Rechargeable 18650 Batteries - Does anyone make a good quality one?

[Longwood50]

Around the house I have several devices including solar cell lights, rechargeable flashlights etc that use 18650 size batteries.  Does anyone make a decent 18650 battery?   Most of mine came with the rechargeable solar cell light or flashlight but I have purchased some additional batteries online.  They are all lousy.  I can use the flashlight for only a few minutes two to three days in a row and then it has lost its charge.   The same is true of the solar cell lights.  Despite the fact that the solar cell light only triggers when activated by motion, unless it is a really sunny day, the battery does not retain enough charge to fully power it. 

If there is a good brand, please let me know.  I have tried some that were advertised as Samsung but online you have to wonder if that was really true. 

Here is a picture of the type of battery I am referring to. 

[Crossy]

"Alternative Energy" is the best place for battery info, moving there.

 

But 18650s on the online selling platforms are an absolute nightmare, more carp than good stuff!

[Randell]

I have always had good long last rechargeable  battery  from Sony pay more get more.

[alanrchase]

Panasonic NCR18650B 3,400mah batteries seem to be ok. Don't buy any batteries that claim to be more than 3,400mah because they are likely fake as 3,400 is about the maximum capacity at the moment.

[nrasmussen]

I have recently bought some batteries from this Lazada store: VapcellThailand. Battery capacity was as specified.

 

To make it clear: I have a battery charger that can measure the battery capacity and if not as specified I return the batteries.

Edited April 20, 2022 by nrasmussen

[bluejets]

I use the ones from Hobbyking as they seem to be reasonable quality and weigh in at around 45grams which is good.

Plenty of junk around that's for sure.

Prior to the HK stuff it was pretty much a 50/50 gamble.

Bit of short supply at present.

 

 

[KhunLA]

Anyone considering 18650s and size/space isn't an issue, you may want 

to move up a level or 2.

https://www.batterypowertips.com/18650-21700-30700-4680-and-other-li-ions-whats-the-difference-faq/#:~:text=The 21700 has about 50,on the internal cell construction.

[RocketDog]

1 hour ago, alanrchase said:

Panasonic NCR18650B 3,400mah batteries seem to be ok. Don't buy any batteries that claim to be more than 3,400mah because they are likely fake as 3,400 is about the maximum capacity at the moment.

Indeed. While the advertisers think they will sell more that way, in reality it's just a tipoff to knowledgeable buyers to avoid them.

[dlclark97]

I buy 26650 Li-ion batteries at ProDive Imaging.  4th floor Manee Tower in Bangkok near Chit Lom BTS. Perhaps they also have the 18650.   Prodive Imaging Official | Home page 

[dlclark97]

1 minute ago, dlclark97 said:

I buy 26650 Li-ion batteries at ProDive Imaging.  4th floor Manee Tower in Bangkok near Chit Lom BTS. Perhaps they also have the 18650.   Prodive Imaging Official | Home page 

Just checked site.  Yes they have.  I have ordered by phone with bank transfer.  NCR18650B

[OneMoreFarang]

I bought some from this shop.

They seem to be alright. But to be fair I don't have much comparison.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/shop/vapcellthailand

https://www.vapcelltech.com/

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, Randell said:

I have always had good long last rechargeable  battery  from Sony pay more get more.

The problem is that many of the batteries which are sold have brand name stickers on them. And that's about the only thing which they have in common with those brands.

It is very difficult to find out which of the batteries are "real".

[KhunLA]

15 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It is very difficult to find out which of the batteries are "real".

Neither the Panasonic nor the Sony 'flagship' store on LAZ offers 18650s.

 

Buyer beware

Edited April 20, 2022 by KhunLA

[SS1]

Here you can find both Samsung and Sony 18650 batteries: https://thaivapeshop.com/collections/18650-batteries 

Can't comment on their specific quality, but the shop is reputable itself. 

[snowgard]

Here you can find it:

https://www.mcucity.com/category/82/แบตเตอรี่battery/18650-ถ่านลิเธียม-lithium-batt

 

[OneMoreFarang]

22 minutes ago, snowgard said:

Here you can find it:

https://www.mcucity.com/category/82/แบตเตอรี่battery/18650-ถ่านลิเธียม-lithium-batt

And do you know if all those Sony, Panasonic and other brand name batteries are actually from those companies?

There are so many batteries with brans name stickers out there. I find it difficult to impossible to find out which are the real thing.

I like to listen to your experience if you have any with this supplier and their batteries. 

[snowgard]

If you don't have a meter to check the battery capacity, you can also weight it. In trusted shops of your home country you can see the original weight.

Almost all FAKE BATTERIES are much lighter as the real one.

