Latest batch of Himax 18650 cells are recycled laptop batteries?

This is truly bad news.

I got a bit concerned reading Ecig’s post here about poor measured capacity from his Himax cells, so I got round to testing the batch of 12 that I got.

The test results are nothing like HKJ’s review

Since the Himax are actually fairly expensive cells (you can get unprotected new Sanyo 2600s for the same price as these), I am obviously very upset about it and started examining the batteries more closely, and found that under a good light you can make out through the white shrink wrap that the underlying cells are indeed either Sony US18650GR and Sanyo MEHM4CA cells.

If anyone knows of how they can be photographed without destroying the shrink wrap please do let me know. Quite obviously, through the white outer wrap the resultant text has an extremely low contrast, and I can’t seem to photograph them without blowing them out :frowning:

I am very upset with this. There is still about 10 days left for me to file a dispute on this through Paypal. I simply find the quality I got from this lot of batteries to be on par with recycled laptop cells. In some cases, they are even the old laptop cells that I discard. Definitely not worth $60 for a dozen.

Finishing up on tests for the last 3 cells, discharge curves will follow soon.

Try a different color of light, or a night-vision shot from a camcorder (if available)

Either may help with reading the underlying text.

I just bought a dozen of these from this seller on Aug 8th of this month. He just sent me a tracking # saying they shipped today Aug 27. That is lousy service. If these batteries pan out to be no good, I will file a paypal dispute. I thought these batteries were supposedly good batteries judging by what old4570 said about them.

I am really disappointed. Out of the 12 maybe I considered only 4 of them to be reasonably “good”, the rest exhibits unstable voltages under load: a tell tale symptom of being a recycled cell.

Well thanks for the heads up. I just sent the seller a link to this thread and HKJ’s review showing what this guy is sending people. That way ebay will have it for their records if I do have to file a dispute. I told the guy I don’t take much to cheats or fakes. These batteries according to old4570 use to be the cats meow. I guess not anymore.

I’ll let you know when I get mine and see how they test on my multimeter after charging and some use.

Hmmmm. On my original batch of HiMax batteries, if I hold a flashlight against them and turn it on in moonlight low, nothing shows behind the white-ish plastic wrap. If I do that on my latest batch, I can see a lot of Japanese characters through the wrapper…just can’t figure out what they spell out.

Japanese batteries with Japanese characters on them? I have not yet seen such, all the Japanese cells I have seen use Latin characters.

Test results on the dozen are completed and can be viewed here:

Warning: the results are rather dismal :frowning:

I would peel the wrapper off one and check. Sounds like a scam

I can see it quite clearly in person through the white label. Because I have tons of these Sony & Sanyo cells here with me also, it was quite easy for me to recognise them… didn’t want to peel off the wrapper just yet in case I wish to send it back to the seller.

Perhaps from now on I will only stick with brand new Panasonic and Sanyos!

If you are going to file a Paypal dispute , remember that there is a fixed time limit after which you can’t complain … I got caught with that.

I bought two lots of Nakamichi Banana Plugs from the Far East and after a month or so they hadn’t arrived … I contacted the seller and he said that he would re-send them … They never arrived either … I then tried to open a dispute but was told that the time had elapsed and to contact the seller … I never did get the plugs or my money back.

So check the time limit and even if you have all sorts of promises from the seller , just open a dispute before the time runs out … I learned the hard way.
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The time limit is 45 days, don’t forget!