3400mAh Panasonic NCR18650B

[Colonel Sanders]

Lucky you. :thumbsup: And I'm still awaiting my refund. :thumbsdow Any company that screws my order up this bad and is so slow to refund doesn't deserve my business. They've had my money since June 11th and I have exactly nothing to show for it. I went through the same crap when trying to receive the discount on my Magic Scorpion. I did eventually get it but it took some prodding.

 

[tobrien]

Not exactly correct information. There are some bare cells floating around in the market, but most are sample quantities of just a few dozen cells. Even most of the suppliers advertising the 3400's don't even have them in stock. I have a couple sample 3400's, and they came at the normal Panasonic ship voltage of around 3.6v and do not have any trace of spot welds on them.

nice!

 

[oeL]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

>In the consumer sector, Panasonic's NCR18650 2.9Ah and 3.1Ah models have used an HRL on the anode and hybrid-type separator with an alumina layer, but the 3.4Ah NCR18650B will not have an HRL on the anode.
/

In the 2013 catalogue there is an interesting piece of information - currently I'm not sure if this is just a clarification or if the 2013's NCR18650B really have changed:

http://www.panasonic-industrial.com/pf_SFC_2013/SFC_2013_Interactive.pdf

- HRL
- capacity 3.350 mAh

Is it sure that NCR18650B released before 2013 missed the HRL? There were some rumors telling so, but I did not find a valuable source for that.

 

[ledmitter_nli]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

These are my 'unscientific' lux range runtime results for the RediLast 3100mAh 18650 (Panasonic cell) vs Panasonic unprotected 3400mAh NCR18650B

Light tested was a quad Nichia LED dropin 5.6A. Around the 4-5 min mark the outputs pops a little higher for each test because
that's when I removed the light from a flask of ice water for cooling and continue taking its measurement.

RediLast 3100 18650

-Start 586 : 2000 Lux @ 2'
00:30 557
01:00 546
01:30 541
02:00 537
03:00 536
04:00 544
05:00 539
10:00 538
15:00 500
20:00 468
25:00 443
30:00 422
40:00 369
65:00 145
70:00 32 protection circuit off

Panasonic unprotected 3400 NCR18650B

-Start 633 : 2000 Lux @ 2'
00:30 593
01:00 576
01:30 565
02:00 556
03:00 542
04:00 540
05:00 551
10:00 528
15:00 488
20:00 489
25:00 456
30:00 435
40:00 391
65:00 298
80:00 29 pulled the cells

Measured in minutes.

 

[moozooh]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

So the 3400s both provide higher lux readings all the way through and outperform the theoretical 10% difference in runtime? That's pretty damn good if true. I wonder if a protected cell would have the same kind of performance before protection cutoff. Also, are the Redilasts in the same wear condition as the Panasonics? Since Li-ions degrade inevitably with time, that could tamper with the results.

 

[tobrien]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

so it doesn't make as much sense to get 2600s anymore eh?

 

[ledmitter_nli]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

hehe. yeah maybe?

The RediLasts according to selfbuilts charts are top performers in the 3100 range. I really did the test to see how legit these cells where, and they proved themselves.

@moozooh the cell had about 5 charge cycles. I have 6 ordered in Nov. 2012, so they rotate often and never did deep draw during normal use until this test.

However one caveat:

Test Pair #2: Panasonic unprotected 3400 NCR18650B

-Start 592 : 2000 Lux @ 2'
00:30 566
01:00 553
01:30 544
02:00 537
03:00 526
04:00 538
05:00 523
10:00 504
15:00 487
20:00 464
25:00 441
30:00 421
40:00 387
65:00 251
70:00 167
75:00 27 pulled the cells

Fresh off the charger. Not all is as cut-and-dry as it seems.

Imported them from Germany. Unprotected on the left. Protected on the right. Will probably sell the protected since they're unopened.

 

[SeamusORiley]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

hehe. yeah maybe?

The RediLasts according to selfbuilts charts are top performers in the 3100 range. I really did the test to see how legit these cells where, and they proved themselves.

@moozooh the cell had about 5 charge cycles. I have 6 ordered in Nov. 2012, so they rotate often and never did deep draw during normal use until this test.

However one caveat:

Test Pair #2: Panasonic unprotected 3400 NCR18650B

-Start 592 : 2000 Lux @ 2'
00:30 566
01:00 553
01:30 544
02:00 537
03:00 526
04:00 538
05:00 523
10:00 504
15:00 487
20:00 464
25:00 441
30:00 421
40:00 387
65:00 251
70:00 167
75:00 27 pulled the cells

Fresh off the charger. Not all is as cut-and-dry as it seems.

