Best 18650 battery question

[HKJ]

Re: What battery to use?

Here is an interesting read about various Li-ion batteries. I have no idea about the accuracy of the author's assertions:

They are not all accurate, but I will not specify what is accurate or not (I can only verify/refuse a few of the claims, the rest I do not know enough about).

 

[recDNA]

Makes it tough to choose which 16650. I always leaned toward keeppower over efest.

 

[HKJ]

Makes it tough to choose which 16650. I always leaned toward keeppower over efest.

Keeppower usual uses brand name cells, efest do not always do that.

One of the statements that I wonder about is lifetime. You can easily test a new battery for capacity, but how do you test it for lifetime and how much difference is there in lifetime on batteries produces with the same chemicals?

 

[recDNA]

My pet peeve is that some batteries are now called imr that are actually hybrid. I buy imr for safer chemistry. It may only be users using the wrong term but I recently saw a 18660 3000mah called "imr" and I checked with the manufacturer and it is hybrid. I haven't seen the actual ads.

 

[sidecross]

I have used Eagletac 18650 3100 mAh and Eagletac 3400 mAh but I now use Keeppower in both those power ranges; I understand that other brands use the Keeppower made battery. I find the price for Keeppower to be an advantage. My battery knowledge needs improvement, but I feel satisfied with my current choice.

 

[markr6]

Plain NCR18650GA or LG 18650MJ1 both around $9/ea at Mtn Electronics. Take you pick I guess, until HKJ tests both and tells me otherwise. For now, I bet they are very similar.

 

[sidecross]

Plain NCR18650GA or LG 18650MJ1 both around $9/ea at Mtn Electronics. Take you pick I guess, until HKJ tests both and tells me otherwise. For now, I bet they are very similar.

I bought today six 18650 KeepPower 3400mAh Panasonic NCR18650B Protected Button Top for $10.99 each at Illumn Supply in Jan Jose, CA USA.

 

[markr6]

I bought today six 18650 KeepPower 3400mAh Panasonic NCR18650B Protected Button Top for $10.99 each at Illumn Supply in Jan Jose, CA USA.

I like the Keeppower too the IMR 3200 and 3500 are some of the best. I just stopped buying them since they're now only using one exclusive supplier going forward (I'm guessing Illumn), and they only seem to be protected cells, which I don't buy. Hell of a deal though.

 

[sidecross]

I like the Keeppower too the IMR 3200 and 3500 are some of the best. I just stopped buying them since they're now only using one exclusive supplier going forward (I'm guessing Illumn), and they only seem to be protected cells, which I don't buy. Hell of a deal though.

My first Keeppower 18650's were 3200 mAh that were bought from a Asian supplier on E-Bay about 3-5 years ago on the advise and report by HKJ on this forum. You are quite right about Keeppower moving to more convetional marketing.

 

[markr6]

My first Keeppower 18650's were 3200 mAh that were bought from a Asian supplier on E-Bay about 3-5 years ago on the advise and report by HKJ on this forum. You are quite right about Keeppower moving to more convetional marketing.

I'm running 3 of those 3200s in my MX25L3C Nichia. Nice setup!

 

[tripplec]

Any recommendation where to order from for Canadian's? My last Li-Ion 18650 order took 3 months from Fasttech!!! Absurd turn around and I would like options much faster. Price of course is an issue so I don't want to pay 3x $. Target size of 18650 is about 3000 mAH or higher. I might try some small AAA equiv cells for a penlight which not longer fires with the Eneloop voltage but does with >2.0VDC. odd but something changed in that circuit.

 

[WarRaven]

Myself have some from GB, flat rate shipping, 3-5 weeks.
Best I can get them to myself in Edmonton.

Edit unless I want to pay a Canadian dealer $25 a pop.
No offence but pass thanks.

 

[tripplec]

GB eh, via which store. Yeah local Canadian source milk us for these cells. I haven't order any from any eBay source due to may crappy cells.

 

[markr6]

GB eh, via which store. Yeah local Canadian source milk us for these cells. I haven't order any from any eBay source due to may crappy cells.

I have yet to get any from ebay. IF I had to go there for some reason, I might try seller "genuinecells". Approaching 9500 reviews with a 99.8% positive rating.

 

[Strintguy]

Can I trust the Keeppower cells to be genuine from Chinese online stores (gear best, bang good, etc?)

 

[MAD777]

I'm using Keeppower and very satisfied. I have both protected 18650 3500mAh and unprotected IMR18650 3200mAh.

Also, I buy from "genuinecells" at auction with great results.

 

[akhyar]

I've been using mainly AW protected 18650 for the past few years and have been happy with their performance, but not their prices. But they are getting harder to find nowadays or seem almost out of stock at my local flashlight shop.
Recently purchased some unprotected Keeppower IMR18650 3200mAh from Gearbest and hopefully will receive the real deal.

 

[tripplec]

Only 4 items in their store!!! LOL chargers mostly a few batteries with chargers. Double LOL

 

[markr6]

Only 4 items in their store!!! LOL chargers mostly a few batteries with chargers. Double LOL

Does AW have a store or is this a reseller?

 

[WarRaven]

He gave me a link to a vaper, hard to find info, gave up.
My search-fu failed an I did not pursue further.

So GearBest is where I'm getting now, can get cheapies at princess auto, but yeah, low cap and huge lengths.