Fake AW 18650? Please help.

[chriszx2]

I bought 1 x AW IMR 18650 2000mah for 13$ canadian. I've searched all over and can't find a definitive method of telling if my battery is fake or not. What worries me the most is that in all the pictures I see the top pin has a vent hole...mine does not!
If it is a fake I am very concerned as I purchased it from a local b&m.

I purchased this for my vamo v5 kit that's on the way. The kit comes with two ksd brand protected icr 18350's but I have heard icr's are to be avoided so I purchased this battery as everyone seems to love them!
I'll post a few pics in a few minutes!

EDIT:
Ok guys see below for the picture, I have confirmed via E-mail with Andrew Wan (Owner/Founder of AW batteries) that these are in fact fake batteries. I am going to the B&M to return them and inform the Owner of the information. I will walk in there with the assumption that he did not know and check back a week later to be certain he has removed them from his inventory. I can honestly say I am super impressed with, let alone the quick reply by Andrew Wan, but the fact that he took the time to reply at all. I strongly recommend this company for this sole reason (just make sure you get authentic batteries)

I have attached the picture he sent me with information on Genuine vs Fake!

 

[Rickajho]

Well, one thing you can do is go to the RTD Vapor web site and compare yours to the photos there. RTD is an authorized AW dealer.

 

[chriszx2]

I have compared but from what I've read their are many variants.

 

[chriszx2]

Here is the photo.

 

[Baditude]

It looks like a fake to me.

The "ROHS" is the giveaway. Authentic AW's have "RoHS", with a smaller "o".

In addition, since 12/2013, AW batteries have a silver "hologram" AW sticker.



How to spot fake AW batteries


"Battery counterfeiting: This is a growing problem and all APV users need to be aware of it.

This is what happens: the counterfeiters buy reject Li-ion batteries in bulk, strip the covers off, and re-cover them with labels that change them to look like popular brands. In this way they can take a cell bought for 10 cents, re-work it, and sell it as for example an AW battery with a retail price of $10. The profits are very high and this practice is growing. It means that you never really know what battery you have unless you buy from somewhere with a verified supply chain. For example, all AW batteries offered for sale on Alibaba are counterfeits, and possibly dangerous." http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/129569-rechargeable-batteries.html

 

[Rickajho]

Ummm... is that a flat top? Yeah - AW doesn't make any flat tops.

 

[chriszx2]

Its a button top, you can see it on the left of the battery. I read about the rohs thing and it was another of the things that worried me.
The number one thing that worries me is no vent holes in button top.

 

[Baditude]

Return the battery to the vendor. That could be a dangerous battery; being a counterfeit you have no idea of the chemistry inside. In all likelihood, the vendor has no idea if the batteries he gets from his suppliers are real or fake.

 

[Bernard Marx]

What would the consequences be of using it in a standard/not extreme set-up?

 

[chriszx2]

Definitely going to be taking it back and informing them. They sell Mech mods and these are the only 18650's they carry so guess how many potential disasters are walking around.
Thanks for you advice!
Any advice in regards to the two ICR protected 18350's made by KSD that are coming with the Vamo? I won't be running it in stacked mode!!

 

[Bernard Marx]

Jeez, where is that guy when you need him!

 

[Baditude]

What would the consequences be of using it in a standard/not extreme set-up?

Counterfeit batteries are the same as a generic un-branded battery. You have no idea of what is inside the battery (chemistry-wise).

• This could be a re-wrapped reject of a manufacturer who has judged the battery as not being worthy of being sold under their brand name. Not all batteries are created equal, and a quality control process is used to weed out the lesser ones. These batteries are sold to battery resellers for cheap.
  
  
• Some generics and counterfeits are harvested from old laptop computers and re-wrapped and sold as new.
  
  
• Either way, these are unknown batteries, from unknown sources, of unknown quality, and must be considered dangerous to use.

Any advice in regards to the two ICR protected 18350's made by KSD that are coming with the Vamo? I won't be running it in stacked mode!!

If they fit a flashlight you own, you're good to go. ICR batteries are considered to be obsolete for use in any mod. Only use IMR (safe-chemistry, high-drain) batteries.

 

[Bernard Marx]

You've really got to love this guy. Thanks!

 

[chriszx2]

seriously! Thanks! Just found a place not far from me that sells legit AW's, Vaporus for anyone else looking!

 

[bbb]

re: the Sony hybrid18650 VTC4 2100mAh 30A ... I did my due diligence (I thought) bought 2 of these as they were listed on the Baditude thread as "safe" batteries to use ... now I read that Sony never intended the VTC series for individual consumer sales and were meant only for battery packs and sale to manufacturers only ... after reading this I'm scared to use any battery, much less low-ohm

I built a 1.2 ohm 11 wrap 26 ga I have tested on my Vamo, with a Magma RDA, it will fire it, using an AW IMR 10A battery ... by calculation, the 10A is enough to run it but, I only used it to test, not to use regularly... that's what I bought the VTC4 30A for ... now I'm scared to use the damned VTC4's, if Sony never intended them for individual public sale

I'm not chasing clouds but I would like to get the maximum taste from my juice and lower my nic level ... after a few pulls I did notice a stronger nic hit, I know a dripper will do that ... previous hardware was VV VW mods and tanks ... ok, but always lacking a bit in flavor, thus my move to a dripper

sure, I'd like to go low-ohms to improve taste, I'm confident in my coils and calculations ... I'm just not too damned sure about batteries, even the 30A ones ... I s'pose I'll go with the Orbtronic 30A Hybrid or the 24A AW IMR ... I consider myself more conservative and safer than most, but the more I research the less comfortable I am with batteries in general ... and now I read about fake AW's !!!! ... I can take care of myself, but man I hope no one else gets seriously hurt by these counterfeit batteries

 

[chriszx2]

I read that the Sony's are the best. I'm actually picking up a VTC5 tomorrow instead of the AW, only 1$ more.

 

[chriszx2]

Another option is the 35A efest batteries. I'm considering efest for 18350.
Anybody heard of Imren? I can't seem to find the specs for the 18350's.

 

[pnyc]

Beware of fake VTC5 also. Genuine ones are sold out everywhere and fakes are abundant.

I read that the Sony's are the best. I'm actually picking up a VCT5 tomorrow instead of the AW, only 1$ more.

 

[Baditude]

All the batteries that we use in vaping were not specifically designed for vaporizors. All of them were designed for use in other products (power tools, flashlights, cameras, pen lasers, etc). As vapers, we have "borrowed" the technology for our own uses. Sony is just the first battery manufacturer who has commented that the VTC series were not meant for general consumer sales.

Another option is the 35A efest batteries.

That battery is actually only a 20 amp battery. Purple Efest Batteries Not As Advertised

 

[pnyc]

Panasonic states the same - written in the bottom of the NCR18650 data sheet:

We are unable to support single cell business or accept orders from consumers. We design Lithium-Ion battery packs including a safety unit device based on the technical specification of the customer.

http://industrial.panasonic.com/www-data/pdf2/ACI4000/ACI4000CE17.pdf

Sony is just the first battery manufacturer who has commented that the VTC series were not meant for general consumer sales.