Vapcell IFR26650 2600mAh 55A/75A (red, LiFePO4) reviewed

[charlie1465]

Just remember to change the Battery Type under the mod battery settings to reflect the LFP cell. But with a regulated device the hit will be no different. If you are set to 30 watts, the device will request 30 watts plus a little more for efficiency from the cells and deliver that same 30 watts.




My cat told me they are a re-wrap company out of Shenzhen China. Cat’s are usually right, they invented the interwebs and know everything!

Thanks Punks

That's what I wanted to hear......could be a game changing battery for those that like their rowdy builds

 

[charlie1465]

charlie1465 I usually buy at NKON. They carry some of Vapcell's batteries. If you cannot get 'em sowhere else, you may want to drop them a line to ask if they'd be willing to get some Vapcell IFR26650 2600mAh 55A/75A units. You will be heard.

Not necessarily. The tester likely got a particularly well designed Li-Po battery and that is what happened. But there is a lot of other Li-Po cells which may not behave that good.
That was a very simple test anyway. The topmost safety device in any case is you.

Thanks...i'm going to get in touch with them. Whereabouts are you in Spain?

 

[Punk In Drublic]

Thanks Punks

That's what I wanted to hear......could be a game changing battery for those that like their rowdy builds

For a mech I would agree. But with a regulated device, specifically a DNA 75/75C you are still bound to the limitations of the device, as in it will only request what is needed to meet your prescribed output.

 

[Baditude]

My cat told me they are a re-wrap company out of Shenzhen China.

Ahhh, yes. You appear to be correct. Looked over Mooch's tests and he seems to confirm this.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

Ahhh, yes. You appear to be correct. Looked over Mooch's tests and he seems to confirm this.

LOL…I’ll let my cat know you approve of her answer

 

[charlie1465]

For a mech I would agree. But with a regulated device, specifically a DNA 75/75C you are still bound to the limitations of the device, as in it will only request what is needed to meet your prescribed output.

Maybe my thinking is flawed but i'm thinking that it will allow lower builds which opens up many more opportunity for build type. For example in my BB i stick to 0.5-0.8 ohm builds because of wattage consideration and battery longevity but this one should allow a drop down to 0.2-0.3 without any drop in longevity.

 

[jandrew]

XTAR's VP2 has a setting for LiFePo.

Thanks. Wouldn't happen to know of any 26650 mech squonks? I'm not seeing anything available out there. Might have to go for a cheap box mod or even a (gasp) bottom button tube on clearance somewhere just to try this out.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

Maybe my thinking is flawed but i'm thinking that it will allow lower builds which opens up many more opportunity for build type. For example in my BB i stick to 0.5-0.8 ohm builds because of wattage consideration and battery longevity but this one should allow a drop down to 0.2-0.3 without any drop in longevity.

Resistance on a regulated device has no bearing on battery run time (sans extremes of course). Your power setting does.

The 0.8 ohm coil at 50 watts will draw 7.9 amps and 15.8 amps for the 0.2 ohm coil from the Regulated circuit. But both coils running at 50 watts, the Regulated circuit will draw 15.6 amps from the battery at a 3.2 voltage, sans the required power for efficiency.

The LFP cell will have a higher current draw at the battery for the same 50 watts but only because it operates at a lower voltage. I = P/V

 

[Rossum]

Thanks. Wouldn't happen to know of any 26650 mech squonks?

Currently? No, I don't. The 26650 size has fallen out of favor, displaced the 21700. And personally, I've always been OK with a single 18650 cell.

Might have to go for a cheap box mod or even a (gasp) bottom button tube on clearance somewhere just to try this out.

Ick!

 

[Barkuti]

Thanks...i'm going to get in touch with them. Whereabouts are you in Spain?

Alhama de Murcia. Really sunny around here.

LiFePO4 is very well suited for fully mechanical mods. Nearly all of the cell capacity can be used without buck-boost converters due to its extremely flat discharge curve. Operating a mechanical device is like driving one of those cars of yesteryear whose electronics mainly were light bulbs, coils, spark plugs and little more (even the turn signals were made with bimetallic strips). It requires a lot of care and commitment for successfull performance which those of you who mainly are at satisfying an addiction may not be willing to engage with. This is not being judgmental, don't take me wrong. A lot can be learnt this way, though.

With this cell you could safely build with 50mΩ (0.05Ω) coils. Considering the cell internal resistance is 10mΩ, with such combined resistance I = V / R = 3.2 / (0.05Ω + 0.01Ω) = ≈53.33A. Actual current draw would still be a tiny bit lower due to conductors, contacts and switch resistances. Power at the coil would be ≈140W. For showing off I guess. How about a battery operated bubble machine?

