2nd time buyer 1st time noob

[JBrentonK]

Efest IMR 18650 LiMn 3000mAh Battery - Flat Top - 20 Amp
-

This is my second time buying batteries like these 18650s or whatever. The first time I had a total of 4 and almost caught my house on fire entirely.

I have to know if this battery I am buying is good and I have to know a few things about it,

one question before that though, I heard something about a little ring on the top of batteries? They said keep it. My 4 other batteries I threw away like 4 days ago because I believe I threw away something on them that was this little ring that the guy said to keep. Plz address this question so I don't have to be paranoid forever.

I'm just not sure the 20Amp is good enough. I can buy another efest that is a 30 Amp but it's only 2600 MAH. Now I practically need the MAH because I got tons of devices charging by usb, and I don't need extra ones usb charging.

Btw, if it wasn't for usb charging on 18650 mods I wouldn't be buying a new mod and 18650s. The usb port and usb charging therefore, has officially saved me. But is there anything else I should know? Another important question: will the usb be the only safty precaution I have to watch out for when I get my new mod? I want to only pay attention to the usb because the batteries (18650s) are obviously too dangerous. Plz tell me what I will need to know.

Most people that buy batteries, I'm not suprised that they HAVEN'T caught their houses on fire. I almost did. Is it because I didn't re-wrap them? That's what the store clerk at Dr Vape It's told me (in panama city FL). I heard Li batteries are very dangerous btw. This one is a LiMn. I think it might be dangerous. Is this true? Will I catch my house on fire again? Plz tell me what I need to know that way it won't!

THANK YOU

 

[JBrentonK]

my other question was is 20 amp good enough. plz excuse a nub but still try to adress my question.

 

[Grego]

The 18650 batteries have a insulator ring under the wrap around the positive terminal the negative terminal is the outer body of the battery this is why it is important there are no tears in the wrap surrounding the battery. The insulator ring at the top of battery prevents the battery from shorting. Get a separate battery charger for the 18650. Efest batteries are not the best choice I would not use them personally. Read up in the battery junkies thread all the information you need is there as well as recommendations for battery choice and sellers

 

[burley]

I second the nudge towards a different battery company. LG, Sony, Samsung - all widely available, all much better quality batteries. In-device charging through USB has been the focus of more than a couple battery failures in the past - so much so that I, personally, won't do anything with on-board charging at all. Built-in batteries are a different ballgame, but if it's got removable batteries - those batteries are safest being charged in a standalone charger. That's what standalone battery chargers are for

edit: A 20 amp limit should be fine for most applications - but a little more info on what exactly you're trying to use it with would go a long way in helping people address that.

 

[JBrentonK]

I'm ordering 7 of these batteries. I'll be using them on 3 different Istick 100watts (edit: Istick 100watt TC) and 1 Istick 60 watt.(edit: Istick 60watt TC)

Efest is a very popular battery company and they're supposed to be the best. So I don't get that part.

But I have almost caught my house on fire charging these batterys in charge ports. So, as you would expect, I may not ever use charge ports again. I simply do NOT wish to ruin my batteries, or lose the top piece, or have to re-wrap them.

Also, one final important point. I believe I have been more than professional in asserting each of my questions. Please do not lose light of this fact. Thank you!

 

[burley]

I'm ordering 7 of these batteries. I'll be using them on 3 different Istick 100watts and 1 Istick 60 watt.

Efest is a very popular battery company and they're supposed to be the best. So I don't get that part.

But I have almost caught my house on fire charging these batterys in charge ports. So, as you would expect, I may not ever use charge ports again. I simply do NOT wish to ruin my batteries, or lose the top piece, or have to re-wrap them.

Also, one final important point. I believe I have been more than professional in asserting each of my questions. Please do not lose light of this fact. Thank you!

Are you looking for validation or input? Gotta choose one or the other.

edit -

If you're looking for input - sure, those'll probably work just fine in those devices. I'd recommend, personally, using a different and more reliable battery from a more reputable company, like Sony, LG or Samsung. I would also encourage you to purchase a standalone battery charger and not to use on-board charging features, based purely on personal preference. Not trying to be rude, just offering you the advice that I wish I got when I started out, that's all. Have a good one.

