Test/Review of Soshine 18650 LiFePO4 1800mAh (Black)

Batteries and Chargers Rechargeable Batteries
1

Soshine 18650 LiFePO4 1800mAh (Black)







Official specifications:

  • Nominal voltage: 3.2 V

  • Nominal capacity: 1800 mAh

  • Core cell weight: 40 g

  • Size: D18.1*H68.5mm

  • Continuous Discharge: 5A / Pulse: 3A (Pulse current lower than continuous current?)

  • Typical fast charge current: 3.6A to 3.6V CC/CV

  • Fast charge time: 40 minutes

  • Cycle life at 10C discharge, 100% DOD: over 1,000 cycles (Nice long lifetime, but difficult to test because protection limits discharge to 2C)




Soshine has a series of LiFePO4 cells, this is their 18650 sized one.












This is a typical LiFePO4 discharge curve and it looks good. As can be seen the voltage is nearly flat during discharge and then drops very fast when the battery is empty.











LiFePO4 has a significant voltage drop when charging stops.



Conclusion

The cells looks like good LiFePO4 cells, but I wonder about the fairly low current overload protection.
There is also the usual limited capacity with this chemistry, it has less than half the energy of a modern 4.2 volt LiIon cell.


Notes and links

How is the test done and how to read the charts
How is a protected LiIon battery constructed
More about button top and flat top batteries
Compare to 18650 and other batteries
2

Hey mate great review!

Is their any reason why some one would choose these batteries over standard lithium ion 18650? Are they made for a specific application?

3

Some reasons:

  1. Much higher self ignition temperature.
  2. More cycles, but it is partial offset by the lower capacity.
  3. Very stable output voltage
  4. 4 cells in series match a 12V lead-acid system.
  5. I believe they tolerate over charge better.
4

Thanks HKJ, as always, a great review.

I like the LiFePo4 for the increased safety of the chemistry, and also the lower voltage makes the hotter lights run cooler. I carried one LiFePO4 in my DQG Tiny III for about six months, worked great with negligible light lost to the lower voltage regulated driver.

Now with cheap affordable chargers like the LiitoKala Lii-100, LiFePO4 seems to be a great option for LiIon newbies. Safer chemistry, lower output/heat and you get used to rechargeable batteries…

As an example, the BLF 348 gives more light on 10440 LiFePO4, than an alkaline. But with much less heat than the 3.7V 10440’s. A great compromise in a small light…

Thanks again HKJ for all your testing…

5

Thanks for the test!
I can only say these cells work very well in flashlights, that tent to overheat on “normal” LiION cells and like was mentioned, i have the 10440 equivalents in the BLF-348, and they work very well, very bright, but no overheating and no endangering of the flashlight at all - i simply love LiFePO4 cells! twothumbsup :slight_smile: