Best 18650 Batteries for Astrolux MF02? BUYING 16!

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T02:22:08.000Z

Thanks Fate, I would rather spend the extra 35$ on button top protected cells and keep the rings so that the other 4 individuals who will be swapping batteries with no li-ion experience won’t damage the lights. Costs 5x more to replace the two lights than just buying batteries designed to fit with protection.

texas_shooter · 2018-12-31T02:45:23.000Z

Turbo draws slightly over 3 amps and high only 1 amp on each cell in it’s 2S2P configuration. My battery choices would be;
Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh - Button Top
Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh - Button Top

These are quality cells and protected or not is your call. Any other cells with 15-40 amp draw capacity is only going to lower your run time, as they have lower capacities.

HONDARIDER · 2018-12-31T02:51:14.000Z

Fate0n3:

Xenovora:

Good idea on the labeling with a sharpie!

Also, the MF02 battery carrier has plastic rings around the + contact points. I guess they are designed to keep the button top in place without sliding around, but I am a newbie to battery carriers and batteries so I couldn’t confidently state their purpose. Maybe the rings are there to prevent an incorrect -/+ orientation, so it wont make contact and prevent damage from occuring. Here is a picture from an excellent guide by maukka:

Also, he wrote this:
“Batteries are inserted in a separate carrier (2S2P). The center contact is positive and connects to the spring on the driver. The outer edge connects to the brass retaining ring. You can remove the plastic spacers if you want to use flat tops, but as there is reportedly no polarity protection in the driver care should be taken with the orientation. Short flat tops such as Samsung 30Qs may also be quite loose in the carrier.”

You are exactly right on your second assumption, the plastic rings around the + terminal are designed to help stop accidentally reversing polarity. Once removed you can run flat top batteries, with them installed you can only run button top. They easily remove without any damage and are just taped/glued in place.

These are actually in a recess around the post. There is a groove they sit in. Not glued. One of the few I’ve ever seen this way.

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T03:25:17.000Z

texas shooter:

Turbo draws slightly over 3 amps and high only 1 amp on each cell in it’s 2S2P configuration. My battery choices would be;
Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh - Button Top
Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh - Button Top

These are quality cells and protected or not is your call. Any other cells with 15-40 amp draw capacity is only going to lower your run time, as they have lower capacities.

Thank you! Why if I may ask, do you suggest these cells over the LG MJ1s 3500 10A protected button top cells that Hondarider recommended above?

Are you sure the protected versions of those two you recommended fit?

BlueSwordM · 2018-12-31T03:21:36.000Z

Eh there’s only an minuscule difference between all these 3500mAh cells.

So get the cheapest protected one there is, being the MJ1 that I linked before.

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T03:28:11.000Z

BlueSwordM:

Eh there’s only an minuscule difference between all these 3500mAh cells.

So get the cheapest protected one there is, being the MJ1 that I linked before.

Noted… about to buy 16 LG MJ1s… protected… from ilumn as BlueSwordM linked above… any final objections or other concerns/recommendations? I will spend $100 in 1 hour.
Thanks

texas_shooter · 2018-12-31T03:34:17.000Z

Xenovora:

texas shooter:

Turbo draws slightly over 3 amps and high only 1 amp on each cell in it’s 2S2P configuration. My battery choices would be;
Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh - Button Top
Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh - Button Top

These are quality cells and protected or not is your call. Any other cells with 15-40 amp draw capacity is only going to lower your run time, as they have lower capacities.

Thank you! Why if I may ask, do you suggest these cells over the LG MJ1s 3500 10A protected button top cells that Hondarider recommended above?

Are you sure the protected versions of those two you recommended fit?

I’ve never used them. The two I listed I’ve been using since they came out and trust them. The three should all be fine. I was just pointing out lower capacity/higher amp cell would offer no boost in brightness but would lower run time.

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T03:32:54.000Z

texas shooter:

Xenovora:

texas shooter:

Turbo draws slightly over 3 amps and high only 1 amp on each cell in it’s 2S2P configuration. My battery choices would be;
Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh - Button Top
Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh - Button Top

These are quality cells and protected or not is your call. Any other cells with 15-40 amp draw capacity is only going to lower your run time, as they have lower capacities.

Thank you! Why if I may ask, do you suggest these cells over the LG MJ1s 3500 10A protected button top cells that Hondarider recommended above?

Are you sure the protected versions of those two you recommended fit?

