How trustworthy are Sofirn batteries?

[TimMc]

Sofirn 26650 HD Battery 25A Button Top, Rewrapped PLB Cell

[JasonWW]

@niajef

i mean, it literally says that right on their site , even the ones that come with lights , are you saying they straight up lying? they dont say anything for their 18650s, and other manufacturers dont do this either, so i dont see why they would go out of their way to do this if its not true?

We may be confusing the batteries. Their 5000mah HD 25A cell is a different version. They have 2 different 5000mah cells.

The regular 5000mah (and 5500mah) that are flat top (looks like button top is a new option) are not HD and have no amperage rating.

Then they have their newer 25A HD cell.

PLB stopped producing the 5500 that was so great and now produce a 5000 that is a bit less impressive. Don’t ask me why they stepped backwards.

I don’t think Sofirn said anything about their Heavy Duty 25A 5000mah being an actual PLB cell when they came out. They are definitely saying it now, at least on that Sofirn website. I checked their Ali store and there is no mention of PLB at all. I got a pair of these HD cells when they first came out and they are pretty impressive.

I have not gotten any of the new 5000mah PLB cells to compare them to. I also haven’t read any reviews comparing these 2 cells to each other.

So I dont know if the 25A HD are PLB rewraps or not.

Their other black 26650 is definitely not a PLB rewrap.

[niajef]

@Funtastic

Looks like they’ve just recently switched. The flat top PLB wouldn’t connect in series and so their factory rewrapped them and added a button top.

Might of been helpful to drop a link right from the start since the PLB button top has just been released by them. Jason was talking about the previous Sofirn 26650’s that came spec’d at 5000mAh and 5500mAh

oh ya im not aware of that, i literally came into the flashlight scene like 2 weeks ago, so i just assumed sofirns been doing this for a while

[TimMc]

@Funtastic

I personally wouldn’t charge at 2A for a cell that has no datasheet. I no longer use Sofirn batteries, I stick to the big brands

Ah. I had assumed that there would be a datasheet and some independent tests when I got the BLF LT1 kit. :person_facepalming:

Perhaps I should get a few more Sanyo NCR18650GA.

I’ll see how these go… don’t want to waste them.

[niajef]

@JasonWW

@niajef

i mean, it literally says that right on their site , even the ones that come with lights , are you saying they straight up lying? they dont say anything for their 18650s, and other manufacturers dont do this either, so i dont see why they would go out of their way to do this if its not true?

We may be confusing the batteries. Their 5000mah HD 25A cell is a different version. They have 2 different 5000mah cells.

The regular 5000mah (and 5500mah) that are flat top (looks like button top is a new option) are not HD and have no amperage rating.

Then they have their newer 25A HD cell.

PLB stopped producing the 5500 that was so great and now produce a 5000 that is a bit less impressive. Don’t ask me why they stepped backwards.

I don’t think Sofirn said anything about their Heavy Duty 25A 5000mah being an actual PLB cell when they came out. They are definitely saying it now, at least on that Sofirn website. I checked their Ali store and there is no mention of PLB at all. I got a pair of these HD cells when they first came out and they are pretty impressive.

I have not gotten any of the new 5000mah PLB cells to compare them to. I also haven’t read any reviews comparing these 2 cells to each other.

So I dont know if the 25A HD are PLB rewraps or not.

Their other black 26650 is definitely not a PLB rewrap.

im a little confused, actually very confused.

first, i dont know what you mean by their regular 5000mah that are flat top and looks like button top, are they selling that? i only see one battery option on their site, and its 25A HD, which they claim to be PLB, and 5000mah. wheres this regular one you’re talking about?

second, the one i got says 5500mah on the wrap. and i checked amazon.ca description, thats where i got them, they came with sp70. and it doesnt say PLB wrapped, it just says “(Sofirn 26650 5500mAh Button top batteries included).”
but on their own website, the sp70 listing does say it comes with PLB wrapped 26650, but it doesnt say the capacity. so does this mean the ones that come from amazon are the “regular” ones you’re talking about? and only if i buy them separately, or buy sp70 from their website, it comes with PLB cells?

i think im gonna need to have a word with their customer service and clear the air…

[PiercingTheDarkness]

@TimMc

@Funtastic

I personally wouldn’t charge at 2A for a cell that has no datasheet. I no longer use Sofirn batteries, I stick to the big brands

Ah. I had assumed that there would be a datasheet and some independent tests when I got the BLF LT1 kit. :person_facepalming:

Perhaps I should get a few more Sanyo NCR18650GA.

