Where did all the protected cells go? Haven't been there for 4 years.

siletto · 2019-08-03T10:43:06.000Z

Hi there!

I started buying and modding budget flashlights back in circa 2014. I was reading this forum regularly, and knew quite a lot of these modding-ordering things.
I am still using an Ancient Convoy C8 (with removable pill)daily, and some Convoys, Shadow and Uniquefire branded ones, but did not have time to go deeper in reading.
My Panasonic 3400 cells are starting to wear out from daily usage and all the recharges, and I thought I would buy some new ones.

My problem is that it is quite hard to get “genuine” batteries, and even the manufacturers have changed.
Back in the days, I used to order dozens of NCR18650Bs from Fasttech, protected, for about 6USD for each. All of them were flawless.
There were the green colored Samsung 3000mAh 4.35V batteries, same good quality from Fasttech, propably Banggood, about 5 USD for each, as far as I can recall.

Today, I could barely find any Panasonic cells, few Samsungs.
Propably their factories are closed, IDK.
There are some nice, high-drain batteries from LG, also Sony, but why now Sanyo has the Panasonic designation in their cells, and made in china?
Almost all of the cells are now considered high-drain, but very hard to find a protected cell, that would match flashlights without low voltage protection.

I’d be grateful if someone could update my old knowledge about batteries. Also what are the “golden standards” now in terms of good price/performance ratio?
I have a lot of trust in Fasttech(knock-knock), so I’d rather order from them.

Johm · 2019-08-03T11:25:54.000Z

Protection circuits cannot handle high drain (given cost and size limitations),
they trip the protection circuit and need a charger to reset.

This is why high drain cells don’t usually come in the protected flavor.

Also, high drain cells have been improved disproportionately the past few years and have become ‘safer’, cheaper and closer in capacity to non high drain cells. (I think the vaping industry and the upcoming automotive electric industry has caused these changes)

High drain cells can also handle medium loads better.
Example: if you regularly use the NCR18650B, rated at 3A, in C8 high mode, around 2.8A,
you will not get the full charge or as many duty cycles as you could out of this cell.

Most people these days use:
High drain : Samsung 30Q(pink), Sony VTC6 (green), LG HG2 (brown)
these are 3000mAh 20A cells

Medium drain: LG MJ1, Samsung 35E
3500mAh 10A cells.

Johm · 2019-08-03T12:02:46.000Z

You now have the perfect excuse to upgrade or replace a few of your lights with low voltage protection ones.

Tally-ho · 2019-08-03T12:10:35.000Z

@soletto
Protected NCR18650B are still sold at banggood.

Th558 · 2019-08-03T13:18:59.000Z

Also don’t forget the NCR18650ga