Imported them from Germany. Unprotected on the left. Protected on the right. Will probably sell the protected since they're unopened.

Do these fit in the Nitecore TM26?

 

[space-cowboy]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

Do these fit in the Nitecore TM26?

You must use protected, with top button.

Flat top, and unprotected are not compatible with Nitecore TM series.

 

[mccririck]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

What's the best charge current for these? 1A or 2A? I'm sure someone posted a datasheet somewhere but I cant find it.

 

[RI Chevy]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

I think you would be safer with 1A.

 

[markr6]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

I just decided to buy a pair of these. They will be my first UNprotected 18650s. I figured I would keep these charged around 3.9v or so for emergencies or just when I think I'll need a backup without the ability to recharge. In all honesty they probably won't see a lot of use so I'll rotate them thru lights from time to time.

I decided to go with the unprotected this time because

1.) like I said they are backups and won't be used every day so I didn't want to spend $15/ea
2.) I've been carefully using and monitoring my protected batteries to a point where I feel completely safe using unprotected

Anyone in the same boat, going from protected to unprotected?

 

[hjdca]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

You must use protected, with top button.

Flat top, and unprotected are not compatible with Nitecore TM series.

I have 4 of these unprotected NCR18650B batteries for almost 1 year... To make sure that they fit all my flashlights, I just solder a bulb of solder on the flat top with some flux.. It puts a button on the top and lets me use these fantastic batteries in every flashlight that I have... It works great ! PS.. I never felt the need to have a protected version of these batteries.... They seem very well made..

 

[david57strat]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

I have the protected version of these batteries (with the button top) in my Fenix E50, TK22, Nitecore P25, and SolarForce N2N with custom Hi-CRI (XM-L 7C) drop-in, and they work great. Charging them with a Nitecore i4 charger (snug fit, but they do fit). I'll definitely buy more, in the near future

 

[maxrep12]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

Is there a way to tell if you actually received a 3400 mah Panasonic cell? My unprotected ncr18650b cells have the numbers; 12210 on the label, as well as some stamped numbers on the side; UV 3309. The green and black ncr18650b cells come in several different mah capacities. Is there a way to identify them?

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

Is there a way to tell if you actually received a 3400 mah Panasonic cell? My unprotected ncr18650b cells have the numbers; 12210 on the label, as well as some stamped numbers on the side; UV 3309. The green and black ncr18650b cells come in several different mah capacities. Is there a way to identify them?

NCR Bs are 3400mAh. I don't think that they come in different capacities, apart from the newish 3600mAh cell, but that's differently numbered.

Chris

 

[maxrep12]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

NCR Bs are 3400mAh. I don't think that they come in different capacities, apart from the newish 3600mAh cell, but that's differently numbered.

Chris

Well I guess it is as simple as that. Thx.

 

[abies]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

hehe. yeah maybe?

The RediLasts according to selfbuilts charts are top performers in the 3100 range. I really did the test to see how legit these cells where, and they proved themselves.

@moozooh the cell had about 5 charge cycles. I have 6 ordered in Nov. 2012, so they rotate often and never did deep draw during normal use until this test.

However one caveat:


Imported them from Germany. Unprotected on the left. Protected on the right. Will probably sell the protected since they're unopened.

Hello,

where did you buy them in Germany? :wave:

abies

 

[dc38]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

Just got a couple unused from a friend...Unprotected NCR 18650B, MH12210. the "sn" is ECV 3416... threw them on the I4 charger at 3.67V and took them out ~2.9 hrs later @ 4.23V each (not a good sign as I believe the i4 charges 2 channels at 700mA. 2.9*700 = x<2100 ) Anyways, I put one in a nitecore SRT7 using an aluminum shim and measured at 10 minute intervals:

V(s)__(A)e__V(e)
4.23V 1.65A 4.05V
4.07V 1.58A 3.94V
3.94V 1.45A 3.83V
3.84V 1.39A 3.75V - STOPPED.

Given that information, the light "consumed" .48V over the course of 40 minutes...continuing that 'mathematical trend' =
(4.23V - 3V)=1.23V.
(1.23/.48)*40m= 103m or 1h43m.

IF taken till 'safe' termination @ 2.75V
(4.23V-2.75V)=1.48V
(1.48/.48)*40m= 124m or 2h4m.
2.07h*(~1.47A)= ~3Ah...

Judging from my slipshod measurements and calculations, I must say that I am unsure if the cells that I received (ultimately from Wallbuys) are improperly labelled as 3400 mAh...

 

[RI Chevy]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

What cells do you think they are? 3100 mAh? 2600 mAh?