Help needed with Thrunite TH30 and nitecore 18650's

Hi everyone, I hope I’m putting this question in the proper category.

I’ve had my TH30 for a few years using the 18650 “Thrunite’’ cell that came with it. Never a problem.
However this summer I bought 4 Nitecore 3400 mAh 3.7V 12.6Wh and am having problems.

When I put in a fresh Nitecore cell and tighten the light, 90% of the time the light Brightly flashes and goes out and the switch blinks purple once. And the light doesn’t work. (until I change cells back to the Thrunite one)
The only way I can use the Nitecore cell is to drain it a little with another light and then when put in the Thrunite I have to start it in moonlight and gradually ramp it up.

I guess my question is will I ever be able to use my new nitecore batteries or is the little bit of difference (3.6V vs 3.7V and 11.16Wh vs 12.6Wh) between the batteries enough for the TH30 to reject them?

Thanks for any help or advice.

Sarratt

ps …I really love the light ….especially when there are bears in the campsite.

Hi there. I suspect the Nitecore battery uses a classic Panasonic B cell, which means it is not able to supply enough current (power) for the TH30’s turbo output of around 3350 lumens. The Nitecore battery should be able to power roughly around 1000 to 1500 lumens or so.
There may be several 3400 mAh Nitecore cells, but I just checked and the one I’m seeing is able to supply only 4A of current. This is the value you’re interested in. The 3.6V or 3.7V is merely a convention thing that doesn’t say much about the cells performance.
Anyhow, the Nitecore cells are good, just not powerful enough for the TH30.

P.S. I also have the TH30; it’s my go to light. Absolutely fantastic, except for the SOS mode in the main sequence.

It’s not the capacity that’s the problem, it’s the max current.

Thanks for the advice hlkarlnoob, If it is poor quality Nitecore cells I’m really dissapointed. I intentionally went with a known brand name to assure quality.

Any advice on another brand of battery that will work with the TH30 ?

All lithium batts last “few” years.
Sony Murata

This is the battery that gives my TH30 problems.

That is a very powerful light on turbo. Thrunite or somebody modified that battery. They put a button and a protection circuit on it. I’m not sure you’re going to find another comparable battery. It has a 15 amp discharge rating. You can use a Samsung 30Q with a button or without that is rated for 15 amps,3000mha. But there will not be a protection circuit on it. I don’t know if you need the button in that light. If there is a spring on the positive end then you probably don’t need the button top. The Nightcore batteries have more capacity but only 6 amp discharge rating. So they are fine for that light except for turbo. And they will run the light longer again except for turbo. You can find other batteries with a 15 amp discharge rating, most are going to be flat tops, some will have buttons added but I don’t know of any others with the protection circuit. Bottom line is YOU are probably better off buying a thrunite battery for that light. You didn’t specify that turbo is the only time you are experiencing a problem but it likely is. The reason it’s probably working if you draw down the battery in another light first is that it’s not even attempting to go into turbo if the voltage is below some set point, 4.0v,3.9?

Nitecore did not manufacture those batteries. Someone rewrapped a cell for them.
That is the problem I have with these batteries: what cell is inside.
In most cases they are good medium drain cell’s, but nobody can tell for sure.
And IF they use good cells, is it in all of them, or just in this batch.
That’s why I prefer cells from manufacturers that only manufacture cells.

The light has low voltage warning so just get yourself a few 30Q’s.

The Nitecore 3400 cells are actually high quality made in Japan, don’t worry about that; it’s just not suitable to be used in the TH30 (in turbo mode).
There are other batteries that you can use technically, but there is a possibility that the battery is a tad too thick or long to fit in the TH30. Acebeam also has protected high drain batteries (~20A I believe), but you don’t know for sure it’s going to fit… I would not risk that chance. So why use any other brand battery than Thrunite?
I have checked, and my TH30 accepts the Imalent 3000 battery (=Samsung 30Q). If you’re comfortable with using unprotected cells; my button top Sony VTC6 fits well (not too short). I think flat tops would work fine as well despite the shorter length, but I have not tried that as I don’t have/use flat top cells.

Cheers.

They’re not “poor quality”, ’cause NC wouldn’t tarnish their own brand by shipping crappy cells. It’d be like a car mfr dumping the cheapest crappiest gasoline into the car’s tank.

A 30Q is rated 3000mAH and can supply lots of amps. A 3400mAH cell can’t supply more than a few amps before the voltage would sag too much. With its own protection circuit, it’s even less current.

Those high-cap cells are great in low-stress lights, not those high-strung lights that would look like a dead-short across the cell’s terminals.

Grab a 30Q, VTCwhatever, HGwhatever, or somesuch. Ie, cells meant to dump lots of current.

Not that enthusiastic about nitecore batteries.

Thank you very much everyone for the explanations and the tips.

I didn’t realize that turbo on the TH30 was that draining —that explains a lot. Attempting turbo was the main cause of the Nitecore cells turning off the light with a flash.

I will start looking for some Samsung 30Q or similar but for sure 15 amp draw at least.
I’m in Canada and the places that sell these batteries are usually sketchy vape stores… but I know what I’m looking for now.
Thanks again.

PS… guess I’ll also have to get a new light of lesser power to use the Nitecores :wink:

Reliable source is pretty important. Check out https://18650canada.com/
18650canada is also a member here (he hasn’t been active in 7 months though), here’s a thread: 18650Canada.com
Good luck!