These tests below only note my personal opinion for the ESTIMATED ratings for the batteries I tested at the time I tested them. Any battery that is not a genuine Samsung, Sony, Murata, LG, Panasonic, Molicel, or Sanyo can change at any time! This can be one of the hazards of using “rewrapped” or batteries from other manufacturers so carefully research any battery you are considering using before purchasing.
Misusing or mishandling lithium-ion batteries can pose a SERIOUS RISK of property damage, personal injury, or even death. Never use them outside of a fully protected battery pack and you use them at your own risk. Never exceed the battery’s true continuous discharge rating (CDR), never let it get colder than 0°C or hotter than 60°C, and keep the plastic wrap and top insulating ring in perfect condition. Never use a battery that is physically damaged in any way.
Testing batteries at their limits is dangerous and should never be attempted by anyone who has not thoroughly studied the dangers involved, understands the risks, has the proper equipment, and takes all appropriate safety precautions.
If the battery has only one current rating number, or if it only says "max", then I have to assume the battery is rated at that current level for any type of discharge, including continuous.
Test Results
I did some preliminary testing of these pre-production (sample) cells for my Patreon supporters a few weeks ago and they were incredible. Here’s the full test report.
This is the best performing 18650 we can buy for any use above about 10A (about 30W). At about 10A or lower this cell still performs almost as well as any other 18650, within 4% or less of their run time. Even when compared to 3500mAh cells.
This is due to the 30B’s low internal resistance, which results in less voltage sag. That keeps the voltage higher for longer as it discharges and results in longer run times.
The one page spec sheet only lists a temperature-limited (to 80°C) current rating of 30A. But in my testing the cell reached about 80°C when discharged all the way down to 2.5V so you might be able to use it continuously at 30A as long as these cells are not in a battery pack or used on a hot day. Otherwise, consider it to be a 25A cell (or perhaps lower in a battery pack).
If running them at above 20A continuously I recommend testing them in your application first to be sure you never exceed 80°C. I recommend staying below 60°C to help prevent accelerated aging and damage.
The two pre-production sample cells I tested delivered 2934mAh and 2946mAh. This is fantastic consistency, and meets the cell’s minimum spec of 2900mAh, but they didn’t meet their “typical capacity” spec of 3000mAh. Since I cannot have the lowest capacity cells in the batch I’m rating them at 2900mAh.
But even with this lower capacity they still perform as described earlier and the full production cells might even be a little bit better.
www.18650batterystore.com and www.liionwholesale.com are out of stock in the US but www.nkon.nl in Europe lists them as in stock. I don’t know who else might be selling them now, you’ll have to look around. Hopefully vendors get some big shipments in soon but it could be months before that happens.
Continuous Current Discharge Graphs
Ratings and Performance Specs Graphic
18650 Ratings and E-Scores Table:
www.e-cigarette-forum.com
20700/21700 Ratings and E-Scores Table:
www.e-cigarette-forum.com
I want to work for the community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability, battery testing and news, and a say in what I test, then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: Battery Mooch | Patreon.
To see how other cells have tested check out this link: Links To All 21700, 26650, 18350, 18500 Battery Tests
Misusing or mishandling lithium-ion batteries can pose a SERIOUS RISK of property damage, personal injury, or even death. Never use them outside of a fully protected battery pack and you use them at your own risk. Never exceed the battery’s true continuous discharge rating (CDR), never let it get colder than 0°C or hotter than 60°C, and keep the plastic wrap and top insulating ring in perfect condition. Never use a battery that is physically damaged in any way.
Testing batteries at their limits is dangerous and should never be attempted by anyone who has not thoroughly studied the dangers involved, understands the risks, has the proper equipment, and takes all appropriate safety precautions.
If the battery has only one current rating number, or if it only says "max", then I have to assume the battery is rated at that current level for any type of discharge, including continuous.
Test Results
I did some preliminary testing of these pre-production (sample) cells for my Patreon supporters a few weeks ago and they were incredible. Here’s the full test report.
This is the best performing 18650 we can buy for any use above about 10A (about 30W). At about 10A or lower this cell still performs almost as well as any other 18650, within 4% or less of their run time. Even when compared to 3500mAh cells.
This is due to the 30B’s low internal resistance, which results in less voltage sag. That keeps the voltage higher for longer as it discharges and results in longer run times.
The one page spec sheet only lists a temperature-limited (to 80°C) current rating of 30A. But in my testing the cell reached about 80°C when discharged all the way down to 2.5V so you might be able to use it continuously at 30A as long as these cells are not in a battery pack or used on a hot day. Otherwise, consider it to be a 25A cell (or perhaps lower in a battery pack).
If running them at above 20A continuously I recommend testing them in your application first to be sure you never exceed 80°C. I recommend staying below 60°C to help prevent accelerated aging and damage.
The two pre-production sample cells I tested delivered 2934mAh and 2946mAh. This is fantastic consistency, and meets the cell’s minimum spec of 2900mAh, but they didn’t meet their “typical capacity” spec of 3000mAh. Since I cannot have the lowest capacity cells in the batch I’m rating them at 2900mAh.
But even with this lower capacity they still perform as described earlier and the full production cells might even be a little bit better.
www.18650batterystore.com and www.liionwholesale.com are out of stock in the US but www.nkon.nl in Europe lists them as in stock. I don’t know who else might be selling them now, you’ll have to look around. Hopefully vendors get some big shipments in soon but it could be months before that happens.
Continuous Current Discharge Graphs
Ratings and Performance Specs Graphic
18650 Ratings and E-Scores Table:
18650 Battery Ratings and Performance Table
You are responsible for your own safety! These batteries are designed, manufactured, and sold only for use in a battery pack with the proper protection circuitry and battery management system. They were not designed for vaping (electronic...
www.e-cigarette-forum.com
20700/21700 Ratings and E-Scores Table:
20700 + 21700 Battery Ratings and Performance Table
You are responsible for your own safety! These batteries are designed, manufactured, and sold only for use in a battery pack with the proper protection circuitry and battery management system. They were not designed for vaping (electronic...
www.e-cigarette-forum.com
I want to work for the community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability, battery testing and news, and a say in what I test, then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: Battery Mooch | Patreon.
To see how other cells have tested check out this link: Links To All 21700, 26650, 18350, 18500 Battery Tests
