Hi everyone! First of all, thank you for the welcome!
As a newcomer here, but already an experienced vaper, I would like to ask for help on where to get high discharge rate (20-25 A), branded 18650 batteries (Sony VTC5A, Samsung 25R - as I’ve found that even the yellow LG HG4 batteries don’t match the durability of the two mentioned types) in a condition where, upon arrival, the batteries deliver close to their nominal voltage when measured? I’m asking this because when I ordered from Hungary, the 25R batteries I received only had 3-3.5 V, meaning they were half discharged. If I were to apply the usual rules for lead-acid batteries to these (which, of course, is bad for any single battery, meaning they likely sat in storage for a long time). When I still ordered from China, from the late Fasttech, those batteries arrived at their nominal voltage.
Do you want the batteries you receive not to be around 60% when you unpack them? Because there’s not much chance of that, as they need to be stored that way.
…or…
Did you receive faulty batteries, and they can’t reach max voltage even after charging? I usually order from intercell; they arrive fully charged and are all at 4.1-4.2 volts, but looking at the site, they are very depleted right now. However, sportlampa.hu is still available, though I haven’t checked it recently, but acquaintances have had good experiences there.
Because I use a subohm tank, and it really strains the batteries. If I get a worn-out one from the start, it lasts half as long in lifespan as a truly fresh battery.
As I see it, but someone can calmly correct me if I’m wrong, it’s likely that some importer buys a good batch of batteries, floods the country with them, and these don’t wear out here as they do abroad, and they gather dust in warehouses for a long time, and indeed they discharge. After that, it’s no use charging them; they won’t perform as much even in daily use as a truly fresh battery, and their lifespan will also be considerably shortened. Unfortunately, I have experienced this.
But believe me, such a thing exists, just not around here. Apparently, the name of the Chinese Fasttech means nothing to anyone anymore; I assume that the majority of their turnover was provided by American customers, where the use of vape is at a completely different level, so the products had turnover speed, and the batteries that came from there really met the nominal open-circuit voltage. Probably the larger Western vape shops would also know this, but due to regulations, they would dismiss us anyway because of our place of residence.
I think there’s so much truth to what you’re saying, that it’s misleading right after charging. However, if days or weeks pass after charging, and the battery still provides its nominal voltage, then it’s truly a fresh, new battery.
There are a few reliable online stores, domestic (even with a physical store) and foreign, I can recommend the following from which I have already ordered. Reliable means: I receive the product and they don’t deal with counterfeit, “fake” batteries. Also in terms of brands, I can recommend Molicel.
I have also never received batteries with a nominal voltage of 3.7V or higher, and as @Vaperina_Kinga already wrote, we do not charge Li-ion batteries to 100% assuming longer storage (just like the manufacturer doesn’t). And obviously, over the years, its charge decreases a little.
If you want to look into what kind of battery you received more closely, the manufacturing date code might tell you more, you have to google it because the format depends on the manufacturer (if they print it at all), e.g., in the case of Molicel, it can be read quite easily. But a battery manufactured 2-3 years ago doesn’t mean it will be bad, new Li-ion batteries reach their full capacity after only 2-3 charge-discharge cycles anyway. But I think the most important thing is not to buy counterfeit batteries.
Thank you very much for the tips! You are completely right regarding the concern about counterfeit/recycled batteries. When we see that Chinese websites sell Sony batteries for 800-1000 forints, while in the West, if I remember correctly, they cost at least 10 euros each, then the fear is justified, especially if we read the comments, where they report that the bottom of the battery is dented, it was visibly used in some gadget before, etc.
I started recently, but my approach is that if you have money for the monkey, you should have it for the banana too.
If I feel my batteries are weak, I replace them; I don’t wait for them to be able to do two thousand out of 4200 because that’s not the real thing anymore.
Colleague Zsolti has described the best practices; you’ll only know how much the battery can do after the order arrives.
Hi.
Measuring is completely unnecessary, I can recommend Molicel.
It’s been heavily used in a Geekvape T200 since April. No problems with them. I have the 21700 version in my Stubby mod. No problems with them. After some time, they wear out and need replacement.
I’m afraid you misunderstood. It’s not really about getting away with it cheaper, but about not having to carry as many batteries with you when you leave home, like Mexican bandits with cartridges in bandoliers across their shoulders. I tried Xtar once back in the day, and never again.
I use a 0.15 ohmcoil in an Eleaf ello duro tank, and although I don’t push it, the current draw is still at least 10A. Cheap batteries don’t really like this. What’s still a believable capacity is Samsung’s 3500 mAh battery, but that’s no longer for e-cigarettes, but for lower current draw. Any similar or higher capacity is just a sham. You don’t see such numbers from the big brands. Sorry, I didn’t mean to lecture you. And why is this important? I saw a photo where a battery exploded during vaping, and the sink and surrounding area were covered in blood.
Yes, unfortunately, it’s likely that one just has to try, and hope to get what they want from some website.
If you buy from a specialty store, they will give you an invoice, and you can make a claim there if it happens to explode, which I consider unlikely.
Has anyone’s MAG exploded? Or are we just the lucky ones?
For example, today, a 4000mAh Samsung 40T type 21700 battery, with a Dicodes mod, consuming about 15 ml in MTL, 18W, 23 boost. I took it off the charger around 2400 (midnight/early morning), the Xstar charger measured it as fully charged, but it’s still at 3.6V now.
I’m not worried about the dual 18650 VTC6 3000mAh batteries under my Asgard either, running at 85 watts, it might be unbelievable but it needs that much power
This is a reliable source… they sell batteries in huge quantities across the EU. You won’t find anything gathering dust in a warehouse here. Rechargeable batteries - 18650
