Test / Review: Sony SE US26650VT 2600mAh (Green)

Batteries and Chargers Rechargeable Batteries
1

Sony SE US26650VT 2600mAh (Green)



Official specifications:

  • Voltage : 3.7v
  • Capacity : 2600mAh (Min 2500mAh)
  • Max Discharge Rate : 50A
  • Charging Rate : 20C
  • Size : 26 x 65mm
  • Weight : 88g




This battery is a very high current battery, but with low capacity.










The battery is rated for 50A, I did only test up to 30A, but looking at the curves I would say it is a good idea to stay below 20A, because it has nearly full capacity at that current.
The voltage from this battery is very high for a 4.2 volt LiIon cell.





When doing these high currents, it is also very interesting to look at the runtime, it is very short. At 15A it is only about 10 minutes.











Conclusion

This is a very good battery, but mostly for people that need 10A or more. For lower current a 18650 battery can be nearly as good and is much smaller.



Notes and links

How is the test done and how to read the charts
How is a protected LiIon battery constructed
More about button top and flat top batteries

2

Thanks for the review.

Could you please explain what you meant by this:

3

The 30A curve has considerable less capacity and voltage, than the 20A curve.

The battery is rated for 50A, but that might be for intermittent usage.

4

Thanks for the clarification.

5

Thanks a lot for the review! Frontpage’d and Sticky’d.

6

Thanks for the review.. This is a really interesting battery. :)

7

HKJ,

Once again great review. Very useful info. Do you happen to know how to decipher the manufacturing date code on this cell?

8

No, but if anybody do, please post it here.

9

a year ago in my thread someone posted this

Going by this these cells (QB12BW) in the picture would be produced on 2008, February 12

10

6$ per piece in a lot of 4,free shipping:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-Li-ion-26650-3-7V-2600mAh-Rechargeable-Battery-Cell-with-High-Discharging-Rate-4pieces/1234774978.html

Off topic:Does anyone know date codes for LG cells?

11

Crap, that's cheap! I got qty 3 for $12.50 each from here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-SE-US26650VT-26650-50A-20C-Li-ion-2600mAh-Rechargeable-Battery-x1-/330942130309. Maybe these are "brand new"?

12

I’m not surprised they’re so cheap,practically all 26650 cells are for some reason abandoned,and high power 18650 dominate in power tools these days. Code says these are also 2008,so it’s probably cheaper for manufacturers to sell new old stock cells that nobody wants for 1$,than pay for recycling.

13

Really hard to beat the KK ICR 4000 or 4200 for performance and capacity - I'm getting a measured 4.55 amps on a XinTD X3 off a KK ICR 4200 which is right there at the 4.56A configured with 12 380 7135's. I got a MOLI coming in today, and we'll see with these SONY's.

14

I have use this battery in one mod and it appears to have more internal resistance than the aw 18650imr 1600mah

is very hard to get more than 20 amp with this 26650 fullcharged and 9xm-l in paralel |(

15

Lol.. Nice light...

I understand you live your life a 26650 at a time. Nothing else matters: not the mortgage, not the heat issues, not the runtime and all that bullshit. For those ten minutes or less, you`re free.

:bigsmile:

(yeah, I have seen The Fast and the Furious)

16

maybe this is the best 26650 for 10-30 amp

but I want one 26650 with lower internal resistance than the aw18650imr

17

Dunno - I tried one of these SONY's in a XinTD X3 mod'd to 4.56A with an XM-L2 U2/Noctigon and actually got 4.56A measured, so it match's or slightly exceed a KK ICR, and blows away a MNKE IMR 26650. I think it would match a Samsung 20R as well - will test it. I have an AW 18650 IMR 2000 and this SONY cell easily beats it.

18

At 5A, voltage is higher, but by huge margin.

At 10A they are considerably better than KK. At 15A they have similar voltage drop as KK on 10A. J) (No graph for KK at 15A)

I was supposed to buy KK, but then I saw these cheap from WB (promotion), so picked up a few.. 0:)

Looking forward to see what they are capable of. Runtime is overrated.. :D

19

My question is: Is this better and more worth it for 26650 applications than a Samsung R or other high discharge battery?

20

The comparator shows just a bit more sag for 26650 in the beginning, but holds voltage much better later on in applications 3A+.