Thread: 18650 Thermal Batteries

If you can use non-protected batteries in your devices, I've bought from this seller before when building up battery packs, good to deal with and honest about products (2nd hand). I've always gotten at least 90%,typically 100% of rated capacity from cells I've bought from him.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...ing/5129563756

Also if you are in Chch Ecotech Services sells used Li ion 18650 cells in good nick, a couple of bucks each. I've bought many from them for various uses, some I add a protection circuit if needed, its not difficult.

Originally Posted by bjp

If you can use non-protected batteries in your devices, I've bought from this seller before when building up battery packs, good to deal with and honest about products (2nd hand). I've always gotten at least 90%,typically 100% of rated capacity from cells I've bought from him.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...ing/5129563756

Also if you are in Chch Ecotech Services sells used Li ion 18650 cells in good nick, a couple of bucks each. I've bought many from them for various uses, some I add a protection circuit if needed, its not difficult.

Thanks for this. I just bought 20 off your bloke on Trademe for $52 landed.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Thanks for this. I just bought 20 off your bloke on Trademe for $52 landed.

He actually credited me $7 so cheaper still. $2.25 each delivered.

At that price you don't fell so precious about them, aye. I've got a little powerbank case from Aliexpress that can take 1 or 2 (they are in parallel, so doesn't matter how many), so can then just carry loose cells and use them in headtorch, thermal or to charge phone, whatever is needed. At the moment I just place masking tape over the ends to avoid short circuiting, keep meaning to find a storage case. Though just had a thought, I might just stitch up a bit neoprene a bit like a shotshell holder... definitely wouldn't want to risk short circuiting one without built-in protection!

get the nitecore ones.

When I was a torchaholic the best batteries around were the Panasonic 3400mAh ones. Still got them after a few years and all going strong. If you have something that only takes one battery you can disassemble a laptop battery pack and pull the 18650s out of there since it's usually only 1 or 2 that crap themselves and make the battery "bung" Bear in mind laptop ones don't have the protection circuit so be careful charging them but I haven't had any problems with any of mine

I bought my spare 18650 batteries from AliExpress. They are fantastic. They arrived with no issue.

These fit my thermal. I bought 21700 batteries for my headlamp from the same supplier.

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ms1a8cB

I've just paid for 2 on Aliexpress. Says they are Panasonic. I'm not sure if they are genuine.

I was told not to use protected batteries in my Sytong thermal?
(flat top 18650)

Although my Nitecore headlamp use's button top protected 18650's

I have bought heaps of cells from this seller, they are cycle tested and he writes the tested capacity on each cell so you know what to expect. I have had 70 total from him over the last 4 years and only 2 of those have gone bad. My charger also records the MAH that goes in on each charge and its always about the same as what is written on the cell.

Beats paying $30 per cell for batteries that are only on par performance wise! I have Nightcore, Sytong, Pard and Fenix branded cells here and they all test about the same as his cells do.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...6?bof=6mqaOakj