I’ll see how these go… don’t want to waste them.

Oh, if you’re charging them inside the LT1, they’ll be fine since it’s not 2A per battery, only 0.5A

[niajef]

@TimMc

@Funtastic

I personally wouldn’t charge at 2A for a cell that has no datasheet. I no longer use Sofirn batteries, I stick to the big brands

Ah. I had assumed that there would be a datasheet and some independent tests when I got the BLF LT1 kit. :person_facepalming:

Perhaps I should get a few more Sanyo NCR18650GA.

I’ll see how these go… don’t want to waste them.

or u can just leave s4+ on auto and let it do its thing…

[JasonWW]

@TimMc

@Funtastic

I personally wouldn’t charge at 2A for a cell that has no datasheet. I no longer use Sofirn batteries, I stick to the big brands

Ah. I had assumed that there would be a datasheet and some independent tests when I got the BLF LT1 kit. :person_facepalming:

Perhaps I should get a few more Sanyo NCR18650GA.

I’ll see how these go… don’t want to waste them.

OEM cells from Molicel, Samsung, Panasonic, Sanyo, LG and Sony are the best. You always get accurate data sheets.

General rule of thumb is the higher drain cells can also take the fastest charging. Standard charge for GA is 1.67A. So they are probably okay at 2A.

I tend to use a lot of 30Q and I always charge them at 2A. It’s not an issue at all for them. Rapid charge for 30Q is 4A.

[PiercingTheDarkness]

@niajef

im a little confused, actually very confused.

first, i dont know what you mean by their regular 5000mah that are flat top and looks like button top, are they selling that? i only see one battery option on their site, and its 25A HD, which they claim to be PLB, and 5000mah. wheres this regular one you’re talking?

second, the one i got says 5500mah on the wrap. and i checked amazon.ca description, thats where i got them, they came with sp70. and it doesnt say PLB wrapped, it just says “(Sofirn 26650 5500mAh Button top batteries included).”
but on their own website, the sp70 listing does say it comes with PLB wrapped 26650, but it doesnt say the capacity. so does this mean the ones that come from amazon are the “regular” ones you’re talking about? and only if i buy them separately, or buy sp70 from their website, it comes with PLB cells?

i think im gonna need to have a word with their customer service and clear the air…

The AliExpress store does not mention that their 26650’s (here and here) are PLB rewraps, only Sofirn’s website says that.

The ones you received are the older version, not PLB

I hate how Sofirn have rated the PLB rewrap at 25A when they’re only 10A. For continuous they are 10A but only short pulse current at 15 - 25A. It’s a marketing tactic

[PiercingTheDarkness]

@niajef

are you saying they straight up lying? they dont say anything for their 18650s, and other manufacturers dont do this either, so i dont see why they would go out of their way to do this if its not true?

I can tell you one thing, they aren’t being truthful that the SP70 outputs 7000 lumens using them. I can’t get higher than 6000 with bypassed springs, factory they are 5200, and using the old Sofirn 26650 they are 4800.

Sofirn said 7000 lumens with their old HD 26650’s but tested to be no higher than the non HD ones.

[TimMc]

@Funtastic

Oh, if you’re charging them inside the LT1, they’ll be fine since it’s not 2A per battery, only 0.5A

Does the LT1 balance the cells when charging?

[niajef]

@Funtastic

@niajef

im a little confused, actually very confused.

first, i dont know what you mean by their regular 5000mah that are flat top and looks like button top, are they selling that? i only see one battery option on their site, and its 25A HD, which they claim to be PLB, and 5000mah. wheres this regular one you’re talking?

second, the one i got says 5500mah on the wrap. and i checked amazon.ca description, thats where i got them, they came with sp70. and it doesnt say PLB wrapped, it just says “(Sofirn 26650 5500mAh Button top batteries included).”
but on their own website, the sp70 listing does say it comes with PLB wrapped 26650, but it doesnt say the capacity. so does this mean the ones that come from amazon are the “regular” ones you’re talking about? and only if i buy them separately, or buy sp70 from their website, it comes with PLB cells?

i think im gonna need to have a word with their customer service and clear the air…

The AliExpress store does not mention that their 26650’s (here and here) are PLB rewraps, only Sofirn’s website says that.

