It is difficult to find an area where there are no electrical appliances. Mobile sources represent rechargeable batteries and disposable batteries that power the consumer by converting chemical energy into electrical energy. Lithium-ion batteries are electronic pairs with active components containing lithium salts. In shape, the battery resembles a disposable finger battery, but somewhat larger, has hundreds of charging cycles, refers to Li-ion 18650 batteries.
Lithium-ion battery manufacturing based on company sites Sanyo, Sony, Panasonic, LG Chem, Samsung SDI, Skme, Moli, BAK, Lishen, ATL, HYB... Other firms buy items, repackage them, claiming to be their own. They also write false information about the product on the shrink wrap. There are currently no 18650 Li-ion batteries with a capacity higher than 3600mAh.
The main difference between batteries and batteries is the possibility of multiple recharging. All batteries are designed for a voltage of 1.5 V, the product has a li-ion output of 3.7 V. The 18650 form factor means a lithium battery 65 mm long, 18 mm in diameter.
18650 Lithium Battery Working Mode Specifications:
Major manufacturers produce standard 18650 lithium batteries without protection board. This controller, made in the form of an electronic circuit, is installed on top of the housing, slightly lengthening it. The board is located in front of the negative terminal, protects the battery from short-circuit, overcharge, overdischarge. Going to protection in China. There are devices good quality, there is outright swindle - unreliable information, capacity 9000A / h. After installing the protection, the body is placed in a shrink film with inscriptions. Due to the additional design, the body becomes longer and thicker, it may not fit into the intended slot. Its standard size can be 18700, increase due to additional actions. If an 18650 battery is used to create a 12V battery that has a common charge controller, breakers on individual Li-ion cells are not needed.
The purpose of the protection is to ensure the operation of the energy source in the specified parameters. When charging with a simple charger, the protection will not allow overcharging and turn off the power in time if the 18650 lithium battery sat down to a voltage of 2.7 V.
There is a marking on the surface of the battery case. Here you can find complete information on the technical properties. In addition to the date of manufacture, expiration date and brand of the manufacturer, the device of the 18650 lithium batteries is encrypted, and the consumer qualities associated with this aspect.
Positions 2,3,4 are called "high-current", they are used for flashlights, binoculars, cameras.
Lithium ferrophosphate batteries have the ability to work at deep minus, recover at deep discharge. Undervalued in the market.
By the marking, you can determine that this is a lithium rechargeable battery of the letter - I R. If there are letters C / M / F - the material of the cathode is known. The capacity indicated by mA / h will be displayed. The date of issue and the expiry date are located in different places.
You should know that manufacturers of rechargeable lithium batteries do not have products with a capacity of more than 3 600 mAh. In order to repair a laptop battery or collect a new one, you need to purchase batteries without protection. For use in a single copy, you need to buy elements with protection.
If, when buying an expensive device, you doubt the veracity of the information on the case, there are ways to check. In addition to special meters, you can use the tools at hand.
You can determine the capacity of the battery by weight: a lithium battery 18650 with a capacity of 2000mA / h should weigh 40 g. The higher the capacity, the greater the weight. But the bunglers have learned to pour sand into the hull, for heaviness.
Lithium batteries are demanding on terminal voltage parameters. The limiting voltage is 4.2 V, the minimum is 2.7 V. Therefore, the charger works as a voltage regulator, creating 5 V at the output.
The defining indicators are the charging current and the number of cells in the battery, set by yourself. Each cell (bank) must receive a full charge. The power is distributed using a balancer circuit for lithium 18650 batteries. The balancer can be built-in or manually controlled. Good memory is expensive. Do-it-yourself charging for li-ion can be done by anyone who understands electrical diagrams and knows how to solder.
The proposed charger circuit, made by hand for 18650 lithium batteries, is simple, it will turn off the consumer after charging on its own. The cost of components is about $ 4, not a shortage. The device is reliable, will not overheat or catch fire.
Charger circuit for 18650 lithium batteries
In a do-it-yourself charger, the current in the circuit is regulated by the resistor R4. The resistance is selected so that the initial current depends on the capacity of the 18650 lithium battery. What current to charge a li-ion battery if its capacity is 2000 mA / h? 0.5 - 1.0 C will be 1-2 amperes. This is the charging current.
There is a procedure for restoring the performance of a lithium 18650 battery after a voltage drop to working. We restore the capacity measured in ampere hours. Therefore, first we connect the Li-ion battery 18650 form factor to the charger, then we set the charging current with our own hands. The voltage changes over time, the initial 0.5 V. As a stabilizer, the charger is designed for 5 V. To maintain performance, parameters of 40-80% of the capacity are considered favorable.
