Test/Review of Sony US18650VTC5A (2600mAh, 35A*)

Batteries and Chargers Rechargeable Batteries
1

The VTC5A has higher current rating than the famous VTC5: 35A vs. 30A continoues current.
Nominal (2600mAh) and rated (2500mAh) capacity are the same.

*The 35A continuous current rating is only valid with 80°C temperature cutoff, as is the VTC5’s 30A rating.
My VTC5As exceeded 80°C already at 25A continuous discharge, so I didn’t go any further.
The VTC5A does heat up less than the VTC5.

Sony US18650VTC5A:

(1A curve for #2 is still missing, data was lost, I have to repeat).
(The dent in the 1A curve at 1.7Ah is real, I repeated the mesurement with exact same results.)
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Sony US18650VTC5A capacity, energy and average voltage on discharge to 2.50V:
table(table#posts).
|A|Ah|Wh|V|
|1.0|2.444|8.899|3.641|
|3.0|2.439|8.745|3.586|
|5.0|2.424|8.584|3.541|
|7.0|2.438|8.549|3.506|
|10.0|2.454|8.460|3.448|
|15.0|2.453|8.272|3.373|
|20.0|2.438|8.062|3.306|
|25.0|2.434|7.890|3.242|

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So what’s the difference to VTC5? See Sony US18650VTC5A vs US18650VTC5:

Obviously, higher current rating and higher voltage come at a price.

Sony US18650VTC5A capacity, energy and average voltage on discharge to 2.80V (compared with VTC5):
table(table#posts).
|A|Ah|Wh|V|
| 1.0|2.394 (2.564)|8.766 (9.350)|3.662 (3.646)|
| 3.0|2.378 (2.522)|8.582 (9.002)|3.609 (3.569)|
| 5.0|2.357 (2.550)|8.405 (8.968)|3.566 (3.517)|
| 7.0|2.365 (2.593)|8.352 (8.974)|3.532 (3.461)|
|10.0|2.362 (2.614)|8.214 (8.907)|3.477 (3.407)|
|15.0|2.343 (2.634)|7.978 (8.736)|3.405 (3.316)|
|20.0|2.306 (2.630)|7.706 (8.553)|3.342 (3.252)|
|25.0|2.276 (——)|7.467 (——)|3.280 (——-)|

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Sony US18650VTC5A vs Samsung INR18650-25R:

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Sony US18650VTC5A vs Samsung INR18650-30Q:

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VTC5 and VTC5A were supplied by akktuteile.de for testing.

2
Good Day Herr light-wolff,

Very Useful data Superbly presented, particularly including the comparisons to other relevant cells/batteries.

Thank you Very Much,

Best Regards,

George

3

Wow, i had no idea a VTC5A even existed.

I am really impressed by the 30Q though :slight_smile:

4

bump!

new Sony high drain cell guys! This one might bring some extra lumina to your crazy quads and triples. J)

5

I really look forward to the VTC6 3000mha 30A & VTC7 3500mha 8A tests :wink:

source: New Sony US18650 VTC5A, VC7 and VTC6 | Candle Power Flashlight Forum

6

Me too :wink:

7

Where can I buy a vtc5a

8

Maybe if you can tell members where you are located will be easier for them to give suggestions.

9

double post

10

Sry I’m in the u.s. Baltimore

11

So is it correct to state that 30Q are better ?

More capacity, less voltage sag (except perhaps in the beginning of the discharge curve)?

12

Up to 10A: probably yes.

13

Looking at this graph, in particular the 15A discharge curves:

It seems that at 15A discharge, 30Q are better regards to voltage sag and capacity (expect during the first 500mAh of discharge where VTC5A have slight edge)

or am I missing something? Where do you see VTC5A as better?

14

At arround 5apms consumption and a Fet DD driver IT IS better, i`ve tested this one at least a dozen times: at,4.2, at 4, at 3.8 and at 3.7- not much but better, 30Q on the other hand has 20% better capacity and if the runtime is crusial then its the better one

15

Continuous discharge isn’t all that matters. The 30Q gets blazing hot at 15A (the VTC5A not) nd this is the reason why the sag seems less. Heat reduces the internal resistance.
If the 30Q wouldn’t heat up, it would not catch up to the VTC5A curve until the very end.

If the battery is used intermittently, this heating effect is not present, resistance is higher, thus voltage is lower.