These tests below only note my personal ESTIMATED ratings for the batteries I tested at the time I tested them. Any battery that is not a genuine Samsung, Sony, Murata, LG, Panasonic, Molicel, 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 property damage, personal injury, or even death. They are not supposed to be used outside of a fully protected battery pack and you use them at your own risk. Never exceed the battery’s true 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 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.
If the battery has only one 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.
Test Results
This is a protected version of the great performing Sanyo NCR18650GA that also has a Micro-USB charging port. Its 8A rating seems reasonable as the 10A rating of the NCR18650GA can cause accelerated aging of the cell (according to the Sanyo datasheet).
The protection circuit is rated at 2.5V and cuts off the cell at about 2.4V during a 5A discharge, with the voltage bouncing back up to over 2.7V once the protection circuit was reset. The reset is done by starting to charge the cell and has to be done using the USB port. This is because many round cell chargers will not start charging this cell after its protection is activated since its voltage is close to zero volts. Once the protection circuit is reset via USB though you can use a standard round cell charger if you want.
The overcurrent protection spec for this cell is 12A. The protection did not activate at 10A and did activate at 15A, with a maximum cell temperature of 51°C when the protection was activated. The 12A cutoff could vary a bit from cell to cell but the rating seems reasonable.
The two cells I tested delivered 3427mAh and 3471mAh when charged using my standard method. They delivered 3415mAh and 3445mAh when using the USB port for charging. This is not great consistency but is acceptable and the usual slight loss of capacity caused by the protection circuit did not force this cell below Sanyo’s 3350mAh minimum capacity rating for the NCR18650GA. Neither cell met Epoch’s 3500mAh rating though.
The USB port charged this cell at 0.5A-0.65A, depending on the temperature and how far along the charge was. The top contact of the protection circuit reached 70°C maximum, hot but not unacceptable. The cell did not get hot.
The protection circuit is inside a metal cap that is press fit over the cell and is very secure. The bottom of this cell is covered by a piece of metal spot-welded to it. I do not know why but perhaps to help prevent the bottom from possibly denting?
The protection circuit and bottom plate makes this cell about 70.2mm long and the double wrapping makes it about 18.4mm round (diameter). Probably too long for any vaping device and confirm that your flashlight can fit this cell.
Two cells were donated for testing by 18650BatteryStore (18650 Battery Store - Lithium Ion Batteries, Chargers and Accessories). Thank you!
Continuous Current Discharge Graphs
Ratings and Performance Specs Graphic
I want to work for the community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability, battery and charger testing and news, and a say in what I test, then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: Battery Mooch is creating battery and device tests | Patreon.
To see how other cells have tested check out this link: List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum
Misusing or mishandling lithium-ion batteries can pose a SERIOUS RISK of property damage, personal injury, or even death. They are not supposed to be used outside of a fully protected battery pack and you use them at your own risk. Never exceed the battery’s true 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 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.
If the battery has only one 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.
Test Results
This is a protected version of the great performing Sanyo NCR18650GA that also has a Micro-USB charging port. Its 8A rating seems reasonable as the 10A rating of the NCR18650GA can cause accelerated aging of the cell (according to the Sanyo datasheet).
The protection circuit is rated at 2.5V and cuts off the cell at about 2.4V during a 5A discharge, with the voltage bouncing back up to over 2.7V once the protection circuit was reset. The reset is done by starting to charge the cell and has to be done using the USB port. This is because many round cell chargers will not start charging this cell after its protection is activated since its voltage is close to zero volts. Once the protection circuit is reset via USB though you can use a standard round cell charger if you want.
The overcurrent protection spec for this cell is 12A. The protection did not activate at 10A and did activate at 15A, with a maximum cell temperature of 51°C when the protection was activated. The 12A cutoff could vary a bit from cell to cell but the rating seems reasonable.
The two cells I tested delivered 3427mAh and 3471mAh when charged using my standard method. They delivered 3415mAh and 3445mAh when using the USB port for charging. This is not great consistency but is acceptable and the usual slight loss of capacity caused by the protection circuit did not force this cell below Sanyo’s 3350mAh minimum capacity rating for the NCR18650GA. Neither cell met Epoch’s 3500mAh rating though.
The USB port charged this cell at 0.5A-0.65A, depending on the temperature and how far along the charge was. The top contact of the protection circuit reached 70°C maximum, hot but not unacceptable. The cell did not get hot.
The protection circuit is inside a metal cap that is press fit over the cell and is very secure. The bottom of this cell is covered by a piece of metal spot-welded to it. I do not know why but perhaps to help prevent the bottom from possibly denting?
The protection circuit and bottom plate makes this cell about 70.2mm long and the double wrapping makes it about 18.4mm round (diameter). Probably too long for any vaping device and confirm that your flashlight can fit this cell.
Two cells were donated for testing by 18650BatteryStore (18650 Battery Store - Lithium Ion Batteries, Chargers and Accessories). Thank you!
Continuous Current Discharge Graphs
Ratings and Performance Specs Graphic
I want to work for the community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability, battery and charger testing and news, and a say in what I test, then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: Battery Mooch is creating battery and device tests | Patreon.
To see how other cells have tested check out this link: List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum
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