Sony no longer making VTC4 and VTC5 batteries?

[caferacer]

According to this link that Nick Green posted to Facebook, Sony is apparently stating officially that they are no longer making VTC4 and VTC5 batteries...

Sony's official response to the availability of VTC4 and VTC5
18650s

 

[Baditude]

This is relatively old news. I reported that link about two months ago.

VTC5's have been missing from stores shelves for several months or longer. VTC4's seem to be in relatively common supply still.

I'm not sure who actually makes Sony batteries. My guess is that Sony commissioned multiple battery manufacturering plants to make cells for them. Sony made the decision to stop sponsoring these, but the factories making the cells seem to be still making them. Either that, or there were a lot of surplus VTC4's in warehouses waiting to be sold.

There's at least a couple of battery brands which use the original Sony VTC4 cell and re-wrap them under their own name: xtar and Efest among them. So apparently there's a ready stock of them.

Orbtronics sells a fine 30 amp continuous battery (Orbtronics SX30 2100mah 30 amp), too. Any other manufacturer claiming 30 amps or more I'd be highly suspicious of.

 

[caferacer]

This is relatively old news. I reported that link about two months ago.

VTC5's have been missing from stores for several months. VTC4's seem to be in relatively common supply still.

I'm not sure who actually makes Sony batteries. My guess is that Sony commissioned multiple manufacturers to make cells for them. Sony made the decision to stop sponsoring these, but the factories making the cells seem to be still making them. Either that, or there were a lot of surplus VTC4's in warehouses waiting to be sold.

Thanks Baditude. I was aware of the notion that Sony was no longer making VTCs, but this was the first time I'd seen word from Sony verifying that. But to be fair, I wasn't making an effort to keep on the news surrounding VTCs because I normally use AWs.

BTW, the link I posted was dated May 26th, 2015.

 

[MattyTny]

I've been wondering about the VTC4 production ever since we all heard about the discontinuing. I emailed RTD vapor a while ago asking about the batteries and they replied saying they haven't had purchasing restrictions on the VTC4 yet. I guess this may change in the future, but it seems they're still available.

 

[Thrasher]

Sony own 8 or 9 battery plants. Several have been moved from Japan since the quake causing most of the shortages.

There is a video somewhere with a Sony rep disputing that email. Saying they have no intentions of shutting off production. He did not specify which model would keep running. I'm assum

Can't find this video, maybe it was on reddit..

But yes that is old, here's the same announcement in dec

batterybro.com/blogs/18650-wholesale-battery-reviews/18305807-warning-sony-vtc5s-sold-today-are-all-fake

 

[WonderDude32]

I was sitting in my local shop this afternoon when we heard the news. The owner called his distributor to see if he could get anymore that they may have in stock and it was too late 5 minutes after the posting. Greed is what caused this and it's too bad. My thoughts are Sony will rework the batteries to add a better type of authenticity and possibly repackage under a different code (something like MTC). Keep watching for it and we'll see them on the market again shortly just under a new heading.

 

[K_Tech]

I was sitting in my local shop this afternoon when we heard the news. The owner called his distributor to see if he could get anymore that they may have in stock and it was too late 5 minutes after the posting. Greed is what caused this and it's too bad. My thoughts are Sony will rework the batteries to add a better type of authenticity and possibly repackage under a different code (something like MTC). Keep watching for it and we'll see them on the market again shortly just under a new heading.

That would be good, I'd really like to pick up a few sets of the 5s if they ever become available again. Wish I'd bought some back when I had the chance!

 

[Taowulf]

I am bummed by this, but with the insane price gouging on the Sony batteries, I am happy to move on to Samsung 25Rs....specs are not as good, but what can you do. Well, you can buy Efest batteries with outrageous specs that will under perform...but nah.

 

[Ryedan]

That would be good, I'd really like to pick up a few sets of the 5s if they ever become available again. Wish I'd bought some back when I had the chance!

K_Tech, I have a couple of the 5's and a couple of most of the other players. IMO you're not missing anything.