The ones you received are the older version, not PLB

I hate how Sofirn have rated the PLB rewrap at 25A when they’re only 10A. For continuous they are 10A but only short pulse current at 15 - 25A. It’s a marketing tactic

they dont, but the 5000 one seems to match the description of the PLB ones on their site, because it does say “continuous discharge”, so either they are 25A, or its straight up false advertising.

[JasonWW]

@niajef

@JasonWW

@niajef

i mean, it literally says that right on their site , even the ones that come with lights , are you saying they straight up lying? they dont say anything for their 18650s, and other manufacturers dont do this either, so i dont see why they would go out of their way to do this if its not true?

We may be confusing the batteries. Their 5000mah HD 25A cell is a different version. They have 2 different 5000mah cells.

The regular 5000mah (and 5500mah) that are flat top (looks like button top is a new option) are not HD and have no amperage rating.

Then they have their newer 25A HD cell.

PLB stopped producing the 5500 that was so great and now produce a 5000 that is a bit less impressive. Don’t ask me why they stepped backwards.

I don’t think Sofirn said anything about their Heavy Duty 25A 5000mah being an actual PLB cell when they came out. They are definitely saying it now, at least on that Sofirn website. I checked their Ali store and there is no mention of PLB at all. I got a pair of these HD cells when they first came out and they are pretty impressive.

I have not gotten any of the new 5000mah PLB cells to compare them to. I also haven’t read any reviews comparing these 2 cells to each other.

So I dont know if the 25A HD are PLB rewraps or not.

Their other black 26650 is definitely not a PLB rewrap.

im a little confused, actually very confused.

first, i dont know what you mean by their regular 5000mah that are flat top and looks like button top, are they selling that? i only see one battery option on their site, and its 25A HD, which they claim to be PLB, and 5000mah. wheres this regular one you’re talking?

second, the one i got says 5500mah on the wrap. and i checked amazon.ca description, thats where i got them, they came with sp70. and it doesnt say PLB wrapped, it just says “(Sofirn 26650 5500mAh Button top batteries included).”
but on their own website, the sp70 listing does say it comes with PLB wrapped 26650, but it doesnt say the capacity. so does this mean the ones that come from amazon are the “regular” ones you’re talking about? and only if i buy them separately, or buy sp70 from their website, it comes with PLB cells?

i think im gonna need to have a word with their customer service and clear the air…

The ad for the SP70 mentions PLB, but it does not say anything about Sofirns battery being a PLB. So I would ignore that. The wording is vague.

Check Sofirns AliExpress store. It should have all their products.

Sofirn Official Store - Amazing products with exclusive discounts on AliExpress

I see 4 different listings for 26650 batteries.

The 5000mah 25A HD

An actual PLB 5000mah (blue wrapper)

Their standard 5500mah

Their standard 5000mah

It has been a while since I’ve checked their store.

Seeing as how they are stocking actual PLB 5000mah cells, I am inclined to believe that their current 25A HD cells are rewrapped, button topped versions of this cell. It’s not proof, but seems highly likely.

[niajef]

@Funtastic

@niajef

are you saying they straight up lying? they dont say anything for their 18650s, and other manufacturers dont do this either, so i dont see why they would go out of their way to do this if its not true?

I can tell you one thing, they aren’t being truthful that the SP70 outputs 7000 lumens using them. I can’t get higher than 6000 with bypassed springs, factory they are 5200, and using the old Sofirn 26650 they are 4800.

Sofirn said 7000 lumens with their old HD 26650’s but tested to be no higher than the non HD ones.

well that i never trusted in the first place, u always take marketing with a grain of salt, if they only claim it “CAN be”, then i just take that as, ya most likely not, but maybe in ideal or theoretical situation, they can be, by their own method of calculation. lol

[TimMc]

@niajef

or u can just leave s4+ on auto and let it do its thing…

I wish. But the S4+ sometimes automatically selects a charging current that’s too high for a cell.