The charging circuit for a li-ion 18650 battery involves 2 stages. First, you need to raise the voltage at the poles to 4.2 V, then by gradually decreasing the current strength, stabilize the capacitance. The charge is considered full if the current has dropped to a value of 5-7 mA when the power is turned off. The entire charging cycle should not exceed 3 hours.
The simplest single-slot Chinese charger for li-ion 18650 batteries is designed for a charging current of 1 A. But you will have to follow the process yourself, switch it yourself. Universal chargers are expensive, but have a display and run the process on their own.
How to properly charge a Li-ion 18650 battery in a laptop? Connecting a set of energy sources in the gadget through Pover Bank. The battery can be charged from the mains, but it is important to turn off the power as soon as the unit has reached capacity.
If the battery refuses to work, it can manifest itself like this:
Any source can quickly discharge if the capacity is lost. This is what is terrible about overcharging and deep discharge, from which protection is put. But there is no escape from natural aging when storage in a warehouse reduces the capacity of cans every year. There are no regeneration methods, only replacement.
What if the battery does not charge after a deep discharge? How to restore a li-ion 18650? After the controller disconnects the battery, there is still a reserve of energy in it, capable of delivering 2.8-2.4 V voltage at the poles. But the charger does not recognize a charge up to 3.0V, everything below it is zero. Is it possible to wake up the battery, start the chemical reaction again? What should be done to raise the li-ion 18650 charge up to 3.1-3.3V? It is necessary to use a method to "push" the battery, to give it the necessary charge.
Without going into the calculations, use the proposed circuit, mounting it with a 62 ohm (0.5W) resistor. A 5V power supply is used here.
If the resistor heats up, the lithium battery is zero, then there is a short circuit or the protection module is faulty.
How to recover a lithium 18650 battery using a universal charger? Set the charge current to 10 mA, and perform pre-charge, as written in the instructions for the device. After raising the voltage to 3.1 V, charge in 2 stages according to the SONY scheme.
If the cost and quality of a lithium 18650 battery is important to you, use the AliExpress resource. There are a lot of goods here, from different manufacturers. The desired battery is in demand, they like to fake it. Therefore, you need to know the main differences between a good model and a replica.
Be critical of the indicated capacity. Only the best manufacturers have achieved 3600 A / h, the average ones have an indicator of 3000-3200 A / h. The protected battery is 2-3 mm longer and slightly thicker than the unprotected one. But if you are assembling a battery, protection is unnecessary, do not overpay.
Good-quality products are more expensive here too. Note that Ultrafire promises 9000 mAh, but in reality it turns out to be 5-10 times lower. It is better to use a product from a trusted manufacturer, try to always buy the same brand of battery.
We offer you to see the procedure for restoring a lithium 18650 battery
What is an 18650 rechargeable battery?
What is an 18650 rechargeable battery? Sometimes it is also referred to as 168A.
To answer this question, you need to study its characteristics and give examples of use.
Recently, it is this type of battery that is gaining popularity, as it provides the required voltage and capacity. In shape, it resembles "finger" AA and "little finger" AAA batteries. Output voltage - 3.7V. Typical capacity: 2200-3000mAh. AA and AAA batteries have a voltage of 1.5V (AA and AAA batteries have 1.2V).
Most often it is a li-ion battery. The benefits include:
High energy density.
- Low self-discharge.
- Lack of memory effect.
- Simplicity of service.
- Low specific gravity.
There are also disadvantages. Li-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if overcharged and / or overheated. To solve this problem, all household batteries are supplied with a built-in electronic circuit, which prevents recharging and / or overheating due to the charge.
If handled roughly, batteries can fail more often than other types of batteries. A full discharge "kills" the lithium-ion battery. After that, the battery cannot be restored.
Optimal storage conditions for Li-ion batteries are achieved with a 40% charge from the battery capacity at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. In this case, low temperature is more important for low capacity losses during long-term storage. The average shelf life (service life) of a lithium battery is 36 months on average.
Aging is another feature of these batteries. Lithium batteries age even when not in use.
Lithium-polymer and lithium-ion batteries reduce capacity, unlike nickel and nickel-metal hydride, under the influence of charge. The higher the battery charge and storage temperature, the shorter its service life. It is better to store them charged at 40-50%, and at a temperature of 0-10 degrees. Overcharging, like overdischarging, "burns out" the capacity of the battery. (Wikipedia).
