What are the best 18650 batteries to use?
I have NX brand (panasonic) unprotected 3400mah which seem to be accurately rated. How would the official Fenix 3500mah protected cells compare om terms of runtime? Would that extra 100mah just end up being wasted on the protection circuit?
My light only takes button-top batteries but I noticed these:
Are they safe / a good idea?
Thanks
You need to match the cell to the particular drain/current demand of your device.
Ancillary concerns would be whether you want a protection circuit, or button top, or both.
Chris
There are different batteries for different purposes. Some lights require high drain. I have been into flashlights for 20 years and I am still learning about the lights and batteries. Much more complicated than it looks.
Hmm well these panasonic cells can discharge at up to 17A. No way my flashlight with a stated runtime of 2h 50min off a single cell is pulling that kind of power.
Years ago the Japanese cells were assumed to be the best. Now that does not hold true as too many companies are making cells in China. Sorry to say but this includes Panasonic.
Well I don’t think my light uses a lot of current, it seems more a question of capacity and runtime.
I’d still like to know how the protected “official” fenix batteries compare to unprotected cells made by panasonic etc.
These are the highest capacity unprotected cells I can find in the UK from a trusted source: https://www.allbatteries.co.uk/lithium-ion-battery-efest-imr18650-hd-li-mn-3-7v-3500mah-ft-acl9069.html
but they’re flat-top so I’d need an adapter and it’s not clear if those are safe to use.
Battery manufacturing is big business. It’s highly likely the Fenix batteries are re-wraps. So they don’t make them, they just put their name on them.Vapecell does the same thing. It sounds like you need to stick with Orbtronic. Super high quality re-wraps.
There aren’t too many Sanyo-Panasonic 18650s that can pull a constant 15-20 amps. 10 amps, sure—the NCR-GA will do 10A constant.
Samsung, LG and Sony can do upwards of 15-20-30A, continuous.
What is the light in question?
For reference, I’m using Sony 5As in my Emisar D4 and D4V2, which can pull 15A-18A on turbo. That’s smoking for a single cell light and atypical.
Most applications will be <10A and the cell in your first link looks to be a common Sanyo-Panasonic NCR-GA 3500mAh cell, which ‘was’ good for 10A continuous. If it’s not what I suggest, all bets are off, but you need to tell us the specific load, your light requires.
Chris
I have a Fenix PD32 v2.0 which has an OSRAM KW CSLPM1.TG LED. No idea what it’s max power draw is but I’d be surprised if it’s above 10A even for a brief few minutes in turbo mode.
According to the datasheet here: https://dammedia.osram.info/media/resource/hires/osram-dam-5515674/KW%20CSLPM1.TG_EN.pdf
forward current is max 5A or 6A if pulsed.
These are the batteries I have at the moment: https://www.allbatteries.co.uk/lithium-ion-battery-ncr18650b-3-6v-3-4ah-ct-acl9024.html
Apparently allbatteries.co.uk are the official supplier of that brand (NX). That page claims 17A max discharge.
Given the lower power requirement I don’t think the power output matters all that much, it seems to be more a question of capacity. I found these: https://www.18650.uk/lg-mj1-18650-battery-button-top but at only 100mah more that’s like 3% so probably wouldn’t make a big difference.
It says it right on the wrapper—NCR18650B, but the wrapper color (white vs. green) is atypical.
Don’t know the particulars, but the green wrapped B is only good for 5-6
A.
Chris
Well these LG batteries that are rated 10A continuous discharge are cheap enough, should I grab a couple of them to try? 18650.uk don’t have any other 3500mah capacity button tops
Best is very subjective. Although 3400mAh are probably ICR’s, which are usually better with a protection circuit.
Personally I find IMR high performance cells work best for me. And on high drain high lumen outputs will normally last longer, despite having lower capacity.
If you are in the UK I’d recommend buying from here: https://www.18650.uk/
Have bought from them before. Quick service and always seem to be genuine.
I like the Samsung 30Q’s but there is a selection of button top cells: https://www.18650.uk/18650-button-top
INR or IMR? The LG button-tops I was looking at are 3500mah and INR.
I’m tempted to just get a Fenix battery or two tbh, they’re bound to be as good as they can be for the light… they sell them for a premium so it would make sense that they sourced the best cells they could to make their lights run longer.
According to HKJ, Panasonic stopped using cobalt (mostly) in their cells with the NCR-18650 2900 mAh cells, which go back a ways.
The NCR-As and NCR-Bs dispensed with ‘mostly’ using cobalt.
Chris
General all around:
NCR18650GA
High current applications:
Samsung 30Q
Sony VTC6
I would imagine like most of Fenix stuff. The batteries will just be over priced. Fenix do not make batteries, they just sell other peoples with a different wrapper on and add a mark-up.
I have some Rofis, Egaletac and Klarus branded batteries. They all under perform compared to the 30Q’s.