18650 Battery and Charger Recommendation

[cpfdemigod]

Re: What 18650's are u using

Looking to update my old 18650 cells, what brand do u guys recommend ?
I'd be using a xpg2 and a 8x7135 driver and my host can hold up to 3cells if u needed to no, looking to see what's out there for protected and non protected cells rechargeable thanks for the help/input

I'm wondering the same thing as there are so many 18650 batteries to choose from. Just want (4) 18650 for a SkyRay Kung M4 that I plan to buy soon, and not sure what to buy as I have been out of the flashlight game for about 3 years. With so many options, I'm wondering what is the equivilent of the Sanyo Eneloop as far as 18650 batteries go. If there was one battery you guys would buy which would it be? I been looking at the Panasonic NCR18650B 18650 3.7V 3400mAH Protected Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries (2-Pack) from FastTech for $17.35 and not sure if I should pull the trigger on these or not, or if they might be too long for the SkyRay. I do know I want protected batteries so I don't have to worry about ruining them. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[JohnGribbin]

Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

I have 5 ultrafire 502b lights and the sanyo 18650s are too long to fit the light. Does anyone sell a shorter protected battery

 

[mccririck]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

If you are using them in a single cell light and have a decent charger you could probably go the unprotected route.

 

[markr6]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

If you are using them in a single cell light and have a decent charger you could probably go the unprotected route.

This is what I started doing after using protected for several months. I always use a good charger and check voltages with a DMM. I don't see a point in using protected batteries anymore since all my lights have low voltage cutoff.

If you must have a short protected battery, I believe the EagleTac 18650s are some of the shortest at 68mm.

 

[DellSuperman]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

Its quite unlikely that protected 18650 will still be 65mm because of the circuit.
Like the other CPFer recommendation, go for unprotected cells.

- JonK

 

[markr6]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

Just to be clear: Even though all three of us suggested unprotected batteries, you will ultimately need to make that decision for yourself. If you do not feel comfortable with them, I would understand. But you'll need to plan on them being at least 68mm long.

 

[DellSuperman]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

You may wanna try trimming the spring of both the dropin & switch to see if it can help to reduce the height slightly so your longer cells can fit in.

- JonK

 

[JohnGribbin]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

Thanks for all the info. First I was going to give them to friends with a overcharge and over discharge instruction sheet. Still felt protected would be better though? Also these lights don't have springs that touch the battery. Guess that's a problem. Batteries that came with units are of course ultrafire and a cheapie charger that doesn't stop charging after the green light comes om. For me personally I bought a mm and checked the voltages... But friends won't be doing that. Hummm....

 

[DellSuperman]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

Thanks for all the info. First I was going to give them to friends with a overcharge and over discharge instruction sheet. Still felt protected would be better though? Also these lights don't have springs that touch the battery. Guess that's a problem. Batteries that came with units are of course ultrafire and a cheapie charger that doesn't stop charging after the green light comes om. For me personally I bought a mm and checked the voltages... But friends won't be doing that. Hummm....

Oh yes, if your friend is unaware of those danger, pls stick to protected cells.
In the mean time, is the excessive battery length causing the flashlight to not able to screw down properly?
Or you cant screw it at all..?



- JonK

 

[JohnGribbin]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

Can't screw it down completely...maybe three quarters closed or more. Btw I saw a 502b at deal extreme that had springs at both ends and reviews that protected fit. $12 . This doesn't help me since I already have the non spring lights and I would have to buy my friends upgraded chargers as well since protected don't fit my cheapie chargers either.

 

[oeL]

Re: Who sells 65 mm 18650 protected battery. Help

I have 5 ultrafire 502b lights and the sanyo 18650s are too long to fit the light. Does anyone sell a shorter protected battery

http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Common18650Summary UK.html

 

[thedoc007]

I've seen mixed reports about the i4. The idea is great. HKJ says it uses CC/CV charging for lithiums, but it doesn't use -dv/dt termination for NiMH. How does that affect the termination, life span, etc of Eneloops if it doesn't use the proper algorithm. I would like to get some Eneloops as well, but it seems like no one uses this charger for that. And I don't know why people say bad things about the i4 if it uses proper termination for the lithiums though.