 

[K_Tech]

K_Tech, I have a couple of the 5's and a couple of most of the other players. IMO you're not missing anything

Well, the 4s I have are my go-to batteries for mechs and for higher powered mods, I'd like that extra 400 mAh sometimes, lol.

 

[Ryedan]

Well, the 4s I have are my go-to batteries for mechs and for higher powered mods, I'd like that extra 400 mAh sometimes, lol.

I totally agree with you on 4's for over 20A K_Tech, but how often do you go there? We're looking at 0.21 ohms on a mech mod for 20A draw. 0.14 ohms for 30A. The 20A batts have 2500 mAh ratings and they're really good

 

[RaptorD.Meezus]

I am bummed by this, but with the insane price gouging on the Sony batteries, I am happy to move on to Samsung 25Rs....specs are not as good, but what can you do. Well, you can buy Efest batteries with outrageous specs that will under perform...but nah.

Or, Like Baditude pointed out, you could use something like the Orbtronics SX30, which has nearly identical stats to the VTC4.

 

[Taowulf]

Yeah, when I only needed 3-4 batteries to keep in rotation, I didn't mind paying $10+ for a battery. Now that I have 3 different regulated mods that use a total of 5 batteries at a time and 3 (well, 2, the Paps clone is still messed up) mech mods, I don't care to pay that much.

 

[K_Tech]

I totally agree with you on 4's for over 20A K_Tech, but how often do you go there? We're looking at 0.21 ohms on a mech mod for 20A draw. 0.14 ohms for 30A. The 20A batts have 2500 mAh ratings and they're really good

Rarely, if ever, but I like headroom. However, what I really like about the VTCx series is their ability to maintain nominal voltage under heavy load. Testing's shown that they are one of the batteries that will actually hold 3.7 volts at close to rated current, while other batteries fall short (relatively speaking).

 

[Ryedan]

Rarely, if ever, but I like headroom. However, what I really like about the VTCx series is their ability to maintain nominal voltage under heavy load. Testing's shown that they are one of the batteries that will actually hold 3.7 volts at close to rated current, while other batteries fall short (relatively speaking).

A while ago I compared a few of what I consider the best batteries on the market for high power vaping and the VTCs were in the mix. Here's the post. The results were surprising to me and don't agree with what you said above. I actually passed up the chance to buy some more VTC5s today from Illumn at $10 a pop because I don't consider them worth it at that price when you can get 25Rs at under $6.

For anyone who's interested in them, here's the page at Illumn. Their stock is limited.

 

[WharfRat1976]

Plenty of VCT4s on the shelves at RTD. I just reloaded.

 

[six]

The video folks reference as evidence Sony hasn't discontinued the VTC5 is here and the important part starts around 1:05 - it was a plumes of hazard episode from almost a year ago... {MODERATED}

The e-bike guys I read on usenet say they've been pulling VTC5s from some Hilti cordless drill batteries... The cordless tool guys I read on usenet say Sony VTC5s are in some of the high end Festool and Ingersol drills that are in current production.

I personally think Sony is still having them made but absolutely does not intend them for us and absolutely will not say they are to be used individually by end users like us for any purpose at all ever no exceptions other than the cordless tool battery packs they actually intend them for. --> I also think that we are going to see them again X-Tar branded when Sony can feel completely assured that any mishaps vapers and flashlight guys might have can't be blamed on Sony.... That could be next week or it could be next year, but sooner or later, they will fulfill their obligation to X-Tar on Sony VTC5s.


EDIT: New forum software automatically embeds video when you post a link. I felt it appropriate to change that to a text link instead of leaving the embedded video... because there is some bad language and a single statement that could be a sensitive sort of thing for some users.

 

[oplholik]

saw this at Orbtronics. Phil B. posted it.

IN STOCK! Sony VTC5 2600mAh 30A 18650 High Drain rechargeable battery 3.7V

 

[mykline]

Vapor DNA has in stock the Sony VTC5 18650 2600mAh 30A also. 3 pack deal

 

[petrotech]

I'm weird and just like my AW IMR batteries. (old habits die hard i guess) but then again, the lowest i ever go is .5...and normally I'm around 1.4.