And although it resembles finger and little fingers, its size is much larger. Length 66.5 mm. Pay attention to the line "With Re / Discharging Protection Circuit" (the batteries have protection against full discharge of overcharge). When the voltage is more than 4.25V, the protection board blocks the charging so as not to damage the battery. The same thing happens when the voltage is less than 2.75V. A small thickening near the positive contact is the battery protection board.
Diameter - 18mm. For comparison, let's write side by side the sizes of 2 other types of batteries:
AAA: 44 * 10.5mm
18650: 66.5 * 18mm
This is what AA, AAA and 18650 look like together.
It is used where a large capacity is needed. In our example, these are LED lights. The left lamp has an AAA battery, the average is AA battery, the right lamp has a CREE SST-50 LED. It requires a lot of power to work. The 18650 battery is ideal, which is why the flashlight is made for it. Some lights are designed so that an adapter for 3 AAA batteries can be installed instead of an 18650 battery. In this case, the voltage practically coincides: 3.7V and 4.5V (= 1.5V * 3). In this case, of course, there is a loss of battery capacity.
It should also be noted that it is from these elements that laptop batteries are recruited.
Updated: 21.05.2019 18:36:58
Expert: Vladislav Samoshkin
* Review of the best in the opinion of the editors of the site. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
Recently, we have been using conventional batteries less and less. Yes, they have a low cost - you can buy a set consisting of a pair of batteries even for 100 rubles. But we must not forget that the charge of the batteries dries up quickly enough, especially if they are not used in the remote control. Of course, replacing them regularly won't ruin you. But think about nature! Each kit pollutes the environment. Of course, in theory, batteries can be recycled. But are there many collection points for used batteries in your city? In short, now you understand why more and more people are starting to pay attention to the so-called 18650 batteries. These are lithium-ion power supplies in the form of a regular battery. These batteries can be charged regularly without having to look for or buy new batteries. It is about such power sources that we will talk about in this article.
| Nomination | a place | Name of product | price |
| Rating of the best 18650 batteries | 1 | 1 899 ₽ | |
| 2 | 1,500 ₽ | ||
| 3 | 476 ₽ | ||
| 4 | 539 ₽ | ||
| 5 | 430 ₽ | ||
| 6 | 650 ₽ | ||
| 7 | 750 ₽ | ||
| 8 | 310 ₽ | ||
| 9 | 569 ₽ |
This battery differs from its cheaper counterparts in good protection means. As you know, if you use such a power source for one and a half to two years, then gas can accumulate inside it. This leads to the risk of explosion. This is practically impossible here. First, the cells are arranged in such a way that practically no gas appears. Secondly, under a special cover there are two pressure relief buttons - they are embedded just in case. Also, the product has a built-in short-circuit protection. It consists in a strong metal shell - the only way to damage the battery is with an ax. In short, the battery is as safe as possible.
Externally, the battery is almost identical to an ordinary AA-battery. The only difference is the presence of a micro-USB port here, used for recharging. By the way, it is during the connection to the mains that the second difference becomes noticeable - an indicator light comes on at one of the ends. If it glows red, the battery is being charged. If the product is fully charged, the indicator turns blue - in this case, the wire can be removed from the aforementioned connector.
It should be noted that the battery that got into our rating is slightly longer than a regular battery. This is due to the presence of the protection board - it is located in the anode. It protects the power supply from overcharging, overdischarging and overheating. Perhaps the level of protection here is no less than in power banks designed to recharge a smartphone and other devices. The cathode block turned out to be slightly less thick - it contains only thermal control. The battery also contains a microporous separator.
In total, this battery is designed for 500 charging cycles. It seems that this is enough for the vast majority of users. It is even difficult to imagine how long such a battery will provide for an electric guitar. And there is nothing to say about a flashlight - most likely you will change several flashlights, and the Fenix 18650 ARB-L18-3500U batteries will continue to work. And it is not at all necessary to throw these batteries away after five hundred charge cycles. After such a number of them, the batteries remain operational, just their capacity will be reduced by 70-75%.
In Russian online stores, one such battery is sold for 1800-2000 rubles. This may seem like a brutal price to pay. However, this feeling disappears after you find out that the capacity of one battery is 3500 mAh. This is almost the maximum in this form factor! But in one device you will use two or even three such batteries. In short, it is the best choice for, for example, a bicycle flashlight!
