These cells were purchased for the purposes of testing by me. To prevent any confusion with the eGo-type "batteries", I use the term "cell" here to refer to a single 18350, 18650, 26650, etc.
While the test results are hard data, the conclusions and recommendations I make based on these tests are only my personal opinion based on my criteria for setting a rating. Carefully research any cell you are considering using before purchasing.
Testing cells 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.
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 continuously.
Bottom Line
This is a dangerously overrated 20A cell whose discharge graph from Aosibo differs from my test results. Aosibo's ratings indicate that it can be safely used at 42A. It can't. At 26A continuous it can boil water. At 35A continuous it reached one of the highest cell temperatures I've ever recorded, 117°C. This is way above my 100°C safety cutoff and is dangerously close to being hot enough to vent the cell (not thermal runaway). Inside a mod the cell will be even hotter.
Aosibo's own discharge graph for this cell shows it reaching about 98°C at 42A. At that temperature the cell would be damaged with every discharge and have a very short cycle life. In my testing it reached 115°C at 42A and was clearly damaged as shown by the second 42A discharge.
Aosibo's graph shows a temperature of about 77°C at 20A. This is almost the average temperature for a cell at its true rating and indicates that it's actually a 20A cell in Aosibo's own testing. This is reinforced by this cell looking and performing identically to the Sony VTC5.
The discharge graph posted by Aosibo for this cell is suspicious. I have tested about 140 different cells used by vapers, over 400 total, and not one ever had such a small change in the voltage sag between 20A and 42A. Every cell in my testing has had a huge increase in the sag at discharge current levels that high as you clearly see in my continuous discharge graph for this cell. Aosibo's graph is pretty close to mine until you get to the 42A discharge. It appears that Aosibo fabricated the data for the 42A discharge, but I have no proof. I have only my experience with many different cells and my tests of this cell which shows much, much worse performance at 42A than what Aosibo's graph shows.
The Discharge Current vs Discharge Capacity graph shows the cell still delivering 2600mAh all the way up to 42A. This cannot happen. The increased voltage sag at higher discharge current levels causes a capacity loss, as visible in my 42A discharge. The data for this graph seems to have been falsified too.
I cannot recommend buying this irresponsibly and dangerously overrated cell. There should be no room in our community for such behavior. Some might feel differently and say that we pulse our batteries so it's relatively safe. But if we trust the 42A rating, and run them with a build that draws that much current, what happens if there is a mod malfunction or accidental button press? The battery could vent. There is just no reason to use this cell.
The 18650 ratings table has been updated to include this cell.
Continuous-Current Test Results
Pulsed-Current Test Results
See the pulse discharge graph for the VTC5: Sony VTC5 2500mAh 18650 Retest Results...a great 20A 2600mAh battery
Aosibo's datasheet for this battery
Comments
List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum
18350/18500 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
18650 Battery Ratings -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | E-Cigarette Forum
26650 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
While the test results are hard data, the conclusions and recommendations I make based on these tests are only my personal opinion based on my criteria for setting a rating. Carefully research any cell you are considering using before purchasing.
Testing cells 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.
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 continuously.
Bottom Line
This is a dangerously overrated 20A cell whose discharge graph from Aosibo differs from my test results. Aosibo's ratings indicate that it can be safely used at 42A. It can't. At 26A continuous it can boil water. At 35A continuous it reached one of the highest cell temperatures I've ever recorded, 117°C. This is way above my 100°C safety cutoff and is dangerously close to being hot enough to vent the cell (not thermal runaway). Inside a mod the cell will be even hotter.
Aosibo's own discharge graph for this cell shows it reaching about 98°C at 42A. At that temperature the cell would be damaged with every discharge and have a very short cycle life. In my testing it reached 115°C at 42A and was clearly damaged as shown by the second 42A discharge.
Aosibo's graph shows a temperature of about 77°C at 20A. This is almost the average temperature for a cell at its true rating and indicates that it's actually a 20A cell in Aosibo's own testing. This is reinforced by this cell looking and performing identically to the Sony VTC5.
The discharge graph posted by Aosibo for this cell is suspicious. I have tested about 140 different cells used by vapers, over 400 total, and not one ever had such a small change in the voltage sag between 20A and 42A. Every cell in my testing has had a huge increase in the sag at discharge current levels that high as you clearly see in my continuous discharge graph for this cell. Aosibo's graph is pretty close to mine until you get to the 42A discharge. It appears that Aosibo fabricated the data for the 42A discharge, but I have no proof. I have only my experience with many different cells and my tests of this cell which shows much, much worse performance at 42A than what Aosibo's graph shows.
The Discharge Current vs Discharge Capacity graph shows the cell still delivering 2600mAh all the way up to 42A. This cannot happen. The increased voltage sag at higher discharge current levels causes a capacity loss, as visible in my 42A discharge. The data for this graph seems to have been falsified too.
I cannot recommend buying this irresponsibly and dangerously overrated cell. There should be no room in our community for such behavior. Some might feel differently and say that we pulse our batteries so it's relatively safe. But if we trust the 42A rating, and run them with a build that draws that much current, what happens if there is a mod malfunction or accidental button press? The battery could vent. There is just no reason to use this cell.
The 18650 ratings table has been updated to include this cell.
Continuous-Current Test Results
Pulsed-Current Test Results
See the pulse discharge graph for the VTC5: Sony VTC5 2500mAh 18650 Retest Results...a great 20A 2600mAh battery
Aosibo's datasheet for this battery
Comments
- At 10A continuous it reached about 2500mAh. This is good performance for 2600mAh cell at 10A so I am rating this cell at 2600mAh.
- At 15A continuous the temperature rose to 71°C. This is a few degrees below the average temperature of a cell running at its continuous discharge rating (CDR).
- At 20A continuous the temperature rose to 82°C. This is a bit above the average temperature of a cell running at its CDR but within limits and is an indication that we are at the cell's true rating.
- At 25A continuous the temperature rose to 97°C. This is a ridiculously high temperature and is a strong sign that we're above the cell's true CDR.
- At 30A continuous the temperature rose to 109°C. This is a ridiculously high temperature and is above my 100°C safety cutoff.
- At 35A continuous the temperature rose to 117°C. This is a dangerously high temperature and shows how preposterous the claimed 42A rating is.
- At 42A continuous the temperature rose to 115°C. A second discharge at 42A shows clear damage to the cell. It is obviously not a 42A cell.
- I am setting a CDR of 20A for this cell. Operating at that level would bring the temperature near to the average for a cell operating at its CDR. While operating any cell near its rated maximum current level causes damage to the cell, I would expect decent cycle life from this cell at 20A continuous.
- I have included pulsed discharges but I haven't set pass/fail standards for pulse testing yet. The discharges were done at 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.
List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum
18350/18500 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
18650 Battery Ratings -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | E-Cigarette Forum
26650 Safety Grades and Pulse Performance Data | E-Cigarette Forum
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