Best deal for a dozen or so of good quality 18650s - INTERNATIONALLY

Now Im in temptation to buy this http://www.ebay.com/itm/12PCS-Samsung-Core-18650-3000mAh-Li-ion-battery-/320937767424?\_trksid=e11012.m444&\_trkparms=algo%3DCRX%26its%3DI%252BC%252BS%26itu%3DSI%252BUA%252BLM%252BLA%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D694224580266995775&\_qi=RTM839983

Is it a good buy?
That would be my most expensive and first better quality battery (until now Trustfire flames were the top :o)

What are characteristics of these batts, and would I be better of to by some Panassonics or samsung from buyincoins?? Redirect Notice
Hmm, now I see these ebay ones are unprotected, but are cheaper than on buyincoins and higher capacity.

But for protected ones I think this is a best deal for a dozen? No? http://www.ebay.com/itm/12pcs-18650-2600mAh-Protected-Li-ion-Battery-3-7V-/220944817348?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item3371565cc4

Its 5,25$ a piece, including shipping

Best deal high-cap would be the Trustfire Flames 3000mAh. They just love to be gunned at 3-5A so is pretty good for high current applications….check out the reviews.

Aha, thanx (I wont check the reviews, I will trust you :smiley: )

Whats the best price for originals?

In fact I dont really know what I wont.
I just wanted some better batteries maybe, less voltage sag, higher capacity. (I think Ill check reviews after all :smiley: )
And I also need maybe 2 for lavatube when I get it, but those are not so high currents. I dont need them for some very high currents, directly driven XML (3,5A?) is the top of my needs

Hmm, but now I think its a big lotter with them.
As someone said in review topic Test / review: TrustFire TF18650 3000mAh (Flame) , he tested them about 2100-2200 MAh (until 3,0V)

So Im little hesitant.
DId you bought them recently? Regurarly?

I recently purchased some of the trustfire flames 3000mah from Manafont, they will not pull as many amps as my SolarForce 18650’s. The MF flames pull about 2.7a and the SF pull about 3.3a in my L2 with the high power XML drop-in. Granted the flames are only on there second cycle and I have read the some batteries work better after they are cycled more but I am not very impressed at all with the Flames from MF.
Just my 2cents

Looks like they did drop after HKJ’s test.

I like Samsung batteries (I use some older 2400mAh (maybe 3 years old) and they work fine.

But please notice, this Samsung are the 30A version - you have to charge them to 4,35V to have the full capacity. A normal charge ends on 4,2V and if you have not a hobby charger you couldn’t take the benefit of the 3000mAh. The 28A version needs 4,3V.
If you have a normal charger the 26D/F would be a better purchase.

More information:
http://samsungsdi.com/battery/cylindrical-rechargeable-battery.jsp

I use the flame 3000’s and they’re good…no clue about newer ones but all the ones I have pull great numbers and seem to have capacity…hell they allow 5.2a in my Dry for the first few seconds…

also you can get sanyo 2600’s for like 6.40$ a piece…unprotected though…

http://www.intl-outdoor.com/2-pcs-sanyo-18650-2600mah-liion-battery-p-135.html

Than I dont want Samsung’s anymore.

And, now when we established that TF 300mAh are not what they used to be, what would be the best deal?

Himax, XTAR, something else?? I mean best bang for the price, best features, suitable for most applications etc. Looking for really budget price.

bestvaping.net sell Xtar 2600mah (Sanyo based) cells for $4.33 each + shipping. They quoted me under $10 shipping for 4 cells which seems a really good deal.

They have protected Panasonic 2900s for $5.32 as well.

You mean under $20 for 4 cells??

$30 with shipping.

HiMax and XTAR are best bang for the buck atm.

Sorry, I meant under $10 shipping for the 4 cells on top of the $4.33 each. So it comes out well under $30 for 4.

I think it is important to know, what you will do with the batteries. The HiMax and XTAR should be good (I have the older 2600mAh of XTAR with the red letters, not the new purple), but if you need short batteries (with a lenght of 65-66mm) you couldn’t use them.

If you have a flashlight with a built-in low voltage protection you can use unprotected batteries without a problem. If it hasn’t a built-in low voltage protection but you know your flashlight well and notice, when the voltage is under 3,4 (recognise brightness), you don’t need a protected one.

If you use flashlights with more as one battery, I would alsways select protected cells.

I would buy 2-3 unprotected batteries (if you need batteries with 65-66mm and which have power also on direct drive) for example Sanyo / Samsung 2600mAh or 2900mAh Panasonic and 5-6 protected for example the HiMax, XTAR.

A few month ago (5-6) I bought good Trustfire 3000mAh, but if they sell the same charge, I don’t know?

I need them mostly protected, and I will need a pair or two of unprotected for lavatube when I get it (it will probably be lavatube with 2,5A limit; lavatube needs shorter batts, but its no problem to remove protection circuit than… cause it has low voltage protection…)

I wuld also buy Trustfire 3000mAh if I knew they are good (but as we all hear their qualitxy went down recently; regardless of that I wonder did they ghave working low voltage protection - because on most trustfires I have low-voltage protection is not working…)

It somehow seems more difficult to me to chose batteries than to chose flashlight :o

I really love this graph, I like that voltage sag is not big, sao it would even be vey good to use it in my Joyetech 18650 tube mode (its essentially direct drive), and in directly driven flashlights.


Most of the batts I currently own sag to 3,6V in one or 2 minutes of 1A discharge (and these are better ones :slight_smile: )
And these haved almost 3,9V after 30 mins!!! That is huuuge difference, no?

Can somebody find identical graph for XTAR’s 2600mAh cells from well-known deal topic?

I wonder how they compare to Himax.

Capacity of both cells, as I read, is roughly the same, though HiMax cells often test with little highercapacity (50-100mAh)

Those Himax I can get for 5,25$ if I buy 12 of them

PS: For non ecperts it is, I think, really difficult to make some real sense of many reviews and diagrams in them. With me its like that. So this could be a good topic with a few meaningful, most important diagrams for best deal flashlights :slight_smile:

they are decent, but my xtar 2600’s dont fit in everything (l2p is my most popular light that it wont fit into) and also dont put out that much power on a direct drive light. usually a good .5-1 amp less draw on my manafont uf 3mode xml than my imr’s or panasonic cgr’s.
they are a little too fat and long for only 2600mah with an average discharge rate imo. decent price if you got a current regulated light but then again id just go with a 3100mah unprotected panasonic if i had current regulation and over discharge protection.

Im looking for really budget cells, not much more expensive than Trustfire flames :slight_smile:

I think I will realy go with himax than.

And I maybe buy only too of some more expensive, higher capacity ones Pannasonic from buyincoins or something.

I think himax discharge curve is rather good, no?

PSX: Where doyou get your Pannasonic CGRs?

Which XTAR 2600mAh do you use (purple or red) and which L2p version (a new version or an older)?

My XTAR 2600mAh (red letters) fit without any problem in my blue L2p (ordered March 2012).

@ecig: Here is a link to a discharge curve of the XTAR (it’s the homepage of our battery and charger genius HKJ):

http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Xtar%2018700%202600mAh%20(Black)%20UK.html

He hasn’t tested the HiMax, but a lot of other batteries (for example, AW, Redilast, Keeppower and also Trustfire, some bad Ultrafire). I bought my Trustfire 3000mAh 1-2 weeks after HKJ review and maybe I have some luck and got the same charge as he did.
I have read some articles, that the newer quality should be decreased.