Please note that such a battery should not be charged with an AC adapter with a high current output. Try to find a charger that gives out only 1 A (smartphones that did not support fast charging technology were equipped with this). Ideally, you should get hold of a proprietary charger from the same Fenix company (it will produce a current of 0.8 A).
This AA battery also has a very high capacity. To be precise, this parameter reaches 3600 mAh here. It turns out that installing two power supplies will give you 7200mAh. Even the most powerful bicycle flashlight with such batteries will be able to shine for a whole night. Well, and even less powerful devices such a reserve of capacity will generally be enough for some almost infinite period.
It should be noted that this is a slightly less expensive battery. For one copy in Russian retail, they ask for about 1,500 rubles. It is produced by a company controlled by Panasonic. Already knowing this, there is no doubt about the quality of the product.
This battery is a lithium-ion battery. Unlike cheaper competitors, this model has a fast charging speed. The manufacturer also tried to reduce the self-discharge to a minimum value.
The battery is based on an electronic safety board. This structural element controls both internal and external stress. It also monitors current loads. This microcircuit protects against overcharging above 4.25 V. It also saves from discharging below 2.7 V. And this battery is also perfectly protected from short circuits. As for overheating, it is also excluded - for this one should thank the built-in thermal fuse, which disconnects the load circuit if any problems arise.
The casing of this battery has a pleasant turquoise color. The manufacturer recommends putting your creations in high-power devices. In particular, such a battery will come in handy for the owner of a powerful flashlight, including a bicycle one. For you to understand, this power supply is capable of delivering a maximum discharge current of 10 A!
The battery is very reliable. The manufacturer assures that the battery will withstand at least 500 charge cycles. And even after such a period, the power source can be used, just its capacity will slightly decrease. To recharge this battery, you must use a device that produces a current of no more than 1 A.
Unfortunately, there are no pressure relief vents here. But you shouldn't be afraid. Gas formation is only possible if the battery is at least slightly damaged. It seems that you are unlikely to throw it on the asphalt and perform other similar actions with it. But the lack of a micro-USB port will definitely disappoint someone. This means that the owner of such batteries will also need a charger in which AA batteries are installed.
In a word, if the Olight 18650 ORB-186P36 has some drawbacks, then they are completely insignificant. If you see this representative of our rating in the nearest store, then you can safely make a purchase - you will definitely not be disappointed in such a power source!
The Japanese company Sony has been producing batteries and accumulators for many years. Its AA batteries have been regularly used by us in cassette and CD players. Now the manufacturer has switched to the creation of batteries belonging to the same cylindrical form factor. In particular, in stores you can find a battery called 18650 VTC5. Surprisingly, when designing it, the Japanese decided to focus on the final cost of the product, and not on its characteristics.
To begin with, this battery has the simplest design possible. The Japanese did not supply the battery with a beautiful logo and other drawings. Instead, a green battery is waiting for you, which only has a stamp with the production date and some other technical information. As for the capacity, it is 2600 mAh. The maximum product can deliver a current of 30 A. This will be enough even for the brightest bicycle flashlight, not to mention less powerful devices.
This battery takes approximately three hours to charge. However, this parameter depends on the charger used - it is possible that you will have to wait a little longer. But we can say for sure about the insecurity of the battery. The fact is that the manufacturer did his best to lower the price tag. As a result, they ask for no more than 550 rubles for the product, which, against the background of the two models discussed above, seems like a penny. That is why there is no protection against short circuits and other problems. In short, use the Sony 18650 VTC5 with maximum care. A charged battery does not need to be hit with heavy objects, and the charger must not deliver too much current. If you follow all the rules of operation, then such a battery will last about one and a half to two years.
If you are intimidated by the simplest design, then additionally buy a heat shrink. A set of four usually costs 140-150 rubles.
As you already understood, this is one of the most affordable batteries in our rating. It is not surprising that many online stores sell them, while buying the models discussed above is much more difficult.
The manufacturer of this 18650 battery even decided in the name to indicate that its product is protected. Indeed, despite the low cost, the battery has received protection from overcharging and discharging. And is it important! For example, if you do not turn off a powerful bicycle flashlight in time, it can drain the battery from Sony "to zero". After that, you will no longer be able to charge it. This cannot happen with a ROBITON 18650-3000. He is also not afraid of a cheap charger, which is not able to determine the moment when the battery is fully charged.
