Is there and optimum 1st charge rate on a new 18650?

[EDCba]

@flydiver

@EDCba

Don’t they already come slightly charged? I remember 20 years ago when you were supposed to charge new lithium batteries for 8 hours or something the first time, if not they wouldn’t reach full capacity.

If that is actually a real fact, not just a common myth, I’d like someone to explain to me why that would be so. Seems to me there would be no harm at all of simply using it immediately down to 20, charge back up to 80, and maybe do that for years. I think it would still take a full charge if you wanted.

Some say it’s a holdover from other chemistries, some tried and found a difference:

Why Must Charge Battery for 8 Hrs?

¯\/¯
But I think lithium batteries used to come totally empty and now they come with a bit of charge, does anyone remember if they came empty?