Sun Vapors has posted a blog on how to spot counterfeit Sony batteries. We all knew that this was coming. First AW. Now Sony.
How to Spot Fake Sony Batteries
How to Spot Fake Sony Batteries
How to identify counterfeit Sony batteries
- Thread starter Baditude
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I would say more importantly... find out who sells the fake ones and spread the word then everyone should be good... or just order from a known good that doesn't sell fakes
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Dumb question hopefully you can figure it out without someone telling you... two entirely different things.
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There's a HUGE difference between counterfeit replacement coil heads, counterfeit mechanical mods, counterfeit RBA's, etc and counterfeit batteries.
"Battery counterfeiting -- This is a growing problem and all APV users need to be aware of it.
This is what happens: the counterfeiters buy reject Li-ion batteries in bulk, strip the covers off, and re-cover them with labels that change them to look like popular brands. In this way they can take a cell bought for 10 cents, re-work it, and sell it as for example an AW battery with a retail price of $10. The profits are very high and this practice is growing. It means that you never really know what battery you have unless you buy from somewhere with a verified supply chain. For example, all AW batteries offered for sale on Alibaba are counterfeits, and possibly dangerous."
-- Rolygate, ECF Forum Administrator and battery expert Rechargeable Batteries
Some disreputable businesses also harvest used batteries (often unprotected ICR batteries, which if you didn't already know, should NEVER be used in a mod) from old lap top computers and rewrap them to sell them as new batteries. Whether they are sold as generic no-name batteries or dressed up to look like an AW or Sony, you don't want to use a dangerous battery in your mod.
As Rolygate stated above, ALL of the AW batteries sold by Alibaba are fake AW batteries. Many unsuspecting or ignorant retailers purchase these batteries and sell them on EBay or Amazon. Recommendations are to purchase from reputable e-cig vendors who are authorized to sell genuine name-brand batteries and chargers (ie RTD Vapor).
Put an old used unprotected ICR li-ion battery (with a 3 amp limit) with a shiny new wrapper in mech mod to power a sub-ohm coil and you'll get this inside of your tube mod - a pipe bomb. These batteries vent flames and explode when pushed beyond their limits.
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Thanks for this info Bad
. Yes, it was only a matter of time until this happened, but at least we know what to look for, for now.Known good suppliers ... the only way to go with vape batteries
I just bought some Sony batteries tonight for a new mech mod. I just checked them in my charger after your post. Thanks for the link. Glad mine were legitimate.
Excellent information!
Mine are all legit but this does mean they are out there.
After buying half a dozen fake AW batts a couple of months ago on that popular auction site, I have learned tovstick with RTD and Illumination Supply. Legit companies with legit stocks of the batteries I want.
Mine are all legit but this does mean they are out there.
After buying half a dozen fake AW batts a couple of months ago on that popular auction site, I have learned tovstick with RTD and Illumination Supply. Legit companies with legit stocks of the batteries I want.
Thank you again Badtitude. I've taken much incite from your posts long before I was a member. The article with out a doubt is very useful. The problem some may have is that the pictures on sites that sell these items use stock 1 sided photos. To reinforce the point made by Nathaniel, knowing which online shots that can be trusted is Paramount. Tj being right as well, that where you buy being as important as what you buy. I trust VaporDna so I'll stick with them.
Thank you all for your thoughts. The battery game is no game.
I should have browsed the threads a little more lol. awesome, ill take a look at this!
Edit: After looking at the page, the only thing strange about my batteries, or at least one of them, is that the text is a little misaligned. Also these batteries i have are vtc4.
Edit: After looking at the page, the only thing strange about my batteries, or at least one of them, is that the text is a little misaligned. Also these batteries i have are vtc4.
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I really hope I don't have to take out a laser level with my batteries.
You know I'm going to watching the fonts next.
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I saw this "how to..." page several days ago and start comparing these pictures to several sites which people are posted on this site as good price. Guess what? I haven't found a real one yet. Does that mean most of the Sony VTC5 out there are fake?
Your guess is as good as mine. As the veterans of ECF continue to preach to the novices, you are far better off to purchase your batteries from trusted, authorized vendors who can verify their source directly from the manufacturers.
I buy all of my batteries from RTD Vapor. Orbtronics and Illumination Supply are two more such online vendors.