This battery has a familiar design - the insulation contains the manufacturer's logo, capacity, and other technical characteristics. By the way, the product's capacity is 3000 mAh. Not a record, but this parameter cannot be called low either. As for the cost, in Russia it is about 700 rubles. It turns out that the purchase of a pair of batteries will cost 1,500 rubles, even taking into account the delivery. It seems to us that this is an acceptable amount. Remember powerbanks - 6000 mAh units are slightly cheaper. Well, you definitely can't connect them to a flashlight.
The manufacturer claims that it is creating this battery based on Samsung batteries. Unfortunately, the discharge current here does not exceed 3.5 A. This is sad. It is possible that this will not be enough for some especially powerful lamps, including those designed for night cycling. However, the manufacturer had to save money! The low level of short circuit protection should also be noted. The insulating layer turned out to be not very strong, so you should not expose this battery to physical stress, it is fraught with an explosion or simply damage to the battery.
There is no doubt that this product is capable of surviving 300 charge cycles. Even if you do night cycling all summer long, this will last for several years of battery life. If it means less frequent use of batteries, then you will never need to replace them at all.
Perhaps this is the best choice for those who do not want to spend a lot of money on 18650 batteries. Of course, you will not get the maximum level of protection, but it is difficult to find fault with the rest of the characteristics. If you do not talk about the power of the current output, of course.
If we recall the Japanese companies, whose batteries we used 10-15 years ago, then the Panasonic brand immediately comes to mind. The batteries that spread under it usually had a very low cost, while they were enough for a fairly long operation of the device. It is almost impossible to find such batteries now. But on the other hand, the stores sell NCR18650B batteries.
As with Sony batteries, these batteries are also colored green. Here, too, there is no manufacturer's logo and other design delights - on the insulating layer there is only a stamp with technical and some other information. For example, the nominal capacity is reported here as 3400 mAh. This is an excellent result that will suit even the owners of powerful flashlights and other devices that consume electricity with great appetite. Such people should also be satisfied with the discharge current, which can vary from 1.6 to 6 A. By the way, it is the first value that makes it clear that 18650 batteries are not suitable for use in "Tetris" or a remote control - they need batteries with low current output.
The manufacturer warns that its products must be inserted into devices that have a discharge controller. The fact is that the Panasonic NCR18650B does not include a protection board. This means that the battery itself is not protected from overdischarge in any way. He does not understand the power source and the moment when it is fully charged, so the choice of the charger must also be approached wisely.
In a word, this is the simplest battery that should be purchased if necessary to save money. For one copy in Russian stores they ask for about 430 rubles. But don't rely on a long product life. It is unlikely to survive 300-500 charge cycles.
The best choice if you need to save money can also be considered products distributed under the ANSMANN brand. However, this does not mean that such a battery has an extremely low price tag. No, Russian online stores ask for almost 800 rubles. But you get a protected battery. The manufacturer assures that his creation is protected from short circuit and deep discharge. This means that the device with ANSMANN batteries installed inside can be damaged - it is unlikely that this will lead to an explosion or even a fire. Well, protection against deep discharge allows you to use these power sources in devices without a power controller - for example, in cheap flashlights.
The protection circuit installed here also saves the product in case of overload. This means that even some kind of malfunction in the electronic cigarette will not lead to the fact that the purchased batteries will have to be thrown away. By the way, the owners of such devices will definitely be satisfied with such a power source. This is evidenced by at least the discharge current, which can reach 5 A.
What did the manufacturer save on? Firstly, he did not build a micro-USB connector here. This means that you have to get a charger that accepts AA batteries. But the biggest disappointment is the capacity of ANSMANN 18650 batteries. Here it is 2600 mAh. Very far from the record, which we talked about at the very beginning of this rating. However, only owners of bright lights can complain about this parameter. They really have to spend money on some bigger batteries. The rest, as it seems, the above-mentioned capacity reserve is quite enough.
At the very beginning of this collection, it was said about the 18650 battery, which supported charging using a USB cable. But that copy had a very high price tag. Are there similar cheaper options? Oddly enough, yes. The micro-USB connector has a power supply called Rombica NEO X8 18650. Moreover, this battery is equipped with a corresponding cable! But many people will immediately throw it away. The fact is that the wire has a very short length - about 10 cm. Of course, such a battery can literally be hung under the charger if it is plugged into a wall outlet. But it looks unaesthetic.
So, what else can such a battery boast of? Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is cost. 1000 rubles is far from the lowest price. However, you are unlikely to find an even more affordable 18650 battery with a charging connector, if we talk exclusively about products from well-known brands. Also, someone will appreciate the nice design with a figure eight for the entire battery. By the way, next to the technical information is the PCT logo. This means that high quality is guaranteed.