 

[NemesisVaper]

If I remember correctly from my dealings with 3000mAh "20A efest in the past, they're actually rewraped 10A Panasonic.

I bought a pair for a friend, the button tip version for use in a single cell LED torch. I got them because they were the most easy to get button top cell. My local Vape shop had them cheap ad most mods take flat tops and they were having problems selling them for that reason.

I'd not use them above 40W.

As others have very sensibly said, move over to a major manufacturer like Sony, LG or Samsung. Panasonic don't really make cells suitable for high wattage vaping. Panasonic and LG make 3200 and 3500mAh 10A cells that would do great in a DNA 40, but won't be suitable for anything over that 40A. In a DNA 40 they're perfectly safe and offer unrivaled battery life. Even the LG HG2 won't beat them for longevity.

Consider buying from a trusted vendor, and purchasing genuine 20A cells. The Samsung 25R is a great "catch all" cell. High enough rated for 140W with two in series in a regulated mod. Also high enough rated for approx 0.2ohms single cell in a tube mech. In a parallel mech, 30-35A is doable. It will also power those 75W single cell regulated devices, though 75W is starting to push it.

Many people here go to liionwholesale.com for their cells. I don't as I'm in England. Jon from liionwholesale.com posts here quite regularly. He's a nice guy, honest and will tell the truth even if it means missing a sale. If a cell isn't suitable he'll tell you honestly. Mooch also holds him in high regard.

 

[burley]

If I remember correctly from my dealings with 3000mAh "20A efest in the past, they're actually rewraped 10A Panasonic.

I bought a pair for a friend, the button tip version for use in a single cell LED torch. I got them because they were the most easy to get button top cell. My local Vape shop had them cheap ad most mods take flat tops and they were having problems selling them for that reason.

I'd not use them above 40W.

As others have very sensibly said, move over to a major manufacturer like Sony, LG or Samsung. Panasonic don't really make cells suitable for high wattage vaping. Panasonic and LG make 3200 and 3500mAh 10A cells that would do great in a DNA 40, but won't be suitable for anything over that 40A. In a DNA 40 they're perfectly safe and offer unrivaled battery life. Even the LG HG2 won't beat them for longevity.

Consider buying from a trusted vendor, and purchasing genuine 20A cells. The Samsung 25R is a great "catch all" cell. High enough rated for 140W with two in series in a regulated mod. Also high enough rated for approx 0.2ohms single cell in a tube mech. In a parallel mech, 30-35A is doable. It will also power those 75W single cell regulated devices, though 75W is starting to push it.

Many people here go to liionwholesale.com for their cells. I don't as I'm in England. Jon from liionwholesale.com posts here quite regularly. He's a nice guy, honest and will tell the truth even if it means missing a sale. If a cell isn't suitable he'll tell you honestly. Mooch also holds him in high regard.

liionwholesale.com is where I go to get my batteries. He's doing it right; great prices, free battery boxes when you buy in pairs, less-than-24 hour turnaround to getting a confirmation and tracking number. Literally the best battery vendor I've used, and I use his site exclusively now. OP would be wise to pop in and take a look around.

 

[NemesisVaper]

liionwholesale.com is where I go to get my batteries. He's doing it right; great prices, free battery boxes when you buy in pairs, less-than-24 hour turnaround to getting a confirmation and tracking number. Literally the best battery vendor I've used, and I use his site exclusively now. OP would be wise to pop in and take a look around.

Definitely

Jon supplies a plastic case with each pair if cells bought too which I think is an excellent idea and something every retailer should do. I hate when Vape shops hand over cells in card board boxes with no case.

It's the little things that make for a good retailer.

 

[Huckleberried]

He's a nice guy, honest and will tell the truth even if it means missing a sale. If a cell isn't suitable he'll tell you honestly.

I completely agree with this. He's a great vendor and I will continue to buy from him.

Are you looking for validation or input? Gotta choose one or the other.

And I agree with this.

 

[OBDave]

While Efest may be a popular battery company in some circles, they're not even a battery company at all in truth, and they're one of the worst battery peddlers out there, IMHO and in the opinion of many people who've done their own research.

