Lithium 18650 Battery Quality Control Issues

[ZombieCake]

Here's a link to a video by Adam Savage (formerly of Mythbusters) about some of the problems with 18650 batteries. A company CT scanned a load of batteries with surprising results as to build quality. It seems some of the cheap / knock off ones are not good and could have bad outcomes further down the line. Branded items from a well known sweet maker gave them cause for concern. I guess cheap ones and / or those with dubious claims ought to be looked at twice. There's a link to the report in the YouTube description.

 

[wormster]

Hmmm CT scanning eh?? We do that regularly with new cell batches to compare against our database. Oh yeah we also vibration and thermal / vacuum test as well as accelerated life tests.

From a professional point of view Moli cells from either Taiwan or Canada are about the best with Sony running a close second.

If the cells have the word fire in the name - Run Away.

 

[wormster]

BTW: CT scans will only determine internal build quality, not overall performance!!!!

 

[Tangent_tracker]

Hmmm CT scanning eh?? We do that regularly with new cell batches to compare against our database. Oh yeah we also vibration and thermal / vacuum test as well as accelerated life tests.

From a professional point of view Moli cells from either Taiwan or Canada are about the best with Sony running a close second.

If the cells have the word fire in the name - Run Away.

what, even the one's with "Trust" in the name?
On a serious note, I have not come across Mollicell before... Just found EVE cells which, whilst not perhaps as good at higher loads, might make for a nice battery pack cell!

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Ultrafire's logo is even a fire, if that's not a clear warning...

 

[wormster]

Molicel - Ultra-high Power Cell Manufacturer

A leading manufacturer of high-performance lithium-ion batteries designed for energy storage, electric vehicles, and advanced applications.

www.molicel.com

 

[ChrisB]

Hmmm - "batteries designed for energy storage" - is there any other kind?

 

[wormster]

Put it this way - you don't want to be putting a "hot start" cell into your caving lamp!!

 

[Lankyman]

Ultrafire's logo is even a fire, if that's not a clear warning...

Looks like they're a 'Murican company. They have a useful range of products for law enforcement such as 'tactical flashlights' which might be useful for operating above the Arctic Circle at this time of year?

https://www.ultrafire.com/collections/law-enforcement

 

[alanw]

Hmmm - "batteries designed for energy storage" - is there any other kind?

The Battery, Senhouse Roman Museum, Maryport, Cumberland

The Battery, Senhouse Roman Museum is a Grade II listed building in Maryport, Cumberland, England. See why it was listed, view it on a map, see visitor comments and photos and share your own comments and photos of this building.

britishlistedbuildings.co.uk

Just up the road from my parent's house.

 

[ChrisJC]

Search 'battery' on etymonline

Search results for 'battery' on etymonline

www.etymonline.com

 

[alanw]

Here's a link to Lumafield's report.

Looking at this image, the best brands (out of the manufacturers tested) are Murata, Samsung, Panasonic, Efest and Vapcell.

View attachment 25126

 

[wormster]

They sure are

 

[wormster]

All I will say is:

"You pay your money and take the choice!!!"

I would rather pay $6 a cell for a decent O.E.M cell than $2 for a dogy knock off cell.

 

[MarkJ]

Slightly different but related subject. Has anyone noticed differences in quality between Fenix 18650 3400mAh and 4000mAh? I don't know if it is my imagination but the 4000mAh seems a little less bright and doesn't seem to last much longer than the 3400mAh. It makes me wonder whether in trying to get higher capacity other things suffer

 

[Stuart France]

Some caver has recently passed me a brand new 18650 cell. Bought from "Alley" I believe. Yellow sleeve, claims to be 9800mAh, yeah, right! Won't charge, won't deliver any current. It reads 1.3 volts on a meter. He has several others like it, some non-working, all of them rattle. Packaging claims to have short-circuit and all the other abuse protection. When I shake it, it rattles from something loose inside, certainly significant air inside it. I've started taking it to pieces and found no protective PCBs at either end of the battery.

Has anyone come across anything like this - before I hacksaw it open to discover what's rattling around inside the can!

 

[MarkJ]

before I hacksaw it open to discover what's rattling around inside the can!

I'm guessing you are already aware, but in case not, be careful not to pierce the cells inside if/when cutting it open. Even if discharged it can be very dramatic...

 

[ZombieCake]

Before you operations put The Prodigy of the stereo, namely Firestarter.
Don't go messing around with lithium batteries, once started the fire won't stop. Anything that claims 9800mAh (or over 4000mAh) is a fake as it's physically impossible to get that rating in an 18650.

 

[wormster]

If you are VERY careful!!

It is possible to dis assemble a cylindrical cell using a standard 30mm plumbers pipe cutter and a Dremel tool with a red cutting disc!!

Hacksaw is a bit overkill!!!!

 

[Stuart France]

I know that 9800mAh is absurd. My own 18650 batteries are Sanyo 3300mAh and nothing rattles inside those - obviously the innards are a tight fit. There are some threads on Reddit about 'rattling' 18650 cells which all advise binning them.

I'm just curious as to what's in (or not in) these yellow ones. There's no limits when it comes to deception. I'm wondering if they've fitted an AA-size battery inside a 18650 can and left a load of fresh air around it? I'll get my Dremel and pipe cutter on the case (ha ha) shortly!