As expected, the product received a charging indicator. With its help, you will know in time that the battery is fully charged. However, this battery can be kept connected to the mains for any length of time - it is protected from overcharging. The only pity is that the manufacturer does not inform about other means of protection. It is completely unclear if the battery is protected against short circuits? Can it be used in devices that do not have a power controller - for example, flashlights? No, all 18650 batteries can be used in similar flashlights. But not all of them are protected from deep discharge, after which the power supply can be thrown away. In a word, I would like to get answers to these questions, getting rid of experiences.
Unfortunately, this is one of the smallest representatives of our rating. If you want to use a battery like this in a powerful bike light that illuminates the entire park, then 1900 mAh may not seem like enough. And it will be enough for some electronic cigarette, not to mention simpler devices.
Perhaps this is a great option for those who do not have a specific charger designed for use with AA batteries. However, try to charge the Rombica NEO X8 18650 using the simplest AC adapter possible. You shouldn't use a powerful 2 A charger - it's not a fact that the built-in protection board will be able to limit the current.
In this rating, there are 18650 batteries from well-known manufacturers. But they are all remarkably similar. For some unknown reason, large companies do not want to actively advertise their brand on the packaging of their goods. As you might have guessed, the Samsung ICR18650-26HM battery also has a solid color. No, there is a mention of the trademark, but only in the form of a stamp, among the rest of the technical information.
There is no protection board in this battery. In fact, this is just a blank for some other company specializing in the production of similar products. But this does not mean that the blank cannot be used now.
The capacity of this product is 2600mAh. It seems that this will be enough for most buyers. In fact, even this parameter seems astronomical when you see the price tag. In Russian retail, this power source is sold for only 270 rubles! The only pity is that you additionally need to get a special charger, into which AA batteries are installed. And try to buy a quality model equipped with a fan, otherwise you may face overheating. If everything is in order, then wait for the battery to recharge in just 2.5 or 3 hours.
The manufacturer assures that his creation will withstand approximately 800 charge cycles. It seems to us that the implication is that after such a number of cycles, the battery will completely lose its capacity. We are sure that certain losses will begin after 150-200 cycles. However, this is also an acceptable number.
Recently, batteries distributed under a Russian brand began to appear on the virtual shelves of online stores. Moreover, some of them come in packaging, where most of the information is in English. This suggests that the manufacturer is going to sell his goods not only in Russia, but also abroad. For example, in other countries the Bright BEAM YLP SA1826 will definitely be in demand. This battery is sold for only 500-650 rubles. For a resident of the conditional Spain, this is a penny! Importantly, for this money you will get a battery with a charging connector! This means you do not need to look for a charger designed for AA batteries. Any AC adapter that accepts a USB cable will work. Whether the battery is charged is indicated by a light indicator located on one of the ends. The cable is not supplied with the battery, but this does not seem to be a problem.
Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not specify what protection this battery is equipped with. But there is no doubt that overcharge protection is present here - otherwise there would be no point in equipping this battery with a micro-USB port. But there may be no other means of protection here. This means that you need to carefully use the battery in flashlights and other devices that do not have discharge control.
The capacity of the product is 2600 mAh. Again, not a record, but for such a price tag it is quite tolerable. It seems that even such a capacity should be enough for the flashlight to glow throughout the night, no matter how powerful it is.
The battery length is 70 mm. The diameter does not exceed 18.6 mm. Alas, the manufacturer does not mention not only the protection technologies used. He does not write about the discharge current either. However, it is definitely not low, because 18650 batteries are created exclusively for flashlights, electronic cigarettes and other sufficiently powerful devices. But the manufacturer still wrote about the service life. The user is waiting for about 500 charging cycles, only after such a number of them the capacity will be reduced to an unacceptable value.
Such is the result of a domestically produced battery. Perhaps this is the best choice for those who have not yet tried such a battery in business. It is possible that in the future you will want a more powerful model with a record capacity and enhanced current output. But it is also possible that the battery will suit you for many years.
This is the list of the best 18650 batteries. Keep in mind that not all devices support the use of such batteries. For example, smart scales, which Expertology talked about recently, are in standby mode most of the time, and therefore their manufacturers recommend using ordinary batteries. In a word, before installing the batteries, be sure to read the instruction manual.
The li ion 18650 battery is a cylindrical battery. It is not much different from the usual AA batteries "finger", but they are large. They are 66 mm long and 18 mm in diameter.
