Tenergy 2600mah 18650 protected...any good?

[JAS]

@xxllmm4

So based on the price, being a Chinese cell, and the 25% failure rate.

I thought tenergy is an American company.

[miamilight]

I don't know anything about these batteries but just for the record, the 25% failure rate I gave was only based on the 4 batteries I personally bought. 1 out of the 4 was no good. I don't know if everyone else has been experiencing a 25% failure rate.

[miamilight]

@JAS

@xxllmm4

So based on the price, being a Chinese cell, and the 25% failure rate.

I thought tenergy is an American company.

My batteries say "made in China".

[stevetexas]

@miamilight

@JAS

@xxllmm4

So based on the price, being a Chinese cell, and the 25% failure rate.

I thought tenergy is an American company.

My batteries say "made in China".

Tenergy is an upscale Chinese/American Company.

Do a search, Tenergy batteries have a high reputation. A USA liquidation dealer got a deal....and so do we.

My computer says Dell on it, and it is full of Chinese parts.

I try to live in the present....not 1955.

[willie]

@xxllmm4

Cool, I hope you got a good deal! If so they may be the next best budget deal around. I checked the ebay link and it looks like their a liquidation company. I wonder how many they have left.

Mr.xxmmll4 On the surface I would agree with the something for nothing concept. Sometimes the issues are deeper. Your OK in my book. Sincerely, Willie

[fishmaniac]

See what I mean, this board is full of cool people. ;)

Happy Sat (or Sun)!

[miamilight]

@edc

That was me. Heat is the issue. NB: I do not touch the battery with the soldering iron. I put flux on the positive terminal and drop the solder on the battery by melting it on the tip of the iron. Not exactly ideal but it worked.

Do you think something like liquid solder might work?

[willie]

Got the 4 18650 Tenergy batteries this morning (deliver fri pm) and will charge this evening as I’m at work. Was able to check voltage 3@3.7v & 1@2.8v. Harpooned a small hog with the crossbow using a green cree 501b for light as night hunting is legal in Texas for swine.

[Stephen_Wallace]

So again, three with good voltage, and one that's considerably lower, and approaching the point where the PCB would trip to protect against over discharge.

Makes you wonder if there aren't two different batches of cells, of different ages, that have got mixed together. Working on that theory, the older batch seem to have sat unused long enough for the storage charge to have depleted. That is just a theory though.

[willie]

Here is a progress report on the Tenergy 2600ma 18650s. All batteries take a charge including the battery that was received with 2.8v. I charge them on my DX charger model HXY-18650-2A rated @ 1A per channel (reviews say 700ma). This charger gets them to 4.16-4.18v. I then top them to 4.2v @ .5a with a Turnigy Accucell-8150 powered by a Dell 750w work station power supply. All batteries allowed to cool 1 to 4 hrs. All discharge test are done @ 2.0A & to 3.0v cutoff. I have finished the first of two discharges on each battery. Will try to finish tomorrow. I ordered two XTAR 2600ma 18700s last tuesday (9/29) before I found this thread about these Tenergys. Will compare the XTARs using the same test parameters when they show. Hope to report tomorrow, Willie

[gen1.3]

@willie

Here is a progress report on the Tenergy 2600ma 18650s. All batteries take a charge including the battery that was received with 2.8v. I charge them on my DX charger model HXY-18650-2A rated @ 1A per channel (reviews say 700ma). This charger gets them to 4.16-4.18v. I then top them to 4.2v @ .5a with a Turnigy Accucell-8150 powered by a Dell 750w work station power supply. All batteries allowed to cool 1 to 4 hrs. All discharge test are done @ 2.0A & to 3.0v cutoff. I have finished the first of two discharges on each battery. Will try to finish tomorrow. I ordered two XTAR 2600ma 18700s last tuesday (9/29) before I found this thread about these Tenergys. Will compare the XTARs using the same test parameters when they show. Hope to report tomorrow, Willie

Nice job Willie, looking forward to the results!

[edc]

@miamilight

@edc

That was me. Heat is the issue. NB: I do not touch the battery with the soldering iron. I put flux on the positive terminal and drop the solder on the battery by melting it on the tip of the iron. Not exactly ideal but it worked.

Do you think something like liquid solder might work?

I would be interested in the answer to that question as well.

[willie]

@willie

Here is a progress report on the Tenergy 2600ma 18650s. All batteries take a charge including the battery that was received with 2.8v. I charge them on my DX charger model HXY-18650-2A rated @ 1A per channel (reviews say 700ma). This charger gets them to 4.16-4.18v. I then top them to 4.2v @ .5a with a Turnigy Accucell-8150 powered by a Dell 750w work station power supply. All batteries allowed to cool 1 to 4 hrs. All discharge test are done @ 2.0A & to 3.0v cutoff. I have finished the first of two discharges on each battery. Will try to finish tomorrow. I ordered two XTAR 2600ma 18700s last tuesday (9/29) before I found this thread about these Tenergys. Will compare the XTARs using the same test parameters when they show. Hope to report tomorrow, Willie

Ran short of time and have not tested the last cell (cell #4 received @2.8v) on the second run. I will post results after testing this cell. Can say ALL have been over 2700ma.

