Best batteries (18650)

[mackman]

Yea the warning is just to cover their ..... I prefer LG, Sony, Samsung, or Sanyo when it comes to my vape batteries.

These batteries were never intended for ecigs. They are intended for battery packs (laptops, power tools and the like).

 

[Mooch]

The last I looked at Mooch's updated February 2018 chart, he says this about which are best in his opinion:

For Lower Power Vaping & Mods (under 7A/21W)
LG HG2 - Mfr=20A 3000mAh

For Higher Power Vaping & Mods
Best All-Around 18650: Sony VTC5A - Est.=25A 2500mAh
Next Best: Samsung 25R (all versions) - Mfr=20A 2500mAh

Huh?
- I never said the HG2 was the best.
- That 7A/21W reference is for a different battery, not the HG2.

It’s easiest to just post a link to the table.

 

[rollersk4te]

Count me in as a fan of Samsung's 25R batteries. They have never failed me.

 

[JCinFLA]

Huh?
- I never said the HG2 was the best.
- That 7A/21W reference is for a different battery, not the HG2.

It’s easiest to just post a link to the table.

My mistake then. I apologize. Most current chart I'm able to find now, was updated Jan. 27th. But on my hard copy notes I'd made, I wrote "from updated Feb. 2018 chart". Is there such a chart? If yes, can you give me a link to it please? This is a mystery to me as to where/how I made those notes.

 

[Mr. Relentless]

I use liionwholesale. Always been good and get free battery cases with what you purchase. And having a duel 18650 mod is great for battery life even if you don't vape high watts.

 

[Mooch]

My mistake then. I apologize. Most current chart I'm able to find now, was updated Jan. 27th. But on my hard copy notes I'd made, I wrote "from updated Feb. 2018 chart". Is there such a chart? If yes, can you give me a link to it please? This is a mystery to me as to where/how I made those notes.

Check my blog. The latest of everything is always there. Link in my sig.

 

[okey_dokey]

what about MXJO 18650 3500mAh Battery from IMR or should i start a return now

 

[Mooch]

what about MXJO 18650 3500mAh Battery from IMR or should i start a return now

That is a 10A battery.

 

[Baditude]

what about MXJO 18650 3500mAh Battery from IMR or should i start a return now

If you are new to purchasing 18650 batteries, there are some inconvenient truths you should be aware of before making your purchase:

The better 18650 batteries are made by what is known as THE BIG FOUR manufacturers: LG, Panasonic/Sanyo, Samsung, and Sony. A member here has remarked that these companies also happen to make televisions. I sometimes don't include Panasonic/Sanyo in my recommendations because they make only one battery which has a amp rating of 20 amps or more.



Any other "brand name" 18650 batteries are likely what we often refer to as "rewrap" companies, also known as rebranded or aftermarket batteries. These companies very often exaggerate their batteries' specifications to make them appear superior to their competition. Unfortunately for uninformed consumers, they could be fooled into thinking they are buying an advertised 40 amp battery when in truth it is only a 10 amp battery. This is the state of the retail battery industry, another inconvenient truth. Be extremely wary of buying a battery not made by The Big Four manufacturers.

Are You Using a Rewrap (Rebranded or Aftermarket) Battery?
​

Know the specifications of the battery you need for the way YOU vape. You don't need a 30 amp battery if you are only vaping at 20 watts on a regulated mod, a 15 amp battery might be better in this scenario because a 3000 mah 15A battery will last longer than a 30A 1500 mah battery.

Battery Basics for Mods: The Definative Battery Guide for Vaping​

Before buying a battery, check Mooch's List of Batteries to see if he has tested them in his laboratory. I trust his ratings more than I do a vendor's rating.

• Complete list and links for all my battery and charger tests

 

[okey_dokey]

thanks for all the info

 

[penguinfan]

I know this post is a bit old but does it matter that they say the batteries are "unprotected"(imr)?
Im going to buy a couple more batteries from ones recomended. I keep setting at the 30-35w range on the kanger mini c. I probably don understand all the technical stuff but honestly if i get enough not to get injured ill be happy enough

 

[madstabber]

I know this post is a bit old but does it matter that they say the batteries are "unprotected"(imr)?
Im going to buy a couple more batteries from ones recomended. I keep setting at the 30-35w range on the kanger mini c. I probably don understand all the technical stuff but honestly if i get enough not to get injured ill be happy enough

Unprotected are the batteries you want. Your mod, assuming it’s regulated, has all the necessary protections. Also protected batteries are usually too long to fit in most mods. That protection is a fuse added to the end of the battery making them longer than the unprotected batteries which our mods take.