Efest does not make batteries. They buy batteries from other companies, often "seconds," which are rejects that didn't pass quality control, then they re-wrap them with false, often dangerous specs.

LG, Samsung, and Sony are the only manufacturers that make batteries safe for vape use. Period. You can buy a first-rate battery with the true manufacturer name for less money than one of their second-rate cells with the name of a fake company like Efest or MXJO or whatever. Given that fact, it's hard to understand why anyone would opt to pay more for the fake.

fat fingered flubs courtesy dumb mobile phone

 

[Jon@LiionWholesale]

If you're buying an Efest battery, you have to get one of the ones that they rate at 35A or 40A or something because that means it's probably a 20A battery in actuality. When they rate it 20A that means it's more like 10A in actuality. As long as you keep that in mind they're generally OK.

But I would recommend getting the Samsung 25R, that is the best all purpose battery out there and quality control is much better than Efest.

Also, get a standalone charger from a well known company like Nitecore or Efest or XTAR or Opus. USB onboard charging is LESS SAFE, I'm not sure why you think USB charging makes it safe but it doesn't. High quality standalone chargers are the safest option by a large margin.

 

[NemesisVaper]

It's a shame that rewrappers aren't honest. I have an efest LUC V4 charger and it's an excellent product. I've taken it apart to check out the innards and it's very well made. The soldering is flawless, component leads are trimmed perfectly, track separation on the board is good.

Such a shame that efest and others like to bull shit about their cells. Like Dave says, I'd never buy efest because of their lies. Their batteries in some cases can be good, but there's never a true way of telling what's under the wrapper.

 

[NemesisVaper]

Jon is bang on about USB charging on mods. If a charger costs say £25 and a mod costs say £30, I'd rather use the dedicated charger with £25 worth of dedicated circuitry (retail of course, not cost price) than use a USB charging board in a mod that was probably costed down to the very last penny

 

[burley]

Definitely

Jon supplies a plastic case with each pair if cells bought too which I think is an excellent idea and something every retailer should do. I hate when Vape shops hand over cells in card board boxes with no case.

It's the little things that make for a good retailer.

I was so used to not getting the cases that when I went and made my first order from him, I also added in two of the colored dual 18650 cases - figured I might as well so they aren't just sitting around in cardboard. So... I got to throw away two of my older, kinda-worn cases when I got a surprise surplus of 'em hehe

 

[NemesisVaper]

That reminds me, I broke a couple of mine recently. I'll need a couple more before I go back to work on Friday.

 

[JBrentonK]

jon@liion,

is this the battery you recomended?

Samsung INR18650-25R Battery Genuine & Tested - 20A (100A pulse) 2500mAh - Flat Top - Wholesale Discount

Also, since it's only 20 amp can I still power up my istick 100? I don't see any 30 amp batterys on your samsung page. Plus, there is a 15 amp. Is that one too low? I'll probably order the one I inserted above, if that is a good pair for a maxed out istick 100w TC. Don't forget it's a TC version.

 

[JBrentonK]

If you're interested in "safty" in terms of charging though, here's my opinion!:

Go ahead, ruin your battery sleve! Feel free to "pop it in" to your mod every time they're done charging! Feel "free" to waste time "wasting" your batteries! Feel "free" to be one of those, who acually buy the "re-wraps."

As for me, I will opt out of this. If it's "safe" to "pop it in" to my istick 60 and 100 tcs, I might. But only if it doesn't ruin the battery. I'm not down for a fire. Btw, never touching them and letting them still charge via usb (cell phones are charged via usb for hellsake!!) is the much safer option. You won't catch your house on fire like I almost did by even as much as trying to take them out of your box.

Just a personal perspective though, I guess

 

[JBrentonK]

and if i wanted a wattage of say 130, i say, wat amp is needed? i ain't seeing any higher than 20a. is that even safe?

edit: by the by, this battery,
Efest IMR 18650 3500mAh 20A Li-Mn Flat Top Battery - Wholesale Discount

is also 20 amp, same as the 25R but its 3500! is it irl, an actual dud, or a must buy?!

 

[Jon@LiionWholesale]

Yes, that's the one I recommended, the Samsung 25R.