Curbing
All 18650 batteries can be divided into types according to the cathode material. It is on this component that the main operational characteristics of the batteries depend: the capacity and the possible discharge current.
The most common batteries are lithium-cobalt batteries. They differ from other batteries in their high capacity value. Therefore, they can be operated longer.
There is also a group of lithium-manganese batteries. Compared to lithium-cobalt, they have a lower capacity, but at the same time they have a higher discharge current.
The last group is lithium ferrophosphate batteries. Despite the fact that they do not have a large capacity and do not differ in high voltage, they can be operated for more than 1000 cycles. In addition, until fully charged, you need to hold the batteries in the station for 1 hour.
The safety requirements for the operation of lithium-ion batteries state that the voltage inside the batteries must be in the range of 2.5-4.2 volts. It is very difficult to control this parameter on your own, so a board with protection was specially designed for this. This element prevents the voltage from going beyond the specified range.
Manufacturers solder this board to the pins using steel or aluminum tape. Large nutrient factories rarely release such protections. The devices for which they are made have charge-discharge controllers. These are batteries for laptops, screwdrivers and other complex blocks.
Most of the protected lithium-ion 18650 batteries are produced by Chinese manufacturers. A protective board is soldered onto an unprotected battery and wrapped in a special thermal protective material. Their length, due to the use of the board, increases by several millimeters.
All devices that do not have an element for monitoring the state of the battery are best equipped with protected batteries. Otherwise, they may fail, discharging to zero, or explode. In this case, the protection will not be able to prevent overheating of the battery. It monitors the state of the voltage.
As an example, consider the ICR18650-26F M.
At the same time, the marking may vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer.
The scope of application of batteries and the frequency of their use is much wider than it seems to many. Due to the fact that they are closed in special protection, they are not always visible.
Installed in the following devices:
They are used wherever conventional finger-type batteries are unable to cope with the task. Li ion 18650 batteries have higher capacity and voltage and can be recharged and reused many times.
Compared to AA and AAA batteries, lithium-ion batteries do not have such a noticeable external difference between the positive and negative terminals, but it is quite easy to figure it out:
| Capacity (mAh) | Output voltage (V) | Maximum current (A) | Protection board |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | 3.3 | +/- | |
| 1300 | 3.6 | 18 | +/- |
| 1620 | 3,6-3,7 | 20 | +/- |
| 2000 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-30 | +/- |
| 2100 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-30 | +/- |
| 2200 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-30 | +/- |
| 2400 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-30 | +/- |
| 2500 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 2600 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 2800 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 3000 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 3100 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 3200 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 3350 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 3400 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 3500 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
| 3600 | 3,6-3,7 | 20-35 | +/- |
The table shows the most popular batteries.
Sizes with protection 66.5 * 18 mm and 66 * 18 mm without protection. Average weight is about 40 grams.
Major manufacturers: Samsung, Fenix, Avant, LG, Panasonic, Olight, Camelion, Proconnect, Rombica, SANYO and SONY.
Lithium-ion batteries differ from each other in several ways. Because of this, it is necessary to pay attention to their type and specifications before making a purchase.
When choosing a li ion 18650 battery, you must pay attention to the following characteristics:
If you need to purchase batteries with greater autonomy, then you need to pay attention to the capacity, which is measured in mAh. But, the higher the capacity indicator is, the less current will be. Therefore, by sacrificing one, you can acquire another. In simple terms, the current strength affects the tendency of the battery to overheat.
The battery voltage depends on the charge. The voltage can be nominal, minimum, maximum and real. The manufacturer indicates the initial voltage on the packaging. It is important that its value does not fall below 2.4 volts, otherwise the battery will be extremely difficult to reanimate. If you use batteries that do not withstand high temperatures, you may witness an explosion.
Batteries can be purchased with cases, with the help of which several elements are connected into one large one. If you connect several such batteries using cases in parallel, then the capacity will increase by as much as the number of batteries connected 3600 * 3 = 10800 mAh. In this case, the voltage will be equal to the voltage of one battery. The duration of their use depends on the capacity.
Parallel connection of 18650 batteries They can be connected in series. In this case, the voltage will add up, and the capacity will remain equal to one battery. This can be done using a special case. By connecting 3 batteries of 3.7 v each, we get an 11.1 volt 3600 mAh battery.
Series connection of 18650 batteries There are several effective ways find out the capacity of any battery. Some of them do not require special costs or special equipment, but only simple mathematical calculations.