E.g. It has selected 1-1.5 A for 10440, 14500 and 18350 cells. I switch to manual mode and use 250mA, 500mA and 500mA instead.

I wonder if it’d try 3A for these 18650’s… :weary:

[JasonWW]

@TimMc

@Funtastic

Oh, if you’re charging them inside the LT1, they’ll be fine since it’s not 2A per battery, only 0.5A

Does the LT1 balance the cells when charging?

Cells are in parallel so they are always balanced.

[niajef]

@JasonWW

The ad for the SP70 mentions PLB, but it does not say anything about Sofirns battery being a PLB. So I would ignore that. The wording is vague.

Check Sofirns AliExpress store. It should have all their products.

Sofirn Official Store - Amazing products with exclusive discounts on AliExpress

I see 4 different listings for 26650 batteries.

The 5000mah 25A HD

An actual PLB 5000mah (blue wrapper)

Their standard 5500mah

Their standard 5000mah

It has been a while since I’ve checked their store.

Seeing as how they are stocking actual PLB 5000mah cells, I am inclined to believe that their current 25A HD cells are rewrapped, button topped versions of this cell. It’s not proof, but seems highly likely.

well their sp70 listing says “You are buying SP70 KIT with 26650 Batteries(rewrapped PLB cells), choose 5000K or 6500K.” i dont think thats vague at all, thats straight up telling us, yes we are sending you the flashlight with PLB cells wrapped with our name.

also, where are you seeing 4 listing in their own store? i see none, i only see them, and the blue ones you mentioned, in “E-battery store”

[niajef]

@TimMc

@niajef

or u can just leave s4+ on auto and let it do its thing…

I wish. But the S4+ sometimes automatically selects a charging current that’s too high for a cell.

E.g. It has selected 1-1.5 A for 10440, 14500 and 18350 cells. I switch to manual mode and use 250mA, 500mA and 500mA instead.

I wonder if it’d try 3A for these 18650’s… :weary:

ah whatever, im too lazy to figure all that out, im counting on it to make the best decision for me, if sometimes it screws up, then it is what it is. batteries are consumables anyway, if i can get a few yrs of life out of them, ill be happy

[JasonWW]

@niajef

well their sp70 listing says “You are buying SP70 KIT with 26650 Batteries(rewrapped PLB cells), choose 5000K or 6500K.” i dont think thats vague at all, thats straight up telling us, yes we are sending you the flashlight with PLB cells wrapped with our name.

also, where are you seeing 4 listing in their own store? i see none, i only see them, and the blue ones you mentioned, in “E-battery store”

I used his link. It shows this picture.

Ah, I was looking at the yellow highlighted part.

Now I see the upper part. Yes, they are saying the cells it comes with are PLB rewrapped which should be the 25A HD ones. My bad.

Are those the cells it ships with or did they send the wrong ones?

I posted a link to their flashlight store. Thats where I see 4 different 26650.

(Gotta go for a while.)

[niajef]

@JasonWW

@niajef

well their sp70 listing says “You are buying SP70 KIT with 26650 Batteries(rewrapped PLB cells), choose 5000K or 6500K.” i dont think thats vague at all, thats straight up telling us, yes we are sending you the flashlight with PLB cells wrapped with our name.

also, where are you seeing 4 listing in their own store? i see none, i only see them, and the blue ones you mentioned, in “E-battery store”

I used his link. It shows this picture.

Ah, I was looking at the yellow highlighted part.

Now I see the upper part. Yes, they are saying the cells it comes with are PLB rewrapped which should be the 25A HD ones. My bad.

Are those the cells it ships with or did they send the wrong ones?

I posted a link to their flashlight store. Thats where I see 4 different 26650.

(Gotta go for a while.)

That’s the thing, i dont know! because this sp70 listing on their site doesnt specify the capacity, it just says PLB wrapped. and on amazon, it only says capacity, 5500mah, does not say PLB. so theres no conflict with the two listing at all. it could very well be 5500mah PLB cells, they just missed a piece of information in each listing. and then they have their own separate battery listing for 5000mah PLB. god this is so confusing.