Help me make a list of batteries for a UK store to sell - we'll get a 10% discount for BLF members

Hi guys, after suggesting a UK supplier for batteries to another member, I emailed the company themselves (18650.co.uk ) and suggested they might give us a discount code for the forum to use.
Here is the reply I got -

’Hi ,

Thanks for your email.

Absolutely possible. We’ve been looking to break away from just supply unprotected cells for some time, but we are a company of engineers, vapers, and part time airsofters with minimal knowledge of what torch users are looking for. For us, we only use the Keeppower/Eagtac cells in torches/lasers on our weapons, because run time rarely needs to be more than a few hours.

Maybe we can work together? You supply us with a list of the top used brands/cells so that we can make sure we’re stocking the products you actually want, rather than just the ones we use and know work and in return we’ll provide a 10% off code for all products on the website?

Let me know what you think!’

So, if we could suggest some batteries brands/sizes for them to stock (that they don’t already) then we will get a 10% sitewide discount code for us to use. I must say I am getting nothing from this, I simply thought it may be worth asking for the UK members and possibly EU. They offer free postage to the UK. They also sell chargers, wraps etc.

Please post your suggestions below and I’ll try to update the first post with them, I’ll then forward it on and then they could choose which ones to stock for flashlight use.
Hopefully this will work out nicely for some members.
Thank you in advance. :smiley:

Rather than have everyone need to look what they already stock, here is what they already sell (hopefully I haven’t messed up sizes etc!)

26650
Efest 26650 4200 mAh 50A

20700
18650uk own brand INR20700 30A
Sanyo 20700B 4000mAh 15A
IJOY 20700 3000mAh 40A
Vapcell NCR20700 3200 mAh 30A

21700
Samsung 30T 21700 3100 mAh 35A
Vapcell 21700 3750 mAh 24A
Vapcell 21700 3960 mAh (40T) 30A
Vapcell 21700 4000 mAh (Sony VTC6A) 30A

18650
LG HB2 1500 mAh 30A
LG HB4 1500 mAh 30A
LG HB6 1500 mAh 30A
LG HG2 3000 mAh 15A
Samsung 25R 2500 mAh 20A
Samsung 30Q 3000 mAh 15A
Sony VTC5A 2600 mAh 25A
Sony VTC6 3000 mAh 15A
Vapcell 18650 2000 mAh 38A
Vapcell (VTC6A) 3000 mAh 25A
Vapcell (Sony VTC5D) 2800 mAh 25A

Suggestions-

Golisi 26650 (gold)
Keeppower 26650s
10180
Some quality 16340
Panasonic NCR18650b
Samsung 21700 40T
Sanyo UR14500P
Keepower P1835C2 18350
Klarus 18GT-36UR – unique for having USB charging port as well as 10A discharge rate
Klarus 18GT-LT29UR – USB charging low-temperature cell
Folomov 18650 – 18700 cell with a built-in powerbank (note: there are 2 cells with the same name, one has a powerbank and the other doesn’t)
Yong Deli 18350 – the best 18350 on the market
Samsung INR18650-36G – supposedly the highest capacity 18650 cell on the market
Samsung INR18650-20S – the highest discharge 18650 cell on the market
Panasonic NCR 18650F – low-temperature 18650 cell (most likely used in Klarus 18GT-LT29UR)
Samsung INR21700-30T – the highest discharge cell on the market
Lischen 21700 4000 mAh – superb cell for the price
Shockli 26650 4300mAh 30A/40A green
KeepPower 26650 4500mAh Protected
Shockli: 14500 660mAh – currently best 14500 available, can give around 5-7A with tolerable voltage sag. Also, it is better than Sanyo UR14500P capacity-wise, if used above 2A current (according to HKJ’s comparator)
26650 5500mAh – very good high capacity cell with stable 20A continuous current.
Keeppower: UH2660 – same as the Shockli 26650 5500mAh within a close margin – except, this has raised positive end, which makes them a good choice for 2×26650 lights like Convoy L6 and Sofirn’s new development SP70.
Samsung: 18650-24S (better than 20S, according to mooch’s test)
Imalent MRB-263P20 2000mAh 26350

Very nice move G0OSE!

  • Sony VTC6 (flat-top and button-top)
  • Samsung INR18650 30Q
  • Golisi 26650 (gold)
  • Keeppower 26650s
  • 10180
  • Some quality 16340

I will update this list as soon as I remember more

Very good idea. My suggestions would be:

Panasonic NCR18650b
Samsung 21700 40T
Sanyo UR14500P
Keepower P1835C2 18350

Klarus 18GT-36UR - unique for having USB charging port as well as 10A discharge rate
Klarus 18GT-LT29UR - USB charging low-temperature cell
Folomov 18650 - 18700 cell with a built-in powerbank (note: there are 2 cells with the same name, one has a powerbank and the other doesn’t)
Yong Deli 18350 - the best 18350 on the market
Samsung INR18650-36G - supposedly the highest capacity 18650 cell on the market
Samsung INR18650-20S - the highest discharge 18650 cell on the market
Panasonic NCR 18650F - low-temperature 18650 cell (most likely used in Klarus 18GT-LT29UR)
ADDED:
Samsung INR21700-30T - the highest discharge cell on the market
Lischen 21700 4000 mAh - superb cell for the price

That is great news. TBH I’d rather pay VAT and get the cells locally. VAT avoidance bothers me.

Shockli 26650 4300mAh 30A/40A green.
This one —> Test/review of Shockli 26650 4300mAh (Green) 2018

KeepPower 26650 5200mAh Protected. I only have two. Need a second set for my Convoy L6. This is the battery Convoy recommend for the L6.

