3400mAh Panasonic NCR18650B

[dc38]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

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

These particular cells seem to be 3100 mAh...I tested them several times since yesterday will similar results varying +/- 2.5%

 

[RI Chevy]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

Hmmm. Interesting. Thanks for doing the testing and sharing with all of us! :thumbsup:

 

[dc38]

Re: Panasonic NCR18650B

I'm starting to wonder if the lower than advertised capacity had anything to do with them being subject to prolonged exposure in sub freezing temperatures for almost a week (friggin USPS takes 6 days from Flushing NY to Edison NJ, what a logistics nightmare.) I let them sit and warm up at room temperature for about 4 hours before throwing them on my i4 charger...I was able to run 10 minute intervals with minimal usb fan cooling and got those results. As they are not protected, I didn't want to risk running them any lower than 3.7V as I was unsure if my SRT7 would have auto terminated.

 

[delus]

Now at amazon, button top, protected, Panasonic NCR18650B

I just ordered a NiWalker Vostro, needed some batteries for it, and look what I found. I think it's the one you've been looking for.
3.7V 3400mAh NCR18650B PCM Rechargeable Li-ion Protected Battery for Panasonic --Date first available at Amazon.com: February 20, 2014

It's got the button top. I ordered an 8 pack for $89.00 plus 5 shipping. ..... I wonder why the model number has not changed. Seems like this is a big enough change to at least make the B into a C.

I would post a direct link, but I don't know if it's allowed here on the CPF. :tsk: You know how to use search.

 

[HKJ]

Re: Now at amazon, button top, protected, Panasonic NCR18650B

I just ordered a NiWalker Vostro, needed some batteries for it, and look what I found. I think it's the one you've been looking for.
3.7V 3400mAh NCR18650B PCM Rechargeable Li-ion Protected Battery for Panasonic --Date first available at Amazon.com: February 20, 2014

It's got the button top. I ordered an 8 pack for $89.00 plus 5 shipping. ..... I wonder why the model number has not changed. Seems like this is a big enough change to at least make the B into a C..

The NCR18650B is the Panasonic name, they do not change the name on their battery just because somebody adds a button top or a protection to the battery.

 

[delus]

Re: Now at amazon, button top, protected, Panasonic NCR18650B

Sp the protection on those batteries are NOT from the Panasonic factory.. My mistake.

 

[ElectronGuru]

Yeah, marketing trick. Like calling it a Cree flashlight. They don't have enough of a brand, so they hope you will think their work is that of the underlying company's.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I have a question...

I use 3x 18650 of the Panasonic NCR 18650 B batteries charged in my Nitecore i4 Charger but always only get 4.00 volts or a few hundredths over. The batteries work fine in my MX25L3 but I understand the charging set point is 4.2 volts. These are 68.9mm protected cells. I have only charged them twice so far but I have got the same result both times. Both times they have been on the charger for about 12 hours and indicate fully charged.

 

[RI Chevy]

I personally would buy a new charger. XTAR VP1 or VP2. Your batteries will thank you in the long run.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I personally would buy a new charger. XTAR VP1 or VP2. Your batteries will thank you in the long run.

I don't think that is sound advice.

The Nitecore i4 has been reviewed here and was found to be a good charger.

it is possible though mine could have a fault.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Oh dear. It turned out to be my DMM!

I can't believe it. I always trust the instruments to be right. I checked it against a newer Clamp Meter i had purchased which also has leads of course to measure voltage and so on. It checked out fine at 4.18V, a number of hours after charging so this is just fine.

I hope I contributed in as much as pointing out that tools of measurement can also lead you up the garden path and to possibly expensive solutions like sending back the 'faulty' charger or buying an XTAR!

Now I can express my LOVE for the i4:twothumbs

 

[RI Chevy]

I don't think that is sound advice.

The Nitecore i4 has been reviewed here and was found to be a good charger.

it is possible though mine could have a fault.

To each, his own. I would not charge any of my 18650 cells, or any Li-Ion cell with a Nitecore i4. Just me. They overcharge routinely. Just don't trust the charger. Too much bad press on here.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

To each, his own. I would not charge any of my 18650 cells, or any Li-Ion cell with a Nitecore i4. Just me. They overcharge routinely. Just don't trust the charger. Too much bad press on here.

I'm not a fan of 'all-in-wonders' chargers either, as I've mentioned in the past, but I did get an i4, v.2 in a couple of weeks back and my particular unit has never charged up over 4.20v the dozen plus times I've used it so far.

Even my NiMH batteries were fine, but I haven't fiddled with it a lot.

My C-9000 and VP2 are what's in the kitchen as my 'go to' chargers, however.

Chris

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Same here. It charges to 4.2v as it should.

Happy.

 

[RI Chevy]

Same here. It charges to 4.2v as it should.

Happy.

That is all that counts! :thumbsup:

 

[david57strat]

I have two i4 V2 chargers, and (just recently) picked up a VP2. No complaints with the i4s, other than the somewhat stiff spring clips, and the fact that they don't always comfortably accommodate the sometimes larger protected 18650 batteries (lengthwise). I mainly bought the VP2 because I wanted something that could also charge LiFePO4 batteries (which I am now using in all of my CR123 lights, in place of the dreaded primaries), and so I could easily charge 26650 batteries, as well.

The VP2 is amazing.

I use all three chargers simultaneously, when I'm doing a 18650 run of charging, so I'm able to charge ten batteries at a time (very handy - really speeds things up).

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I posted on the budget lights forum about this 'issue' I had. It turns out another poster had a dud DMM giving him the opposite problem, overcharging on the i4. It wasn't.

It does mean probably at least some users getting charging issues, it will turn out to be the multimeter and not the charger. It obviously is far from uncommon.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I had another one of these batteries fail, this time ten minutes into my nightly walk in my MX25L3.

The cells had three charges and maybe five hours use on them in less than a week. The torch was running warmish but not very warm and was on half power when it just died. I tested the cells and found the dead one.

I ordered two pairs of cells a few days apart. I got them before I even got my torch. One was found to be D.O.A.. The seller sent me another one which i received today and I charged it up. I've now had two failures out of five cells, 40% failure rate which I have pointed out to the seller.

I'm either very unlucky or these batteries are junk. I imagine they will send out another one, so we'll see what happens.

 

[ven]

I will be getting a vp2 next week as a spare but will be used mainly to rest the i4,hardly used my wp6 as not had need to charge up to 10 often.But i charge 1 or 2 a day for other uses as well as lights.

Regarding springs yes,tight on i4,i just used some silicon spray on the runners and mead a big difference.There is too much pressure on the negative end,it will throw/catapult cells out if not careful , potentially damaging wrappers or cells too...................

 

[david57strat]

It seems, NiteCore is coming out with a D4 charger, which is very similar, in features, to XTAR's VP2, and is also LiFePO4 capable (nice). I'm itching to pick one or two up when they become available.

As as for the sticky charging channels in the i4, I used some Nyogel 760 lubricant and applied it in the slots, with a Q-tip, and now everything is smooth as glass.