Best high capacity 18650?

[rommelrommel]

Re: I Need 18650 battery and charger reccomendation.

Does anyone have a trusted Canadian vendor for cells? Between shipping and our dollar tanking ordering from the us seems like a pretty expensive option.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: I Need 18650 battery and charger reccomendation.

Does anyone have a trusted Canadian vendor for cells? Between shipping and our dollar tanking ordering from the us seems like a pretty expensive option.

ArmyTek sells only a couple of li-ions and then there's this place:

https://www.canvape.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1927

Look for Canadian e-cig sites and then do your research.

Chris

 

[tokyo]

I just bought a Nitecore MH10 and it comes with a 2300mah 18650, so I'm looking for a 3400mah 18650 but I'm not sure where to start. Should I just buy a Nitecore 3400mah or can I do better for $19? I'd prefer to spend less on a single battery.

 

[NoNotAgain]

I just bought a Nitecore MH10 and it comes with a 2300mah 18650, so I'm looking for a 3400mah 18650 but I'm not sure where to start. Should I just buy a Nitecore 3400mah or can I do better for $19? I'd prefer to spend less on a single battery.

Depending on the light you're going to use the cell in, you can purchase Panasonic 18650B cells with protection and button top which are rated @ 3400mAh. Be warned that the Panasonic "B" protected cells are long, measuring over 70mm in length.

Other options are the KeepPower 3400mAh protected button top cells thru Illumination Supply for $12 each.

 

[tandem]

In the budget range, Keeppower 3400mAh 18650's are good (~ $12 US) and contain the same Panasonic NCR18650B cell. Also Intl-Outdoor.com version of the same. And Enerpower+. Also Efest, although they seem to use a different protection circuit - not necessarily better nor worse.

Be wary of providers offering to sell protected Panasonic 18650B cells for too few dollars. You might not be getting what you need.

Also consider checking with MH10 users here on CPF for fit issues. Some cells are a little longer or fatter than others and may have issues in some lights.

HJK, a long time CPF member, maintains a very useful resource with reviews and measurements here: http://lygte-info.dk/

 

[tokyo]

Thanks, I'll try to find out if the keeppower ones will fit. Illumination supply is actually near where I am so I might just drop by.

 

[NoNotAgain]

Thanks, the I'll try to find out if the keeppower ones will fit. Illumination supply is actually near where I am so I might just drop by.

The KeepPower cells are the shortest cells in a protected button top battery you can purchase. Length typically isn't a problem with single cell lights. Where you run int problems is when cells are in a series mounted on top of each other.

Lights like the Nitecore Tiny Monsters require short cells or when the battery tube is screwed on can't make contact with the grounding ring.

 

[tokyo]

are these legit?
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1141104

Panasonic protected 3400mah 2-pack - $8.74 each seems cheap compared to the rest of the branded ones??

 

[thedoc007]

are these legit?
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1141104

Panasonic protected 3400mah 2-pack - $8.74 each seems cheap compared to the rest of the branded ones??

Yes, they are probably legit...but not THAT much cheaper than other cells, longer than most 18650s, you'll have to wait a while, and they are unbranded. Honestly I'd go elsewhere for cells...but if you need to save a few bucks, and don't mind the wait, they are quality.

 

[thedoc007]

The KeepPower cells are the shortest cells in a protected button top battery you can purchase. Length typically isn't a problem with single cell lights. Where you run int problems is when cells are in a series mounted on top of each other.

Lights like the Nitecore Tiny Monsters require short cells or when the battery tube is screwed on can't make contact with the grounding ring.

Keeppowers are DEFINITELY not the shortest. Eagletac is one of the shortest...68.3 millimeters listed, versus 68.9 millimeters for the Keeppowers. I agree the length is totally reasonable, though, and my Keeppowers fit in virtually every light I have...fitment is not a big concern.

The Tiny Monsters, at least the TM11/15/26, actually require fairly long cells, not short ones. I tried to use an unprotected cell, just for grins, and it wouldn't work at all due to length...it was rattling around because it was too SHORT. Nitecore recommends the longer protected cells for a reason...they make much better contact. Even some of the long unbranded green cells work...although they do compress the springs a bit more than ideal, and some versions may not work at all.

 

[NoNotAgain]

Doc, say what you want, but I've got more than a dozen Panasonic protected button topped cells that are too long for either the TM15 or TM26 to screw the battery magazine down to make a ground contact. All of the green Panasonic's measured more than 70 mm. In a stacked cell light, the Olight M3, the tail cap wouldn't screw on at all.

The KeepPower 3400mAh cells measured 68.5-68.6mm in length. Just checked 4 of the again.

All of my measuring tools are calibrated due to contract work I perform.

I tried some of the Eagletac cells and found them longer than the KeepPower 3400mAh button tops with protection. I have since given them away to people that I gave lights to as Christmas presents.

Your flat top cells wouldn't work because Nitecore uses a flat contact plate inside the light. That's why they have this statement in the TM15 owners manual:
6. This product does not support 18650 rechargeable Li-ion batteries
without a protection circuit board as these batteries are too short for
the TM15's battery compartment.

The TM26 has this statement:
7. This product does not support unprotected 18650 Li-ion batteries. Please
also ensure that all the 18650 batteries used in the TM26 have a button top
configuration or they will not make contact with terminals in the battery
compartment. We recommend Nitecore 18650 batteries for the best
performance and reliability.