The accuracy of these methods is not as high as when using special devices, but they allow you to know the approximate capacity. For many, this will be enough.
So, to calculate the capacitance using the free method, you need to use a known current. The battery characteristics contains information about the current. A battery with a capacity of 3600 is charged for 36 hours with a current of 100 mAh. This means that the end result is obtained by multiplying two components: time and current. Therefore, knowing how much is required to fully charge, you can find out the capacity.
To measure the capacitance in another way, you will need to spend money. There are many smart chargers with which you can quickly measure capacity. They can be purchased from a specialist store or aliexpress. They are used to measure various metrics, not just capacitance.
Real capacitance measuring device To implement the third method, you will need parts such as a battery, a clock, an ammeter with a flashlight. It is necessary to insert the battery into the flashlight, turn it on at maximum power. An ammeter is needed to measure current. If the flashlight shines for 20 hours with a current consumption of 100 mA, then we get 20 * 100 = 2000 mAh.
Lithium-ion cells can be charged by different stations. The main thing is that the voltage value is 5 V, and the current is from 0.5 to 1 of the nominal capacity of the battery. A lithium cell with a capacity of 2600 mAh is charged with a current of 1.3 to 2.6 amperes.
The entire charging period can be divided into several stages. First, the unit, using a current of 0.2 of the capacity value, charges for an hour. In this case, the voltage value varies within 4.1-4.2 volts. Further, the tension increases.
In order not to clog your head, you just need to buy a charger for finger batteries.
The 18650 battery can only be recovered if it is not fully discharged. Sometimes even an incompletely discharged battery is difficult to reanimate. But there is one option, which is far from being known to everyone, with disabling the board.
It is performed like this:
If the battery starts charging, then it is still alive and can be restored.
There are still questions about Batteries 18650 or have something to add? Then write to us about it in the comments, this will make the material more useful, complete and accurate.
Hello everyone! For a long time I was asked to compare factory 18650 batteries versus fake 18650 batteries from aliexpress.
On the test, there are three cans from Futjitsu-Siemens laptop batteries (blue bank), Lenovo (red bank), HP (green bank). Rechargeable batteries with long shelf life, more than five years. Therefore, their resource is deplorable, but some batteries are still working. The batteries are suitable for powering flashlights or other gadgets, although the batteries are old, they do their job.
Bank numbers:
- LG LGES318650, blue bank;
- Noname NK6M4ED030541, red can;
- Sony US8650GRG5, green bank.
The red battery, as they wrote in the comments, may be a Sanyo bank.
The blue LG battery after disassembly turned out to be not so high quality, I expected more. It can be seen that there is a loose packing of the internal base of the battery, which suggests a short cathode and anode length. The capacity of such a battery will be lower than stated.
When disassembling 18650 batteries or other lithium-ion batteries, it is worth approaching this process with increased accuracy so as not to short-circuit the battery. As you can see in the photo, even neat disassembly led to damage to the cell, which led to the onset of an exothermic reaction with heating of the battery. But since the can was dismantled, this process was limited to the release of an undefined gas, possibly oxygen.
The batteries on the test have a similar internal structure. Only the blue jar features a drain valve and loose packing. The length of the cathode and anode in this jar is shorter than in the red and green ones.
Batteries differ greatly in the structure of the drain valve. The most difficult valve to perform is at the green can. The easiest one is at the blue can. It feels like they saved money in the production of blue cans for LG.
Rechargeable batteries Sony, Noname (red bank, possibly Sanyo) turned out to be of high-quality performance. These accumulators have a complex drain valve, dense packing of battery cells. In all respects, the red bank (possibly Sanyo) and the Sony battery wins. The LG factory bank is of poor quality, but better than the fake one with aliexpress. Disassembly of a fake battery can be seen in the video - youtu.be/r1xHjmWZimI, where the packing density of the inner element is small.
This is how a disassembled battery cell looks like, on which you can see a copper foil - an anode, an aluminum foil - a cathode. The anode is coated with a carbon matrix with embedded lithium ions, which forms the structure of lithium carbon six - LiC6. The cathode consists of an aluminum foil coated with cast cobalt oxide - LiСоO2.
The electrodes are separated from each other by a porous polypropylene separator, and the entire assembly is placed in an electrolyte.
Final table. Measurement parameters are approximate. In my opinion, the red Noname battery (possibly Sanyo) won, but the Sony battery also performed well, which is not to say about the LG bank.
Do not disassemble lithium-ion batteries at home - injure yourself or burn the surrounding area.
Video of the process.
