Tested at 10A-30A constant current and 30A-70A pulsed. These cells were purchased by me for the purposes of testing thanks to the wonderful donations from so many of you. 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 batteries 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 cells 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 very good 20A continuous discharge rating (CDR) battery. For comparison, its voltage and run time are a bit lower than the Samsung 25R at high discharge current levels and it runs a bit hotter than the 25R.
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.
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
18650 Safety Grades -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | 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 batteries 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 cells 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 very good 20A continuous discharge rating (CDR) battery. For comparison, its voltage and run time are a bit lower than the Samsung 25R at high discharge current levels and it runs a bit hotter than the 25R.
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.
Comments
- At 10A it reached about 2375mAh. This is very good performance for a 2500mAh-rated cell at 10A.
- At 15A the maximum temperature reached 65°C. This is below the average temperature of a cell operating at its continuous discharge rating (CDR).
- At 20A the maximum temperature reached 80°C. This is a bit above the average temperature of a cell operating at its continuous discharge rating (CDR), indicating that we're operating at or near the CDR for this cell.
- At 25A the temperature rose to 91°C. This is way too high for a cell operating at its CDR.
- At 30A the temperature rose to 104°C. This is way too high for a cell operating at its CDR and is above my 100°C safety limit.
- I am setting a CDR of 20A for this cell. Its temperature at this discharge current level is close to the average for a cell operating at its CDR. While operating any cell near its rated maximum current causes damage to the cell, I would expect good cycle life from this cell at 20A.
- I have included pulsed discharges but I haven't set pass/fail standards for pulse testing yet. The discharges were done at 30A-70A, 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
18650 Safety Grades -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | E-Cigarette Forum
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