Review: Callie's Kustoms 18650 test

Batteries and Chargers Rechargeable Batteries
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Sent to me for testing by Callie's Kustoms

There is a thread about them here : on budgetlightforum

Battery has protection circuit

Length is 68.9mm

Diameter is 18.5mm @ widest point .


Now these Batteries are built on the Panasonic 3100 cell , which is the latest release from Panasonic and they are 4.2v , and can be discharged down to 2.5v . A lot of flashlights will not be able to take advantage of this lower voltage capability as they have built in discharge protection @ 3v . But for a few lucky people , who may have buck boost low voltage drop ins , like the Solarforce 0.8v - 4.2v , will have the ability to suck these batteries dry.


Discharging the battery in my Imax B6 @ 0.5A , I got some 2700mAh from 4.2v to 3v , and some




2919mAh when discharged all the way down to 2.5v @ 0.5A . I did use the Nimh setting as it allows a much larger voltage variation for discharge , for the , to 2.5v discharge .


For comparison :

Hi-max 2600 = 2379mAh @ 0.5A to 3v

Xtar 2600 = 2448mAh @ 0.5A to 3v

Samsung 28A = 2488mAh @ 0.5A to 3v

Sanyo 2600 = 2433mAh @ 0.5A to 3v






The last graph is the run time test in my MTE SSC P7 , and please take note that after 120minutes I have gone in 10 minute steps rather than 5 minute steps .


The other batteries begin to fall of around the 60 minute mark and seriously lose power , while the Callie's Kustoms 18650 continues to deliver power . Now the CK 18650 still has good reserves of power even with the voltage dropping of and running Direct Drive [ Which the MTE is ] , means that Voltage plays a large roll in output . For those folks running Buck boost or regulated lights [ Light maintains a steady output as long as possible ] will see much better gains from running a high capacity battery than those folks running Direct Drive .


Who would benefit from a CK 18650 , well just about anyone , but I can see a real purpose for this battery with anyone requiring light for as long as possible , Police , Search and Rescue , Med Techs , etc . When lives are on the line those 30 or more extra minutes of run time , could be the difference in some ones life . Who said ? what is your life worth ?


If we average out the run time for the other batteries at 80 minutes , the Callie's Kustoms 18650 [ in this light ] takes you to 140 minutes , that's a gain of some 60 minutes over 80 minutes , and in my book , that's one hell of a gain . And if you look at the discharge test [ Current with various lights ] , you can see the CK 18650 compares well to the other batteries I have tested recently .


Thank you Calie's Kustoms for allowing me to test your battery , It is a very nice battery and I hope others can see the benefits it offers ..


old4570

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Sweet, good to see another nice product and an upfront seller here on BLF!

Thanks to Matt and CK! Frontpage'd and Sticky'd.

3

It seems a good option for high peferormance battery.

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just checked there website *No international Orders*

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The one problem I have is that these are BIG. I can't even come close to getting one in my Zebralight SC60w and it even catches the neg. end (protection circuit) a little in an L2p.

The performance is great, but it can't perform if I can't get it in the light. I'm probably just going to strip the cell bare since the light I'm most concerned with already has low voltage cut-off built in.

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Fits my L2s just fine , almost a perfect fit in the L2T ...

I guess there would be some variation - Do you have a DIA on those ?

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Fits my L2 fine as well. It even rattles a little.

It DOES fit the L2P, it must just have a little ridge that catches the opening as it going in. Also, with an AW 2900 I had a piece of paper in it to stop any rattle, the CK would not go in with the paper in there.

i don't trust my caliper or the person using it (me) but here's what I measured:

CK 3100 at protection circuit: 18.48mm

L2P ID: 18.83mm

SC60w ID: 18.43mm

L2 ID: 18.96mm

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Not a bad performance at all. I mostly prefer a half powered 8-10 hours powerlight and only need full power for seconds. And CK seems to jump a step forward in this.

Thanks for the review.

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Can try Redilast 3100s, they do international. Should be the same stuff and lower price for International.

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does anyone know where the protection circuit used on the battery comes from? Thanks

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I just left the CPF in anger. A member posted a question looking for the highest power in a protected 18650. So I posted the link to Callie's Customs and they summarily deleted it. Rather questionable behavior.

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fellow northern californian. you will like it much better here!

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Unless the link is to a payed advertiser , they will agresively remove such ....

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ufokillerz, check the Budget Light Forum thread, linked at the top of this thread tells all about it.

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thanks cabfrank!

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Do you know where to get them the cheapest possible?

They are at 19.75$ each plus 2.5$ shipping each (more than two it is slightly cheaper per battery).


Or if anyone could get the CK for me within the US, I could ask on a spanish forum I belong to make a group buy and try to reduce the costs a little, at least it could be 4 batteries for me and another colleague.

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Callies are $14.95… I guess I missed something. Why the Redilast if Callie’s cost $5 less?

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I have just found Callie´s also offer international shipping, but they are 23.9$ each plus 6$ shipping which I find too expensive.Here is the link for international shippings http://callieskustoms.com/CalliesKustoms-BatteriesInternational.html

So, redilast would be the cheapest option unless someone could get the Callie´s in the US and send them to Spain..

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Whoa! That’s a jump in price! Now I get the reasoning for Redilast. I wonder why they are so expensive plus shipping?

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