Okay so I had itchy fingers the other day and I decided to take the whole wrapper off my Sofirn 18650 battery. Then after the initial excitement for the pretty shiny metal, I realized that I don't have any wrappers at all lol. It's a protected battery so is it still safe to put it in a flashlight all nekkid and such??
I have been under the impression, no , it is not alright to be nekkid.
“His name was Hank33 and we hardly knew him…”
Chris
Could tape it up temporarily I guess? Safer than nekkid.
Edit to clarify: Tape it up temporarily and store it until you get new wraps*. Don’t use it.
Absolutely not safe. Make sure you save that little plastic circle. I can send you a few wraps if you want.
That is not a protected battery. And it is not safe to use it without the white plastic circle at the top and a wrapper.
Yeah, thanks for the great tips all. If I use it next time I will for sure wrap something safe around it. The last thing I need is my pocket catching on fire! :smiling_imp:
It’s okay and thanks but I’ll just try a DIY kinda wrapper. These days I’m in DIY mode more and more. That’s why I mentioned “itchy fingers” in my original post. :money_mouth_face:
what kind of battery was it under the wrapper — I have several of those Sofirn button tops —they all test well with in the stated specs
If it’s a light that does not have a tailswitch, it won’t make a diff except for near the pointy end, and you could cut a plastic disc to fit around the positive terminal and use a teeny dab of hotglue to stick it on.
Or the opposite, cut a plastic disc to slip around the spring at the driver side.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results, so ymmv.
It's the Sofirn 18650 ones. It's a rewrap but I didn't take a photo so others might have the number?
Okay and yes I remembered a plastic disk thing that came out when I was disassembling the battery. Unfortunately, I threw it all out and now I can’t find it. I have lots of thin plastics around so I’ll cut it out from there. I actually like the way the metal looks with the wrapper off. 
The 18650’s you have in your original picture, neither are protected. They are standard button top’s which Sofirn sells here
The last picture you posted is a protected battery with the protection circuit on the bottom of the cell, and has a copper lead up the side of the tube.
Okay my bad and man do they look close! I think button tops are more of a hassle than flattops? I mean you got a few things to worry about when getting these for flashlights. For example, Length or lack of, Protected or unprotected, Button top or not. Getting 18650 batteries can sure become busy. 
The button tops are mainly used in flashlights like the SP36, and the LT1 lantern where the positive contact on the driver is a ring, and the battery tube with multiple batteries screw on. Flat tops tend to not make good contact with this type of setup.
Okay my bad and man do they look close! I think button tops are more of a hassle than flattops? I mean you got a few things to worry about when getting these for flashlights. For example, Length or lack of, Protected or unprotected, Button top or not. Getting 18650 batteries can sure become busy.
[/quote]
You haven’t seen busy with 18650s —This is sort of busy with 18650s
Damn… how many Opi do you have? 
Right on and good to know! I gotta admit though that I think I’m one of the few in BLF that still has not got a 4 battery flashlight. I already have 4 flattops waiting so anytime now! :money_mouth_face:
You haven’t seen busy with 18650s —This is sort of busy with 18650s
[/quote]
Woah! Can I call you “The Battery Guy”? 
You’re all set for batteries for a while now I figure lol. Don’t tell me you have the same amount of flashlights? :sunglasses: :+1:
I have 5 Opus —I mainly use 3 together that I have somewhat calibrated with each other — I have a 24 cell jig I use in 12v to storage charge 3.83v
Woah! Can I call you “The Battery Guy”? You’re all set for batteries for a while now I figure lol. Don’t tell me you have the same amount of flashlights? 
[/quote]
I have lots of lights ( over 300) I buy repurposed cells — The cells in the pictures are VTC6 — I bought 200 for $135 with shipping —I ended up with 182 usable and out of those I should end up with 125 testing as new — not a bad haul —but plenty of work — but when you’re retired you need things to do
One thing I want to note —I have harvested 1000s of cells and a couple weeks ago I got sluggish (first time ) I shorted out a cell in a pack —For some reason Sony cells are (in my opinion) the cheapest made —the metal is thinner than Pany or LG —It scared the DooDoo out of me —Like a lit New Years rocket on the workbench —I was very lucky —no burns or house fire —Be CAREFUL guys
