26650 Batteries

Below are some links for 26650 batteries. Feel free to add posts and I'll incorporate with this list in the future. I am making no claims or endorsements as to quality, but if you have links to actual tests, please let me know and I'll include here. Any information you come across related to new cells or chemistries - please share in this thread. after the name denotes suspected capacity inflation by seller - believe at your own risk.


Unprotected Cells:

King Kong INR 4000MAh: International Outdoor Store $9.47 - Li(NiCoMn)O2.
King Kong INR 4000MAh (Raised Top): International Outdoor Store $9.97 - Li(NiCoMn)O2.
King Kong ICR 4000mAh: International Outdoor Store $8.97 - LiCoO2.
King Kong INR 4000mAh: CN Quality Goods $8.50 - Li(NiCoMn)O2.
King Kong ICR 4000mAh: CN Quality Goods $7.90 - LiCoO2.

*** Note on King Kong batteries *** Description with ICR26650E on wrapping are typical Li-Ion chemistry: Lithium Cobalt - LiCoO2; Those with INR26650E are Lithium (NCM) Nickel Cobalt Manganese - Li(NiCoMn)O2. If you are using these in multi-cell flashlights, do not mix the two types of batteries. See post #60 for discharge test of ICR26650E version and here for test/review. See this thread for review of INR26650E. Flat top versions may require a magnet or other spacer in multi-cell applications. Note that both versions of KK cells have tested well above rated capacity.

Knot Top 4000mAh: CN Quality Goods $8.50 - LiCoO2.
Lighthound 3500mAh: Lighthound $9.99 - These are Lithium-Manganese (IMR) cells.
Powerizer 4000mAh: Batteryspace $9.95 - These are Lithium-Manganese (IMR) cells.
Powerizer 3600mAh: Batteryspace $9.50 - These are Lithium-Nickel-Cobalt Manganese cells. Discharge Test here.
MNKE 3500mAh: International Outdoor Store $9.35 - These are Lithium-Manganese (IMR) cells. Out-of-Stock.
MNKE 4000mAh: International Outdoor Store $9.95 - These are Lithium-Manganese (IMR) cells. Out-of-Stock.
Steven Wallace reviewed this battery here.
Tenergy 4000mAh: All-Battery $11.99 - LiCoO2.
No-name Blue 4000mAh: Buyincoins 2/$15.08 - No information, use at own risk.


Protected Cells:

4Sevens 3900mAh: 4Sevens $14.95
Trustfire 5000mAh: Manafont $13.33 - Actual capacity is +4500mAh. Benkie's Discharge test here.
Trustfire 5000mAh: Buyincoins 2/$22.89
Trustfire 4000mAh: CN Quality Goods $11.50
Trustfire 5000mAh: Dealextreme 2/$22.80 - Actual capacity is around 4200mAh. HKJ's Discharge test here.
Aliexpress 4500mAh: Aliexpress 2/$19.99
MarsFire 5000mAh: Manafont $12.47
Keygos 4800mAh: Keygos 2/$17.99 - Use at own risk. Referred to as IMR protected, but description is Li-ion. Discharge test here, actual capacity only 2951mAh.
Hi-Max 4000mAh: ebay-pingyi.co.ltd 2/$27.50
- Samsung core.


Case Reducers (Allow you to use 18650 cells in a 26650 flashlight):
CN Quality Goods: $1.00
International Outdoor Store: $1.80

If anyone is interested in learning more about Li-Ion battery chemistries (and if you use them you should), here are two excellent sources:

The High-power Lithium-ion - Battery University

Lithium Secondary - Rechargeable - Cells

1. Not me :)

2.Not that I know of.

3.I wouldn't recommend mixing different chemistries regardless of the cell.

4 & 5. Current regulated means just that. :) The current is regulated in some way. HOW its regulated can vary, but we often (mistakenly) take it to mean something more like constant brightness or constant power. The JM07 from CNQ seems to be the same as the JM07 PRO from intl., so it is a 7x7135 driver that has a 3v low voltage warning.

Even without a low-voltage cutoff, as long as you are talking about a single cell light, you have little to worry about. Multi-cell lights SHOULD have a low voltage cut-off but a lot don't.

P.S. I can always test that Carrot Top cell for you if you need. :)

Thanks, mitro.

I've been waiting for a review on those Trustfire 26650 flames for awhile. Kokopelli did a 1A discharge test and posted here. Sounded ok, but was waiting for a "real" test at higher discharge rate and what max current they could handle.

-Garry

Ahh! Yes either LiCo or LiMn (IMR) is fine. The King Kongs are actually INR which is another chemistry (which I have very little understanding of) and they are all suitable for the JM07.

I was steering away from the King Kong's due to them not being "protected", but should I? Are they safe? What kind of risks still exist with them?

-Garry

Current regulated, seems to be misinterpreted, some believe that current regulated means the light doesn't use PWM.

