't have to read all the review here when looking for a new lights and miss out on some great stuff!!


 

Yeah I guess this way is a little more fun.:scowl:


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## bshanahan14rulz (May 23, 2011)

Yeah, that should teach you to use logic again! 

I think it's more of a manufacturing standard. Cells that have been modified for our hobby may include a protection circuit on the negative end and/or an additional metal "button top" on the positive end.


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## Andy13186 (Dec 12, 2012)

*18700 vs 18650*

I have a few questions on the advantages of 18700s. I see they dont offer 3400 mah 18700s. Is the only advantage a more durable battery shell basically? What are the other advantages? Would an 18700 fit in a solarforce l2?


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## HKJ (Dec 12, 2012)

*Re: 18700 vs 18650*



Andy13186 said:


> I have a few questions on the advantages of 18700s. I see they dont offer 3400 mah 18700s. Is the only advantage a more durable battery shell basically? What are the other advantages? Would an 18700 fit in a solarforce l2?



18700 and protected 18650 are exactly the same battery.
The basic form factor is 18650 adding the protection and optionally a button top makes it a few mm longer, some calls is 18700 other continue to call it 18650.


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## mattheww50 (Dec 12, 2012)

*Re: 18700 vs 18650*

My experience is that 18700's sometimes don't fit in devices designed for 18650's, so these batteries are not always interchangeable. A protected 18650 usually comes in about 68 or 69 mm, protected
18700's are a few mm longer, and that is often a few mm too many for 18650 designed devices.


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## Thr3Evo (Dec 12, 2012)

Imagine having to remember all the sizes when browsing and searching for a cell on different sites... On one you'd search for 18650 on another for 18680, 18690 18700 and all the numbers in between, a big pita. Although I do think that in the description should be included accurate measurements. Oh well that's what CPF is for  
A big Thanks to all that take the time to review.


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## HKJ (Dec 12, 2012)

*Re: 18700 vs 18650*



mattheww50 said:


> My experience is that 18700's sometimes don't fit in devices designed for 18650's, so these batteries are not always interchangeable. A protected 18650 usually comes in about 68 or 69 mm, protected
> 18700's are a few mm longer, and that is often a few mm too many for 18650 designed devices.



There are some batteries marked with 18650 that are longer than the Xtar 18700 batteries.


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## okieguy (Jan 14, 2013)

*18650 battery length?*

Hi, I'm new to CPF and headlamps in general. I was looking at Zebralight h600w, which their website says it takes up to 67mm 18650 batteries. However, on a couple of reviews I've seen of said headlamp, the reviewer is using a battery which is longer than 67mm. Please explain to me the incongruity here.

Thanks for helping a noob

Griffin,
Norman, OK


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## SilverFox (Jan 15, 2013)

*Re: 18650 battery length?*

Hello Griffin,

Welcome to CPF.

I believe the bare cell is an 18650. However, when you add a protection circuit the length of the cell increases a little. So the H600W generically uses an 18650 cell, but the actual cell you purchase may vary from the length a little.

Tom


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## TEEJ (Jan 15, 2013)

*Re: 18650 battery length?*

18650 is the nominal size. If they all use the same Panasonic cell, and wrap it and and protection, etc, it adds to the original cell's dimensions.

So, when shopping, if people had to actually enter EXACT dimensions for the cell they wanted, the shopping carts would be empty...its too hard to sort them that way.

Instead, they call all of them 18650's, and then (If you're lucky) they also list the actual dimensions.

Xtar is the maverick, in that they knew the protection was making their cell longer, and just called it an 18700. There can be other 18650's that are the same size, who's makers just continue to use the NOMINAL sizing.


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## HKJ (Jan 15, 2013)

*Re: 18650 battery length?*



okieguy said:


> Hi, I'm new to CPF and headlamps in general. I was looking at Zebralight h600w, which their website says it takes up to 67mm 18650 batteries. However, on a couple of reviews I've seen of said headlamp, the reviewer is using a battery which is longer than 67mm. Please explain to me the incongruity here.



The 67 mm might be wrong, you cannot get any protected battery that will fit in 67mm.


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## VidPro (Jan 15, 2013)

*Re: 18650 battery length?*

on the zebra. The adds for it do say 67mm.

But from Here http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...nd-battery-Choice-ZebraLight-H600w-XM-L-18650 
It says "I just got an email back from zebralight, and they're saying the 68.9 mm cells won't fit" (more at that thread)
Then chang shows that it should have enough space for most protected cells.

and here http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?352871-18650-bottom-etched-by-H600
where mabey it is a lot of "spring compression" with the longer ones? Using An eagletak 3400. HKJ measures eagletac 3400 at 68.3mm

Here http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Blue-tint-and-very-tight-battery-compartment
slightly tight diameter fit (removed the battery label) on a callies custom batt (that is either the 3100 or 3400 both protection added panasonics) 68.8mm X 18.7mm for the 3100.

Should work, and staying below the (emails responce) of 68.9 in one of the new batteries should be possible.
I think the real problem here is Okiguy just needs a plethora of lights and batteries  Something will then work , in something, and if it dont it will work in the other. As a last resort, cutting and/or reshaping a spring might solve it.


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