Confused * which 18650 to buy from dealextreme?

[dhouseng]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6979 $9.00
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790 $10.00
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5776 $10.49

what are the differences? what does TR means? which one is the best for DBS flashlight? thanks

based on the review, the $9.00 ones doesn't have a protection circuit??

advice pls

 

[MatajumotorS]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6979 $9.00
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790 $10.00
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5776 $10.49

what are the differences? what does TR means? which one is the best for DBS flashlight? thanks

based on the review, the $9.00 ones doesn't have a protection circuit??

advice pls

I think it is a lottery, TR means TrustFire , i will order last ones and test them shortly. The second ones has no short circuit protection (tested - burned :devil here is graph of discharge of theese cells - one good one bad in my case.

About the first - see coments @ DX - not protected.

 

[nzgunnie]

I wonder why you don't just spend an extra couple of dollars and get your cells from AW here in the Dealers forum. At least then you know your getting good quality.

 

[saabluster]

I wonder why you don't just spend an extra couple of dollars and get your cells from AW

Maybe he doesn't HAVE an extra couple dollars? I have yet to have any problems with my DX 18650s so I see NO need to buy more expensive cells. I have bought some a123s and Sony V series batts for high amp output that even AWs hallowed cells cannot handle.

 

[MatajumotorS]

I wonder why you don't just spend an extra couple of dollars and get your cells from AW here in the Dealers forum. At least then you know your getting good quality.

2xDX 18650 costs $10 shipped worldwide
2xAW 18650 costs $28,50 shipped worldwide

$18,50 is not a couple of dollars...

 

[mdocod]

I see NO need to buy more expensive cells.

We have numerous reports of poor performing "fire" cells popping up all over. These things have poor quality PCBs that seem to have about a 20% failure rate within the first few cycles(or more), rarely exhibit the behavior of a new Li-Ion cell (most will not hold 4.20V off the charger), and are usually below label capacity.. If you have not seen the need, then you simply have not seen the evidence.

[edit in] if low price is a must, then may I suggest Tenergy brand cells from a place like BatteryJunction. Might not be quite as cheap as "fire" cells but at least you will have a *slightly* higher quality cell, and a dealer in the states to handle problems.

 

[Steve L]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6979 $9.00
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790 $10.00
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5776 $10.49

what are the differences? what does TR means? which one is the best for DBS flashlight? thanks

based on the review, the $9.00 ones doesn't have a protection circuit??

advice pls

I've used both the second and third on your list. I've had no problems with the second one on your list http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790. The first one on your list have a flat + terminal(no nipple). All 3 are protected. I've noticed that the(Trustfire and Ultafire) fire 18650's are better than their RCR123's. The RCR123's have a high rate of defect and are too long. I highly recommend AW's RCR123's. I'm not saying the $10.00 Trustfire's are as good or better than AW's 18650, just mine have worked fine(no problems). I have both the DBS V1 and V2.

 

[MadZebra]

I have six http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5790. It is interesting that they include short circuit protection. My multimeter showed 2A constant current maximum. Cutoff was rather low at 2.65V, but that should be still acceptable.

 

[Fallingwater]

Let's not turn this into another "AW versus DX" thread.

I'd get these. They should be the more protected of the lot.

 

[MatajumotorS]

:nana: And the shops KD and DX are "not available" till 15...20 Feb "New Year"!

 

[dhouseng]

will different cells affect brightness?

 

[daveman]

I believe Lighthound also stocks AW 18650s as well.

 

[saabluster]

We have numerous reports of poor performing "fire" cells popping up all over. These things have poor quality PCBs that seem to have about a 20% failure rate within the first few cycles(or more), rarely exhibit the behavior of a new Li-Ion cell (most will not hold 4.20V off the charger), and are usually below label capacity.. If you have not seen the need, then you simply have not seen the evidence.

Yes I have heard of "reports". This is a very small percentage of the group here and has involved both the cheap DX batts and some of the more respected brands. And these instances probably stem from abuse to the cell(over-discharge). Also everyone knows the cheap ones do not have the stated capacity. And the failures(fires) I have heard about were with 123s not 18650s. I have had to throw away 3 cheap 123s because they started acting funny But I have yet found the need to do the same with any of the 18650s. I will no longer be buying 123s as I don't like the form factor but if I did yes I would probably buy from AW or similar. Maybe its harder to make a reliable 123 than it is an 18650:shrug:. I don't know.

On a statistical front. Somehow I think the problem is just over-discharge running in a multi-cell light. I would say(without an indepth study) that there are a higher percentage of 123s being put in a muti-cell light than 18650s. This raises the risk of over-discharge. This combined with the majority of people owning the cheap cells thus increasing the odds that it will be a cheap cell that blows. It would be interesting to see a poll of what percentage of the CPF populace uses cheapy lithium batts vs name brand.

 

[nzgunnie]

2xDX 18650 costs $10 shipped worldwide
2xAW 18650 costs $28,50 shipped worldwide

$18,50 is not a couple of dollars...

The OP quotes $9.00, $10.00 and $10.49 ones in his first post. $12 is only a few dollars more than $10.49...

It's not a DX vs AW post, it's an answer to both the first and second posts stating they don't know what they'll get, post two even calls it a lottery.

Instead of buying 'lottery' batteries (not my term remember) I simply suggested buying known quality.

 

[MatajumotorS]

The OP quotes $9.00, $10.00 and $10.49 ones in his first post. $12 is only a few dollars more than $10.49...

9.00, $10.00 and $10.49 are costs per pair, see the links in first post ....

 

[Probedude]

I just received the sku 5790's, charged them on my FMA CellPro4s and then discharged them on my CBAII at 1A and 2A. Surprisingly they matched their rated mAH! Though I haven't used them in my light yet, I'm happy with their performance for the price.

Note about this graph. One cell was discharged at 1A rate, the other at 2A rate. I didn't have enough time to perform a 1A and 2A discharge on EACH of the cells yet. Still pretty good that 2 cells matched their rating.

Dave