Samsung 30Q. — I’ve got plenty at the moment but I use this cell more than any other.

I would buy 4 quality protected 18650s. A couple of my lights don’t have any low voltage protection. At the moment I’m using unprotected 30Qs in just about all of them. I don’t have a specific cell in mind. I suppose a protected Samsung 30Q, 36G or NCR18650B. High capacity and moderate current would be better as none of the lights I would put a protected cell in need a high current battery.

Thanks guys for the help so far, keep it coming lol. They do already have some of the cells you are suggesting - I have now updated the OP with the ones they already stock.

I’d add these:

from Shockli:
“14500 660mAh - currently best 14500 available, can give around 5-7A with tolerable voltage sag. Also, it is better than Sanyo UR14500P capacity-wise, if used above 2A current (according to HKJ’s comparator)
26650 5500mAh - very good high capacity cell with stable 20A continuous current.

from Keeppower:
UH2660 - same as the Shockli 26650 5500mAh within a close margin - except, this has raised positive end, which makes them a good choice for 2×26650 lights like Convoy L6 and Sofirn’s new development SP70.

from Samsung:
18650-24S (better than 20S, according to mooch’s test)

I’ll edit this post later, if I will have further suggestions.

I have used this supplier and find them excellent to deal with.
Please add.
Imalent MRB-263P20 2000mAh 26350

Thanks again, updated. :smiley:

I’m from the UK and mostly use

VTC5A button and flat
VTC6 button and flat
Samsung 30Q button and flat
Aspire 1200mah 18350

A year ago those 18650’s were all readily available in the UK/Europe with button top, but now they are a b to find and Banggood always seem to cancel my 30Q orders without reason.

Some notes on the entries:
I see that 24S is better than 20S according to Mooch. OTOH 20S is better according to HKJ.
Aspire 18350 uses Yong Deli cell. So does Keepower P1835C2, though IIRC this one adds protection circuit.
ADDED

Shockli is avaliable as both flat and button top. Button top should be just as good as UH2660.
ADDED:
No, 24S is not better than 20S in Mooch test:

Hello everyone!!

Thank you very much for the time you’ve all given above.

A fair majority of the cells initially suggested are already readily available on the website, but some are being requested in button top (unprotected) format which isn’t an issue, we can solve that.

I should probably state that while cells/batteries aren’t new to us, protected cells for torches/lasers are and as above, we dont have a huge understanding of the most popular ones. Goose got in touch asking for a discount code for you all, so i thought it might be worth while providing you with a code for things you might actually want to buy!

18650UK is primarily a wholesale distributor. Whilst we do have a retail website, the majority of our business/my time is taken up with sourcing, supplying for and consulting on electric vehicles, Motorsport prototyping, military/aerospace and the ebike/personal transport industry. Because of this, we have a pretty good handle on global cell movement and can normally track pretty much anything down.

Ive made a note of the cells in the list above that we dont already have and will look to get hold of them for you all as and when i can squeeze them into shipments!

Thanks again,

Ben
Sales and Technical Director
18650UK

Hello, I am rather skeptical about the fact that you could get any cell model, because I think of the Samsung INR18650-24S cited several times previously for example, I personally contact a number of recognized suppliers in Asia ( Vapcell, Efest, QueenBattery, Voltaplex, etc … too long is the list to be all cited) because it’s been a long time (over a year) that I try to get them with their original wraps of the brand Samsung, but even in rewrap (Vapcell Purple 18650 2400mAh 30A), and I always get the same answer in a few words: We asked for it, but we have no answer on the delays or even the quantities that will be delivered.
The only thing I’ve learned is a rumor so I do not know if you really need to take it seriously, that one or the wireless power tool manufacturers would book them all from Samsung so grab them the full production of 24S, after that is only one so I repeat: to take with reservations.

We cant guarantee to get “any cell”, but we have over the years built a well qualified list of suppliers along with the factories themselves.

The 24S wasnt designated for powertool use. Due to a strict NDA we cant specify exactly what it was made for, but its not that. Neither was the 20S, nor the rumoured 25S production run. Thats not to say that they might not end up there however. The Sony VTC5D was a Murata tweak of the VTC5A specifically for Dyson, but that hasnt stopped them popping up elsewhere…

Edit - The issue youre having is that you are contacting companies who rewrap new to market cells and sell them at an inflated cost in order to push their brand. They routinely lie about stock. Ijoy did this last year. They claimed the cell under the wrap of their 5 leg positive 20700 (the Molicel INR20700A) was impossible to get. I was sitting on 3000+. Ijoy wanted $8 per cell (before shipping and taxes) with an MOQ of 2000. I was selling the original cell from under their wrap for £5 inc VAT in the UK at the time. Largely because we have the connections, but also because these companies lie to Europe to extort huge markups on their re-wrapped versions. Don’t fall for it.

There’s a nice 3500mAh protected 18650 from EagTac / EagleTac that I like, because it can handle 10A continuous discharge before the protection trips. It’s based on the NCR18650GA and keeps the width & length down, so it fits a lot of 18650 lights.

We happen to have that cell, but from Keeppower instead :wink:

https://18650.uk/product/keeppower-18650-10a-protected/

Somehow I missed that you had the protected Keeppower 18650 cells in stock. That fills my previous request for a protected high capacity 18650.

You are missing some high capacity cells that you must have :
LG MJ1
Samsung 35E
Sanyo GA
LG M36
Panasonic PF

26650 protected Keeppower 6000 mAh
26650 unprotected Keeppower 6000 mAh

Looking at Keeppower website, The 6000mAh P2660C is 28.6 x 69mm.

The 6000mAh is a tight fit in a Convoy L6. The recommended 5200mAh P2652C is 26.5 x 69.5mm.