Why I can’t buy. Lio ion battery online in Canada?

Sidney_Stratton · 2019-02-10T15:13:36.000Z

Been having the same gauntlet. For a few cells, the shipping costs are disproportionate. Ilumn’s is $18 USD. The vape stores carry high current cells but not the higher capacity types. Their prices are high at $15 each (CDN). I’ve found Richard at MTN Electronics reasonable at $10 USD (shipping) but only 2 cells, afterwhich jumps to $17. Not as much selection but has the better cells for lights.

It would seem that as Canadian carriers use passenger lines and as such refuse china shipped cells. The probable cause of fire would jeopardize human safety. But they accept cell phone batteries - and since the Samsung Note 8 misadventure, they should be more stringent. Perhaps there is different route with such cells, as land transport?

Edit: for typical cells I did buy from PKCell. 2600 mAh and 5C discharge rates. They have Canadian warehouse, and you must check from which they ship. Else have extra fee.

Re-edit(?): NealsGadgets uses expedited shipping once in Canada - very reasonable rate. I ordered a special battery (26950) and awaiting their New Year finishes for processing. Doesn’t have the usual “This item cannot ship to your country” tag once completed the order.

BlueSwordM · 2019-02-10T15:28:47.000Z

+1 to Sidney Stratton

The worst thing is that cylindrical quality cells are safer than even cells in phones.

Bob_McBob · 2019-02-10T17:28:53.000Z

Illumn’s shipping charge is quite reasonable per cell if you order more than a few. Certainly much cheaper than vape shops, which are the only real source in Canada.

Sidney_Stratton · 2019-02-10T17:48:56.000Z

@ Bob_McBob:

I like your graphical analysis. But my point was about a couple of cells. But a few, lets say 4 Sam’s 30Q @ $6 = 24 + 17 (shipping) = 41 USD. Thats $54 CDN or 13.50 / each. My local vape shop would sell me these at $12.50 each if purchased 4 (individually regular at $15). Not want to disprove anyone, but the cells are almost as expensive as the flashlight (Q8 going for $64 CDN).

xmlaohan · 2019-02-10T22:13:28.000Z

Thanks for you guys helpful messages.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-02-11T13:12:03.000Z

Sidney Stratton:

But my point was about a couple of cells. But a few, lets say 4 Sam’s 30Q @ $6 = 24 + 17 (shipping) = 41 USD. Thats $54 CDN or 13.50 / each. My local vape shop would sell me these at $12.50 each if purchased 4 (individually regular at $15). Not want to disprove anyone, but the cells are almost as expensive as the flashlight (Q8 going for $64 CDN).

If buying within Canada, don’t forget to add HST, which adds another 13% or more to the price.

Also, I’m a little more sure that illumn is selling genuine cells, than a local vape shop. That’s primarily because I can’t find dozens of positive reviews about a local vape shop, whereas illumn gets a lot of Internet business. The vape shops are hopefully selling genuine cells (certainly betters odds than off Amazon/e-bay/Chinese sellers). But, maybe they just bought them off Amazon?

But, yeah, if I was only buying a couple of cells, illumn doesn’t make much sense. In that case, maybe I’d risk a new source.

Spartan · 2019-02-11T19:41:57.000Z

Forget about Canadian suppliers. What is the cheapest and most reliable source to get high end li-ion?

Nooner · 2019-02-11T22:34:08.000Z

Spartans:

Forget about Canadian suppliers. What is the cheapest and most reliable source to get high end li-ion?

https://www.illumn.com (often mentioned on this forum)
https://mabdelectronics.com (I haven’t seen them discussed much on this forum but I have had success ordering from them)

BlueSwordM · 2019-02-11T23:04:26.000Z

Here are the sources I’ve used before:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1382210

Spartan · 2019-02-11T23:07:41.000Z

Thank you for the links.

I have to get over my concerns about paypal.

mattadores · 2019-02-12T22:40:06.000Z

The most reliable source I’ve ever used is Amazon. The product ships from Amazons fulfilment warehouse which is owned by Amazon and is prime eligible (2-day free shipping). They offer no questions asked returns/refunds/exchanges and they’ll cover all return shipping costs for refunds/exchanges.

Also: if you return to Amazon: they send you the waybill for shipping and you typically have 30 days time limit for them to receive the return or at least confirmation it’s been shipped. I’ve many times returned something to Amazon about 18 days after I ordered and received the replacement.

I’m also a vaper which means I did some pretty intensive research regarding batteries due to the potential catastrophic failure that can occur in a vape if used incorrectly. I found quite a bit of info on how frequently even vape shops will sell knock off batteries labelled as premium.

