Information - 18650 - Know what you're buying

[mstarmatt]

Having bought quite a few 18650 Li-Ion batteries in the past only to find out the mAh printed on the side is utter tosh I've finally found a resource showing what you actually get compared to what they are advertised as, so as more of you are trying the CREE/18650 torches thought I'd share the link so you don't get ripped off.

Battery test-review 18650 comparator

The 'TrustFire TF18650 3000mAh (Flame)' that DHL swore by appear to be favourable for price and power

 

[Ojay]

Thats right,, stay away from the Ultrafire ones (3000mAh) usually supplied with torch, they are pretty shite, run rate and voltage stop is gash!

Personally I've always found the Trustfire 2500mAh to be decent as well, the flame ones that Muttley refers to are a very good, but like DHL always said it's down to batch really, in my experience many of the 2500's have been much better than the 2800's & the 3000's

 

[cunningcorgi]

Is this a recent survey do you know ?

I've seen a similar survey but it was done a few years ago (2010 I think). It had some pretty alarming photos of the red 3000mAh batteries that usually come with the torches - they basically took the wrapper off to see what was underneath and found old laptop batteries with the + and - terminals stuck on...

 

[Ojay]

some pretty alarming photos of the red 3000mAh batteries that usually come with the torches - they basically took the wrapper off to see what was underneath and found old laptop batteries with the + and - terminals stuck on...

Truth, be careful what you're buying, it's also worth pointing out that you also need to invest in a decent protected charger (one that cut's once charged), the ones supplied don't!!!!

If you leave these things un-attended then your asking for trouble without a decent 'protected' charger

DHL once showed me what happens when they blow, and believe me some bonfyah your home would make if one of these went off

Be safe kids

 

[mstarmatt]

Is this a recent survey do you know ?
I've seen a similar survey but it was done a few years ago (2010 I think). It had some pretty alarming photos of the red 3000mAh batteries that usually come with the torches - they basically took the wrapper off to see what was underneath and found old laptop batteries with the + and - terminals stuck on...

From what I can tell it's a work in progress, I was looking for some 26650s and even the 5000mAh Trustfires are only actually 4000 so with the added size and weight don't make them worth getting

I'd heard that about quite a few Ultrafire batteries but not checked mine, saying that the majority of mine are ripped from laptop batteries anyway (generally when the laptop battery is knackered it's just one cell that's failed), they aren't protected but I just make sure they don't get too hot charging or in use.

 

[Ojay]

^ also if they drop below then they will never re-charge, personally I would steer clear of un-protected cells, not like the decent ones aint cheap enough as it is :

 

[Marsden1002]

Wish I had seen this before buying my ultrafire from china :-(

Ill just have to be carefull and invest in a decent charger and battery

 

[Ojay]

the Ultrafires are safe enough mate, just they don't last very long..

 

[cunningcorgi]

it's also worth pointing out that you also need to invest in a decent protected charger

If you leave these things un-attended then your asking for trouble without a decent 'protected' charger

DHL once showed me what happens when they blow, and believe me some bonfyah your home would make if one of these went off

I never felt happy with the plastic toys that masquerade as chargers that come with the torches. So much so, I never charged the batteries unless I was in the room the whole time just in case the charger decided to go to Def Con 4.

Ended up getting an Xtar protected charger. At least I can sleep a bit easier now !

 

[Marsden1002]

The batteries or torch ojay?

Someone posted a link to amazon for some batteries and charger ill have to have a look at that.

Thanks for the info and warning lads or ladies :-D

 

[Ojay]

batteries mate

 

[mstarmatt]

The Lithium-Ion batteries are actually what grounded the Boeing 787's recently.

As Ojay has said, these can be dangerous if you're not careful, I never leave charging batteries unattended, ever and check them regularly to make sure they don't get too hot... this is the reason why (watch from about 1:15 in)

[video=youtube;vsAymO7Y9lU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsAymO7Y9lU[/video]

 

[Ojay]

there are usually spectacular flames involved.. Protected batteries & chargers folks, none of that cheap shit our yellow friends supply

 

[Marsden1002]

↑ what charger would you recommend? Theres literally 100s on ebay and amazon which include some from the first post?!

The only recommend ones I can see are pila bit those are a fortune just for the charger!

 

[Ojay]

what charger would you recommend? Theres literally 100s on ebay and amazon which include some from the first post?!

One of these fella

TrustFire TR-006 26650 25500 26700 18650 16340 14500 10440 BATTERY CHARGER | eBay