I’ve never used them. The two I listed I’ve been using since they came out and trust them.

Thanks, have you used them in the Astrolux MF02?

texas_shooter · 2018-12-31T03:39:32.000Z

Xenovora:

texas shooter:

Xenovora:

texas shooter:

Turbo draws slightly over 3 amps and high only 1 amp on each cell in it’s 2S2P configuration. My battery choices would be;
Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh - Button Top
Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh - Button Top

These are quality cells and protected or not is your call. Any other cells with 15-40 amp draw capacity is only going to lower your run time, as they have lower capacities.

Thank you! Why if I may ask, do you suggest these cells over the LG MJ1s 3500 10A protected button top cells that Hondarider recommended above?

Are you sure the protected versions of those two you recommended fit?

I’ve never used them. The two I listed I’ve been using since they came out and trust them.

Thanks, have you used them in the Astrolux MF02?

I used the Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh in it. I’ve since sold the light to an officer, but did replace the cells with protected ones as he was new to lithium-ion lights.

Newlumen · 2018-12-31T03:46:01.000Z

If you are from US, just buy it from illumn… why wait 20-30 days from the oversea?

Illumn offer free priority s/h over $50 and more…

I recommend just buy Samsung 30q button top.

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T03:59:06.000Z

texas shooter:

Xenovora:

texas shooter:

Xenovora:

texas shooter:

Turbo draws slightly over 3 amps and high only 1 amp on each cell in it’s 2S2P configuration. My battery choices would be;
Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh - Button Top
Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh - Button Top

These are quality cells and protected or not is your call. Any other cells with 15-40 amp draw capacity is only going to lower your run time, as they have lower capacities.

Thank you! Why if I may ask, do you suggest these cells over the LG MJ1s 3500 10A protected button top cells that Hondarider recommended above?

Are you sure the protected versions of those two you recommended fit?

I’ve never used them. The two I listed I’ve been using since they came out and trust them.

Thanks, have you used them in the Astrolux MF02?

I used the Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh in it. I’ve since sold the light to an officer, but did replace the cells with protected ones as he was new to lithium-ion lights.

I think these will be 30-50$ more for 16, than the LG MJ1s protected button top 3500mahs. Do you know of any other price/discount/shop? I’ve been looking. 16 will cost me 135 at my best finding.

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T04:01:55.000Z

Newlumen:

If you are from US, just buy it from illumn… why wait 20-30 days from the oversea?

Illumn offer free priority s/h over $50 and more…

I recommend just buy Samsung 30q button top.

Thanks but the 30qs are unprotected and low capacity. I’ll be using Turbo for 50 mins/week for 2 years straight, and need the highest capacity and longevity out of these.

Lexel · 2018-12-31T09:56:52.000Z

if the batteries are only used in the light and a dedicated charger nothing speaks for 3500mAh mixed chemistry cells without PCB

Cereal_killer · 2018-12-31T12:38:10.000Z

Have you considered how the cells will hold up to 2 years of charge / discharge cycling? 30Q’s will likely be better performers for half that stated lifetime than any 3500mAh cells will. The 3400/3500mAh cells degrade from cycle count faster than good old 30Q’s…

What you should do is get contracted now to provide replacement cells in a years time.

Also, whenever I would provide li battery powered lights to a police dept / agency I would always include a laminated “cheat sheet” on safely handling li batteries to be kept with the charger and I would also try to give a few different guys (on different shifts) a short in-person safety brief so atleast someone had some first hand instruction.

Do they know the basics like don’t leave cells sitting in the charger after the charge is complete and not to force the light to run after its tried to shut itself down cause of LVP kicking in (many many people not well-informed do this, not just cops, hell I’m constantly yelling at guys on my job sites to take 90 sec to swap batteries instead of trying to continously bump the output back up after a LVP step-down, and they know better).

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T12:59:21.000Z

Cereal_killer:

Have you considered how the cells will hold up to 2 years of charge / discharge cycling? 30Q’s will likely be better performers for half that stated lifetime than any 3500mAh cells will. The 3400/3500mAh cells degrade from cycle count faster than good old 30Q’s…

What you should do is get contracted now to provide replacement cells in a years time.

Also, whenever I would provide li battery powered lights to a police dept / agency I would always include a laminated “cheat sheet” on safely handling li batteries to be kept with the charger and I would also try to give a few different guys (on different shifts) a short in-person safety brief so atleast someone had some first hand instruction.

