Test/Review of AWT IMR26650 4200mAh (Red) 2015

Batteries and Chargers Rechargeable Batteries
1

AWT IMR26650 4200mAh (Red) 2015



Official specifications:

  • Material: Lithium cobalt oxide
  • Nominal voltage: 3.7v
  • Rated capacity: 4200mAh 45A
  • Cycle life: Over 500 cycles
  • standard charge time: 3-5hrs
  • Fast charge time: 2-5hrs
  • Charge temperature: 0°C~+40°C
  • Discharge time: -20°C~+60°C
  • Internal Resistance: <100mOhm (with PTC)
  • Cut-off Discharge Voltage: 2.75V
  • Charge Upper Limit Voltage: 4.20±0.05V
  • Charging Time(Std): 4.0hours
  • Standard Charging Circuit: 0.2C A
  • Charging Circuit: 0.5C A
  • Standard Discharging Circuit: 0.2C A
  • Fast Discharging Current: 0.5C A
  • Max Discharging Current: 2C A
  • Weight: about 60g
  • Height: 65mm
  • Operational Temperature: charge (0 ~ 45°C), discharge (-20 ~ 60°C)
  • Storage Temperature: within 1 month (-20~ 50°C), within 3 months (-20~ 40°C), within 3 months (-20~ 20°C)




This cell is marked as 60A and 4200mAh, but it can neither deliver the 60A or the 4200mA. I have a suspection AWT may have put the wrong cell in the wrapper.











The cell do fairly well up to 10A, but the capacity is too low for a 4200mAh cell. There is no way this cell is going to do 30A or 60A.















Conclusion

It cannot deliver the marked 4200mAh capacity, if the cell had been marked 3500mAh it would have been acceptable, but not able to deliver the marked current.



Notes and links

The batteries was supplied by AWT for a review.

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

Thanks for the testing. Sounds like you are probably right it is most likely a mistake by AWT.
Have you contacted them about the capacity?

I hope it is a mistake and the real cell they use it the same as the Keeppower IMR4200.

3

These are the specs of a standard discharge rate cell, not of a high current cell.

They say “Max Discharging Current: 2C A”, which translates to 8.2A, but the battery is marked with 60A? 2C is about correct according to the test. Go figure…

They write “Lithium cobalt oxide”, but the discharge curve does not look like LiCoO2.

There is huge variation between the 2 test samples. Look at the charge curves.

This cell’s performance would be good if it were an 18650, but for a 26650 it’s just poor. This cell is way outdated and even a wrapper with correct specs wouldn’t fix this.

4

I did notice that, but decided not to comment on it. Some brands are not very careful with their specifications on alibaba.

5

No, usual when I do battery reviews I do not prepare it beforehand, but pull up the testing result and picture to build the review, that is often also the first time I see the test results. Today I did not have much time and did not want pull this one and ask AWT, then prepare another review. That kind of questions do usual get answered with: "Please do not publish the review" from all brands and I do not like throwing out data I have spend a week collecting.

6

The specs are from alibaba?
No official specs from AWT?

7

I would say this is official specs. from AWT:

I do not get spec sheets from all suppliers.

8

Hmm could it be possible that Alibaba has gotten a hold of some AWT wrappers.

9

Alibaba is the Chinese version of Ebay, I believe the one I linked is the AWT producers shop.

10

HKJ, do I interpret “The batteries was supplied by AWT for a review” correctly as: AWT sent you the batteries, you didn’t order them via alibaba, but only took the specs from there? In that case, we could rule out fakes.

11

Correct. No fakes, but very likely a production fault by AWT.

12

Thanks HKJ! I was hoping these were gonna be equivalent to the new EFEST IMR 4200 dark purple ones - these cells seem to be outstanding and actually slightly underrated in capacity.

Would you know if you have these EFEST 4200's in your queue?

13

No, but according to Efest I have some 5200mAh coming in.

14

Are this one equallent?
http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Vappower%20IMR26650%204200mAh%20(Green)%20UK.html

15

To what? Use my comparator to check, if it is missing from the comparator I cannot answer you either.

16

Hhmm, could be right - I got a couple of those Vappower cells, bought them back in Feb 2015 off of eBay - need to test them head-to-head in DD setups. Didn't think they performed as well as the EFEST. In my modded Yezl Y3's, the new EFEST 4200 40A/60A got the highest amps of the cells I tested, but didn't test the Vappower ones.

17

This to this http://www.vapordna.com/Efest-IMR-26650-4200-mAh-40A-Dark-Purple-Battery-p/ac0350.htm
I thougt he wanted to see a test of the efest and you may already done one test on that cell, but maybe it´s the wrong one.
Thats why I ask him. I have already used your exelent comparator before I order one that come close to HE2 in the top Voltage with 5A, and thats the one, Vappower IMR26650 4200mAh that seams equal to Efest IMR 26650 4200 mAh 40A Dark Purple Battery (Flat Top).

18

I see, thanks for the clarification.

19

They look very good in the comparator, ordered one to see if it holds up, there will be a few more if it does.

20

I got mine here: http://liionwholesale.com/efest-imr-26650-4200mah, good price, but add shipping, good for US. I've emailed with the owner, and they seem like a great source - do their own testing, etc.