Hello everyone!
Its been a while, but we’ve not forgotten all of the help we had this time last year when we were looking at new products to hold in UK stock for our closest customers.
On the back of advice from the forum users, we expanded the range a little, taking care to balance performance against price. More recently, I’ve been gathering up cells to run some tests on, pull apart and see just what you’ve/we’ve all been paying for and the sad truth is, its not a lot. I’ve detailed a lot of it in a blog post here - https://18650.uk/unbranded-protected-cells-from-18650-uk/ (That’s one of my airsoft torches in the photo )
The simple fact is, there is a huge range of manufacturers, brands and prices but only a finite number of cells suitable for use in torches and everyone is effectively doing the same thing. Taking an OEM cell, placing a protection circuit on it, putting it in a new wrap, and selling it. Some (most) of them go as far to place a ludicrous price on them, and then come up with come marketing “fluff” to justify it. Its just fluff.
Here’s a worst case example - While researching, i found a 3500mAh 18650 battery on a UK website make by “Fenix”. Its of course not made by them but re-wrapped. The price was circa £25. Our LG MJ1 equivalent, with the same performance characteristics, is £5.45. Delivered.
Im keen to continue on this path, so if there are any commonly used cells you cant see on our torch page (https://18650.uk/shop/torch-batteries/) that you want to see at a more reasonable price, please do let us know. We have the facilities in house to add button tops and protection to any of the cells we currently stock in 18650 format. Im just waiting on finalisation of the 26650, 20700 and 21700 protection circuit designs in order to offer these too.
Again, thank you to the forum users for the assistance in helping us, better serve you! Dont forget, the BLF10 discount code still exists!
Ben - Sales Director.
EDIT - If anyone would like some direct comparisons drawn, i have run fill discharge tests on all of the products we have just launched and compiled them in the individual product datasheets. Pop me an email to wholesale@18650.uk and ill gladly fire them over to you.