So, I'm sure many of you have heard of the "wonders" of SONY VTC4/5 batts, and likely have seen the chart below, which is being circulated in B&Ms, and across the internets via many platforms and networks.
If you have, you likely saw it out of context, and were told that these batts can do amazing things, like 100a 8sec bursts. Maybe you were told this by someone claiming that a 0.04Ω build or lower is perfectly fine... so long as you have these batteries. However, the chart above is not talking about single, unprotected VTC4 cells.
SONY VTC batts were never meant to be used individually. They were never meant to be seen by consumers. They are designed to be used in battery packs for high-power applications. The chart above is discussing battery packs with protection circuits.
The full PDF from SONY can be viewed here: See section 7.2.4.3, found in 7.2.4 SONY VTC4 Specs
These batteries, as individual unprotected cells, are not rated for the drains outlined in that chart. The specs are 30a continuous, 60a pulse, making the absolute lowest "safe" build 0.10Ω ± 0.02Ω, with a sensible build's being above 0.18Ω ±0.02Ω (differential to allow for the tolerances of these meters).
I'm just putting this here for posterity and future reference, 'cause I'm tired of typing the same thing every few days.
I'll also throw in a link to an online Ohm's Law calculator.
Online Conversion - Ohm's Law Calculator
If you have, you likely saw it out of context, and were told that these batts can do amazing things, like 100a 8sec bursts. Maybe you were told this by someone claiming that a 0.04Ω build or lower is perfectly fine... so long as you have these batteries. However, the chart above is not talking about single, unprotected VTC4 cells.
SONY VTC batts were never meant to be used individually. They were never meant to be seen by consumers. They are designed to be used in battery packs for high-power applications. The chart above is discussing battery packs with protection circuits.
The full PDF from SONY can be viewed here: See section 7.2.4.3, found in 7.2.4 SONY VTC4 Specs
These batteries, as individual unprotected cells, are not rated for the drains outlined in that chart. The specs are 30a continuous, 60a pulse, making the absolute lowest "safe" build 0.10Ω ± 0.02Ω, with a sensible build's being above 0.18Ω ±0.02Ω (differential to allow for the tolerances of these meters).
I'm just putting this here for posterity and future reference, 'cause I'm tired of typing the same thing every few days.
I'll also throw in a link to an online Ohm's Law calculator.
Online Conversion - Ohm's Law Calculator
Last edited: