18500, 18650 button top battery question

[Baditude]

Okay, so can someone help me with finding button tops that I can use in my ProVaris since I can't find AW batts anymore? I do have a couple of those "flat top battery adapters", but am leery of using them.......... and they may cut down the performance of the battery ? Thank you for any help.

P.S. I do use all 3 sizes (18650, 18450/18500, 18350). Made sure to buy the extension caps and rings.

Provape always stressed not to use "adaptors" to make a flat top battery into a button top. Its not a safe battery practice. If you accidentally dropped your mod the adaptor could be jarred loose and cause a short circuit, possibly destroying the battery and your mod.

IMR Hybrid 2250mAh Panasonic CGR18650CH 18650 Button Top High Drain Battery 3.7V Li-Mn-Li-ion 10A These will work fine for a Provari if you can't find AW button tops. Orbtronics is a trusted battery supplier.

4PCS Samsung INR18650-30Q 3000mAh Unprotected Button Top 18650 Battery 15 amp will also work great in a Provari. I can't vouch for the authenticity of this vendor. If I were in your situation I'd probably go for these.

AW 18490 battery I can't vouch for the vendors authenticity, but these "look" like the real deal and for a great price.

Purple Efest 18350 battery as much as I am biased against Efest batteries, if you can't find AW these will do the job.

 

[Robin Becker]

Baditude - I would be a bit suspicious about those ones with the button-Top you linked, if the Discharge current is higher than 10A. Most of Chinese manufacturer do not weld the Button-Top to the cell, but weld a nickel stripe between the Button-Top part and the cell and than band it and shrink the construction. It is faster and cheaper, but has limitation on the CDR.
For high-current usage you should rather pick-up a battery that the top-cup (Button-Top) is welded directly to the cell like here: Sony Konion US18650VTC5A - 2600mAh, 3,6V - 3,7V (Button Top) Lithium-Ionen Akkus 18650 Sony Zellen

 

[Baditude]

Baditude - I would be a bit suspicious about those ones with the button-Top you linked...
For high-current usage you should rather pick-up a battery that the top-cup (Button-Top) is welded directly to the cell like here: Sony Konion US18650VTC5A - 2600mAh, 3,6V - 3,7V (Button Top) Lithium-Ionen Akkus 18650 Sony Zellen

You make a good point. However, OP is in the US and the website you linked to is on the wrong side of the pond. Shipping cost would be huge.

 

[440BB]

Okay, so can someone help me with finding button tops that I can use in my ProVaris since I can't find AW batts anymore? I do have a couple of those "flat top battery adapters", but am leery of using them.......... and they may cut down the performance of the battery ? Thank you for any help.

P.S. I do use all 3 sizes (18650, 18450/18500, 18350). Made sure to buy the extension caps and rings.

I think the AW factory problem will be resolved and they will return fairly soon, but in the meantime, most any high drain battery will satisfy the ProVari 1-2.5 that require button tops. I went to IMRbattteries.com and found high drain button tops in a variety of brands and all the needed sizes. I've used Efest red and purple button tops interchangeably with my AW's for years and slightly lower capacity and slightly shorter lifespan are the only noticeable differences.

I really appreciate all the work Mooch has done to help us know which batteries perform up to their stated specs and keep us safe. Some of that concern simply doesn't apply to devices like the ProVari 1-2.5, as they don't allow vaping at more than 3.5 amps. Efest, AWT, MXJO etc. may not be as tested and robust as AW but they will work just fine. As long as they're high drain and can handle 7 or more amps continuous, they will work in the short run and the long run too.

I understand the requirement of high amperage battery selection when vaping at high wattage but a ProVari 1-2.5 isn't designed for nor capable of that application.

 

[Robin Becker]

You make a good point. However, OP is in the US and the website you linked to is on the wrong side of the pond. Shipping cost would be huge.

I think that if the people out there are aware of this point, they can put the different retailers under "pressure" to source for them products with high-quality.
I think a 20A battery like 25R, VTC5 etc. with such a Button-Top can be really hot on this spot, if you try to discharge with more than 10A.

 

[choochoogranny]

Holy cow! Thank all of you for your info and links. There's still plenty of us out there that use ProVaris that could use your kindly provided information. 440BB, I surely hope AW does pull through their difficulties and start providing us with their excellent product again. Whenever I had to order, I ordered all three sizes. Even though I'm mostly a "hermit" and don't need to be "discreet" about the size of my mod, the rare times I do venture out, I like the smaller sizes and not look like I'm carrying a baton.

Thank you again for your help.

 

[Robin Becker]

I thought ProVari was dead well at least in Germany you can get any of them...maybe on Old-Timer market. I started with vaping around 2 years ago, so didn´t even have the chance to test them.

 

[mimöschen]

ProVari might be out of business, but their mods still run strong, as the buildquality is excellent.
It's a shame they implemented that silly 1ohm limitation, otherwise my P1 would still be in use.

 

[Baditude]

It's a shame they implemented that silly 1ohm limitation, otherwise my P1 would still be in use.

Its my understanding that the designers of the early model Provari felt that their number one priority to their fan base was the safety factor. They felt designing a higher amp limit (at that point in time) would compromise that safety factor.

The ProVape Team Interview | Spinfuel VAPE
​

Over the years, Provape was always reluctant to "follow the herd" like their competiters in the race of power mods. May have hurt them in the long run, but faithful customers understood Provape's business philosophy and realized there was more to a great product than just power output. Things like superior build quality and workmanship, nearly 100% USA-made materials, and industry-leading customer support.

 

[Robin Becker]

I have maybe good news for you guys. I picked up my 48V battery from Enerdan GmbH today. They were friendly enough to allow a "Berliner" to make a pick-up. They assembled for my new Bafang Motor a battery for my eBike. I asked them, if they are willing to assemble 18650 with Button-Tops (they call it top cap). They said, they are not able to deliver private customers, but if a retailer, or someone from this Forum is willing to coordinate that, they would assemble the Button-Tops directly on the batteries. They can offer 30Q, 25R, VTC6 and NSX currently.

 

[mimöschen]

Its my understanding that the designers of the early model Provari felt that their number one priority to their fan base was the safety factor.
...
Over the years, Provape was always reluctant to "follow the herd" like their competiters in the race of power mods. May have hurt them in the long run...

Safety is good. Overanxiousness is not. A cap at 0.5ohm would have been more than sufficient at that time.

Provape is a good example for Darwinism.
Evolve or die. And they chose the latter.

 

[Baditude]

Safety is good. Overanxiousness is not. A cap at 0.5ohm would have been more than sufficient at that time.

Provape is a good example for Darwinism.
Evolve or die. And they chose the latter.

Provape did evolve for sub-ohm vapers, although perhaps not as fast as some might have liked. The Provari Radius box mod could do 40 watts and fire a 0.3 ohm coil. The last Provari, the Procylon, could put out 60 watts and fire a 0.3 ohm coil.

Provape closed because of upcoming FDA regulations and restrictions, not because they couldn't sell mods. ProVape Closed

 

[Steve Parry]

Provape did evolve for sub-ohm vapers, although perhaps not as fast as some might have liked. The Provari Radius box mod could do 40 watts and fire a 0.3 ohm coil. The last Provari, the Procylon, could put out 60 watts and fire a 0.3 ohm coil.

Provape closed because of upcoming FDA regulations and restrictions, not because they couldn't sell mods. ProVape Closed

ProVape closed in February of 2017. In 2015, Evolv launched the DNA 200 which went down to .1 ohm and up to 200 watts. ProVape didn't evolve for sub ohm vapers. They listed the specs for the Procyon as 50 watts and .4 ohms.


If ProVape closed because of impending regulations, then maybe Blockbuster video closed due to the rise of ethanol inflating the price of popcorn. I know that's what they claim, but the reality is a .3 ohm limit won't fire half the coils on 90% of the tanks on store shelves today, and 60 watts is the low end of the recommended range for half of the coils it will fire.

I own a ProVari 2.5. It's a tough mod, and I loved it. It was the best thing going when I bought it... in 2013. It still works. I understand that ProVape blamed the FDA, but I'm not buying it. If people are beating down your doors to get your product, you fight the regulations, you don't run up the white flag. I'll believe them when the Mexican cartels close down due to US drug regulations.

 

[Baditude]

We could argue all day about Provape and why they closed their doors. Fact is, the owners had already planned to retire and seeking a potential buyer. The guy from House of Hybrids (Zen) wanted to buy Provape, but he ran into problems with investors and the deal fell through. Allegedly the investors were wary of the FDA regulations, too. So the owners retired and closed their doors.

I know the owners were disgusted with the FDA regulations and didn't wish to pay the exorbinate fees (over $1000) to register each and every item that they manufactured. They were a small company and felt they could no longer afford to offer the variety of mods with different color options that they were accustomed to with the regulations in place.

We've already hijacked this thread beyond recognition, so I'll leave it at that.

 

[Ipster]

Always trustworthy to have Baditude chime in, B-U-T......Title of the thread is 18500, 18650 Button Top Battery Question.
Cheers.

 

[Ipster]

Provape always stressed not to use "adaptors" to make a flat top battery into a button top. Its not a safe battery practice. If you accidentally dropped your mod the adaptor could be jarred loose and cause a short circuit, possibly destroying the battery and your mod.

IMR Hybrid 2250mAh Panasonic CGR18650CH 18650 Button Top High Drain Battery 3.7V Li-Mn-Li-ion 10A These will work fine for a Provari if you can't find AW button tops. Orbtronics is a trusted battery supplier.

4PCS Samsung INR18650-30Q 3000mAh Unprotected Button Top 18650 Battery 15 amp will also work great in a Provari. I can't vouch for the authenticity of this vendor. If I were in your situation I'd probably go for these.

AW 18490 battery I can't vouch for the vendors authenticity, but these "look" like the real deal and for a great price.

Purple Efest 18350 battery as much as I am biased against Efest batteries, if you can't find AW these will do the job.

Good advice here.

It looks like as of this post the Panny’s are out of stock at Orbtronics, the site does list this batt to be 65.9 tall. (Perfect for ProVari).

I’ll second that while we dont favor eFest batts, over other higher quality brands, if your in a pinch, theyll get you through
until you preferred choice is back in stock. Think of it as choice between Nissan and BMW autos. Nissans are going to be just fine as auto choice, whereas some mechanical engineers will be enthused for BMWs engine or design specifications.

They’ll fit the ProVari’s, shouldnt cause any damage (please dont use flat to button converter top or magnetic add on).
eFest’s preferable to gerry rigging a flat top hands down.

One added thought, In the 18650 button top batts, height dimensions can range from 65.12 to 69.6. I havent personally tried the taller ones in any of my ProVari’s so make sure you've got enough room with your bottom cap/spring (so lbatts will fit).
ex: Sanyo recommendation at IMR is 66.8 tall.

Hopefully you can get confirmed size before purchase. This wont apply to Baditude’s recommended list here, I noticed no-one else had mentioned this in the thread.

Cheers.

 

[Ipster]

Let us know how you make out