Tenergy RCR123 cells, problem?

I've just received 2 tenergy rcr123 cells (uk online light seller) Just a bit concerned about the look of them. The negative end is not straight, if you stand them on their end they lean over like a battery version of the leaning tower of pizza!

Is this normal poor manufacture? Or has something happened inside to cause this? Obviously I don't want to stick them on charge if they've become compromised inside.

Also, I bought them thinking nothing about charging. I had visions of using them in my ultrafire wf188 but I just looked at the charger and it said 3.2-3.7 v. Only reason I thought mine would be ok is because I saw my charger in a deal with tenergy cells on eBay.

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Hi AutoTech ,

The base plate should not be slanted. It could mean they were dropped and damaged. You should contact that uk online light seller - explain their condition - and ask for replacement cells .

If those are 3.0v rechargeable cells , they have to be charged in a special charger that the uk online light seller should carry in stock just for those cells. They should NOT be charged in any common charger made to charge 3.6v RCR123 Li-Ion's . Talk to that U.K. seller about them for details.

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It just means the PCB board on the bottom of the cell is not flat, which is often the case with cheaply manufactured protected cells.

Right, ok guys. Thanks.

Realised last night I'd had brain fade ordering them, I actually wanted 3.7v rcr123's anyway, when i got them I saw they were 3v and thought I was mistaken in 3.7v cells being available. I checked and obviously there are 3.7v cells, I'll be getting some 3.7's.

I guess I should have checked more carefully ordering them, must have been too keen to get them added to my basket with my v10r!

AutoTech. Watch those Tenergy batteries. They are an odd lot. Tenergy markets two different RCR123 cells. One (that typically claims to be 900mAh) is a traditional LiCo chemistry with a diode in line to reduce the nominal 3.7V to 3.0(ish) volts. This requires a specialized charger that charges the batteries to a termination voltage ABOVE 4.2V in order to get past the diode. This charger is typically ONLY available from Tenergy. The other RCR123 they market (that typically claims to be 750mAh) is a LiFPO chemistry and has a nominal voltage of 3.2V with a maximum charge voltage of 3.6V. Neither battery can be safely charged in a charger designed to charge to 4.2V (the typical maximum charge voltage for LiCo and LiMn chemistries).

While neither of these batteries should be bent (it was likely damaged at some point), I have never had much luck with this particular brand and tend to avoid them these days. My experience is that the batteries are typically unusable after about 2 years.

Thanks.

I contacted the seller and asked if I can swap them for some AW RCR123's and they replied (at 2pm on a Sunday I might add) saying its fine. Mind you, I've spent enough with them in the last few weeks (and will continue to)