Samsung INR18650-30Q - Longevity

[Beamslider]

I purchased 6 pairs of these batteries in August 2018 from Liion. So I am sure based on source that they were genuine.

These batteries have died in the past 2 weeks one by one on me. They appeared to fully charge were stored away and within a few days discharged themselves to about half capacity.

None of these were abused or discharged too low. They were all used in married pairs in dual battery mods. I would guess that they were used and recharged less than 50 times each. Used between 20 and 30 Watts to vape with.

I have LG batteries that 2 years old and still good without this issue. Also Sony batteries around 2 years old and still good.

Anyone else have Samsung batteries with short lifespan or any idea what happened here. Bad batch or some other issue?

I have replace them with new sets of Sony VTC6 from Ilumn. Will probably stay away from Samsung battery from now on though.

 

[Rossum]

I've not not noticed, but I only have one pair of 30Qs in service. This pair has been used on alternate days in my ADV mod (a single 18650 mech squonker) since May of 2018, so each cell has about 180-190 "cycles". However, these "cycles" only use about the top 1000 mAh. I tested these cells about a month ago. They still have ~93.5% of their rated capacity. At the same time I also tested another pair that's been in storage. That pair is at ~99% capacity. Here's all four of them:

 

[Hawise]

I have a mix of LG HG2s and Samsung 30Qs, and I can't say I've noticed any significant difference in lifespan. Additionally, all the batteries (of both types) that have died of old age lost capacity very gradually. I buy my batteries in pairs but use them in single-battery mods, and the two in the pair have also always shown significant differences by the end of their lives.

With six pairs failing over two weeks, I strongly suspect that the problem is environmental - it's something that's happening to them. Either there's a problem with your charger or your mod or something odd has happened while they were in storage. Do you have any other battery types in rotation? If so, how are they faring?

 

[mcduffy]

I bought two from Illumn in February 2018 and another from Liion in March of the same year and have been using them daily with no noticeable loss of capacity.

 

[Beamslider]

I have a mix of LG HG2s and Samsung 30Qs, and I can't say I've noticed any significant difference in lifespan. Additionally, all the batteries (of both types) that have died of old age lost capacity very gradually. I buy my batteries in pairs but use them in single-battery mods, and the two in the pair have also always shown significant differences by the end of their lives.

With six pairs failing over two weeks, I strongly suspect that the problem is environmental - it's something that's happening to them. Either there's a problem with your charger or your mod or something odd has happened while they were in storage. Do you have any other battery types in rotation? If so, how are they faring?

Yes used in same mods and same charger. LG and Sony over 2 years without issues, still good.

 

[Hawise]

Yes used in same mods and same charger. LG and Sony over 2 years without issues, still good.

I'm stumped. Even if they were a bad batch, I wouldn't expect them all to fail so close together.

 

[puffon]

Check the manufacture date:
18650 Date Code Lookup Tool

 

[Beamslider]

Check the manufacture date:
18650 Date Code Lookup Tool

Says
Production date is Tue Mar 06 2018

 

[mcduffy]

Including one bought in December 2018 from 18650batterystore mine all read 136 which that lookup says is "Wrong char for this brand." If I change the one to I it gives the Tue Mar 06 2018 date, which can't be right for ones bought in February.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

At the bottom of the page for that Date Look Up Tool it says….

"The Panasonic-Sanyo GA, and the Samsung 30Q are both not currently functioning with this tool."

 

[Beamslider]

At the bottom of the page for that Date Look Up Tool it says….

"The Panasonic-Sanyo GA, and the Samsung 30Q are both not currently functioning with this tool."

I don't see that and it gives me this. Number taken from the battery

 

[Punk In Drublic]

I don't see that and it gives me this. Number taken from the battery
View attachment 831891

Not sure what to tell ya. From the link @puffon gave, without entering any data scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see what I quoted above.

 

[Rossum]

Including one bought in December 2018 from 18650batterystore mine all read 136 which that lookup says is "Wrong char for this brand." If I change the one to I it gives the Tue Mar 06 2018 date, which can't be right for ones bought in February.

I have the same "136" on mine, as do plenty of pictures on the web, for example here:
Test of Samsung INR18650-30Q 3000mAh (Pink)

I don't think all these cells were made on the same date. In fact, my set of four was already in my possession on March 3, 2018, so they couldn't possibly have been made on March 6, 2018.
Playing with a Vapcell YR1030 AC Resistance Tester

I think the only conclusion we can come to here is that Sammy stopped applying date codes at some point.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

I think the only conclusion we can come to here is that Sammy stopped applying date codes at some point.

Possibility, but my 20S’s come up with a production date. None of my 30Q come up with a production date.

