Test/review of Vapcell INR14500 650mAh (Blue)

toobadorz · 2019-06-24T14:47:57.000Z

China li-ion cell manufacturers used to show higher variances in their products. HIBATT IMR 14500 700mAh, Shockli IMR 14500 660mAh, Efest IMR 14500 650mAh, and this Vapcell INR14500 650mAh, they all seem to be the same cell from the same manufacturer. Their performance, however, vary from batch to batch, the differences you see among them are because of different grades and/or cell inconsistency within a batch.

But they are still the best high-drain 14500 you can find. Among these choices, Shockli and Vapcell seem to be the only two that offer a native (NOT welded) button-top version of this cell.

In the beginning, Vapcell only sold the flat-top version of this 14500, and unfortunately the batch they got at that moment was poor (I did buy 16 pieces and tested them), the performance was noticeably worse than all the other choices. I’m glad that they are now offering a native button-top version with acceptable performance.

SKV89 · 2019-06-24T15:22:24.000Z

This is simply the best high drain 14500 on the market. Someone please test this in a GT Micro.

Barkuti · 2019-06-24T16:15:06.000Z

toobadorz:

… they all seem to be the same cell from the same manufacturer. Their performance, however, vary from batch to batch, the differences you see among them are because of different grades and/or cell inconsistency within a batch.

…

Agree. And it is no good. Curious related article: Kaizen vs. Chabuduo: Changing Asian Quality Culture.

toobadorz:

…

But they are still the best high-drain 14500 you can find. Among these choices, Shockli and Vapcell seem to be the only two that offer a native (NOT welded) button-top version of this cell.
…

Nothing new. By the way, cylindrical cells are not manufactured with button tops. And they are welded. Your bad experience, toobadorz, with button tops is due to shoddy work.When a button top is properly welded it works very well and without issues. Here is a picture of a 18650 cell from which I removed the button top to take a peek at its actual flat top; I still had not fully finished the work, you can see a leftover dot by the left:

I could count a total of six (dual maybe) welds around the button. I first had to use my rotary tool attached vertically to a vice with a milling bit so I could slide the cell flat under to remove the bulk of the button top, then proceed with some hand finish work with a grinding stone. That @#$% was not meant to break up easily!

Cheers :-)

toobadorz · 2019-06-24T17:44:25.000Z

Barkuti:

By the way, cylindrical cells are not manufactured with button tops. And they are welded. Your bad experience, toobadorz, with button tops is due to shoddy work.When a button top is properly welded it works very well and without issues.

For 18650’s, I think you are right. But for some other sizes like 14500, 16340, and 10440, there are indeed some China manufacturers making a native button-top version. “Native” means that the top installed by the factory is already a protruding one, as commonly seen on AA or AAA batteries. The reason is simple, when there is a need of enough quantity, they can make that for you

For example, DLG is a China li-ion manufacturer that offers both flat-top and button-top versions of 14500. This Soshine battery HKJ ever tested is simply a DLG NCM14500-850 with native button-top.

DavidEF · 2019-06-24T18:35:19.000Z

Agro:

At low currents Efests are better. But they collapse at 10A.
Vapcell and Enercig EC-14500HP survive even this kind of current. Vapcell holds higher voltage while doing so (but ends up with less capacity).

IR? Vapcell 9 mOhm, Enercig 11 mOhm, Efest 13 mOhm.

I don’t know if you’re right or not about the Efest. I haven’t ever used them in a high drain application. But according to the HKJ testing, the Vapcell aren’t really good at 10A either. Maybe you got better cells than he did?

BT100 · 2019-06-24T19:40:49.000Z

Hello, just curious. Does anyone know of a 14500 flashlight that puts a 10 amp load on its cells? Or even a 5 amp load? I have a manker T01 and MK41 and to my knowledge these lights are only drawing 2 or3 amps per cell. anyone??

djozz · 2019-06-24T20:00:36.000Z

BT100:

Hello, just curious. Does anyone know of a 14500 flashlight that puts a 10 amp load on its cells? Or even a 5 amp load? I have a manker T01 and MK41 and to my knowledge these lights are only drawing 2 or3 amps per cell. anyone??

Not so much stock flashlights but any modded flashlight with direct driver (I like the good old BLF-A6 driver very much) and low voltage led (like the Luxeon V or Oslon White Flat, and quite a few others) will draw 5+ amps from a high drain 14500 easily.

contactcr · 2019-06-24T20:09:19.000Z

BT100:

Hello, just curious. Does anyone know of a 14500 flashlight that puts a 10 amp load on its cells? Or even a 5 amp load? I have a manker T01 and MK41 and to my knowledge these lights are only drawing 2 or3 amps per cell. anyone??

