Ok...I need some SERIOUS help!

For Christmas, my lovely bride bought me a Nitecore P12.

With it came a pair of Ultrafire 18650s. I don't know ANYTHING about 18650s except for they are all the craze now.

These batts are yellow in color with red stripes and say BRC 18650 4200 mAh, 3.7v Li-ion on the side.

Are these safe to use in this Nitecore? I do understand that the 18650 is basically a measurement and that Li-ion stands for Lithium Ion, but what does mAh and 4200 mean? Also, are all 18650s 3.7 volts?

Like I said...I don't know beans about 18650s. Somebody please school me! :thinking:

Google about battery capacity.

They are batteries so stick them in and use them,cannot see your problem.


Happy xmas.

mcnair55 said:

Google about battery capacity.

They are batteries so stick them in and use them,cannot see your problem.


Happy xmas.

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I just hear about them blowing lights up and such.

I don't wanna blow my new toy up.

mcnair55 said:

Google about battery capacity. They are batteries so stick them in and use them,cannot see your problem. Happy xmas.

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Do you ever pass on the chance to pass irresponsible advice? The very fact the batteries say 4200mah tells you they're fake and probably of low quality.

18650 said:

Do you ever pass on the chance to pass irresponsible advice? The very fact the batteries say 4200mah tells you they're fake and probably of low quality.

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Is that coat your jacket ?,maybe they are fake but will still work his torch so where is the problem. The fake part is the capacity lol.

Glock 'em down said:

For Christmas, my lovely bride bought me a Nitecore P12.

With it came a pair of Ultrafire 18650s. I don't know ANYTHING about 18650s except for they are all the craze now.

These batts are yellow in color with red stripes and say BRC 18650 4200 mAh, 3.7v Li-ion on the side.

Are these safe to use in this Nitecore? I do understand that the 18650 is basically a measurement and that Li-ion stands for Lithium Ion, but what does mAh and 4200 mean? Also, are all 18650s 3.7 volts?

Like I said...I don't know beans about 18650s. Somebody please school me! :thinking:

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Congrats on the light

Recycle the li ions ,invest in a couple of 18650 cells from a trusted seller,3100 or 3400mah will do nicely. 3600mah are the highest available but command a high premium and imo not worth it...........

So look at panasonic,sanyo,LG,Samsng,keeppower,efest ...........
On line,vape shops sell them,also samsung 25r are good cells for performance.

What county are you from,illumination supply and going gear are well thought of here for USA purchases.

18650= 18mm wide and 65.0mm long. This is the standard cell length before button tops and PCB(protection circuits added). So length can go to 70mm+ now with PCB and can become an issue in certain lights due to length. One of the better cells Eagletac,these are one of the shortest protected cells out there.

4200? well for a start its made up,real mah could be as low as 1500,its basically mah stands for milli Amere hour,or milli Amp hour. This is a measure of the batteries energy storage capacity.

The 3.7v is the batteries nominal voltage,some may show 3.6v on the side,this is usually the voltage its stored/shipped at (40% charged). So will require charging to 4.2v=100% charged.

A reputable charger like an Xtar or Nitecore comes in here,not big $,but a good safe investment. Simply dont leave charging overnight or unattended even with a protected cell and a charger that cuts off at 4.2v(anything can fail so never rely on a 100%).

Have a little read up on the cells,only takes a few minutes and will help get an understanding and also the best out of your equipment

Ultrafire makes junk batteries. I would suggest buying a pair of AW brand 18650 (or Panasonic protected 18650) for long term use. The ultrafires will get you by until the good batteries are delivered.

Great response, Ven. Was going to post something very similar but you beat me to it.

I would only add that besides all the great info on the CPF site here, that BatteryUniversity.com is also a good source.

mcnair55 said:

Is that coat your jacket ?,maybe they are fake but will still work his torch so where is the problem. The fake part is the capacity lol.

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There are potentially multiple problems...and it isn't a guarantee that they will power the light properly, either. When you buy ****Fire, you are playing the lottery. It is possible you got a decent cell, but I wouldn't count on it.

More reading:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?316888-Fake-Ultrafire-18650-battery-warning
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...st-Review-of-UltraFire-TR18650-5000mAh-(Blue)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTzEHsJVZhA
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?280909-Ultrafire-18650-3000mA-exploded

In short, friends don't let friends use ****Fire cells, especially when (as in this case) they are not very knowledgeable. Quality cells aren't THAT expensive, you may get better performance, you will DEFINITELY get much better runtime, and you will be safer.

Orbtronic, AW, Keeppower, SoShine, LG, Efest, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Sanyo, Eagletac, Nitecore, Thrunite, and many others make consistent, reliable, higher capacity cells. Buy any of those, and go with confidence.

I see that it has a battery power indicator which blinks at 50% power. Keep an eye on it because you don't want to let it run for very long after it comes on. That way you prolong the battery life.

You may also want to get a multimeter. That way you can check the battery voltage. Especially if you don't get a digital charger.

Have fun.

I would not use Ultrafire rechargeable batteries in series (both in the light, end to end). I would feel okay using them as a single battery in the light which I believe your light is. But I would also upgrade to some of the batteries listed earlier and a good (cc/cv) charger. Read up on the rechargeable Li-ion batteries - it is truely the way to go.

Nice that you can run the light on 2 cr123s if you want / have to.

Enjoy!!

mcnair55 said:

………………...The fake part is the capacity lol.

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The fake part is that they are a quality battery.

Glock 'em down said:

I just hear about them blowing lights up and such.

