New(ish) user battery question

[cjhest1983]

I've got a few questions I need to have answered about batteries and APV'S. I'll apologize now if this is in the wrong place or if I come off as a total noob.

I've tried to do my due diligence when it comes to battery safety in researching the best batteries for what device and storage, etc, etc. There is a wealth of knowledge here and sometimes it's a bit difficult to find the absolute answer to my questions. With that said, here they are:

1. When does a battery become unsafe with age? I still have 2 18650 batteries that came with my Totally Wicked VV Torpedo Tube from 2 years ago. They don't have the chemistry listed on them, but say Li-Ion 2200mAh (unsure if they're protected or not). I also have a pink Samsung ICR18650-26F (contradictory info if this is/n't protected) that came with my eVic from about a year ago. They all work, but are they ticking time bombs?

2. Realizing my batteries are probably not as safe as new ones, I decided to go to my local B&M to get a new one. Not knowing what to buy, the guy sold me on a green NCR18650PF. I asked if it was protected and was told I didn't need a protected one because my eVic had that built in and he said the Samsung want protected either. So I bought it. Good idea or bad idea?

3. Lastly, I broke down and bought one of the dna30 clones and a purple efest 35a 2600mAh battery. It's this battery going to be enough for this device, or should I get something different? I don't have immediate plans of chasing clouds, but it's a possibility.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Baditude]

1. When does a battery become unsafe with age? I still have 2 18650 batteries that came with my Totally Wicked VV Torpedo Tube from 2 years ago. They don't have the chemistry listed on them, but say Li-Ion 2200mAh (unsure if they're protected or not). I also have a pink Samsung ICR18650-26F (contradictory info if this is/n't protected) that came with my eVic from about a year ago. They all work, but are they ticking time bombs?

My thoughts on aging batteries are you can continue using them as long as their performance is satisfactory for your purposes and expectations. I have a couple of AW 18650 IMR batteries which are 2 years old and just now showing their age by only holding 75% of their "like new" charge. It's probably about time to start recycling them.



Generally speaking, if a battery has "Li-Ion" or "IC" on the label, it is an ICR chemistry. There's no way to know for sure if the battery is protected unless you can find the specifications/descriptions for the battery by either the manufacturer or the vendor selling the battery.



IMR batteries will say either "IMR" or "Li-Mn" on the battery.




Some companies will create their own designations; for instance, Panasonic calls their IMR/hybrid technology NCR. Sony doesn't even put letters or numbers on their batteries, just a plain lime green wrapper.

2. Realizing my batteries are probably not as safe as new ones, I decided to go to my local B&M to get a new one. Not knowing what to buy, the guy sold me on a green NCR18650PF. I asked if it was protected and was told I didn't need a protected one because my eVic had that built in and he said the Samsung want protected either. So I bought it. Good idea or bad idea?

The Panasonic NCR18650PF 2900mah 10 amp is one of the top IMR/hybrid batteries on the market. Orbtronics sells the same cell and uses their own wrap ("Panasonic inside"). Being an IMR/hybrid, it is a safe-chemistry, high-drain battery not needing a built-in protected circuit. Good idea.

3. Lastly, I broke down and bought one of the dna30 clones and a purple efest 35a 2600mAh battery. It's this battery going to be enough for this device, or should I get something different? I don't have immediate plans of chasing clouds, but it's a possibility.

That battery is fine. However, it is a controversial battery. Efest advertises this battery as a 35 amp battery. Independent reviewers/testors claim that this is in fact a rebranded LG18650HG, and LG claims it is only a 20 amp battery. Efest 30 & 35 amp batteries

The purple Efest 30 amp battery is in fact a rebranded Sony vts4 30 amp battery.

 

[cjhest1983]

Thanks for the info! I feel much better about my batteries now. One other question... is the NCR battery ok to use in a dna30 device, and if it is, what wattage is it safe to go up to?

 

[Baditude]

Thanks for the info! I feel much better about my batteries now. One other question... is the NCR battery ok to use in a dna30 device, and if it is, what wattage is it safe to go up to?

To be quite honest, I do not know the full battery requirements of the DNA chips. I suggest contacting the manufacturer of the device to see what they recommend. At the very least, you'll undoubtedly want to use a high drain battery such as an IMR or IMR/hybrid battery. Whether a 10 amp battery or a 30 amp battery is recommended I can't say for sure. (If in doubt, you couldn't go wrong with the Sony 2600mah 30 amp battery.)

 

[KenD]

Don't quote me on this, but I believe that the DNA 30 has a 10 amp limit, and can use coils with a resistance as low as 0.5 ohms. A 0.5 ohm coil at 30w uses 7.75 amps so your Panasonic should be ok.

I have a couple of the Samsung 26fs and they're supposed to be hybrid chemistry (though probably heavily on the ICR side of the equation) 5.2 amp batteries. Don't use them with the DNA 30 (or mechs), but they should be ok with other regulated mods when using normal resistance coils.

The purple Efest 35a/LG he2 is a great battery, better than the Sony vtc5 that's hailed as the top dog if you ask me. It has a 20 amp limit compared to the Sony's 30 amp, but 20 amps is plenty. Definitely good enough for the DNA 30 (and almost anything else you'd want to use it with).

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[DaveP]

Batteries don't last forever, but good ones last longer than cheap ones. I've rotated 4 AW 18650 lMR batts for over two years with good charge life. I still use them in rotation along with two Efest 18650 lMRs. The Efests last a little longer because they are new, but the AW's are still going strong.

Good general battery information here,
Taste Your Juice | BATTERY INFORMATION