Im looking for really budget cells, not much more expensive than Trustfire flames 
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.
I also got rather good TF3000. Bought them a while back. But after all the reports from users with worse cells even from MF, I wont buy them again. HiMax or XTAR are good. If I remember correctly, HKJ has some HiMax in his queue.
Oh, and if you only have single cell lights without boost driver, stick to 2600mAh cells. The voltage of most cells with higher capacity drops faster, so you get less runtime.
Those Panasonic CGR cells dont have much capacity, and their voltage drops rather quick.
IMR or high-drain cells like the Panasonic CGR are only really good for applications where you need 5A+ discharge.
I currently own 4 TF3000, 2 HiMax 2600 and 2 LG D1 3000: http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/LG%2018650%20D1%203000mAh%20%28Pink%29%20UK.html
I only charge them to 4.2V but those are great cells.
Ok, this is for me relevant diagram
SO, XTAR’s 2600mAh have almost the same discharge curve as those HIMAX 2600mAh
(huh, its hard to insert image from that website, but Ive managed via tinyurl )
Correct.
Thanx nightcrawl, your previous commnent is valuable for me (although I dont understand it 100, maybe 90 but thats wenough I think )
Ill buy than XTAR or HiMaxes, depending of the price, and Ill buy CGR or IMR if I maybe get some newer version of lavatube without 2,5A limit
If you are buying Trustfire 300mAh, you need to check that they have the 5A pcb, Trustfire make them with three different pcbs.
It also sees to be the same cell as the 2400mAh, both tested at jaround 2600mAh 1A. The Trustfireb 3000mAh get really hot hen a high current is drawn. Check the comparison below, surface battery temperature constant 15W power, 5A max.
Panasonic CGR18650CH – 35.8 deg C
Samsung INR 18650-15Q – 34.6 deg C
Sanyo UR18650W2 – 31.7 deg C
Panasonic NCR18650A – 33.7 deg C
Trustfire 3000mAh 2C – 48.1 deg C
AW IMR 2000mAh – 34.9 deg C
AW IMR 1600mAh – 28.9 deg C
I included the Trustfire to see how a standard Li-Ion chemistry would compare, and the Panasonic NCR18550A to see how effective their Heat Reducing Layer is – pretty effective I would say.
Those Samsung look a good price, but they need to be charged to 4.35v and drained to 2.5v to achieve 3000mAh, Realistically they are about 2800mAh.
Who knows, maybe Ill get one or 2 samsung (but I dont need a dozen of them :o ), I can charge them to 4,35 at my hobby charger, but who knows…
I wonder what is their discharge curve…
I wont give any money for 3000 TF flames because its too much of a gamble (only if I’ll get warranted capacity and PCB quality from some website, if someone from few good webstores confirms me wich cell I will get - but I dont want to bother with that too much.).
I found reliable supllier for TF 2400 and Im buying these for some flashlights (I mean, its a gamble with 2400 also, and 3000 are higher priced and its also a gamble, and I dont want to take it at that price, and to find reliable supplier for some good TF3000, if thats possible at all now, need time and effort etc. SO for these better quality protected Ill go with XTAR or HiMAX. For lower but still reliable quality and capacity there are these good TF2400. And for even lower quality but very good price-value ratio I’ve found Ultrafire 2400 protected - real capacity around 2000 - from DD 5,99 a pair, wiuth coupons etc 5,0$ If I get what I ordered :o) And they even have less voltage sag than most TF flames)
Will you buy hundreds of cells or why the hassle with the cheap ones? :P
Which Samsung cells are you talking about?
I dont know, those from link in first post (but thats to big quantity, I need two pcs max of those. When I posted them, I didnt knew that they had to be charged to 4,35 for full capacity. And they are also not protected so not suitable for most of my applications).
I hassle with cheap ones because they are cheaper 
If you really want unprotected cells, get the pink ones from LG. But I think HiMax for under 6$/pc are not worth any compromise or hassle. :)
Check here for discharge curves of Xtar 2600mAh and Samsung 3000mAh (with pcb added by Keeppower):
http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/batteries_21.html
The Trustfire 3000mAh and 2400mAh I just tested were almost identical apart from the pcb - the 2400 cut off at under 4A.
Hopefully they will be on the blog at the weekend.
@nightcrawl
Yeeeei, voice of reason, thanx (Ill go with himax for sure, if I dont get XTARs for dollar cheaper per piece. We’ll see.
PS: BTWm, if you wont best bang (mAh_) for a buck, Ultrafire protected 2400mAh are far superior to anything Thay have cca 2000mAh per 2,5-3 bucks from dinodirect (if they really send you these cells, I ordered a coupls so Ill see - I say to you, they are better than most TF flames 2400mAh out there, only PCB is little weaker, cant stand 3A)
@torchy, too many diagrams, I browsed through cca 20 of them and than I quit :o
Good quality Ultrafire are few and far between. You end up wasting a lot of money trying to find decent quality. I know, I’ve done it. That’s why I started the blog, to save others from wasting their money.
I know that, but I stumbled on it accidentally
Yesterday I r/eceived 12 HiMax 2600mAh from pingyi ebay seller.
They look great and I was thrilled to have them.
But now I started discharge test and Im quite dissapointed.
I have iMax B6 hobby charger from Dinodirect. I put 1A discharge to 2,8V (from 4,15V).
In 20 seconds voltage droped to 3,62, and in 1 minute it dropped to 3,59. (same as trustfie flames, but some very bad ultrafire can have little better voltage sag).
Now 5 mins past and its 3,51 (6 mins and its still 3,51V; 11mins its 3,45V)
So results are totally inconsistent with diagram I found on this website.
Can someone comment on what happened?
(I will uptate here with final results)
I wonder this now, because I was about to order six cells from this seller.
Capacity 1980maH to 3,0V (@ 1A) (I set discharge to 2,8V so it still lasts)
Not bad regarding capacity, but I expected to get very littly voltage sag like on that diagram I liked.
Now I dont know in what to doubt: cells, my equipment or my understanding of it all
But, I used that hobby charger lot of times and these results are not very dissimilar with results I get with good Trustfire flames (2400mAh)
I wonder did anybody else, with better equipment, ordered them recently…