Brand new 18650's fail!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151556182516?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Quick question just bought one of these, but the supplied batteries are at 4.9V! Thats bad right? Very bad!

Do you mean each individual 18650 battery is showing 4.9v tested on a DMM or the total output of the 3x18650 battery pack is showing 4.9v tested on a DMM?

bella-headlight said:

Do you mean each individual 18650 battery is showing 4.9v tested on a DMM or the total output of the 3x18650 battery pack is showing 4.9v tested on a DMM?

Click to expand...

Each one, on a DMM!!

I have very quickly learned from this forum not to use cheap chinese 18650 batteries as it would seem that apart from the fact that their mah is vastly exagerated they are often cells that have been reclaimed from laptop packs.
As such there is no way of knowing what mah they are or what life is left in them.
From the ebay listing you link to the batteries are "borulit" which AFAIK are a cheap chinese manufacturer/re-packager along the lines of the cheap "Ultrafire" batteries found on ebay .
I would get some good quality batteries & dispose of what came with the lamp.
Also I would get a "proper" battery charger & not use the one that came with the lamp due to quality/safety issues with cheap chinese chargers.

Cheers, great to get a 2nd opinion.
This is my first set of 18650's, and just gob smacked at how bad the package(batteries lamp charger and leads came together) was. Only had the thing an hour and so many problems. I mean not just defective but looks bloody dangerous! Plugged the supplied charger in and it wants to charge them some more.
I think the whole thing is fried....just waiting on the vendor to get back to me....paypal claim i think lol.

+1 what Bella said. Great move on your part for checking them first on a DMM. Good respected chargers are in the <$20 range. If you need any links or specifics just PM. Good luck

I was in a similar position to you battery & charger wise not so long ago :thumbsdow
My first 18650 batteries were cheap "Ultrafire"s" & a cheap unbranded chinese charger.
The batteries had nowhere the mah"s claimed & of the 6 I had only 2 had any sort of reasonable run time.
I quickly bought some quality cells & a Nitecore charger http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301474584503?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT which were recommended by posters on here.
Good quality 18650"s & charger are far better value (& safer) in the long run than cheap chinese batteries & chargers of unknown quality/origin.

Not a fan of cheap ****fire branded batteries, but I think you need to check your DMM against a known good battery. Do you have any alkaline batteries you can check to see if your DMM is giving a good reading?

Normally I'd tell you to check the DMM against supplied house power, but found that house power fluctuates between 116 volts during high power times of day to 127 volts off peak.

I've never heard of a lithium ion battery that had anywhere close to 4.9 volts as received. Typically they ship at somewhere around 3.6-3.8 volts.

Check the battery again with a good DMM.

Yep, checked. DMM is fine.

All "cheap chinese" 18650 cells I have received have arrived showing 4.2/4.19v so they have been shipped fully charged ?
The good quality set I got from a recommended UK seller arrived at 3.7v.

DanH said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151556182516?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Quick question just bought one of these, but the supplied batteries are at 4.9V! Thats bad right? Very bad!

Click to expand...

That does not sound right, the first thing to do is try a new battery in your DMM.

Hello DanH,

Welcome to CPF.

I agree that something isn't quite right. Most Li-Ion cells can't withstand 4.9 volts without venting. Borrow another voltmeter and run the check again.

Tom

DMM is fine, double checked, new battery etc.

Im not really interested to find out either as the whole unit must be crap!
Whatever is going on i aint keeping these things, full refund asap!

Anyone else wanting one of these things needs to be carefull.


Nb
Despite ordering from uk supplier the service agent is Chinese with bad English, this should be fun!

I'll say it again, if you have to cheap out on things in life, cheap out on beer and toilet paper, not li-ion cells, lights or chargers.

You might as well buy 'Bubba's reloaded ammo' the next time out.

Chris

DanH said:

Quick question just bought one of these, but the supplied batteries are at 4.9V! Thats bad right? Very bad!

Click to expand...

If you are able to test individual cells physically not connected to one another, not connected to a charger, and your meter has fresh cells and is proven off a known source (like a fresh Alkaline cell), and yet are getting 4.9V, call the bomb squad.

Ok, don't do that but don't use them. Instinct says one of the above conditions hasn't been met, which is why everyone is asking about your meter.

Still your conclusion that it's a piece of junk regardless of meter reading is spot on. Don't buy cheap crap. 20 pounds for 3 good cells, a "good" light, and a charger is simply too cheap to be real, good, and safe. eBay and even Amazon is full of such crap.

For a no-less dangerous but slightly humorous look at too-cheap lithium ion cells being sold to the unsuspecting, watch the videos in my sig.

ChrisGarrett said:

I'll say it again, if you have to cheap out on things in life, cheap out on beer and toilet paper, not li-ion cells, lights or chargers.

Click to expand...

You had my attention at beer and then lost it. Let's change that to:

If you have to cheap out on things in life, cheap out on toilet paper, not beer, li-ion cells, lights or chargers.

Don't cheap out on beer. Or lithium ion tech.

tandem said:

You had my attention at beer and then lost it. Let's change that to:

If you have to cheap out on things in life, cheap out on toilet paper, not beer, li-ion cells, lights or chargers.

Don't cheap out on beer. Or lithium ion tech.

Click to expand...

I disagree slightly! I NEVER buy cheap toilet paper! I do not want a sore A** for many reasons! http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/funny/1/laughing.gif http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/happy/thumbs-up.gif

See Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images. Please host on an image site, Imageshack or similar and repost – Thanks Norm

Cheers guys, it was an auction, think they usually sell for £35, so £20 seems like a fair gamble IMO. There's always the paypal guarantee.
Just interested to see what i got for the money.
Shame all of it seems to be scrap. lol.

And never scrimp on toilet paper!

ChrisGarrett said:

You might as well buy 'Bubba's reloaded ammo' the next time out.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that Bubba guy is a really lousy handloader. We make fun of him over at the gun forum.

I quit trying to the the rock bottom price "gambling" on stuff that can burn my house down. It's better than homeowner's insurance.

A quick update,

I was bored so had a look at the charger. Its pushing out 4.6v on the brief test i did, theres no way im leaving this thing together for any length of time lol! I'm keeping the batteries in a sauce pan.
Am i right that the absolute max. charge voltage should be 4.2v for 18650?