Like here: https://www.conrad.com/p/samsung-nr18650-25r-non-standard-battery-rechargeable-18650-high-current-loading-high-temperature-resistant-flat-to-1431335

https://www.tme.eu/en/details/accu-18650-2.6sam/rechargeable-batteries/samsung/icr-18650-26f/

[ravip]

Where can I pick-up a couple of  good 18650s in Australia?

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, ravip said:

Where can I pick-up a couple of  good 18650s in Australia?

Try your trusted electronic store - in Australia. 

[Danderman123]

Lazada sells many 18650 batteries, some fake, some real.

 

Best to read the online reviews of the specific battery you want to buy.

 

I use a LittoKala capacitance tester and publish the reviews on Lazada. Lots of bad batteries.

 

Note that anyone selling a Panasonic 18650B for under 70 baht is probably selling fakes.

[Danderman123]

Lots of fakes on Lazada.

 

These cells didn't have enough amperage to keep.

[Danderman123]

Smarttech Shop on Lazada has sent me consistently good batteries, never had a dud from them.

[BritManToo]

On 4/21/2022 at 2:14 PM, snowgard said:

If you don't have a meter to check the battery capacity, you can also weight it. In trusted shops of your home country you can see the original weight.

Almost all FAKE BATTERIES are much lighter as the real one.

Like here: https://www.conrad.com/p/samsung-nr18650-25r-non-standard-battery-rechargeable-18650-high-current-loading-high-temperature-resistant-flat-to-1431335

https://www.tme.eu/en/details/accu-18650-2.6sam/rechargeable-batteries/samsung/icr-18650-26f/

Nah, they've matched the weight of the fake batteries now.

 

I bought a 30,000mah power bank, weight seemed good, but it could only 1/2 charge my phone once, indicating a real storage of 2,000mah.

 

Ripped it open earlier this week to find ........ 1x 10,000mah battery (which appears to be fake) plus 2 sheets of steel to up the weight.

 

Just purchased a 20,000mah battery from Lazada for 320bht, which I'm hoping is real, to put in the fake power bank enclosure.

Edited July 23 by BritManToo

[Muhendis]

24 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Nah, they've matched the weight of the fake batteries now.

 

I bought a 30,000mah power bank, weight seemed good, but it could only 1/2 charge my phone once, indicating a real storage of 2,000mah.

 

Ripped it open earlier this week to find ........ 1x 10,000mah battery (which appears to be fake) plus 2 sheets of steel to up the weight.

Was it locally made or did it come from China?

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

Was it locally made or did it come from China?

Purchased from a Lazada seller based in Thailand. But everything is sourced from China these days. The electronics seem good, new batteries still charging. 

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

Smarttech Shop on Lazada has sent me consistently good batteries, never had a dud from them.

 

Since I have to replace the cells in a couple of our deco lights I need to order a few 18650s. 

 

Which of the plethora of cells in their shop would you recommend as known good??

[phetphet]

Nitecore. But not cheap. Over THB500. Might be better to just buy multiple cheap ones and keep swapping them out.

[Danderman123]

33 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Since I have to replace the cells in a couple of our deco lights I need to order a few 18650s. 

 

Which of the plethora of cells in their shop would you recommend as known good??

Panasonic 18650B have a very long working lifetime. The batteries sold by Smarttech Shop are real, other shops sell fakes.

[KhunLA]

On 4/20/2022 at 6:18 PM, KhunLA said:

Neither the Panasonic nor the Sony 'flagship' store on LAZ offers 18650s.

 

Buyer beware

 

On 4/20/2022 at 4:04 PM, KhunLA said:

Anyone considering 18650s and size/space isn't an issue, you may want 

to move up a level or 2.

https://www.batterypowertips.com/18650-21700-30700-4680-and-other-li-ions-whats-the-difference-faq/#:~:text=The 21700 has about 50,on the internal cell construction.

@Crossy  Found this LAZMALL vendor, (only one I noticed) selling Panasonic 18650 batteries, along with LiitoKala charger if needing.  Other vendors, not sure I'd trust, and have some silly low prices.

 

I rigged a charging thingy, just to keep a few charged up, as flashlights they came in crapped out.  Saving for when needed, and charge them (not unattended and outside ) with cheap charging cable from cheap drones.  

Edited July 23 by KhunLA

[CallumWK]

On 7/1/2024 at 10:22 AM, Danderman123 said:

Lazada sells many 18650 batteries, some fake, some real.

 

Best to read the online reviews of the specific battery you want to buy.

 

Very hard to find anything that isn't fake on those sites these days, and then I don't mean just batteries.

Everything with a brandname, but which is more than 10% cheaper than from the manufacturer, will 100% be a fake.

Reading reviews doesn't help, because when you return a product for a refund on Lazada and Shopee, you are not allowed to write a review.