Source for AW IMR 18650 Button Top or similar?

[NCC]

I can't remember where I bought a half dozen of these a year or so ago. But, they're nearing retirement age and I'm not having any luck finding more.
Needed for my Provari's. Comparable button top cells of the same physical size would do. I'm finding most dealers don't list the physical dimensions in their ads.

Thanks for any leads.

 

[Evi|grin]

Will these fit?
BUTTON Top Samsung INR18650-30Q 15A 3000mAh 18650 Battery - Genuine - Wholesale Discount
Approximate Dimensions: 18.65mm x 67.3mm (to tip of button top)

 

[Robin Becker]

Looks like a Button-Top, that is wired and not welded to the battery. In most of the cases the wire that is used is not good for more than 5A

 

[Rossum]

Looks like a Button-Top, that is wired and not welded to the battery.

What makes you say that?

 

[Baditude]

I can't remember where I bought a half dozen of these a year or so ago. But, they're nearing retirement age and I'm not having any luck finding more.
Needed for my Provari's.

You won't find authentic AW batteries anywhere. The AW plant in China closed down after a flood nearly 2 years ago. Any AW batteries that you might find now are either already 2 years old or counterfeits of unknown origin or quality.

Those Samsung 30Q button tops linked above should prove to be excellent replacements to your old AW's. I don't know what Robin Becker is talking about above. I don't see any wire under the button top. The plastic you can see around the nipple is just a replacement for the paper insulator ring that was removed to add the nipple.

Battery length shouldn't be an issue, as the Provari has a spring in the battery cap. You will need to use a button top battery in a Provari. The nipple has to mechanically fit into the special slot of the processor; that was Provape's solution for "reverse battery protection".

 

[englishmick]

Will these fit?
BUTTON Top Samsung INR18650-30Q 15A 3000mAh 18650 Battery - Genuine - Wholesale Discount
Approximate Dimensions: 18.65mm x 67.3mm (to tip of button top)

I've been using these in Provaris for a few months now. They work fine.

 

[englishmick]

Looks like a Button-Top, that is wired and not welded to the battery. In most of the cases the wire that is used is not good for more than 5A

This is what it says in the product page. LIION are a good outfit and I would tend to trust them.

"Genuine Samsung 30Q 3000 mAh batteries with a low resistance button top welded on."

Not sure how you could even connect a button to a battery with a wire.

 

[Robin Becker]

What makes you say that?

Usually on a button-Top, that is welded directly on the cell, you would see the welding points.
This is what I mean by saying, that the button-Top is welded via a wire. It does not mean bad quality of battery and has nothing to do with reputation of one reatiler, or another...just that the currents are limited:

Usually such batteries must be wraped again to hold the Button-Top stable

 

[NCC]

I appreciate the advice on the Samsung INR18650-30Q cells. Good price too. I'm going to stock up for the next few years.

 

[englishmick]

Usually on a button-Top, that is welded directly on the cell, you would see the welding points.
This is what I mean by saying, that the button-Top is welded via a wire. It does not mean bad quality of battery and has nothing to do with reputation of one reatiler, or another...just that the currents are limited:
View attachment 799881

Usually such batteries must be wraped again to hold the Button-Top stable

Interesting. Unfortunately the insulator comes right up to the sides of the button. There are 2 slots or openings on opposite sides of the button but they are too small to see what's going on inside. Maybe when one of them dies I'll take the wrap off and see what's under there.

LIION know what they are doing though. Seems unlikely that they would build something like this and put it out there knowing that it couldn't handle the loads that would be put on it.

 

[Robin Becker]

Interesting. Unfortunately the insulator comes right up to the sides of the button. There are 2 slots or openings on opposite sides of the button but they are too small to see what's going on inside. Maybe when one of them dies I'll take the wrap off and see what's under there.

LIION know what they are doing though. Seems unlikely that they would build something like this and put it out there knowing that it couldn't handle the loads that would be put on it.