 

[Baditude]

Agree with madstabber. You want unprotected batteries, which usually means they are a "safer" chemistry than protected batteries. All protected batteries are lacking in their current rating (amp rating) for electronic cigarettes. All are under 10 amps continuous discharge rate.

You'll find that protected batteries are identified as "high capacity" (mAh rating) batteries. That's because they are designed for low amp loads and longer time of use ... like a flashlight, portable radio, or laptop computer.

E-Cigarettes need a "high drain" battery and are designed for high amp loads for use in an electric car or portable cordless power tool. You'll find that most high drain unprotected batteries are 15 - 30 amps continuous discharge rate.

 

[Hawise]

I know this post is a bit old but does it matter that they say the batteries are "unprotected"(imr)?
Im going to buy a couple more batteries from ones recomended. I keep setting at the 30-35w range on the kanger mini c. I probably don understand all the technical stuff but honestly if i get enough not to get injured ill be happy enough

It's easy to get confused about the protected/unprotected issue because there are so many outdated blogs and other information resources around. Old resources will say that you need to get protected batteries. This was true a few years ago when all the batteries we used were of a different, less safe, chemistry that did require protection. Since then, newer, safer chemistries have become available and they're the ones we use now. If a battery is listed as protected, it's probably an old-style battery and even with the protection it's actually less safe than the unprotected ones we use now.

I'm a little curious about why your source is bothering to mention that the batteries are unprotected. Since IMR/INR batteries are generally unprotected, most vendors I've seen don't say anything about protection. Can I ask what batteries you're getting and where they're from?

 

[Andrew LB]

I've been running LG HG2's for the past year in my vaporshark Switchbox DNA75 and have nothing but good things to say about them. I'm running an Aspire Cleito @ 60w with 0.2ohm coil which draws 17 amps and the 4 batteries i bought a year ago have held up fairly well. I should actually run a battery discharge test in escribe and see how they compare to brand new HG2's.

As for the list of recommended batteries, it seems not much has changed since my last purchase a year ago. 18650 battery tech has pretty much hit a brick wall by the look of it.

 

[Mooch]

I've been running LG HG2's for the past year in my vaporshark Switchbox DNA75 and have nothing but good things to say about them. I'm running an Aspire Cleito @ 60w with 0.2ohm coil which draws 17 amps and the 4 batteries i bought a year ago have held up fairly well. I should actually run a battery discharge test in escribe and see how they compare to brand new HG2's.

As for the list of recommended batteries, it seems not much has changed since my last purchase a year ago. 18650 battery tech has pretty much hit a brick wall by the look of it.

There are some incredible new 18650’s becoming available but only in small quantities. When that changes you will probably see a lot of changes to recommendations being made.

 

[penguinfan]

It's easy to get confused about the protected/unprotected issue because there are so many outdated blogs and other information resources around. Old resources will say that you need to get protected batteries. This was true a few years ago when all the batteries we used wer8e of a different, less safe, chemistry that did require protection. Since then, newer, safer chemistries have become available and they're the ones we use now. If a battery is listed as protected, it's probably an old-style battery and even with the protection it's actually less safe than the unprotected ones we use now.

I'm a little curious about why your source is bothering to mention that the batteries are unprotected. Since IMR/INR batteries are generally unprotected, most vendors I've seen don't say anything about protection. Can I ask what batteries you're getting and where they're from?

I think imr is where i bought the last ones. I may have bought from either vaporgod or myvaporstore.com. pretty sure the were reputable sites if not thoes...i probably did think anything of it before but i dont remember buying "protected" unless the efest ones are...probably not but im going to get away from those...when i see black stots on the battery i certainly get rid of them as i not sure what it is. Since i vape relatively low im not going just dump all the efest crap at once.. I actually vape at 35w since i bought .5 ceramic coils....before i was at 15w using a 1.5 ohm. Do i want a high amp if i ever did want to vape at 50-60w? I see the batteries at lower than 10amp....is that for real low wattage?

 

[Baditude]

I actually vape at 35w since i bought .5 ceramic coils....before i was at 15w using a 1.5 ohm. Do i want a high amp if i ever did want to vape at 50-60w? I see the batteries at lower than 10amp....is that for real low wattage?

Those batteries are primarily used for low current applications such as flashlights, portable radios, and laptops. They are not of much use for vaping applications.

None of the 18650 and larger batteries that we use for vaping were designed to be used for vaping. They were specifically designed to only be used in battery packs with a BMS (battery management system) for the auto and portable power tool industries.

small battery pack with BMS

As vapers, we learned to take advantage of these small but powerful batteries because they happened to best suite our needs as a compact stored energy source. However, when the manufacturers found out how we were using them they were quick to point out that their batteries were not designed to be used as a stand alone single battery energy source.