Cheers fellows

 

[Rossum]

Operating a mechanical device is like driving one of those cars of yesteryear whose electronics mainly were light bulbs, coils, spark plugs and little more (even the turn signals were made with bimetallic strips). It requires a lot of care and commitment for successfull performance which those of you who mainly are at satisfying an addiction may not be willing to engage with.

And just like a mechanical mod, you could fix those old cars yourself when they broke.

 

[Barkuti]

For the sake of completeness, a birdie told me the cell is available from their store. For me it works via this “item” link.

I hear you Rossum, if I were to go to an authorized dealer for a new car right now I would bring the following tool with me to fix all the onboard .... I were to dislike:

Picture borrowed from: Wilton BASH 20lb Sledgehammer

The amount of unnecessary electronic PoSes cars bear nowadays is a shame.

 

[Rossum]

I hear you Rossum, if I were to go to an authorized dealer for a new car right now I would bring the following tool with me to fix all the onboard .... I were to dislike:

Helping people deal with the computerized complication in modern cars is what I do for a living, and I've done quit well with it. But I prefer to keep the my personal life simple, so I wear a mechanical watch, and vape mechanical mods (bottom feeders).

 

[jandrew]

I got in a pair of these lifepo4 cells and an xtar vp2 charger:

Once charged I'll try out a build or two with a 26650 tube mech I got on clearance last week.

 

[jandrew]

Initial experiment was a success: I charged up the cells and put one in the Chi You Megan with a Cthulhu 1928 running a 0.64 ohm clapton on Thursday evening and began vaping it as a primary device (not exclusively mind you, but perhaps 70% of my vaping).

I continued vaping much the same all day Friday, occasionally pulling the battery to see the state of charge. And so it continued until late Saturday afternoon --- the battery spent a great deal of time between 3.4v and 3.3v (unloaded voltage). It began noticeably dropping faster after about 3.25 (unloaded) and at 4:05pm Saturday and it read 3.12v on the charger. I continued using it (just to see what the drop off was like) and checking it regularly: 3.06v at 4:25pm, 2.96v at 4:40pm, and 2.73v at 5pm, at which time I left it to charge and put in a new cell. So, in the space of the last hour of average vaping, it dropped more than in the preceding 40 or so hours (I'm not counting voltage between 3.4v and 3.6v for reasons given below).

So, as the discharge graphs show (from the battery review), this battery performed as expected in terms of a very flat discharge curve, allowing me a very consistent vape for a huge chunk of the battery's capacity (perhaps 85%, not counting the final hour which I only continued to vape for experimental purposes), whereas, with a standard cell (like a 30Q or VTC6), I usually swap them at or before using 50% of the capacity. Back on the charger, at 1 amp charging, it took 3 hours to charge fully: I checked the progress every 15 minutes:

    charging at 1 amp:
        5:00: 2.73v
        5:15: 2.83v
        5:30: 3.04v
        5:45: 3.26v
        6:00: 3.30v
        6:15: 3.33v
        6:30: 3.34v
        6:45: 3.34v
        7:00: 3.35v
        7:15: 3.36v
        7:30: 3.37v
        7:45: 3.38v
        8:00: 3.39v
        8:15: 3.6v (it had hit 3.6 and stopped charging by this time)

According to this review of the xtar vp2 charger, it doesn't charge Lifepo4 cells at full current until 2.9v is reached (accounting for the smaller voltage increase in the first time block). Additionally, there is barely any energy above 3.4v in these cells: When I took a fully charged cell off the charger and let it rest an hour and re-inserted it, it showed 3.41v, but (at the 1 amp setting), it was back up to 3.6v and stopped charging in about one minute. (also, the xtar vp2 does not provide percentage or mah readings).

I've also learned, during this experiment, I still lack the delicate sophiscation to truly appreciate a bottom button tube mech --- even after swapping out the spring in the switch for magnets with a lighter touch. Also, while I do appreciate dripping, and always have a couple of drippers setup, I do not enjoy dripping as a primary means of supplying a wick with liquid. All the more reason to find or cobble together a mech squonk for these cells -- a summer project I guess.

TL;DR --- these cells appear to work as advertised.

 

[Barkuti]

… Additionally, there is barely any energy above 3.4v in these cells: When I took a fully charged cell off the charger and let it rest an hour and re-inserted it, it showed 3.41v, but (at the 1 amp setting), it was back up to 3.6v and stopped charging in about one minute. (also, the xtar vp2 does not provide percentage or mah readings).
…

Yes, that is right. LiFePO4 was likely designed to be used as compatible Pb battery replacement in the automotive industry without any major (and costly) messing with the electronics. So it had to withstand the usual 14.4+V regulator setting, 4S battery speaking. This means 3.6 - 3.65V per cell maximum charge voltage setting.
In my experience with a couple Zippy Flightmax “30C” LiFePO4 packs, using 3.4V/cell maximum voltage works fine for filling up the batteries. It just may take a very little bit longer during top off. I wonder how much of an impact on cell lifespan this poses.