Bench Retest Results: Sony VTC6 15A 3000mAh 18650…a fantastic 15A/20A battery!

These tests below only note the estimated ratings for these batteries at the time I tested them. Any battery that is not a genuine Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, or Sanyo can change at any time! This is one of the hazards of using “rewrapped” or batteries from other manufacturers so carefully research any battery you are considering using before purchasing.

Misusing or mishandling lithium-ion batteries can pose a SERIOUS RISK of personal injury or property damage. They are not meant to be used outside of a protected battery pack. Never exceed the battery’s continuous current rating and keep the plastic wrap and top insulating ring in perfect condition.

Testing batteries at their limits is dangerous and should never, ever, be attempted by anyone who has not thoroughly studied the dangers involved, understands the risks, has the proper equipment, and takes all appropriate safety precautions.

Any rating in my ratings tables can change at any time as different grade cells appear on the market or we get swamped with fakes. Please, never assume that the ratings in the tables are permanent and will never change! Always download the latest version before considering any cell purchase.

If the battery has only one unexplained current rating number, or if it only says "max", then I have to assume the battery is rated at that current level for any type of discharge, including continuous.




Bottom Line
This is a retest of the great performing VTC6. Rating this battery, and the Samsung 30Q, for these retests has been tough.

Sony gives this cell a continuous current rating of 15A but allows for temperature-limited operation at a level above that. You can run it at above 15A but only until you reach a certain temperature, 80°C, and then the discharge must stop.

But this is not a high performance “power” cell, designed for high current. It is a high capacity “energy” cell designed for low to moderate power levels and long running time. At higher current levels the voltage sag and power loss in the cell are huge. Do not exceed 20A.

The four cells I tested, two from Illumn and two from Liion Wholesale, showed the expected great cell-to-cell consistency in performance.

I am giving this cell a continuous current rating of 15A (about 45W using 3.7V) and a temperature-limited rating of 20A (about 60W if using 3.7V) as long as the cell is never allowed to reach 80°C.

This is not a “pulse rating”! There is no pulse length, time between pulses, or criteria used for setting such a rating being defined. The 20A rating is any type of discharge as long as the 80°C limit is not reached. The Samsung 30Q’s rating will be addressed again in a post soon.

The 18650 rating table has been updated with the 15A/20A rating for this cell.

A “shootout” of the HG2, 30Q, and VTC6, directly comparing their performance, will be posted in a few days.

Four cells were purchased for the purposes of testing by me.


Continuous Current Discharge Graphs



Ratings Graphic



Performance Specs

• DC Internal Resistance = 21.4mOhms (milliohms) average for the four cells.
• Total energy delivered down to 3.2V at 10A continuous = 7.7Wh (Watt-hours) average.
• Total energy delivered down to 3.2V at 15A continuous = 6.5Wh (Watt-hours) average.

Comments
To see how other cells have tested check out this link: https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blog-entry/list-of-battery-tests.7436/