Rechargeable 18650 Torch Batteries
Which Batteries Are Genuine And Which Are Fake?
Shedding Some Light On Torch Batteries
Yes the pun was intended and I apologise.
If you own a modern high powered Flashlight or high powered E-Cigarette you may have already seen something of these batteries. Looking like a normal AA battery on steroids it's hard to miss them as they are big and bulky.
They typically hold a charge of between 3.7V and 4.2V and come with a large capacity ensuring a high hold of charge over a longer length of time compared to alkalines.
As with everything these days 18650 batteries are open to counterfeiting out in China. These dodgy fakes offer nothing more than poor performance and in some cases an fire hazard.
Due to my recent exploits in the ebay auctions quite a few of my torches and headlamps come with these 18650 batteries in the deal. As the branded lithium ion batteries cost a few quid to buy, the unscrupulous sellers bundle crappy fake 18650's in with the torch to make the deal look better.
Genuine batteries are made by 4 or 5 manufacturers in the far East. Notably Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Sanyo
These batteries typical have a rating of up to 3500mAh or so.
In devices such as laptops, cordless drills and portable power banks 18650 batteries are often connected together to improve performance.
Fake 18650 batteries often claim to have a much higher mAh (milliamp hours) life than the main 4 manufacturers batteries.
Typically expect to see figures like 4200mAh capacity all the way up to 9000mAh.
Those who are paying attention will realise that if the main players like Panasonic and Samsung can't make batteries of that capacity then surely something here whiffs of bullshit.
Currently the highest capacity commercial 18650 is rated between 3000mAh and 3500mAh.
Clever counterfeiting should be about copying something that actually exists? Surely?
Fake or exaggerated 18650 batteries have a tendency to fade after a short space of time. That will be proof enough fot any who are in doubt.
Personally, I have learned the hard way. Unwittingly purchasing a couple here and getting lumbered with a couple of free ones there. They haven't been that easy to avoid.
Finding a good supplier on ebay is easier said than done.
Some may state that their stocks are all real but do they really know the truth about where they came from? Fake Chinese copies turn up everywhere these days, it's rife.
Tips
- Any mAh rating over 3500mAh is crap
- Avoid batteries featuring the word 'Fire' in its title - more crap
- Check the weight of the battery - anything below 33g is crap
- Avoid package deals (headlamp + batteries etc)
My 18650 Collection
I have quite a mixture of 18650 batteries in my battery box.
As I don't currently own a proper li-ion balance charger I can't accurately measure the exact charging capacity of each battery therefore my testing has been mostly observational and a bit of guess work.
In no particular order we start with these yellow things
Brand: Shixe
Rating: 3.7V 4200mAh
XM-L T6 Torch Test: 1.5 hours full power
The battery should be called 'Shite' not 'Shixe' for this is clearly what this is. It's not the worst of the crap batteries but it's not far from the top of the list.
Hard to avoid these batteries as they often come bundled with Cree tactical torch boxes and some headlamps.
Dont check them out......Chuck them out!
Rating: 3.7V 2500mAh
XM-L T6 Torch Test: 45 mins full power
These purple pieces of crap should be discarded at the earliest opportunity. They are truly shite in every sense of the word.
Don't be fooled by the somewhat modest milliamp hours rating on the side. Knocking two 0's off the figure would be closer to the truth.
It says "High drain rechargeable Battery" on the side - That's an understatement!
A piddling 45 minutes burn time in the power efficient T6? Poor
These batteries sell for around £1 each - hmm
Brand: Beeway
Rating: 3.7V 2600mAh
XM-L T6 Torch Test: 3-4 hours full power
I believe this battery to be genuine or at least close to its stated rating. The battery weight is comparable to genuine 18650's and doesn't feel hollow like some others in this investigations.
Run time was good.
Nothing to see here
Brand: Ultrafire
Rating: 3.7V 4200mAh
XM-L T6 Torch Test: 1.5 hours full power
These so called Ultrafire batteries are crap.
Lasting for a short amount of time before falling abruptly off a cliff.
I'm not expecting much life expectancy out of these batteries. And as these are unprotected cells, one bad over- discharge incident could kill these off for good.
Dispose of these batteries responsibly
Brand: Samsung
Rating: 3.7V 2250mAh
XM-L T6 Torch Test: 3-4 hours on high
Here is a genuine Samsung protected cell. It performs as expected. It feels heavier than all of the other suspicious cells. They do cost considerably more than the fakes
Brand: Sanyo
Rating: 3.7V 1500mAh and 2250mAh
XM-L T6 Torch Test: 2-3 hours and 3-4 hours at full power
Last in the list are two packs of genuine Sanyo cells rated 1500mAh and 2250mAh respectively. Both sets seem reliable and true to their ratings judging by the running times.
Not bad at all.
Very unscientific testing but a good indication of quality for me at least.