[miamilight]

Major props to that ebay seller!! I emailed him about the dead battery over the weekend. He shipped out a new one first thing Monday morning and I received it today. Reads 3.6V so it looks good.

I just wish I would have known about the whole flat-top button-top thing. But I did find that if I put a small washer between the batteries, the pressure from the batteries keeps it in place and they work fine like that. What I'm not sure about is if the washer works its way off to the side and ends up touching the inner wall of the flashlight, whether that can cause some kind of short or something like that.

[gen1.3]

@willie

@willie

Here is a progress report on the Tenergy 2600ma 18650s. All batteries take a charge including the battery that was received with 2.8v. I charge them on my DX charger model HXY-18650-2A rated @ 1A per channel (reviews say 700ma). This charger gets them to 4.16-4.18v. I then top them to 4.2v @ .5a with a Turnigy Accucell-8150 powered by a Dell 750w work station power supply. All batteries allowed to cool 1 to 4 hrs. All discharge test are done @ 2.0A & to 3.0v cutoff. I have finished the first of two discharges on each battery. Will try to finish tomorrow. I ordered two XTAR 2600ma 18700s last tuesday (9/29) before I found this thread about these Tenergys. Will compare the XTARs using the same test parameters when they show. Hope to report tomorrow, Willie

Ran short of time and have not tested the last cell (cell #4 received @2.8v) on the second run. I will post results after testing this cell. Can say ALL have been over 2700ma.

Very good results.

[willie]

Results for 4 Tenergy 18650 2600mah cells from Ebay seller marrsinc:
#1@ 2784&2789, #2@ 2759&2737, #3@ 2750&2795, #4@ 2798&2797
These were purchased on a BIN 4@$14.99 delivered. They worked for me. I also ordered 48 tabbed AA nimh and 4 TENERGY NIMH 4/3AF 4200mAh 1.2V. The 4/3AF (18650 size) batteries will be used in a project light that requires low voltage high amperage direct drive. Will post results on XTARs.

[stevetexas]

@miamilight

@edc

That was me. Heat is the issue. NB: I do not touch the battery with the soldering iron. I put flux on the positive terminal and drop the solder on the battery by melting it on the tip of the iron. Not exactly ideal but it worked.

Do you think something like liquid solder might work?

The product called "Liquid Solder" does not have any metal in it. It is just silver colored glue. It is non-conductive.

[miamilight]

@stevetexas

@miamilight

@edc

That was me. Heat is the issue. NB: I do not touch the battery with the soldering iron. I put flux on the positive terminal and drop the solder on the battery by melting it on the tip of the iron. Not exactly ideal but it worked.

Do you think something like liquid solder might work?

The product called "Liquid Solder" does not have any metal in it. It is just silver colored glue. It is non-conductive.

Is there any kind of conductive glue that would work?

[kragmutt]

@miamilight

But I did find that if I put a small washer between the batteries, the pressure from the batteries keeps it in place and they work fine like that. What I'm not sure about is if the washer works its way off to the side and ends up touching the inner wall of the flashlight, whether that can cause some kind of short or something like that.

This sounds like a bad idea to me. The washer can short against the wall. Some people are worried about this with the magnets, let alone something non-magnetic. But can someone else verify?

[willie]

@willie

Results for 4 Tenergy 18650 2600mah cells from Ebay seller marrsinc: #1@ 2784&2789, #2@ 2759&2737, #3@ 2750&2795, #4@ 2798&2797 These were purchased on a BIN 4@$14.99 delivered. They worked for me. I also ordered 48 tabbed AA nimh and 4 TENERGY NIMH 4/3AF 4200mAh 1.2V. The 4/3AF (18650 size) batteries will be used in a project light that requires low voltage high amperage direct drive. Will post results on XTARs.

XTARs 18700 2600ma test results: #1 @ 2747AVG, #2 @ 2687AVG

Tenergy 4/3AF 4200ma 1.2v NiMh: 4 cells charged in series tested @ 3920ma with discharge 2.0A to 4v (1v per cell)

Tenergy AA 2300ma 1.2v Nimh: tested 8@1800ma+ with discharge 1.0A to 1V

I would recommend the Ebay Tenergy (4@$14.99) 2600ma 18650 protected flat tops, Xtar 18700 2600ma, Ebay Tenergy AA 2300ma (48@$19.99) as a cheap nimh AA (NOT Sanyo top flite but at .44 cents they rock) and the Tenergy 4/3AF special application battery are more than acceptable at 93% of rated capacity.

NOTE: All Tenergy cells from Ebay seller marrsinc . I am not connected or get any kickbacks from any seller.