Here's the latest everyone...
- I've received several hundred PM's and emails in the 36 hours since the posting of my IMR batteries HG2 testing results. If I haven't gotten back to you yet, I will. It's taking a while to respond to everyone.
- I have received a lot of PM's with photos of HG2's asking if I can determine if they're good or bad. I just can't tell from a photo. The presence of a shiny, self-adhesive, top insulator ring is a bad sign but without testing the battery there isn't a reliable method yet to sort out which are fake and which are good.
- If you have HG2's you feel are fakes then contact the vendor you purchased them from for more information.
- I am testing HG2's from multiple vendors and the results will be posted as each set of tests is completed.
- The test results for IMR batteries' HG2's only applies to their batteries. I do not know if all HG2's with matte/textured top ring insulators are ok or if all HG2's with shiny, self-adhesive insulators are fakes. The testing I'm doing of the batteries from other vendors will hopefully help to sort out all this a bit though.
- The sticker on the battery (added by the battery shipper, not the manufacturer) should not be used as an indicator of whether the battery is one of the good ones or not. I include pictures of the batteries just for reference. The performance of the battery is the best way to figure out if you have good HG2's.
- The bad HG2's have terrible performance that becomes quite noticeable at around 50W (per battery), and higher, and will cause the mod to indicate weak/low battery much sooner than usual. Monitor the temperature of the battery though! Do not allow it to get hot.
- You could use the bad HG2's at lower wattages just as you would use a 10A battery. But the performance of these bad HG2's is much worse than the genuine 10A batteries on the market so it's just not worth it. Add on that we don't know anything about these bad HG2's, or even if they are LG batteries, and I recommend just not using them at all. Contact the vendor you purchased them from to see if you can return or exchange them.
- The Samsung 30Q is the closest equivalent in my testing to the HG2, almost identical. If you are uncomfortable purchasing HG2's right now then I recommend the 30Q as a great replacement.
- The HG2 is still a great battery and there are thousands and thousands of good ones out there being used daily. Most vendors are on top of this situation and should have the bad HG2's sorted out soon. Any other bad HG2's out there should make their way through the system soon and no longer be available for purchase.
- While this batch of bad HG2's is a nasty problem right now it has, at least, served as a wake up call to us all. This situation should make vendors and even more careful about checking the authenticity/performance of the batteries they're selling.
- These disreputable companies will keep trying to sell these crap batteries though and they are going to get better and better at it. Buy from known, reliable vendors. If you don't, who knows what you could get.
- No one can guarantee that these trusted vendors will never sell fake batteries. What separates them from the others is the testing they do and that things will be made right if fakes are found. They can't test every cell, as the bad ones are often randomly mixed in, but it's still great that they do any testing.
That's it for now. Know your batteries and vape safe everyone.
- I've received several hundred PM's and emails in the 36 hours since the posting of my IMR batteries HG2 testing results. If I haven't gotten back to you yet, I will. It's taking a while to respond to everyone.
- I have received a lot of PM's with photos of HG2's asking if I can determine if they're good or bad. I just can't tell from a photo. The presence of a shiny, self-adhesive, top insulator ring is a bad sign but without testing the battery there isn't a reliable method yet to sort out which are fake and which are good.
- If you have HG2's you feel are fakes then contact the vendor you purchased them from for more information.
- I am testing HG2's from multiple vendors and the results will be posted as each set of tests is completed.
- The test results for IMR batteries' HG2's only applies to their batteries. I do not know if all HG2's with matte/textured top ring insulators are ok or if all HG2's with shiny, self-adhesive insulators are fakes. The testing I'm doing of the batteries from other vendors will hopefully help to sort out all this a bit though.
- The sticker on the battery (added by the battery shipper, not the manufacturer) should not be used as an indicator of whether the battery is one of the good ones or not. I include pictures of the batteries just for reference. The performance of the battery is the best way to figure out if you have good HG2's.
- The bad HG2's have terrible performance that becomes quite noticeable at around 50W (per battery), and higher, and will cause the mod to indicate weak/low battery much sooner than usual. Monitor the temperature of the battery though! Do not allow it to get hot.
- You could use the bad HG2's at lower wattages just as you would use a 10A battery. But the performance of these bad HG2's is much worse than the genuine 10A batteries on the market so it's just not worth it. Add on that we don't know anything about these bad HG2's, or even if they are LG batteries, and I recommend just not using them at all. Contact the vendor you purchased them from to see if you can return or exchange them.
- The Samsung 30Q is the closest equivalent in my testing to the HG2, almost identical. If you are uncomfortable purchasing HG2's right now then I recommend the 30Q as a great replacement.
- The HG2 is still a great battery and there are thousands and thousands of good ones out there being used daily. Most vendors are on top of this situation and should have the bad HG2's sorted out soon. Any other bad HG2's out there should make their way through the system soon and no longer be available for purchase.
- While this batch of bad HG2's is a nasty problem right now it has, at least, served as a wake up call to us all. This situation should make vendors and even more careful about checking the authenticity/performance of the batteries they're selling.
- These disreputable companies will keep trying to sell these crap batteries though and they are going to get better and better at it. Buy from known, reliable vendors. If you don't, who knows what you could get.
- No one can guarantee that these trusted vendors will never sell fake batteries. What separates them from the others is the testing they do and that things will be made right if fakes are found. They can't test every cell, as the bad ones are often randomly mixed in, but it's still great that they do any testing.
That's it for now. Know your batteries and vape safe everyone.
