Help choosing batteries for Segeli V5 APV

[cmbconcretefire]

I just ordered this > Segeli Zmax V5

I am moving up from Spinners and am not at all comfortable with the "generic" whatever brand of batteries they are going to include in this kit. I believe I have narrowed down a good vendor to buy "quality" batteries from and that would be rtd vapor.

I have several basic questions / concerns. I want to be safe first and foremost. Secondly, I just read this from a member named "Ryedan" > "Personally, I buy my batteries from known good battery suppliers that I know do not sell knockoff batteries. RTD vapors and Illumination Supply are two of them. I would buy Sony 18650VTC5. At 30 amp maximum discharge and 2600 mAh capacity they are one of the best deals on the market right now for both general use and sub-ohm use.

Both of these suppliers have them in flat top only though. If the Vamo 5 needs button tops you'll have to look for a supplier who has those. If the Vamo does not need button tops, unless you're planning to get a Provari I see no advantage to them. No mechanical mod I know of needs them."

I am particularly interested in two things he mentioned. He said those batteries are good for general use as well as Sub-Ohm use and he mentions the Vamo in the same breath. The APV from Segeli and the Vamo are very similar so I assume these same batteries would be good for my Segeli Zmax V5. (AND) I like the fact that if one day down the road I choose to venture down the sub ohm path, these batteries would be ok for that as well. A "two for one" if you will. So I like that aspect.

I assume (no seriously, I ASSUME) I would also want the longest battery life as possible for day to day use. (not necessarily lifetime battery cycles), but rather hours per use per charge.

Here is something else I wanted to know pretty badly > Is there a "kit" that includes GOOD batteries for my APV and a GOOD charger combo pack? Maybe not necessarily on the RTD vapor site, but a quality reliable site selling say 2 18650's + a generally accepted "good" charger in kit form? Or should I worry about getting the batteries and chargers separately?

I also heard several people swear by these > Panasonic Hybrid/IMR CGR18650CH 2250mAh 3.7V Flat Top but keep in mind, I am also looking for longevity of vaping from a single charge. I do plan to get a few 18350's for stealth mode as well so any thoughts there would be appreciated.

Basically, I'm just looking to order good solid batteries, and a good (not top of the line) charger that I will be safe with....and if like the other guy posted, I can use them as dual purpose down the road for sub ohm if I want, great. If not, then I'm looking mainly for longevity for a single charge.

If it was YOU, what would you order for the Segeli Zmax V5 and *WHY*.
Thank you for reading, please help.

 

[cmbconcretefire]

Anyone? Please?

 

[Fuzzy Bruce]

I too, have a ZMax which I bought as a kit that came with a charger and a couple of Sigelei branded batteries. I even purchased a couple more inexpensive Sigelei batteries since my thoughts were if Sigelei sold them they must be OK. Have not had any issues with them but have since bought Sony VTC 4's and a couple of XTAR 30a batteries that seem to work better.

The charger supplied with the kit lasted about two months before quitting. I now use a XTAR VP1 and a less expensive Tenergy with great results. Shopping with good googlefu will get you the best prices.

 

[Karnaj]

I was thinking about getting a Sigelei Zmax v3/v5. Authentic Sony VTC5s are very hard to find nowadays since they're discontinued, so the next best thing are the Sony VTC4s. The only difference is that they have a slightly shorter battery life (2100 mAh vs VTC5's 2600 mAh). Even the VTC4s are getting hard to find, but authentic ones are still sold as rebranded and rewrapped ones. I actually ordered the Xtar 18650 2100 mAh batteries today, which are apparently rewraps of authentic VTC4s. They're pretty affordable between $10-$12 each.

For your device, however, these batteries are a bit overkill when you take into account their amp rating (30A Continuous Discharge rate). The Sigelei Zmax can only fire 1.2 ohms minimum and its highest voltage setting is 6V. An Ohm's Law calculator will tell you that this equals a mere 5 amps, well below the 30A rating of the VTC4/5. If you're thinking about moving onto a mechanical mod and sub-ohm vaping later on, then these batteries will be an excellent purchase.