 

[tandem]

My Keeppower ICR 3400's are slightly longer than my AW 2900's but fit in all my 1x18650 and 2x18650 lights -- not a surprise since all have springs in head and tail cap making them rather easy to fit a variety of cells.

I kinda wish the cells had another bottom plate added to protect the circuit board bottom, but honestly I don't expect wear to be an issue as I'm not popping out cells every day to charge. If I was, probably I would seek out a cell with another layer on the bottom. (AW?)

~12$ US for a solid protected Panasonic li-ion cell -- that's pretty good value. I bought mine from Illum too.

 

[thedoc007]

The KeepPower 3400mAh cells measured 68.5-68.6mm in length. Just checked 4 of the again.

I tried some of the Eagletac cells and found them longer than the KeepPower 3400mAh button tops with protection. I have since given them away to people that I gave lights to as Christmas presents.

I likewise gave my Eagletacs away...for other reasons...otherwise I would just show you. I had two Eagletacs, and they were both shorter than any other protected cell I have. You can find plenty of other examples on this forum, with measurements. I'm not saying it because someone once told me that...I am saying it because I KNOW it, from personal experience.

This page has a list of cells, and lengths. Thanks HKJ! It clearly shows the Eagletac 3400 as shorter than the Keeppower 3400. Other cells, with lower capacity, are even shorter. Your claim that "The KeepPower cells are the shortest cells in a protected button top battery you can purchase" is demonstrably false.

Your flat top cells wouldn't work because Nitecore uses a flat contact plate inside the light. That's why they have this statement in the TM15 owners manual:
6. This product does not support 18650 rechargeable Li-ion batteries
without a protection circuit board as these batteries are too short for
the TM15's battery compartment.

I never said they were flat-tops, and I'm not a newbie here...I am familiar with the difference, and I tried it with button-top unprotected cells - they simply were not long enough. Even your own quote demonstrates my point...Nitecore's own documentation acknowledges that unprotected cells are TOO SHORT to be used in those lights.

And I know the unbranded green cells are iffy...they compress the springs too much, and may make other, shorter cells unusable. Perhaps you got some that were even longer than typical...there are several different versions out there, and the lengths vary. I've amended my earlier post to acknowledge that excessively long cells can be a problem as well.

 

[Norm]

Doc, say what you want, but I've got more than a dozen Panasonic protected button topped cells that are too long for either the TM15 or TM26 to screw the battery magazine down to make a ground contact. All of the green Panasonic's measured more than 70 mm. In a stacked cell light, the Olight M3, the tail cap wouldn't screw on at all.

It's not the Panasonic cells that are too long, Panasonic do not sell protected cells. It's whatever protection board the distributor chooses to add. The circuit boards do vary and that affects the length of the overall package.

Norm

 

[Norm]

Back to the topic please folks - Norm

 

[Ace12]

I likewise gave my Eagletacs away...for other reasons...otherwise I would just show you. I had two Eagletacs, and they were both shorter than any other protected cell I have. You can find plenty of other examples on this forum, with measurements. I'm not saying it because someone once told me that...I am saying it because i KNOW it, from personal experience.

This page has a list of cells, and lengths. Thanks HKJ! It clearly shows the Eagletac 3400 as shorter than the Keeppower 3400. Other cells, with lower capacity, are even shorter. Your claim that "The KeepPower cells are the shortest cells in a protected button top battery you can purchase" is demonstrably false.



I never said they were flat-tops, and I'm not a newbie here...I am familiar with the difference, and I tried it with button-top unprotected cells - they simply were not long enough. Even your own quote demonstrates my point...Nitecore's own documentation acknowledges that unprotected cells are TOO SHORT to be used in those lights.

And I know the unbranded green cells are iffy...they compress the springs too much, and may make other, shorter cells unusable. Perhaps you got some that were even longer than typical...there are several different versions out there, and the lengths vary. I've amended my earlier post to acknowledge that excessively long cells can be a problem as well.

Why did you get rid of the ET's?


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums

 

[Ace12]

So what would the average life expectancy be of an18650 be if only charged once a month? The light I intend to get will run 30 hours on medium. And I average about an hour a day usage for work.


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums

 

[thedoc007]

So what would the average life expectancy be of an18650 be if only charged once a month? The light I intend to get will run 30 hours on medium. And I average about an hour a day usage for work.

It depends on how much time it spends fully charged, and fully depleted, and on temperature. I personally would top off at least a couple times a month, in that scenario...li-ions do NOT like being fully discharged. You should get years out of a cell, if you are willing to put up with some capacity loss.

 

[Paully_B]

While I may be a noobie, I've had a lot of luck with AMAZON ordering pana 3400mah 18650s. In thinterest of full disclosure, I don't have a meter and cannot measure voltage. But they work well in my ZL sc600 II.

 

[tandem]

So what would the average life expectancy be of an18650 be if only charged once a month? The light I intend to get will run 30 hours on medium. And I average about an hour a day usage for work.

Based on studies done by the military (and others) if you want to extract the maximum life span out of your cells, don't fully charge them. Charging to 80% gives you most of the utility (for your usage pattern) and will basically double their cycle life.

I do this with some of my cells but the few that get used most, I pop into a simple meter-less charger (Pila IBC) and let them charge fully. Cells aren't that expensive and even my five year old cells are still going strong.