In the 100W one, with two batteries, you can do the Samsung 30q or LG HG2 which are both 3000mah. They would give slightly longer runtime A bit more pricey though.

130W to be fully safe you probably want the Sony VTC4 or LG HB6 or LG HB2. Many use Samsung 25R in applications like this but it is pushing the rating a bit.

Again, Efest batteries you generally want to halve the amp rating and that 3500mAh is definitely not an exception. That 3500mAh works ok up to 30W per battery or so but any above that it doesn't work well. So it probably won't work for what you're talking about.

 

[OBDave]

General rule of thumb is you can run a 20A cell up to 75 watts in single configuration, 150 watts in dual - you'll really need the 30A cells if you're going to be at or above those numbers all the time.

 

[JBrentonK]

ok, i'll get the sony VTC4 then, above all just to stay safe. btw, GREAT prices! why did you reccomend the 25R?

and finally, im going to use these batterys (all the same,...) also on a 60 w istick TC. so i prolly should stay away from the 2 3000 mah's you mentioned?

i guess its the vtc4 then!

 

[JBrentonK]

ob dave, its still right at the limit though!

 

[JBrentonK]

y not the vtc5? it has best specs.... :/

 

[JBrentonK]

and lastly does not the 15 amp give lesser power?

edit: im just going to get this one,
edit#2: im getting this one to be fully safe
Sony 18650 VTC4 Battery Genuine & Tested - 30A 2100mAh - Flat Top - Wholesale Discount
edit#3: nope! i decided i'll be ok with the suggested 3000mah hg2 -
LG HG2 18650 Battery Genuine & Tested - 20A 3000mAh - Flat Top - Wholesale Discount

edit#4:
About my istick 60w. is the battery I am buying safely within the standards of it's recommended 75watts (see the post which says 75w=20amps....). I have to know if it is ENTIRELY SAFE. Say for example, I usually vape it at 45-60watts (max), just about ALL of the time.

If 20amp is not safe in a 60watt box mod, I have no idea why the world hasn't gone crazy. Please give me reassurance if it will work or it will not work. I mean, 75watts? What does that even mean? Surely you don't expect us to take it to mean a 70watt box mod works "just fine" with it.... But I'm still getting the HG2 because, thank GOD my 60watt is actually "not" "75watt".

 

[JERUS]

ok, i'll get the sony VTC4 then, above all just to stay safe. btw, GREAT prices! why did you reccomend the 25R?

and finally, im going to use these batterys (all the same,...) also on a 60 w istick TC. so i prolly should stay away from the 2 3000 mah's you mentioned?

i guess its the vtc4 then!

The 25r is actually more than a 20amp cell, Samsung sells it as a 20 amp but it's the coolest running (safest) running 20amp out there, so it can be pushed. It also has a decent mAH rating so it lasts longer than other 20amp+ cells. Basically it's the best middle of the road battery. For 30amps you want to run something like the LG HB2 which is safest at 30amps but then you're stuck with the low 1500mAH rating. I'm attaching a chart from Mooch who is kind of the Vaping battery guru and has done actual tests on everything. You'll see that while the VTC5 has better specs in testing it doesn't perform as well as the VTC4 as far as amperage goes.

You'll be fine with a 20amp at 75w. a*v=w so 20x3.7=74, while batteries are fully charged at 4.2 there is battery sag and voltage drops so 3.7 is more realistic. Regulated mods convert voltage and amperage to make the watts possible, but there's also ohms law to consider for full safety. With a 60w device you're best at a .3Ω or higher build. However due to how regulated mods work you should be able to get near .18Ω before it cuts you off, and it will cut you off, that's the beauty of regulated mods, though best to do a little math and not make your chip protect you. a*v=w and a=v/Ω.

So getting the LG HG2 is a great choice, best life with enough power. Again the reason Samsung 25r is so popular and suggested so often is because it's in that middle ground, if you're not pushing the 20a there's no need for the 25r's increased safety, and the longer life is nice. The Samsung 30Q is also great and while sold as a 15a (again samsung downplaying on the side of safety) it's actually a 20a and comparable to the LG HG2, both your best bets if you're not stressing that limit.