I have nothing bad to say about the i4, I have two of them. Lithiums terminate properly at 4.18-4.19 volts, and that is my primary use. However, I do charge Eneloop AA and AAA occasionally. I don't worry at all about it, because Eneloops are famous for taking abuse and trucking on. They are less sensitive to overcharging and over-discharging than lithium cells, so there is no need to be concerned. Even if it does slighty decrease the life, frankly I don't really care. They are rated for a minimum of 500 cycles, and multiple years of use. By the time either of those scenarios rolls around, we'll have better batteries anyway. Theoretically it might matter, but in the real world, the i4 does it all, and does it well enough to make me happy.

 

[bradthebold]

Thanks. Do you know how the new XP4 compares to the Intellicharger?

 

[myv6]

Hey all. I'm new here, as you can tell from the post count. I'll cut straight to it. I've been reading a lot and have come up with what i'd like to do with my lights. I have 2. A surefire p6 and 6px. I'm capable so I'll be boring these out to fit 18650 cells. From what I've read the Panasonic are the best and I'd like to go with the protected 3400mah. I'll be going with an xtar charger. Probably the sp2.


Here's my question... will these fit length wise? They are almost 70mm long, so will that be an issue tightening everything up? Also, with the charger, the time to charge doesn't matter to me as they'll be put on there overnight, but the charger is made to stop charging at full charge, correct? I wont have to worry about having to check it every 15 min to unplug it when its done?

 

[RI Chevy]

Welcome to the forum! :welcome:

 

[myv6]

Thank you sir or ma'am. I tried to read as much as I can as to not ask the same question over and over again . Just need a bit of direction on the final detail of it all. I guess I could go with the 3100mah but I wanted as long of charge as possible so that's why I really wanted 3400. Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[RI Chevy]

The Panasonic NCR18650B cells in both protected and unprotected should fit fine. I use the unprotected Panasonic NCR18650B flat top cells in my Surefire 6P and they are just a little short. I use a neodymium magnet in the tip and it works great. My 6P has plenty of room lengthwise. It does not fit my Keepower 3400 cells though, as they are to wide in circumference.

 

[myv6]

The Panasonic NCR18650B cells in both protected and unprotected should fit fine. I use the unprotected Panasonic NCR18650B flat top cells in my Surefire 6P and they are just a little short. I use a neodymium magnet in the tip and it works great. My 6P has plenty of room lengthwise. It does not fit my Keepower 3400 cells though, as they are to wide in circumference.

Awesome. I fully plan to bore this light out since the cells are 18.1mm wide I was just concerned the 69.4mm length may be too much for the head and tail cap to screw together the way the should. I do have the clicky (z59 I think) tail cap on it.

 

[N8N]

Late to respond here, but an AW protected 17670 will fit in my 6P (with Malkoff drop in, not the standard P60 - but I'm assuming you're using a drop in since you're considering using a single Li-Ion) with no problems. So I would think that a 18650 would be no problem at all, so long as the *diameter* will fit. Protected 18650 will probably be somewhere between 67-68mm in OAL. Two CR123As theoretically should stack to 68mm (same nominal size as a 16340; 34mm x 2 = 68mm) So no problem at all.

Oddly, I bought my 6P used with no mention from the seller that it had ever been bored, and a P60 and two CR123As installed in it. However the 17670 is so loose in this light that I wish I had a 18650 around to try - I think it just might fit! It's definitely much looser than it is in my recently acquired Streamlight Night Com UV, which was the reason I purchased the 17670 in the first place (that light apparently goes poof if you try to use RCR123As.) Odd, as everything I've read says that the 6P must be bored...

I do have a new in package similar 6P, however I am hesitant to open the package because I haven't decided whether I really want it or if I should sell it to someone who'll appreciate an un-banged-up light.

Edit: after taking some measurements, my 6P isn't bored, but it looks like less material needs to be removed than I thought to run 18650s. That bore measures by my calipers at 0.690" or just about 17.5mm. The Streamlight on the other hand measures about 0.672" and the AW protected 17670 measures 0.670" (both a tiny hair over 17.0mm) at the strip... you know that's not going to rattle

 

[dckemper]

There seems to be a lot of experience with, and recommendation for the [h=1]JETBeam IntelliCharger i4 PRO Charger V3 - 3rd Generation - 2013 Enhanced Version (Black)[/h]
I ordered 2 from Amazon and both failed after my first charges of brand new Panasonic NCR18650B. Has anyone experienced any issues..? Wondering if I got 2 from a bad batch or if there are known issues.

Full disclosure, I plugged these in for an overnight charge (unattended), I should know better, but it shouldn't have resulted in these chargers failing.

DC