Unfortunately, local vape shops are rarely a good source for batteries or battery information. Doing what you could with respect to research was a good idea, but I know from experience that it's very difficult to sort out good information from outdated posts and just-plain-wrong advice. In addition to
@Izan's advice above, I recommend
Mooch's Battery Basics for Vapers playlist as a good place to start further research.
Here are basic tips for battery buying:
- Stick to the following manufacturers: Samsung, LG, Sony / Murata, Sanyo / Panasonic, Molicel
- Buy only from reliable vendors: You can find a list on Mooch's blog and in the blue row on Mooch's recommended battery list, both of which @Izan linked to above. The problem is that battery supply chains tend to be very screwy and are inundated with counterfeit batteries. The reliable vendors are known to have better supply chains than many others, they often spot check their shipments to ensure the batteries behave as expected, and they have a history of at least informing customers if problems with battery batches turn up down the line.
- Make sure the CDR of the batteries you select is suitable for the way you vape. Also, get the CDR from Mooch's tables, not the wrap or the seller - advertised CDR's are often inaccurate.
Finding out what CDR you need:
Maximum wattage you vape at ÷ the number of batteries in your mod ÷ 3 = The minimum CDR you need
Concerning your AWTs, unfortunately it's pretty much impossible to know what wattage they'd be safe at or even whether they're safe at all. What I can tell you about them is:
- I believe AWT, like many of the brands you'll encounter in vape shops, is a rewrapper. That means that they buy batteries wherever they can get them and put their own wraps on them. The battery model under the wrap can change at any time, so you can never tell what you're actually using.
- Their specs are exaggerated. They're claiming a 35 amp CDR and a 3,500 mAh capacity. Such an 18650 battery does not exist - 18650s with a capacity over 3,000 mAh have CDRs of no more than 10 amps; and 18650s with 35 amp CDRs are currently on the edge of what's possible and would have a capacity of no more than 2,000 mAh.
