FOUND ... needed delivery of 18650 batteries, FAST !!

Sneeg

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
2
So, last February my husband and I did a night dive in Curacao which was totally awesome but we both had our flashlights die which was not so awesome. Luckily we had a backup so we were able to make it back to shore.

I have researched the heck out of dive lights and just bought four new ones - two primaries and two back ups.

They all came without batteries which I thought would be no big deal until I started to try to figure out what the heck to buy. I didn't realize that you couldn't just go into your local Home Depot and pick some up. We fly out on Thursday so I am getting desperate. I have tried to research but I keep getting more and more confused.

I know that I need six 18650 lithium-ion button top batteries with a minimum of 2600 mAh (up to 3400 mAh)and 3.6 or 3.7V. They need to have a high capacity rating versus a high discharge rate. I realize they are not going to be cheap but budget is a concern.

Can someone please suggest which exact battery to buy and where to buy it from so they will be here by Wednesday?

I also need to know which battery charger to get. Preferably one that can charge up to four batteries at a time.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Hello and welcome to CPF

Please help CPF help you by editing your title to something a bit more specific ... ;)
 

Hoka Hey

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 28, 2018
Messages
40
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Desperate times indeed.

For batteries, Samsung, Sony, or Efest.

For charger, I'm liking the Gyrfalcon All 44.

for retailer, Mountain Electronics in Utah is excellent. You may be able to call them and ask them to rush the order. Pay for 2 day shipping to be sure you have the items early enough. I would definitely order today!
 

N2DFire

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
3
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Sorry I can't help with the Battery / Charger side - I'm pretty much a Novice like yourself.

However as far as your time issue - it might be possible to have whomever you purchase from ship straight to your destination instead. Once you pick a source that's something you can talk to them about.

Good luck & have a fun, safe trip.
 

bigburly912

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Messages
3,361
Location
Virginia
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

If budget is a problem get an Xtar vc4 charger and whichever 3000mah+ batteries you want from mtnelectronics. Call or email Richard and tell him you need them in a rush. He's fantastic to work with.
 

skillet

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
797
Location
Green Co. , Bluegrass State
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Any local vaping shops (e-cigs and the like) will have batteries and chargers in stock, or at least the ones around here do. They have had quality cells of varying capacities and decent NiteCore chargers. I would think the one in your location would just as accommodating and able to assist you and answer your questions about the cells and chargers.
 

mattheww50

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
1,048
Location
SW Pennsylvania
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Shipping straight to the destination tends to be very difficult. Li-Ion cells are classed as hazardous cargo, so you need to be licensed for Hazardous cargo to carry it. Then there are require disclosures on the shipment. Unless the shipper has experience in dealing with the shipments, the paperwork can be a real challenge. As far as I know FedEx is licensed to carry hazardous cargo, but you are likely to pay dearly for that capability. Shipment via USPS even via express mail is legally impossible. The only way you can Li-Ions is if they are actually installed in the equipment, and even then you are limited to 3 cells, and the presence of the LiIon battery must be disclosed on the labeling.
 

magellan

Honorary Aussie
Joined
Feb 3, 2014
Messages
5,003
Location
USA
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

I second the Mountain Electronics rec. I've had good experiences with them on several orders.

Best of luck with your purchase.
 

DIWdiver

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
2,725
Location
Connecticut, USA
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

As I recall, lithium batteries need to be shipped ground. I'd go the vape shop route.
 

Sneeg

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
2
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions!

So I ended up spending $60 to buy 4 '3400mAh 18650 Battery ORBTRONIC Protected Button Top Rechargeable High Performance Li-ion 3.7V for High Power Flashlights' from Amazon. They will be here by Monday and the total was cheaper than trying to get rushed ground delivery from any of the other shops. I am not sure why Amazon can send them by air when the other shops all needed to send ground. It's been an expensive introduction to the world of lithium-ion batteries but I would rather spend extra $$$ than have no light on a night dive. :)

Just an FYI for anyone else who needs to buy flashlight batteries: DO NOT BUY BATTERIES MEANT FOR A VAPE!!!

This is where I ended up getting very confused and why I posted on CandlePowerForums for a recommendation of an exact battery to buy not just a '18650 lithium-ion button top battery with a minimum of 2600 mAh'.

Please correct if I got this wrong but from what I have read, for a vape you want a 'high discharge rate' (i.e. can deliver a lot of power all at once). With a high discharge rate, you go through a lot of power in a short duration of time. For a flashlight you want a a lower max discharge rate so that it will deliver at a lower discharge rate for a long period of time. This is why the listing for the battery I purchased clearly states 'NOT FOR E-CIG MODS- FOR High Power FLASHLIGHTS ONLY'.

Again, thanks for the help!




 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
.... I know that I need six 18650 lithium-ion button top batteries with a minimum of 2600 mAh (up to 3400 mAh)and 3.6 or 3.7V. They need to have a high capacity rating versus a high discharge rate. I realize they are not going to be cheap but budget is a concern.

Can someone please suggest which exact battery to buy and where to buy it from so they will be here by Wednesday? ....

Glad to hear you found what you needed :)

Also, I don't recall any mention of the exact flashlight make and model for which these are intended.

Please be aware that there are some with very high current draw indeed ....
 
Last edited:

mattheww50

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
1,048
Location
SW Pennsylvania
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Amazon has their own fleet of leased aircraft operated exclusively for them, and as a result they are are not classed as 'common carrier', so many of the regulations that common carriers such as FedEx, UPS or DHL have to obey, Amazon may ignore.
 

Lynx_Arc

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 1, 2004
Messages
11,212
Location
Tulsa,OK
Re: Please help! Running out of time!

Please correct if I got this wrong but from what I have read, for a vape you want a 'high discharge rate' (i.e. can deliver a lot of power all at once). With a high discharge rate, you go through a lot of power in a short duration of time. For a flashlight you want a a lower max discharge rate so that it will deliver at a lower discharge rate for a long period of time. This is why the listing for the battery I purchased clearly states 'NOT FOR E-CIG MODS- FOR High Power FLASHLIGHTS ONLY'.

Again, thanks for the help!
You sort of have that backwards in that E-Cig mods sometimes demand a LOT more current than flashlights and often some of these mods you need high current batteries while many flashlights (and some other devices) can use low and higher current batteries with no issues. Unless a light has higher current demands than a battery can deliver it is possible a higher current battery could give you LONGER runtimes (at the same capacity) than a lower current battery due to possible lower internal resistance contributing to less power loss as current ramps up in the higher modes.
In other words you can use EITHER high or low current batteries as long as the output of the lower current batteries is enough to handle the device/flashlight etc.
 

DIWdiver

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
2,725
Location
Connecticut, USA
High discharge rate cells are needed for vaping because you need intense heat almost instantly. This does not preclude that same cell from being used at lower discharge rate, and a vape cell would work perfectly fine in a flashlight.

The reason you may not want to use a vape cell is that high rate cells will tend to have lower capacities, if both are generally the same quality. A 2600 mAH 20C rated cell will work just as well as a 2600 mAH 5C rated cell if run with a 1C load, perhaps even a hair better. You can get a 3500 mAh cell for your flashlight, but I don't think you can for your e-cig.
 

Gauss163

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 20, 2013
Messages
1,604
Location
USA
Also be aware that (rewrapped) cells marketed for vaping often specify the max current for pulse (vs. continuous) loads, without explicitly saying so. Further they may exploit the fact that there are no standards for such pulse ratings in order to exaggerate the rating to gain a competitive edge. These matters are discussed more in-depth on vaping sites, e.g. see Mooch's reviews.
 
Top