Do they know the basics like don’t leave cells sitting in the charger after the charge is complete and not to force the light to run after its tried to shut itself down cause of LVP kicking in (many many people not well-informed do this, not just cops, hell I’m constantly yelling at guys on my job sites to take 90 sec to swap batteries instead of trying to continously bump the output back up after a LVP step-down, and they know better).

Contracted to get replacement cells? Like a pre-order type thing? Does this save a lot of money for some reason? How does that work as opposed to simply buying 16 more when needed?

Yes, there will certainly be hands-on training with 2-4 individuals who will be charging the batteries and a cheat sheet guide.

Also, these batteries will be charged in this way:
The charger will be connected to a master power switch which is used for 2 hours M/T/W/T. During those 2 hour periods on those 4 days, the back up 8 cells will be remain in their charger, but the power will be turned cut by the main switch after the 2 hours. The cells won’t ever be getting a full 6+ hour charge, but 2 hours at a time. If it doesn’t reach max, it’ll do it the next day. The charger has over-charge protection.

During each of those days, the other 8 cells will be used in the lights, 10-15 mins/day on Turbo. Every Thursday, the 4th day, myself or another individual will swap the batteries from the lights, with the 8 fully charged cells (over 4 days) and put the drained cells into the charger to be charged the following Monday 2hrs each day as the main power is turned on.

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T13:02:24.000Z

Lexel:

if the batteries are only used in the light and a dedicated charger nothing speaks for 3500mAh mixed chemistry cells without PCB

Thanks Lexel. I do prefer 3500mah over 30Qs even if they don’t hold out as long and need replacing sooner, because I fear 3000mah won’t suffice for 50 mins of turbo over 4 days without a charge. I suppose I will go the unprotected button top route, since it will save money and fit better, and will only be used for the lights and dedicated charger.

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T14:18:53.000Z

Currently what I’ve gathered from this thread:

1. Best is different to almost everyone
2. Buy from ilumn website (if it’s not heavily discounted elsewhere)
3. Buy Sanyo/Panasonic 18650GA button top unprotected cells or 30Qs or LG MJ1s or Samsung 35E button tops

I’m thinking Sanyo/Panasonic/Samsung is the most popular/reliable rather than messing with the cheaper LG even if it saves a couple bucks.

3000mah on a 30Q just isn’t enough juice to keep the light functioning on turbo for the time necessary. 35Es are fair game though.

So 3500mahs I can buy:
16 LG MJ1s unprotected button tops for 104$ free shipping
16 Samsung 35Es unprotected button top for 106$ free shipping
16 Sanyo red NCR18650GA unprotected button top for 125$ free shipping

Seems like the Panasonic 18650Bs are all 3400.

woodyt · 2018-12-31T14:21:08.000Z

I’m learning on this battery stuff, but I think the Astrolux MF02 recommends unprotected cells so can you use protected ? I have this same light coming in the mail so I want to get batteries for it also. Thanks

Xenovora · 2018-12-31T22:14:07.000Z

Thank you all for your quick and insightful replies. I tried to make the best decision taking into consideration everyone’s posts, along with my budget and safety concerns.

I’ve purchased 16xSamsung35E 3500mah cells from mtnelectronics. Using the code BLF I was able to save $3, for a total of $105, shipped. I also purchased the Miboxer C8 from banggood. I wasn’t able to use the M4DM4X coupon (or any others) since it was already on discount at $34.95.

I’ve learned a lot in this search, and you all taught me very much! Without you guys, it would be immensely more challenging to discern wise purchases. I greatly appreciate this community!

Barkuti · 2018-12-31T23:21:46.000Z

HONDARIDER:

I use the efest 2100mah button tops and got them at illumn on sale. (Think they are a 30 or 35 amp cell) …

… The answer you will get 90% of the time will be samsung 30q’s but they are a 3000mah 15 amp cell. They work great. …

Those Efest 2100mAh button tops are likely to be like these: Efest IMR18650 2100mAh (Purple) 2017

Efest can print whatever they like on their wraps, but they're consumer oriented number bloaters.

Samsung is rating conservative and aims for cycle life. Set the 30Q and the above Efest in the comparator and you'll see how the actual voltage output difference is really tight at first, to shortly after come in 30Qs favour due to energy density.

30Qs can also be pulsed safely at 30A but temperature monitoring is required.

Cheers ^:)