I ended up not buying the Sigelei Zmax btw. My previous setup was a Nautilus Mini on an iTaste VV v3.0, but the battery life is abysmal (800 mAh). I actually bought an eLeaf iStick due to its greater battery life (2200 mAh) and nifty small form factor. Next up is a mechanical mod using the 18650 I mentioned above and sub ohm vaping.

 

[DaveP]

I vape a Provari most of the time. Right now, I'm vaping my Sigelei Zmax V3 with EH 2100mah 18650's that are repackaged Sony VCT4's. I ordered them thinking that the picture showed button top, but they are actually flat top with a button like center contact.

I get all day vaping from one of those at 7W. I have a small box full of 18650's ... AW Red, Efest black and silver, Efest Purple, and the EH in the link below. All are good, but I think the EH is a good deal for repackaged Sony batts. The comments under this battery below reveal that they actually are Sony VCT4.

Hoosier in Indiana is my Dekang juice supplier and I find their EH (Sony) batteries to be a good deal at $9.99. They get my orders out the same day and two days later they are in my mailbox in Georgia.

Welcome to Hoosier E-Cig - The Best E-cigs, Juices, and accesories
EH (SONY) 60A 2100mAh IMR 18650 battery

 

[ralphrek]

get some 18350s for your zmax. it gets way too large in 18650 mode and even fully tightened it has a wobble from the tube. ive got 6 18350s that keep me vaping all day on the zmax. hell 4 does the trick for chain vaping. ive found the aw's to hold at the 10 watt mark alot longer than sh! tty efest batts. if you get 18650s definitely get the xtars so when you get a mech your ready to rock. also get the xtar vp1 charger and be done with it no sense saving a few bucks now to spend it later. buy batts and charger from rtd.

 

[DaveP]

get some 18350s for your zmax. it gets way too large in 18650 mode and even fully tightened it has a wobble from the tube. ive got 6 18350s that keep me vaping all day on the zmax. hell 4 does the trick for chain vaping. ive found the aw's to hold at the 10 watt mark alot longer than sh! tty efest batts. if you get 18650s definitely get the xtars so when you get a mech your ready to rock. also get the xtar vp1 charger and be done with it no sense saving a few bucks now to spend it later. buy batts and charger from rtd.

I have a couple of AW 18350's I use in my Zmax for stealth vaping, but 4 hours is about what I get out of them (swapping at 3.5v).

The Sigelei does have some looseness in the threads once you work them back and forth and get the sharp edges worn to a polish. They have some factory thread cutting clutter that should have been wire brushed before shipping, IMO. Still, it's a good mod with a stainless steel tube. One day I'm going to order a new fire button switch and replace it. I'm good at unsoldering and replacing flat package machine mounted float soldered components on boards.

I'm running a test with different battery brands right now. I agree that AW tops the heap for longevity, but for cost vs performance there are some close runners. I like the Efest black and silver 2250mah and the purple Efest so called 35A pulse rated battery. Both deliver for the price. I have 3 AW 2000mah left out of 2 I bought 2 1/2 years ago and 2 that I bought about a year ago. The Efests read 4.1v on first vape and last slightly longer through the day. I try to swap at 3.5v.

All the AW's, including the newer year old pair come off the charger at 4.2v and read 3.9v on the first vape. There's probably some internal resistance buildup over time going on that causes the drop when they sit for a few days in the battery box. We'll see how the Efests look after another six months.

The EH flat top batts that I use in the Sigelei are new, but both lasted me from 7am until about 11pm. Those are the ones that are said to be re-labelled Sony VCT4's. It's hard to pay $14.99 when there are really good batteries selling for $9.99 and even less. It's like buying 2 and getting one free when you compare!

I may have already posted this, but if you look at the discharge curve graphs it's apparent that there are some batteries out there that give AW some hard competition in price vs performance.
http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Common18650Summary UK.html