AW goes through more effort to protect against counterfeiting with very distinctive label wrapping and an exclusive hologram AW sticker. This makes identifying fakes easier if you know what to look for should you not buy from authorized AW vendors.
The green VTC Sony series of batteries have only been on the market for a year or so. Sony is possibly not aware of the counterfeiting issues that AW has already been through. The Sony batteries are very plain looking and can be easily faked with inferior batteries with such a simple wrapper with minimal distinctive markings. It would not surprise me that there are a large number of counterfeit Sony batteries on the market.
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I am glad all of my Sony US18650VtC5 batteries have been sourced through a known supplier of authentic batteries.
I so agree with Baditude's post above. Saving a buck on batteries by going with an unknown seller on the bay or amazon is just not cost effective.
I bought half a dozen AW batteries from a combination of 'bay and amazon sellers. They all turned out fake. Zero cost savings buying fakes for 75% of genuine RTD Vapor price.
Add in that these fakes are of unknown quality, I don't even trust them in a high power LED flashlight.
I bought trash. Almost One Hundred Dollars of Trash.
RTD and Illumination Supply have competitive prices. They are right there on price with the auctions.
No fakes for close to the cheapest price? Worth a buck a cell to me!
I so agree with Baditude's post above. Saving a buck on batteries by going with an unknown seller on the bay or amazon is just not cost effective.
I bought half a dozen AW batteries from a combination of 'bay and amazon sellers. They all turned out fake. Zero cost savings buying fakes for 75% of genuine RTD Vapor price.
Add in that these fakes are of unknown quality, I don't even trust them in a high power LED flashlight.
I bought trash. Almost One Hundred Dollars of Trash.
RTD and Illumination Supply have competitive prices. They are right there on price with the auctions.
No fakes for close to the cheapest price? Worth a buck a cell to me!
I feel as though everyone who has the need for a battery as powerful as the Vtc5 is really on the look out now. Were not just looking at these because we like the color. Thankfully these unfortunate situations like anumber1 had are an even greater reminder. Along with safety concerns, the value of paying more for the real thing is often - in this case especially, worth it.
The real fear is that some smaller venders that may mean well have let a few fakes out the door. Of course they need to get serious about who there getting them from as well. Either way I'll buy from trusted and wont roll the dice with a battery.
The real fear is that some smaller venders that may mean well have let a few fakes out the door. Of course they need to get serious about who there getting them from as well. Either way I'll buy from trusted and wont roll the dice with a battery.
Its also important to buy the right model battery from a particular manufacturer. I was talking casually with another vaper in my local vape shop just yesterday. Relatively new vaper who proudly showed me his first mechanical mod. He was using a RDA on it. I asked him what ohms he was running with.
"I don't know. I don't have an ohm reader yet."
(facepalm moment) I asked one of the sales staff to borrow one of the shops ohm readers. Put his RBA on the meter and it reads 0.29 ohms. So next I ask him what battery he has in his mod.
"It's supposed to be a good one. I heard Samsung are good batteries."
I ask to see it. Its a Samsung all right, but its an ICR battery (the pink Samsung ICR18650-26F battery), not an IMR high drain, high amp battery. His ICR Samsung only has a 2C continuous discharge rate and he's trying to pull around 15 Amps from a battery which doesn't have that much.
I told the guy he's been extremely lucky he didn't blow up his battery using that resistance. He said he's only been using his setup for a couple of hours. I told him he absolutely shouldn't use that battery at that resistance. He immediately purchased a Sony VTC4 30 amp battery.
"I don't know. I don't have an ohm reader yet."
(facepalm moment) I asked one of the sales staff to borrow one of the shops ohm readers. Put his RBA on the meter and it reads 0.29 ohms. So next I ask him what battery he has in his mod."It's supposed to be a good one. I heard Samsung are good batteries."
I ask to see it. Its a Samsung all right, but its an ICR battery (the pink Samsung ICR18650-26F battery), not an IMR high drain, high amp battery. His ICR Samsung only has a 2C continuous discharge rate and he's trying to pull around 15 Amps from a battery which doesn't have that much.
I told the guy he's been extremely lucky he didn't blow up his battery using that resistance. He said he's only been using his setup for a couple of hours. I told him he absolutely shouldn't use that battery at that resistance. He immediately purchased a Sony VTC4 30 amp battery.
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