Two weeks ago I bough 4x 18650 flat top Samsung 30Q from Amazon. Arrived in 2 days:
-The batteries came in clear 18650/18350 plastic battery cases (2x18650 or 4x16340 cases)
-Plastic carriers were inside a 3.5”x3.5”x1” flip lid cardboard box
-The 3.5” cardboard box was shipped alone inside a 12”x4.5”x8” cardboard shipping box with a huge 6”x4” LI-ION DANGER blah blah blah warning label

Amazon is consistently less than any vape shop I’ve checked (at least a half dozen) but more expensive than BG or GB (which won’t ship to Canada).

Amazon doesn’t however offer ANY button top batteries as from what I’ve read, these are modified in house by the seller which Amazon isn’t offering.

I’ve also just placed an order over the CNY that hasn’t shipped yet from Nealsgadgest which didn’t restrict me from buying 4x 30Q button tops. Hope it ships! If not Amazon’s got your batteries.

Amazon today: (prime eligible) 30Q 6 pack $62.86 or $10.48/ea
Nealsgadgets: 30Q 2 pack $18.09 or $9.05/ea
digitalimports (vape warehouse): 30Q singles (when available) $15.00+ ea

BlueSwordM · 2019-02-12T22:41:29.000Z

NEVER ORDER 18650s from Amazon!

You could easily get counterfeit cells mixed in with the legitimate cells.

mattadores · 2019-02-12T22:42:26.000Z

Spartans:

Thank you for the links.

I have to get over my concerns about paypal.

Another potential advantage for using Amazon is that you can purchase an amazon gift card at almost any local retail store which eliminates the need for you to ever give out credit information

mattadores · 2019-02-12T22:44:34.000Z

BlueSwordM:

NEVER ORDER 18650s from Amazon!

You could easily get counterfeit cells mixed in with the legitimate cells.

LOL well I’ll have to buy them direct from Samsung then! ha ha in my research I found the exact same problem was likely to happen at vape stores, Chinese sellers, alixpress/baba etc.

It looks like if my order is actually allowed to ship to Canada from Nealsgadgets, he’s going to be the #1 BLF recommended source!

BlueSwordM · 2019-02-12T22:51:54.000Z

I actually know a few Chinese sellers on Aliexpress that I have 100% trust on to buy/put cells in gadgets.

1. Nealsgadgets. I’ve asked him about the shipping method, and he said he has a special shipping forwarder that ships legitimately lithium-ion cells without any problems.

2. Aliya’s battery Store and Lucky’s battery Store. They also use dedicated shipping services to North America for battery shipping to a USPS hub, and I haven’t had a problem with them.

3. Sofirn. If you ask nicely, they’ll put in their cells inside of their lights, which is very nice.

klrman · 2019-02-12T23:56:46.000Z

Did Nealsgadgets sell the fake 40T's like Fireflies did or mention anything about them?

waloshin · 2019-02-13T01:33:48.000Z

klrman:

Did Nealsgadgets sell the fake 40T’s like Fireflies did or mention anything about them?

The seller is a Chinese PayPal account. Which would tell me the batteries come from China.

klrman · 2019-02-13T00:48:45.000Z

waloshin:

klrman:

Did Nealsgadgets sell the fake 40T's like Fireflies did or mention anything about them?

The seller is a Chinese PayPal account.

Yeah, but was Neil aware or did he happen to sell the fake 40T's and mention anything about it was what I was trying to find out. I'd rather hear from a decent outfit like Neil or Jack that they did something about it if that is the case than to file a paypal dispute personally.

GreenShrike · 2019-02-21T21:23:18.000Z

One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is what I’ve do — use a US parcel receiving service. If you live near the US border or don’t mind a weekend day trip to Niagara Falls or some such for some sightseeing and a quick trip across the border, then you can have US retailers send your package of cells to the parcel service. The service will call/email you when the package arrives, and you then go pay the receiving fee and pick up the package.

It’s especially nice if you can take advantage of “free shipping within the US” deals, since you then just have to cough up a few bucks to the parcel service, and if your bill isn’t too outrageous, the nice Canadian customs officers will likely just roll their eyes at “flashlight batteries” and wave you through.

Google “niagara falls parcel pickup” or whichever US border city you’ll be near, and you should get a nice list of parcel services.

Obvious hint for Amazon US if you order a bunch of stuff: if it’s an option, choose fewer packages but possibly delayed delivery over quicker delivery but more packages, since you’ll be paying the parcel service per box received.

peg_matite · 2019-02-21T23:26:18.000Z

My experience is that you get decent price but decent probability fakes trying to buy original mfr 18650s from Amazon. OK to buy branded Thrunite or Olight or the sort from Amazon but paying the brand rewrap premium in that case.

Mtn Electronics has genuine stuff at a fair price, and you can use the credit card/paypal option where you do not need an actual Paypal account.