Singles:
BLF X5
GT Micro

Triples:
kyfishguy micro mag
ASF EDC brass

Anything with a FET driver. Some people have modded AA Tool’s or other lights with FET drivers to make them 14500 only.

Agro · 2019-06-24T20:16:52.000Z

DavidEF:

Agro:

At low currents Efests are better. But they collapse at 10A.
Vapcell and Enercig EC-14500HP survive even this kind of current. Vapcell holds higher voltage while doing so (but ends up with less capacity).

IR? Vapcell 9 mOhm, Enercig 11 mOhm, Efest 13 mOhm.

I don’t know if you’re right or not about the Efest. I haven’t ever used them in a high drain application. But according to the HKJ testing, the Vapcell aren’t really good at 10A either. Maybe you got better cells than he did?

No, I don’t have them. And I don’t have any 14500 light yet. Just looking at the graph they seem to deliver almost 600 mAh at 10A.

DavidEF · 2019-06-24T20:30:44.000Z

Agro:

DavidEF:

Agro:

At low currents Efests are better. But they collapse at 10A.
Vapcell and Enercig EC-14500HP survive even this kind of current. Vapcell holds higher voltage while doing so (but ends up with less capacity).

IR? Vapcell 9 mOhm, Enercig 11 mOhm, Efest 13 mOhm.

I don’t know if you’re right or not about the Efest. I haven’t ever used them in a high drain application. But according to the HKJ testing, the Vapcell aren’t really good at 10A either. Maybe you got better cells than he did?

No, I don’t have them. And I don’t have any 14500 light yet. Just looking at the graph they seem to deliver almost 600 mAh at 10A.

Okay, I just looked at the Comparator again, and I see what you mean. The Vapcell does falter, but not nearly as badly as the Efest Purple, and it does still maintain most of its capacity.

Barkuti · 2019-06-24T21:01:40.000Z

The output voltage of this cell at 10A is crumbled enough to hardly be of any use in any single emitter build. Even 7A would hardly be seen in practice except for a few seconds maybe.

For people who generally do not charge their cells to the max, the above is even less likely.

djozz · 2019-06-24T22:00:21.000Z

Barkuti:

The output voltage of this cell at 10A is crumbled enough to hardly be of any use in any single emitter build. Even 7A would hardly be seen in practice except for a few seconds maybe.

For people who generally do not charge their cells to the max, the above is even less likely.

7A and a 2mm White Flat will work, with a littlebit voltage spare for circuit losses. But that is the lowest voltage high current led around.

iamlucky13 · 2019-06-25T07:38:19.000Z

BT100:

Hello, just curious. Does anyone know of a 14500 flashlight that puts a 10 amp load on its cells? Or even a 5 amp load? I have a manker T01 and MK41 and to my knowledge these lights are only drawing 2 or3 amps per cell. anyone??

The Emisar A1 needs a very high output 14500 like this.

Unfortunately, the only place I have seen an Emisar A1 is in my imagination.

d_t_a · 2019-06-28T06:37:39.000Z

GT Micro, BLF X5, Klarus XT1A I think can draw 4+ Amps.

vapcell_Dennis · 2019-06-29T09:30:28.000Z

Thanks HKJ

Barkuti · 2019-06-29T11:21:08.000Z

Volumetrically speaking a 14500 has ≈46.534% the volume of a 18650. If we were to translate the technology of an VTC5A cell inside one of these cans, at a (let's say) 45% effective inner space or close, the cell would at least have 1100+mAh of capacity and due to better thermal characteristics its discharge rate would clock 12A continuous with ease.

Just saying.

:-)

BT100 · 2019-06-29T20:11:06.000Z

Thanks all. I have BLF X5 I just didnt realize it pulled 5 amps. haha

SKV89 · 2019-07-16T16:00:07.000Z

Is this the same cell as the Shockli 14500 660mah yellow and Windyfire 14500 600mah Red?

Barkuti · 2019-07-17T01:28:05.000Z

SKV89:

Is this the same cell as the Shockli 14500 660mah yellow and Windyfire 14500 600mah Red?

Yes. Any differences may be attributed to version, batch, or just because the manufacturer consistency sucks. This means this cell can be a troublesome choice for series builds or battery packs.

The Windyfire is now rated 650mAh. Same cell as the Trustfire IMR14500 700mAh too.

Cheers :-)

Lightbringer · 2020-04-19T19:36:58.000Z

Just ordered a pair of these for my GTmicros. Using generic EBL 14500s now, can’t really tell any difference between ceiling and turbo, so maybe these will fare a bit better on highest settings, even though the EBLs work fine day-to-day.