The body of the JM07-pro is 32mm, that might be a problem with some bike mounts.

I use one KK in the JM07-pro, simply until I cannot use it no more because it stars to flash and goes to low mode.

The problem with unprotected cells is not the flashlights you use them in, is to make sure they don't get over-discharged or over-charged. It would be nice the flashlight you use them in have a low voltage warning and switch to low safe mode.

BTW: I have the ST60, very nice size, quality threads and very bright.

You are being especially helpful today, Hikelite!

I have several bike mounts - TwoFish Lockblock and CycloBlock are very flexible and will work fine with larger diameters.

I was disappointed that the ST60 was out of stock, but I am happy to get the JM07, as I probably wouldn't have ordered it otherwise. I like the 1x or 2x flexibility of the ST60, glad to hear you like it. I have the ST50 and the quality is great. It's definitely on my next purchase list, probably from International Outdoor Store.

Glad to help BetweenRides, especially with lights that I also have.

I also have the ST50, it goes well with the ST60, complementary lights and great built quality.

Garry: Believe me when I say I am no battery expert. I did some research on IMR (+ Chicago X taught me a thing or two) and INR and here's what I found out:

IMR is a misspelled acronym for LMR - Lithium Manganese Rechargeable. It is a safer chemistry than Lithium ion Cobalt, which is typical chemistry in most Li-ion cells. Safer because it doesn't vent or go nuclear or flame out. That is why most IMR(LMR) batteries are unprotected. Well that and because it costs money to add protection and IMR is not a big seller like Li-ion Cobalt.

INR is suspected to be Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium Dioxide. Again, INR acronym should probably be LNR. That's all I know, but there is a Wiki article on it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel-lithium_battery Last entry was 15 months ago, so I suspect Panasonic has moved it out of the experimental stage. It is also supposed to be safer than Li-ion Cobalt and probably does not have protection built in due to cost. I think the Trustfire 26650 you saw is neither of these, rather it is a good old fashioned Li-ion Cobalt and should rightly have a protection circuit. Doesn't mean it actually works, mind you.

As Hikelite and mitro referred tohere and in another thread, unprotected cells should be ok to use in a flashlight that is regulated to warn you below a certain voltage level (usually 3a) by flashing or dropping to medium or low. My Balder BD-2, Uniquefire 3900 and I believe the JM07 all do this. When the light output dips or flashes, you know to either run in a low mode or replace the cell to prevent over-discharge.

BetweenRides, Thanks for the info! I have never tested "low voltage protection" in my lights (to even know which ones have it and what it's like to encounter it). What about charging? What if the charger decides not to stop at 4.2v? There's no protection circuit to kick in, so what will happen on one of these cells?

-Garry

The great advantage of the LiMn cells is low resistance, very little sag. If circuits are added then automatically resistance is added. Some 18650 from Sanyo are rated even for 20A discharge, the AW is rated at 16A discharge, hardly cheap mosfets can do such thing, and then as I mentioned resistance is added.

I wish I had seen those pics before now. I was never impressed with the design, but your photos lend an undeniable air of quality to this torch.

The milled trit slots look much better, for example, than in any mfr. pics out there...

Well done. As if I needed one more thing over which to obsess.

Low Voltage protection also works to identify sh!tty batteries. If I put Ultrafire 3000mAh batteries in my Balder, it starts blinking immediately and won't operate on high. Any good cell will operate the light just fine.

If you are using a good charger, LMR will charge like any other Li-ion cell, should stop at cell capacity around 4.17-4.20 (remember they are just another chemistry of Li-ion and have the same voltage operating range). I have two AW IMR 14500 cells and they perform on the charger like any other, come off at 4.18. If you buy the Xtar charger, you should be fine, but still follow the same prudent charging protocol and don't leave them alone, take off when the light turns green.

Or they could just go nukular on ya' ~~~ Wink

no kidding right - i saw those pics and started drooling

that n-light only says 18650's everywhere I look..where to get the 26650 version?

Sorry, pounder, we went off topic (as usual at BLF Laughing). If you re-read the OP, I ordered the ST60 (18650), it was out of stock and CNQG is sending me a JM07 (26650). The ST60 can run on 1 or 2 18650's only.

Simple test. Get yourself a current shunt rated to around 50A off eBay - like this one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50A-75mV-Current-Shunt-AMP-Meter-Gauge-/150592189350?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item230ffe73a6#ht_1091wt_1180

Read the instructions and attach it to your multimeter as suggested.

Short the cell across it and read off the current. If it can't do 10A on a dead short (Should be nearer 45) it is crap. You might be able to read a value before the protection circuit (if any) cuts in.

Whatever you do, don't run this test for any longer than it takes to read the meter.

Really, really don't do this for more than a second.

I disclaim all responsibility for melted shunts/meters/hands/houses.

thanks for clearing that up lol

We didn't go off-topic, we came back on-topic! See thread title!

-Garry