 

[Rossum]

I think the only conclusion we can come to here is that Sammy stopped applying date codes to 30Qs at some point.

Fixed.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

My take is Samsung needs a production code for quality control, or to at least trace back defective cells. But the developer for this application does not know how to interpret this code for both the Panasonic GA cells and Samsung 30Q’s

With my 30Q’s, I have tried to enter what is on the wrap and what is underneath printed on the metal housing.

 

[Mooch]

I purchased 6 pairs of these batteries in August 2018 from Liion. So I am sure based on source that they were genuine.

These batteries have died in the past 2 weeks one by one on me. They appeared to fully charge were stored away and within a few days discharged themselves to about half capacity.

None of these were abused or discharged too low. They were all used in married pairs in dual battery mods. I would guess that they were used and recharged less than 50 times each. Used between 20 and 30 Watts to vape with.

I have LG batteries that 2 years old and still good without this issue. Also Sony batteries around 2 years old and still good.

Anyone else have Samsung batteries with short lifespan or any idea what happened here. Bad batch or some other issue?

I have replace them with new sets of Sony VTC6 from Ilumn. Will probably stay away from Samsung battery from now on though.

In May I posted about fake 30Q’s and they have a “136” date code. The fakes are truly miserable performing low amp-rated pieces of junk.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN ALL “136” CODE 30Q’s ARE FAKE.
This same code is used by genuine 30Q’s too. I only want to point out that there are fakes out there using “genuine” codes.

In bright light look through the plastic wrap near the top of the battery. There should be two lines of codes printed on the metal can of the battery.

The second character of the first line of codes for the 30Q must be a zero. All the rest doesn’t matter.

If it is not a zero then the battery is a fake. If there are no codes then it is a fake. If the code is correct then it MIGHT be genuine.

 

[catilley1092]

I bought two from Illumn in February 2018

ILLUMN.COM is my 'go to' source for batteries & chargers, the site is one out of two that's on Mooch's recommended list. If not mistaken, RTD Vapes was the other. Have never purchased the Samsung-30Q, because that battery doesn't meet my need, would burn up in my mods.

However, have purchased several sets of Sony VTC5A, 4 sets of LG HG2 & most recently tried the Molicel-P26A (Grade A cells), all from ILLUMN & none has disappointed. Am considering rebuilding a laptop battery pack with the LG HG2 or Molicel-P26A batteries. As all that are sold online for 2010-2012 notebooks I've purchased are junk. Probably using re-wrapped cells, how they can sell so cheap ($25-35). I have a friend who knows how to rebuild laptop batteries, other than those for Apple.

My guess is that these Samsung-30Q's may indeed by rewraps if they've not lasted long, sometimes reputable online shops gets a bad batch & only learns once their customers posts reviews. Often by then, any warranty is gone, as most refunds when DOA only. Plus the Samsung-30Q is a popular clone or rewrap, it's imperative to buy from the right sources to get the genuine goods.

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

Here's the button top if needed, however description says for flashlights.

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

Hope this helps!

Cat

 

[Baditude]

I've used both genuine LG HG2 3000mah 20A (brown wrap) and genuine Samsung 30Q 3000mAh 15A (pink wrap). Used in rotation in a couple of single battery regulated mods at 30W. All were purchased from either RTD Vapor or IMR Batteries. The LG's are about 3 years old and the Sammy's are 2 years old.

I haven't seen much difference in performance or longivity between them. I have noticed that the positive contact (annode) on a couple of the LG HG2's has sunken a bit over time. Pretty sure this is not from venting or misuse of any kind. So even though their performance has not changed, I decided not to use them ("when in doubt, throw them out"). If not mistaken, Mooch has described this phenomenon with some of the LG's he has tested.

Bench Test Results: LG H26 2600mAh 18650...good performer but top contact too easily dented​

I recently decided to try some Sony VTC6 3000mAh 15A batteries to compare with the LG and Samsungs. I don't have much else to add since Mooch has already spoken.

Mooch did a 3000mAh battery shootout about a year and a half ago with the Sony VTC6, Samsung 30Q, and LG HG2. Although there were some minor differences between the three, they seemed to all perform similarly with no clear "winner".

 

[Rossum]

In May I posted about fake 30Q’s and they have a “136” date code. The fakes are truly miserable performing low amp-rated pieces of junk.

I worry that this might be misconstrued as an implication that any 30Q with the "136" code on is likely to be a fake. I'm confident that's not the case. My set of four all have the 136 code on them and I'm certain they're not fakes. The capacity measurements on the unused ones show 99% of 3000 mAh, and their AC IR measurements are also spot-on with the data sheet.

I do not think it's plausible for a fake to achieve both the rated capacity and the low IR that the real cells should have.