Quality 18650 Batteries, Is It Possible To Find Them?

[Noflers]

I see snippets about batteries everywhere I look ie. counterfeits, low quality, etc...

But what I can't find are decent batteries that I can get from reputable sellers. Where should I look when trying to buy?

I want 18650 batteries with a fairly high capacity (2100-2600+ mAh), 25+ Amp continuous discharge, and I certainly
want to know where I can get the real thing.

After finding out that my Sony VTC3 is most likely a fake, I'm really skeptical about where, and what I buy.

 

[oplholik]

Check out RTD Vapor, a trusted source for genuine batteries.

Authentic AW Batteries - RTD Vapor

 

[Noflers]

What about all this talk of hybrid batteries? Are IMR's the best to use?
And about the protected/unprotected batteries, which are best?

 

[Trailz]

Check out ebay seller "geniunecells"

 

[PLANofMAN]

For everything other than extreme sub ohm vaping, AW IMR's are the industry standard. See the link to RTD Vapor above.

 

[Stosh]

What about all this talk of hybrid batteries? Are IMR's the best to use?
And about the protected/unprotected batteries, which are best?

Hybrid cells are IMR safety with a bit more mah rating like an ICR protected. They are high drain batteries and suitable for vaping.

Protected batteries are built with "protection" because they need it. If something goes wrong, or they are used at high amperage draws (they are all low ampr rated) the protected batteries can vent with flames and worst possible scenario an explosion. The IMR type batteries are not protected because their basic chemistry is much safer.

Best analogy I've seen is an ICR protected is like a loaded pistol with the safety on...an IMR is the same pistol loaded with rubber bullets. Still can be dangerous and cause injury but inherently safer.

A few respected vendors
* RTD Vapor
* Illumination Supply
* Lighthound
* Orbtronics

 

[PLANofMAN]

^^^ That.

A few more points.
Never order batteries from China. Never order batteries from eBay. Never order batteries that have the word "fire" as part of their name.

The size of battery that we as vapers use is also the same size as those used in high end/high tech flashlights and in laptop computer power packs. The batteries used for those are generally high mAh, low drain, and not suitable for vaping.

The batteries we use are designed to supply power quickly, not in a trickle. The trade-off is a slightly lower mAh capacity. Hybrid cells show promise, but that technology is still in it's infancy, really.

 

[beez0527]

The post about dont buy from ebay is his preference but i always find with ebay its really easy to figure out if seller is legit by reading feedback from other buyers and by knowing how to spot a fake. That being said ive found a very reputable authorized sony dealer with the name of (vapeszn) He has very good prices and ships out same day. He has vtc4 in stock just got 4 for 41.00.

 

[Trailz]

Mike, I agree 100%. I've found a couple eBay sellers who are very reputable and sell genuine cells. I agree on not buying any cells with "fire" in the name.

 

[Ryedan]

The post about dont buy from ebay is his preference but i always find with ebay its really easy to figure out if seller is legit by reading feedback from other buyers and by knowing how to spot a fake. That being said ive found a very reputable authorized sony dealer with the name of (vapeszn) He has very good prices and ships out same day. He has vtc4 in stock just got 4 for 41.00.

The problem with choosing an Ebay battery supplier from feedback ratings is that the vast majority of people do not know how to figure out if their battery is legit or a counterfeit. Even if they know how to spot the obvious counterfeits, not all of them are obvious and then you need to create discharge curves which most people can't do. So feedback ratings are mostly determined by ship times and other non-technical metrics.

Sure there are good suppliers on Ebay, but they can't be identified from feedback. The same is true for any supplier that does not have a known good reputation to a lot of people who understand batteries.

Stosh gave four examples of known good suppliers in post #6. There are a bunch more out there. These guys are known in the flashlight and vape forums. That reputation is worth a lot to me when I hit the button on my mech mod and inhale

 

[pdxjlb]

I ordered off a deal VJoe put up months ago, off of an ebay seller (sandersauction0). She has since become unlisted as a seller. When I recieved the cells, which were supposed to be sony VTC5's they were fake had a lip on the bottom, and I removed a wrap to show the seller. She responded to a few emails about being sorry she didn't know they were fake (you shouldn't be selling items you don't know about). But that she would send me a return postage stamp and refund. Got the return postage stamp, but didn't get the refund. Ebay themselves had to refund the 30 dollars to me. What disgusting experience, I told this woman that she needs to understand that it is very dangerous to not inform people of what cell is actually being sent to them. Anyway rant and story over. I was a bummer, but Ebay did me right. I only hope that people don't take advantage of their refund policy.
I know that personally I would still buy of there, have for years and have even been a seller a few times.

Happy Sunday

 

[Noflers]

Ahhhh, thanks @stosh, and thanks @ryedan for reminding me of that post. I must have skipped right over it, that's just what I was looking for, a flashlight supplier with a good selection of batteries. I'm going with Illumination Supply. I kept waiting for a good response, but there it was, right under my nose the whole time. Thanks everyone!

 

[Noflers]

Just wanna make sure I didn't get trigger happy and order three of these for no good reason. Any confirmation from you guys would be awesome. I got them from Illumination supply, thanks.

BTW: In case nobody knew, the coupon code CPFuser gets you 5% off your order.

I posted a new thread this morning ^^^^ Absolutely nobody responded to it all day, now it's too late to cancel the order and I have no idea what I'll be getting. Of course now I start finding information that tells me I definitely don't want these things. Any help, What is going to be under the Efest wrap?

 

[BrennanElectric]

I posted a new thread this morning ^^^^ Absolutely nobody responded to it all day, now it's too late to cancel the order and I have no idea what I'll be getting. Of course now I start finding information that tells me I definitely don't want these things. Any help, What is going to be under the Efest wrap?

The efest 35 amp, are rewrapped lg he2, which I own 2 of them, and they work great, just rated at 20 amps, so don't push past that

 

[Noflers]

It's actually this one, 18650 Efest Purple IMR18650 V1 2100mAh High Discharge Flat Top from Illumination supply. I'd link to it but I don't think ECF will allow it, what's the scoop on those?

 

[BrennanElectric]

It's actually this one, 18650 Efest Purple IMR18650 V1 2100mAh High Discharge Flat Top from Illumination supply. I'd link to it but I don't think ECF will allow it, what's the scoop on those?

Are they the 30 amp? If so they are rewrapped sony vtc 4's which are still awesome. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...508124-new-efest-18650-2500mah-35-amp-10.html is where I got that information

 

[Noflers]

They are the 30 Amp, but I don't think they are Sony's because Sony doesn't even make them anymore.

Also, they were only $7.50

 

[BrennanElectric]

They are the 30 Amp, but I don't think they are Sony's because Sony doesn't even make them anymore.

Also, they were only $7.50

Right but that's what they are, so are the xtar batteries, they are rewrapped, if you go to rtd vapors website, and search for the xtar 2100 30 amp cell, they will show you on the images, what they look like unwrapped, and they are legit sony vtc 4's yeah sony doesn't produce them anymore, but there is still quite a selection of them out there, they just sell really fast, but according to that thread, they had unwrapped them and they are sonys underneath. That is all that matters. You could definitely unwrap one when you get them and see, but that's what I've found.

 

[BrennanElectric]

They are the 30 Amp, but I don't think they are Sony's because Sony doesn't even make them anymore.

Also, they were only $7.50

this is the picture that thread posted of someone unwrapping one.

 

[Noflers]

Okay, they shipped out today. I'll unwrap one as soon as I get it and let you , or anyone who cares know what I find.