Test/review of Elfeland BRC18650 3800mAh (Red)

Elfeland BRC18650 3800mAh (Red)







Official specifications:

  • Battery Type:18650 battery

  • Voltage: 3.7v

  • Capacity: 3800mAh

  • Charge Time: about 6~8hours

  • Rechargeable Times: about 500~700

  • Material: Li-ion Battery

  • Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.7 cm(L x Dia)

  • Color: Blue/Red




These batteries are rated a bit higher than possible and the two tested cells has very different weight (both weight less than a quality 18650).











Notice the different plus pole on the two cells.



As expected they are not very good cells and they are also very different.



With the very low energy contents they do not get very warm.
















Conclusion

These cells are specially made bad cells.

The rating can only be bad.


Notes and links

The A cell with vent holes weighs 35.1g and the B cell without vent holes weighs 24.4 grams

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

>These batteries are rated a bit higher than possible

Hm, you don’t think 3800 mAh 18650’s are possible? Panasonic released 3600 mAh 18650 few years ago, and IIRC they were promising 4000 mAh cells for 2018. Has anything changed in the meantime?

3800mAh may show up from the big LiIon manufacturers soon, but not from a cheap ebay vendor.

Perhaps you do get the claimed 3800 mAh in the Land of Elves.

That’s consistent with a couple other BRC cells I’ve seen……bad stuff.

Bingo!
Rated in mystical amp hours.

I am a complete novice in this crazy world of flashlights and batteries….

Recently when I bought my first (a Convoy C8), I needed to get batteries for it.
Not knowing anything, I saw these cheap Elfeland BRC18650 3800mAh and bought 4.
They worked fine when they were freshly charged, but I noticed they didn’t keep their charge for too long.
I soon bought some Samsung and Panasonic batteries after reading good advice on this forum.

I wanted a charger that could test batteries as well, so bought a LiitoKala Lii-500 which I received yesterday.
Once again (not being an expert) I read up how to do a Nor test and tested these batteries.
From being fully charged at about 4.2v , the tests finished in about one hour, and all 4 batteries only discharged less than 550mA until a charge of about 2.9v.
In comparison, I tested a Samsung 30Q and the test lasted 5hours 43minutes and it discharged 2894mA.
All these batteries are almost new and have only been recharged once or twice before.
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but in my humble understanding, the Samsung looks to be about the correct capacity, but the Elfeland less than 20% of the capacity claimed.

Correct! But there is more. Not only do the Elfeland cells have a lower capacity, they’re also very poor at delivering power. The Convoy C8 needs about 3A of current, and the Elfeland cell is struggling to deliver.

Thanks hiKARInoob,

I definitely think that the Elfeland cells are made from horse droppings rolled in old bus tickets!

Since the Convoy I have also bought a BLF Q8, a second Convoy, 2x BLF A6, and an Astrolux S41. (I need therapy please!!)
I am running all of them with Samsung 30Q now.
I am also eagerly awaiting the Haikelite MT07S from the group buy.

Yup, all those lights require good quality high drain cells. The MT07S is a very nice light. For the group buy price it’s just an amazing performer with really nice machining and anodisation. :sunglasses: