Tested at 10A-25A constant current and 30A-50A pulsed. These cells were donated for the purposes of testing. Thank you! To prevent any confusion with the eGo-type "batteries", I use the term "cell" here to refer to a single 18650, 26650, etc.
Disclaimer
The statements, conclusions, and recommendations I make based on these tests are only my personal opinion. Carefully research any battery you are considering using before purchasing.
Testing cells at their limits is dangerous and should never, ever, be attempted by anyone who has not thoroughly studied the dangers involved and how to minimize them. My safety precautions are the ones I have elected to take and you should not assume they will protect you if you attempt to do any testing. Do the research and create your own testing methods and safety precautions.
A note regarding current ratings and my testing
If the cell has only one current rating number on it, or if it says "max discharging current" then I have to assume that the company is stating that the cell can be discharged at that current level in any way, including continuous. Otherwise they would have listed the current rating with two numbers as other companies have done. Or they would have labeled the rating on the wrap as "pulse" or "burst". Battery buyers should not have to hunt down what the number on the wrap means. I will be testing batteries at the rating listed on the wrap and pointing out when they fail to meet that listed rating.
Bottom Line
In my opinion this is a 20A (continuous) 1600mAh battery. While it runs a bit longer than the 1500mAh HB2/4/6, its voltage at 20A is a lot lower.
Continuous-Current Test Results
Pulsed-Current Test Results
These tests are done to show the performance of the cell at higher pulsed current levels. If you are running your mod at these levels be aware that you risk overheating, and possibly venting, the battery if there is a malfunction or accidental pressing of your mechanical mod's button.
Comparison with HB2/4/6 and VTC4
Comments
To see how other cells have tested and how hard you can safely push them, check out these links:
List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum
18350 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
18650 Safety Grades -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | E-Cigarette Forum
26650 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
Disclaimer
The statements, conclusions, and recommendations I make based on these tests are only my personal opinion. Carefully research any battery you are considering using before purchasing.
Testing cells at their limits is dangerous and should never, ever, be attempted by anyone who has not thoroughly studied the dangers involved and how to minimize them. My safety precautions are the ones I have elected to take and you should not assume they will protect you if you attempt to do any testing. Do the research and create your own testing methods and safety precautions.
A note regarding current ratings and my testing
If the cell has only one current rating number on it, or if it says "max discharging current" then I have to assume that the company is stating that the cell can be discharged at that current level in any way, including continuous. Otherwise they would have listed the current rating with two numbers as other companies have done. Or they would have labeled the rating on the wrap as "pulse" or "burst". Battery buyers should not have to hunt down what the number on the wrap means. I will be testing batteries at the rating listed on the wrap and pointing out when they fail to meet that listed rating.
Bottom Line
In my opinion this is a 20A (continuous) 1600mAh battery. While it runs a bit longer than the 1500mAh HB2/4/6, its voltage at 20A is a lot lower.
Continuous-Current Test Results
Pulsed-Current Test Results
These tests are done to show the performance of the cell at higher pulsed current levels. If you are running your mod at these levels be aware that you risk overheating, and possibly venting, the battery if there is a malfunction or accidental pressing of your mechanical mod's button.
Comparison with HB2/4/6 and VTC4
Comments
- At 10A it reached almost 1500mAh. This is fantastic performance for a 1500mAh-rated cell at 10A. I am giving this cell a capacity rating of 1600mAh.
- Its temperature at 15A was 63°C, way below the average for a cell operating at its continuous discharge rating (CDR).
- At 20A the temperature rose to 73°C. This is a few degrees below the average temperature of a cell operating at its CDR.
- At 25A the temperature rose to 76°C. This is still a bit below the average temperature of a cell operating at its CDR. But the voltage was sagging a lot.
- Seeing the large voltage sag at 25A, indicating that the battery was operating at beyond its rating, I did another two discharges at 25A. Both of these discharges showed clear damage being done to the battery even though the temperature was about 30°C lower than the point at which most 18650's get damaged.
- I have included pulsed discharges but I haven't set pass/fail standards for pulse testing yet. The discharges were done at 5sec on/30sec off, down to 2.5V. One chart shows the entire discharge at each level. The other chart is zoomed in to show the first 5 minutes to make it easier to see the voltage sag at different current levels.
To see how other cells have tested and how hard you can safely push them, check out these links:
List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum
18350 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
18650 Safety Grades -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | E-Cigarette Forum
26650 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
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