I'm really not trying to confuse you....
there's a bit more to it than just whether they're LiMN...IMR whatever....
it comes down to battery capability and quality....
The BDL
batteries while yes they are LiMN have a lower max drain rating than the AW batteries...
so what right?
well in the case of the 14500 size the max drain puts the amp draw right at the threshold of being overstressed given the right circumstances (ie a 1.5Ω LR atty)..... in this case you're using essentially an unprotected battery.... the chemistry isn't going to protect from overstress and overdrain in this case just the fact that isn't going to vent with flames....
the quote : "the only reason I can understand them being called IMR at all is because..." comes in and was specifically in reference to the 10440 size... it's really pointless since the mAh rating and the C rating are too low to overcome the drain we're putting on them in our aplications...they arent going to provide the power difference of a "real" high drain battery so they're only slightly better than an unprotected Li-Ion...
for me part of the safety of LiMN batteries is that they can provide the amp draw that our atties are asking for without being overstressed and overdrained which would push them harder toward a state of failure....combined with that safer chemistry (not venting with flames and higher temperature stability)...
if you make a LiMN that is that safer chemistry but still can't handle the amp draw without being stressed (which is exactly what BDL did).... then it's almost as bad as a nonprotected battery...
yeah COV carries less expensive IMR batteries....the BDL ones.... and their max drain rate is also much less than the AW ones...
