Provari Battery

[MMoon]

I hope I am posting this in the correct place! I have not vaped much over the last couple of years. I tried to start up again only to find I need new batteries. I own 3 Provari's that I purchased back around 2010-2011. I think the are model V2. I used to buy my batteries from pro-vape, but they are no longer in business as some of you know.

I used AW, IMR 18490, 3.7V, 1100 mAh(4.1W) as recommended.

Does anyone know if these are still available and where?? If not can someone help me with a SAFE replacement? I am pretty ignorant in this area and would greatly appreciate the help!
Thank you!!!

 

[Horselady154]

AW flooded more than a year ago. It never reopened and since Provape closed, it probably never will. Button top batteries are not as prevalent as they once were, but there are several around here who use them. @DPLongo22 or @Katdarling can tell you what they use. I think it is Orbtronic. You will want to order them from one of Mooch's trusted battery sites, because some others rewrap them and claim they are something that they are not and that can be dangerous.

You may want to get an extender tube for your Provari, if you can find one, so that you can use an 18650. Check Ebay would be my suggestion.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

I would avoid buying batteries from eBay – can’t be trusted. Some battery retailers do provide a service to tack on a button top to any battery they may sell. Others, such as 18650BatteryStore (below link and Mooch approved), also sell button top cells. A Samsung 30Q would be sufficient for a Provari

Button Top 18650 Batteries - Lithium Ion Rechargeable

Edit – apologies…just noticed you are looking for 18490, not an 18650 (still working on the morning coffee). I am sure someone will come up with a source, sorry, not a size I shop for. None the less, I would still avoid eBay.

 

[Horselady154]

I have no idea whatsoever if this is enough to turn your P2 into a mod that will accept an 18650, but you may want to check this out. In the description, it says it will also work on a P2. You could message the seller, who used to work at Provape. ProVari P2.5 Satin Silver Extended End Cap - Original Prototype, New! | eBay

Here is an extension ring for P3s. He says it works on a P2.5. You might want to message the seller (same as above) and ask him if it will work on a P2.
ProVari P3 Titanium Stealth Extension Ring / Tube, with decoration - New! | eBay

 

[MMoon]

I would avoid buying batteries from eBay – can’t be trusted. Some battery retailers do provide a service to tack on a button top to any battery they may sell. Others, such as 18650BatteryStore (below link and Mooch approved), also sell button top cells. A Samsung 30Q would be sufficient for a Provari

Button Top 18650 Batteries - Lithium Ion Rechargeable

Edit – apologies…just noticed you are looking for 18490, not an 18650 (still working on the morning coffee). I am sure someone will come up with a source, sorry, not a size I shop for. None the less, I would still avoid eBay.

Thanks for your help. I'm hoping someone else might still be using a provari and can tell what they are using and where they get them.

 

[Horselady154]

Thanks for your help. I'm hoping someone else might still be using a provari and can tell what they are using and where they get them.

There are a lot of people using them around here. I will be again soon too; just bought a P3 and am hoping to get my two 2.5s repaired. P3s use flat batteries; 2.5s use button tops. Just hang tight; peeps will be around soon, I'm sure.

I do think you are going to want to enhance your P2 so that it will take an 18650 though.

 

[Baditude]

As much as I hate Efest batteries, I believe they make the only 18500 buttontop, high-drain batteries available.

EFEST IMR 18490/18500 1000MAH 15A LI-MN BUTTON TOP BATTERY - CLEARANCE

YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE A "PROTECTED" BATTERY IN A PROVARI. USE ONLY "UNPROTECTED" BUTTONTOP BATTERIES.

If you have the battery extension cap for the Provari you can use an 18650 button top.

Provari battery extension caps
​

18650 Samsung 3000mAh INR18650-30Q High Discharge Button Top

 

[Punk In Drublic]

No comment on this retailer, never used them.

AW IMR Battery | 18490, 1100mAh | Button Top

As much as I hate Efest batteries, I believe they make the only 18500 buttontop, high-drain batteries available.

EFEST IMR 18490/18500 1000MAH 15A LI-MN BUTTON TOP BATTERY - CLEARANCE

YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE A "PROTECTED" BATTERY IN A PROVARI. USE ONLY "UNPROTECTED" BUTTONTOP BATTERIES.

If you have the battery extension for the Provari you can use an 18650 button top.

18650 Samsung 3000mAh INR18650-30Q High Discharge Button Top

Illumn sells Nitecore 18490 button tops – it’s a re-wrap so 6 of one, half dozen of another.

I was on a site the other day that offered to tack on a button to any battery they sold. Unfortunately I do not remember the site, might come to me later.

 

[bnrkwest]

I still use Provari's and I have all my older models with extensions to take a 18650 button top. If you have the extension ring and extension end cap a mini will take 18650 batt. You can still find button tops on the battery sites. Just follow the link posted earlier.

 

[englishmick]

Thanks for your help. I'm hoping someone else might still be using a provari and can tell what they are using and where they get them.