As consumers and vapers, we have to be aware of the risks involved and accept the responsibility of using these batteries as safely as possible. Part of that responsibility means educating ourselves about battery specifications and choosing the right battery for our particular needs. Not all batteries are created equal. Every manufacturer and battery model has its own particular specification in capacity (mAh) and amp rating (maximum continuous discharge rate). We all have to learn how to determine which battery best suites the way we vape.

Samsung 18650 30Q, 3000 mah 15 amp CDR

*
Sony 18659VTC6 3000mAh 15 amp CDR

*

AW 18650 3000 mah 20 amp CDR

LG 18650HG2 3000mah 20 amp CDR

Sony 18650VTC5, 2600 mah 20 amp CDR

LG 18650HE4 2500 mah 20 amp CDR

Samsung 18650-25R, 2500 mah 20 amp CDR

(there is a blue wrapped 25R with identical specs)
Sanyo UR18650 NSX, 2500 mah 20 amp CDR

Sony 18650VTC4, 2100 mah 23 amp CDR

Sony 18650VTC5A, 2500 mah 25 amp CDR

LG18650HB6 1500mah 30 amp CDR

LG18650HB2 1500mAh 30 amp CDR

LG18650HB4 1500mAh 30 amp CDR

Sony 18650VTC3 1500mAh 30 amp CDR

* Manufacturer's CDR is 15A. The Samsung 30Q datasheet (Section 7.9) mentions operation at 20A. Operation at that level can be done as long as we don’t let the battery get above 75°C, its maximum rated operating temperature. This holds true for the Sony VTC6 battery as well. These are not a high performance “power” cell, designed for high current. They are 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.​

Are you using a single, dual, or triple battery regulated mod? In the interests of keeping things simple:

-If you use a good quality 15 amp CDR battery like the Samsung 30Q or Sony VTC6, then you are good up to 45 watts per battery; 90 watts using two; 135 watts for three batteries.

-If you use a good quality 20 amp CDR battery like the LG HG2 or Samsung 25R then you are good for 60 watts per battery. If using a 2-battery regulated mod, you're good for 120 watts as you have two batteries. If you are using a 3-battery mod, you're good for 180.

-If you use a single 25 amp CDR battery like the Sony VTC5A, then you are good for 75 watts per battery, 150 watts for two batteries, and 225 watts with three.

-If you use a single 30 amp CDR battery like the LG HB6 you are good up to 90 watts; with a pair of 30 amp CDR batteries you could safely do 180 watts.

WATTAGE PER SINGLE BATTERY:

up to 45W:

Samsung 18650 30Q, 3000 mah 15 amp CDR
Sony 18650VTC6 3000mAh 15 amp CDR​

up to 60W:

LG 18650HG2 3000mah 20 amp CDR
LG 18650HE2 2500 mah 20 amp CDR
Samsung 18650-25R, 2500 mah 20 amp CDR
Sanyo UR18650NSX, 2500 mah 20 amp CDR
Sony 18650VTC5, 2600 mah 20 amp CDR
Sony 18650VTC4, 2100 mah 23 amp CDR
AW 18650 3000 mah 20 amp CDR​

up to 75W:

LG 18650 HD4 2100 mah 25 amp CDR
LG 18650 HD2 2000 mah 25 amp CDR
Sony 18650VTC5A, 2500 mah 25 amp CDR​

up to 90W:

LG18650HB6 1500mah 30 amp CDR
LG18650HB2 1500mAh 30 amp CDR
LG18650HB4 1500mAh 30 amp CDR​

Battery Basics for Mods: The Definative Battery Guide for Vaping

 

[penguinfan]

I use a single right now(kanger mini c) im guessing going over the spects is the main problem not under....only way i go over 45...or really much over 35 is if i dont turn off device when putting it in pocket and the+ is hit by accident. The "chart" will certainly help me a lot. Especially if i use the segelii i have eventually(i have not looked into the right coils for vaping at a higher watt an i think it might be awaste using that one at 15-30w)
may need to mark my batteries as the printing can fade easily. I certainly want to vape the safest way possible. I think i have been safe for my needs so far....the devide occasionally gets hot but might be when i use it too long....alsop kanger is probably not the best device...i assume many "pros" dont like em

 

[mimöschen]

I mark my paired batteries with a cd ink pen and then wrap them in a second crystal clear shrink wrap. Never had a problem with that.