I don't wanna blow my new toy up.

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Don't listen to mcnair, he has literally no idea. Google or search ultrafire after you get rid of them and order some quality cells. Go with protected cells to add a layer of safety until you get comfortable with the do's and don'ts. A quality charger goes a long way as well. You didn't mention if you got one with the gift. You have to use a charger designed to charge lithium-ion batteries. Use the search here to find many threads testing different chargers at all different price points.

Most of all, enjoy your new light!

As others have wisely mentioned, I would advise against the use of "Fire" cells with out proper training.

But having said that. Chances are you would be just fine using them in the light for brief runs. IE for testing that the light works properly. I have a few of the "fire" cells. They are all fakes in one way or another. But, like a dummy, I still risk my life and tinker with them. So far, by using caution, I haven't run into problems. I will keep you posted.
FOOTNOTES: I check them for weight and proper voltages. I also make sure I don't run more than one and I don't run them in lights that are driving hard. Plus I limit the run times. I charge them outdoors in LiPo fire bags. So basically, they are worthless! LOL
Good luck on your new light. Sounds like you have a wonderful bride indeed. Unless she knows a thing or two about "Fire" branded cells! LMAO!!

A lot of sage advice here, Glock 'em Down.

i would only add, based on your nickname, that using any of the ****fire batteries would be like using potentially unsafe reloads in your Glock. They may work okay 99% of the time--until one blows up in your face. Or worse, fails to fire in a time of need.

It's not for no reason that the various ****fire batteries have the word "fire" in their name, because that's what you're likely to get eventually if you use them.

Hi Str8stroke, how do you check them for weight?

onetrickpony said:

Don't listen to mcnair, he has literally no idea. Google or search ultrafire after you get rid of them and order some quality cells. Go with protected cells to add a layer of safety until you get comfortable with the do's and don'ts. A quality charger goes a long way as well. You didn't mention if you got one with the gift. You have to use a charger designed to charge lithium-ion batteries. Use the search here to find many threads testing different chargers at all different price points.

Most of all, enjoy your new light!

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Yes, I did get a charger with it, but I think it's junk as well. It has a fold away AC plug (no cord) and it sized just large enough that it will charge two cells at a time.

Right now, I've got my eye on an Olight Omni-DOK charger and a couple of Olight 3.6v 3400 mAh 12.2 Wh 18650 cells.

Is this a good choice?

magellan said:

A lot of sage advice here, Glock 'em Down.

i would only add, based on your nickname, that using any of the ****fire batteries would be like using potentially unsafe reloads in your Glock. They may work okay 99% of the time--until one blows up in your face. Or worse, fails to fire in a time of need.

It's not for no reason that the various ****fire batteries have the word "fire" in their name, because that's what you're likely to get eventually if you use them.

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This is the best advice I've seen so far. :thumbsup:

I'm a gun guy and putting it out there like that made me understand a little bit better.

Now I'm shocked, because for years I thought I was a flashlight guy...until I entered the realm of the 18650. Now I am as confused as I can be. :shakehead

Before, I just bought CR123s by the dozen and when they went dead, I'd dump 'em and put in two more. But this 18650 thang is a whole other animal. With this, some of the nomenclature is like reading French or something. I just need somebody to put it into simple terminology for me and tell me if the Olight 18650 and Omni-DOK charger is a good combination or not. How often should I put 'em on the charger? Do I charge them every night? Every other night? Once a week? WHAT?! :hairpull:

Glock 'em down said:

But this 18650 thang is a whole other animal. With this, some of the nomenclature is like reading French or something.

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Yes, it is unfortunate that there is no real standard for protected cells. And there are MANY different chemistries of 18650s - since the only real guideline is the physical size of the cell, cells with widely varying capabilities can be sold. Although, this is true to a great extent for AA cells too. NiMH, alkalines, and lithium primaries are all AA, but have different capacities, voltages, and chemistries. There is just more emphasis on 18650s because lithium-ion cells are potentially more volatile, and this is an enthusiast market, where many people actually enjoy getting into the details.

Glock 'em down said:

I just need somebody to put it into simple terminology for me and tell me if the Olight 18650 and Omni-DOK charger is a good combination or not. How often should I put 'em on the charger? Do I charge them every night? Every other night? Once a week? WHAT?! :hairpull:

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Generally I don't recommend Olight cells, because they are on the long side for 18650s. They might not fit in every light. For the Nitecore P12, though, they will do just fine. If you just want them for that, order them and quit worrying about it. You'll be much better off than you were with *****Fire.

Same goes for the Omni-Dok charger. If you want it only for charging 18650s, buy it and be done. If you want to charge a variety of sizes, want detailed digital readouts, support for more cell types, etc., then it isn't the best charger. But it will do a perfectly adequate job for what you have now.

Lots of great advise here, but I'll add a few things.

Firstdon't be afraid of the rechargeables. You will soon find that they are the way to go. Think of it like driving. There are some steps you need to take to be safe, but once you do you don't want to be without it.

Secondly, read up on lithium ion safety. There are some very informative sticks in this sub-forum.

Thirdly, invest in quality equipment. You can work with lesser stuff, but in the end it isn't worth it.

Enjoy.

Here's an excellent review of the Olight Omni-Dok by resident CPF'er HKJ: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?385746-Test-Review-of-Charger-Olight-Omni-dok

According to HKJ, it seems like a nice simple way to get going without much fuss.

I've also heard excellent things about the Xtar VP2, which is more expensive but has several compelling features you may or may not care about. You can use the search at the top of the page to find a review on it as well if you're interested.