I still use them. The body of the V2 is the same as the V2.5. I have one V2 mini that uses an 18490 battery but I gave up on that because the batteries are so hard to find. I got an extension tube for it, like other people have mentioned. It's only a few bucks and it lets you use your Provaris with the bigger batteries. If you want to do that you should move fast. There are only a few of those extension tubes still available, the guy on Ebay has them, and I there's another place currently selling off old Provari stock that has them. Sorry I don't remember the name.

 

[englishmick]

I was on a site the other day that offered to tack on a button to any battery they sold. Unfortunately I do not remember the site, might come to me later.

I heard Batteries Plus stores will do that for you.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

I heard Batteries Plus stores will do that for you.

Just remembered, it was Voltaplex. Unfortunately they do not carry 18490 (just looked)

 

[Baditude]

No comment on this retailer, never used them.

AW IMR Battery | 18490, 1100mAh | Button Top

Pretty sure that is a counterfeit. If not, this battery is at least 6 years old; you wouldn't want to buy a battery that old. All of the AW batteries sold at Ali Express and Ali Baba in China are counterfeits.

Above is what the authentic AW 18490 batteries looked like before AW closed down.

 

[DPLongo22]

AW flooded more than a year ago. It never reopened and since Provape closed, it probably never will. Button top batteries are not as prevalent as they once were, but there are several around here who use them. @DPLongo22 or @Katdarling can tell you what they use. I think it is Orbtronic. You will want to order them from one of Mooch's trusted battery sites, because some others rewrap them and claim they are something that they are not and that can be dangerous.

You may want to get an extender tube for your Provari, if you can find one, so that you can use an 18650. Check Ebay would be my suggestion.

These are my GoTo's, eight years strong. Haven't let me down, and I've never even needed to re-wrap a single one (and I've had MANY).

3000mAh 18650 Battery 20A-35A Li-ion 3.7V Button Top Rechargeable High Drain H-IMR - Orbtronic

 

[Punk In Drublic]

Pretty sure that is a counterfeit. If not, this battery is at least 6 years old; you wouldn't want to buy a battery that old.

Above is what the authentic AW 18490 batteries looked like before AW closed down.

Might also just be a stock photo found on the web and not a true representation of what they sell. But I trust your judgment – good eye

 

[bnrkwest]

Central Iowa Vapers still have extension ring and end cap but they are more expensive than the Provape guy on eBay. Definitely get the extensions while you can. There are also Provari Classics and P3's that take flat top 18650 batts if you are looking. Those are the majority of my stocked up mods Provari Mods Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Central Iowa Vapor

 

[r77r7r]

Doesn't it seem odd that these batteries are that hard to find? No other products in the world used or still use them? Flashlights? Many Mech mods use them also.

 

[Katdarling]

I hope I am posting this in the correct place! I have not vaped much over the last couple of years. I tried to start up again only to find I need new batteries. I own 3 Provari's that I purchased back around 2010-2011. I think the are model V2. I used to buy my batteries from pro-vape, but they are no longer in business as some of you know.

I used AW, IMR 18490, 3.7V, 1100 mAh(4.1W) as recommended.

Does anyone know if these are still available and where?? If not can someone help me with a SAFE replacement? I am pretty ignorant in this area and would greatly appreciate the help!
Thank you!!!

West Koast girl here and late to your party (ha ha). Seems Moon, that you've received the best of the best in info here.

I agree with the others that it would be prudent to get an extension end cap (or two) and eventually move on to 18650 batteries.

AW flooded more than a year ago. It never reopened and since Provape closed, it probably never will. Button top batteries are not as prevalent as they once were, but there are several around here who use them. @DPLongo22 or @Katdarling can tell you what they use. I think it is Orbtronic. You will want to order them from one of Mooch's trusted battery sites, because some others rewrap them and claim they are something that they are not and that can be dangerous.

You may want to get an extender tube for your Provari, if you can find one, so that you can use an 18650. Check Ebay would be my suggestion.

Thank you, HL. I'm using the Orbs that DPL mentioned but those are '650s. I still have a small stash of old AW 18490s, but as we know, they'll someday be in the recycling bin.

 

[englishmick]

Doesn't it seem odd that these batteries are that hard to find? No other products in the world used or still use them? Flashlights? Many Mech mods use them also.

Not many mods require button tops. Provari might be the only one. Some flashlights use them. I googled it once. The flashlight folks are pretty inventive and they make their own. I saw a variety of tricks. Some of them glue a magnet into the hole in a fiber washer, the washer stops it moving out of position. They even add a button by putting a blob of solder on the positive terminal. That one sounds scary to me, but they had some pics of perfectly formed domes of solder. Beyond my soldering talent though.

 

[Baditude]

Doesn't it seem odd that these batteries are that hard to find? No other products in the world used or still use them? Flashlights? Many Mech mods use them also.

AW was but one of a few manufacturers who made button top high drain batteries. Their manufacturing plant was destroyed 3 - 4 years ago. The Provari was designed to accept only button top batteries as a means to prevent reverse battery human errors. The button top fit into a slot in the Provari's circuit board if inserted correctly; if it was inserted the wrong way first (negative end), it wouldn't fire.

Battery contact in the slot of a Provari circuit board (on right). A flat top battery won't work.