Well...I don´t know LIION, I just know, that I once bought from Amazon in Germany those types of batteries (mainly assembled that way in China) without protection circuit for an halogen lamp. Those lamps draw lots of current while turning on and my battery got really hot.
But if the provari requires not more than 8A, it should work out...I would however not recommend such a solution to anyone who uses those batteries in mech mod in high-currents.
Again...you should get in contact with the seller and ask him.
Here is a link to a German retailer calls Akkuteile: Sony Konion US18650 VTC5 - 2600mAh, 3,6V - 3,7V (Button Top) Lithium-Ionen Akkus 18650
This is how a battery looks like, when the Button-Top is welded directly on the cell. No need for additional wrap, or another insulator

 

[zoiDman]

I'm not a Battery Expert.

But that's a manufactured "Flat Top" Battery that has been converted to a Button-Top somewhere down the line?

 

[Robin Becker]

I'm not a Battery Expert.

But that's a manufactured "Flat Top" Battery that has been converted to a Button-Top somewhere down the line?

All known manufacturer of Li-Ion cells like Samsung SDI, LG Chem, Murata (Sony), LG Chem, Panasonic etc. manufacture their batteries with flat-Top. The "convertion" into a button-Top is done by battery assembler so-called down the line.
It is easier to weld the button-Top via a wire, rather directly on the battery cell. The material of the Button-Top is thicker, so the welding maschine must be more powerful.

 

[zoiDman]

All known manufacturer of Li-Ion cells like Samsung SDI, LG Chem, Murata (Sony), LG Chem, Panasonic etc. manufacture their batteries with flat-Top. The "convertion" into a button-Top is done by battery assembler so-called down the line.
It is easier to weld the button-Top via a wire, rather directly on the battery cell. The material of the Button-Top is thicker, so the welding maschine must be more powerful.

Gotcha...

I remember reading some Info about 18650 Battery manufacturing a Long Time ago that said because 18650 Cells were originally designed to be used in Battery Packs or Hard-Wired applications that they were Designed having Flat-Tops.

But since the Flashlight Crowd quickly saw them as being a Great Cells for Flashlights, that a Button Top was added by Downstream Manufactures for Safer use with LED Drivers and or Chargers.

Was never sure if this was true or not? But it made sense if it was/is True.

 

[DaveP]

I can't remember where I bought a half dozen of these a year or so ago. But, they're nearing retirement age and I'm not having any luck finding more.
Needed for my Provari's. Comparable button top cells of the same physical size would do. I'm finding most dealers don't list the physical dimensions in their ads.

Thanks for any leads.

I've used these in my Provari and they are excellent for low wattage vaping.
IMR Hybrid 2250mAh Panasonic CGR18650CH 18650 Button Top High Drain Battery 3.7V Li-Mn-Li-ion 10A - NEW 3500mAh battery available now (see below)

Orbtronic also has a 3500mah flat top 18650
3500mAh 18650 High Drain Hybrid IMR Rechargeable Battery 3.7V Flat Top Orbtronic - Battery Case Included

ETA: I haven't used the Provari in at least a year. I just found the Panasonic cell I listed and stuck it in the charger. After a year or more in a plastic battery box it reads 4.15v. I was impressed. Internal resistance was .98 ohms. Still not that bad for an old cell.

 

[Rossum]

Internal resistance was .98 ohms.

Either you've misplaced the decimal or your equipment is providing some really sketchy readings.

 

[Baditude]

Orbtronics rewrapped a lot of Panasonic batteries back in the day ("Panasonic Inside"). The Panasonic NCR18650A and NCR18650B had 3400 or 3600 mah, respectively ... and had only a 6.8 or less amp continuous discharge rate. So my guess is any battery with over 3200 mah will not have more than 6.8 amps continuous.

Panasonic NCR18650B 4.9A 3200mAh 18650 Bench Test Results...a so-so 4.9A battery

 

[DaveP]

Either you've misplaced the decimal or your equipment is providing some really sketchy readings.

Should have been 98 Milliohms.

 

[DaveP]

Orbtronics rewrapped a lot of Panasonic batteries back in the day ("Panasonic Inside"). The Panasonic NCR18650A and NCR18650B had 3400 or 3600 mah, respectively ... and had only a 6.8 or less amp continuous discharge rate. So my guess is any battery with over 3200 mah will not have more than 6.8 amps continuous.

Panasonic NCR18650B 4.9A 3200mAh 18650 Bench Test Results...a so-so 4.9A battery

There used to be a niche for a cell like that in MTL vaping, but even at 10W I'm pushing the envelope on that cell at 3.4A +/-.

 

[zoiDman]

Should have been 98.

98 Ohms?