-- AW batteries
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http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-smoking-discussion/262838-imr-batteries-aw-unbranded.html
According to the above thread, AW is not a manufacturer.
According to the above thread, AW is not a manufacturer.
"What exactly is an AW anyway?
Anybody who owns a Provari knows about AW from Provapes's nice little warning about voiding the warranty if a non AW battery is used. AW are the initials of a man Andrew Wan, who owns a China-based company which purchases batteries from the big boys (Panasonic, Samsung, etc) and performs quality tests. Once the battery passes the quality tests, they slap on a sexy shiny red wrapper and add their AW label to it.
The reality is that internally, a battery labeled AW and a battery labeled Panasonic, Samsung, etc are the exact same thing. Aw has just run it through a foray of tests. Does it make their battery safer? Not really. Does it help ease the mind? Absolutely."
-- Deeper Understanding of Batteries (ptII)
Anybody who owns a Provari knows about AW from Provapes's nice little warning about voiding the warranty if a non AW battery is used. AW are the initials of a man Andrew Wan, who owns a China-based company which purchases batteries from the big boys (Panasonic, Samsung, etc) and performs quality tests. Once the battery passes the quality tests, they slap on a sexy shiny red wrapper and add their AW label to it.
The reality is that internally, a battery labeled AW and a battery labeled Panasonic, Samsung, etc are the exact same thing. Aw has just run it through a foray of tests. Does it make their battery safer? Not really. Does it help ease the mind? Absolutely."
-- Deeper Understanding of Batteries (ptII)
Thanks for clearing that up, Baditude. Just got my first mod (YES!!) and I remember you mentioning AW batteries in other threads, so since as a mod newbie I'm a firm believer in peace of mind, am going to go with those from RTD.
Are AW batteries better than the rest? That's always open to debate. Since AW purchases the best batteries from the top battery manufacturers from Japan, and puts them through an array of quality tests before picking the "cream of the crop" to put his distinctive wrap and AW sticker on them, you can be assured that they will be a consistant and high quality battery.
More people recommend AW over any other brand. When Provape was designing the Provari, they ran several of the top IMR batteries through extensive quality tests. Their tests revealed the AW as the superior battery, so they actually designed the Provari around the AW button top IMR battery. This is why they so highly recommend using this battery in the Provari.
As a side note, although Provape recommends using AW several times on the website, they do not say that using another brand of IMR battery will void the warranty, as is often misquoted. Only using magnets on top of flat top batteries will void the warranty.
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As I read it, AW's are likely more reliable; that's how I define "peace of mind."
Don't understand what you mean by using magnets on top of flat top batteries. Could you explain, please? (My new mod is a Magneto. Magnets... Would that be a problem? I don't think so, but want to be sure...) TIA
not the same. people take flattop batteries and add a small magnet to make them button tops, very unsafe.
You beat me to it. I actually had some battery questions here last week and did some research on it. I basically found out about the story from CPF.
One question to all if I may (It's long).
After learning about this I had no problems buying Pana/sanyo batteries from non vape shops as most vape shops here were out of stock of AW (since they do the right thing an get it surface shipped unlike the FT clowns airmailing batteries everywhere).
Pana were easily sourced in 18650. There is a couple of 18500 sanyos or samsungs still around.
But it seems none of those brands exist in 18350 and 18490. AW were the only options, which seems strange since there's no pana/sanyo and samsung stock in those sizes.
So where do the AW 18350 and 18490 come from?
Talking about the red AWs only here, what is the story with the black AWs? Never heard of anyone using them.
Thanks for clearing that up. It would never occur to me to do something like that, so I guess in my case ignorance is... safer.
Whoa, I've always used AWs exclusively and was leery of buying Panasonics. Hooray for accurate information on branding!Baditude:11162392 said:
It is far more likely that your local shops are out of stock because were shipping the batteries in by Air and are caught up in the battery mess at HK. If they were shipping in by Sea they would have ordered the replacements earlier and still be in stock.
Leave it out.
FT don't sell AW and I was specifically talking about that brand being out of stock here. Plenty of pana still around here.
edit: and they were out of stock over a month ago or more (at least 5 weeks) when I first checked for local battery suppliers after ordering mechs and things from FT late sept (which still haven't arrived).
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The black AW's are protected batteries. Now whether AW buys protected ICR batteries from their sources or adds the protected circuits themselves, I don't know the answer to that question.
The only other decent quality IMR batteries in the 18350 and 18490 size is Efest. I've heard conflicting stories about whether they make their own batteries, or do like AW does and re-wrap batteries purchased from other manufacturers. I've often wondered what the source of this size of battery is, too.
Unfortunately, AW IMR sold to vapers are not coming from Panasonic, Samsung, or any other big name.
AW IMR 18350, 18650, 18490, 14500, 16340.... are all made by several Chinese battery manufacturers.
AW IMR 18350, 18650, 18490, 14500, 16340.... are all made by several Chinese battery manufacturers.
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Looks like the source 18350 is still a mystery then.
I've got 2 AW 18350 IMR batteries delivered last week, might get some efest 18350s to compare anyway then.
Local source for my pana 18650s is a vaper, also sells sanyo 18500s and efest 18350s (only efest they sell, only 18350 they sell), doesn't sell any AW. (edit: I was wrong, they also sell efest 18490, just don't sell efest in 18650 size; or any pana/sanyo in 18350)
I might ask him about what he thinks is the source for the efest 18350, and how they compare to the elusive to here AW 18350.
I've got 2 AW 18350 IMR batteries delivered last week, might get some efest 18350s to compare anyway then.
Local source for my pana 18650s is a vaper, also sells sanyo 18500s and efest 18350s (only efest they sell, only 18350 they sell), doesn't sell any AW. (edit: I was wrong, they also sell efest 18490, just don't sell efest in 18650 size; or any pana/sanyo in 18350)
I might ask him about what he thinks is the source for the efest 18350, and how they compare to the elusive to here AW 18350.
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18350 is not a mystery. It is made by Chinese, and 70% of them are not IMR.
Panasonic, and other big guys are not making 18350. 90% of 18350 are red, and only the tech guys can say if it is IMR or ICR.
Panasonic, and other big guys are not making 18350. 90% of 18350 are red, and only the tech guys can say if it is IMR or ICR.
I wasn't talking about FT and their recent shipping problems. I was just questioning your faulty logic that your local supplier was out of stock because they ordered by Sea when there have been no supply chain issues with Sea shipping.
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