 

[JBrentonK]

cool so, is my hg2 3000 mah a dud? someone here said it was! 20a 3000mah IS good you know...

 

[JERUS]

What? quite confused on your response.

 

[JBrentonK]

Jerus,

I'll quote the guy to be more obvious then (since that is the battery I have in my cart).

Panasonic and LG make 3200 and 3500mAh 10A cells that would do great in a DNA 40, but won't be suitable for anything over that 40A. In a DNA 40 they're perfectly safe and offer unrivaled battery life.

Again, the LG HG2 is what I'm getting (its in my cart right now, 7 of them). So I have to know before I get it. That's all.

 

[JERUS]

Jerus,

I'll quote the guy to be more obvious then (since that is the battery I have in my cart).




Again, the LG HG2 is what I'm getting (its in my cart right now, 7 of them). So I have to know before I get it. That's all.

Those will suit you just fine in a regulated mod, arguably even the best (Samsung 25r's safest but lack the life, Samsung 30Qs being the main competition). I noticed I had a typo in my post before saying HB2 instead of HG2 at one point (edited it in the last paragraph)

The way I see it is this:

LG HG2/Samsung 30Q = best life, just don't want to push your resistance too low
Samsung 25r = solid life and safer to push
VTC4 = Lower life, and even safer to push, standard use in a Mech mod
LG HB2 = what you want to use in a mech mod where you're using low resistance

So basically you're getting the best thing as long as you keep your resistance at a reasonable level, IE don't try to build .1Ω coils and you'll be fine, and honestly with a regulated mod, if it'll fire you'll probably still be ok, it's just not something that's a good idea as you're hitting the edge.

I personally like the Samsung 25rs for the reasons I said, and the fact that I swap out drained ones right back into my charger and they charger faster than I kill them, so it's never been an issue just rotating them. If it were I'd be grabbing LG HG2s for their better life.

 

[Model_A_Ford]

I'm going to guess that English isn't JBrentonK's first language, and that is why he doesn't seem to comprehend.

 

[JBrentonK]

thx jerus for your help. im gettinh the 25Rs because i wanna stay fully safe, and i can do wit only 2500mah no prob so...

 

[KapitalJ]

This thread gave me a headache!

Instead of being told what to buy, do some research, ask some questions and make a decision as to what suits you best.

 

[Jon@LiionWholesale]

Jerus,

I'll quote the guy to be more obvious then (since that is the battery I have in my cart).

He wasn't talking about the HG2, he was talking about other LG batteries that aren't made for high drain. Also he had a typo, he meant 40W I think, not 40A.

Bottom line, you would have been fine with HG2 or 25R. 25R is a safer more versatile option and will only last slightly less time between charges so I think that's the right choice especially since you seem to value safety so highly.

Glad your big decision is resolved!

 

[r055co]

Efest IMR 18650 LiMn 3000mAh Battery - Flat Top - 20 Amp
-

This is my second time buying batteries like these 18650s or whatever. The first time I had a total of 4 and almost caught my house on fire entirely.

I have to know if this battery I am buying is good and I have to know a few things about it,

one question before that though, I heard something about a little ring on the top of batteries? They said keep it. My 4 other batteries I threw away like 4 days ago because I believe I threw away something on them that was this little ring that the guy said to keep. Plz address this question so I don't have to be paranoid forever.

I'm just not sure the 20Amp is good enough. I can buy another efest that is a 30 Amp but it's only 2600 MAH. Now I practically need the MAH because I got tons of devices charging by usb, and I don't need extra ones usb charging.

Btw, if it wasn't for usb charging on 18650 mods I wouldn't be buying a new mod and 18650s. The usb port and usb charging therefore, has officially saved me. But is there anything else I should know? Another important question: will the usb be the only safty precaution I have to watch out for when I get my new mod? I want to only pay attention to the usb because the batteries (18650s) are obviously too dangerous. Plz tell me what I will need to know.

Most people that buy batteries, I'm not suprised that they HAVEN'T caught their houses on fire. I almost did. Is it because I didn't re-wrap them? That's what the store clerk at Dr Vape It's told me (in panama city FL). I heard Li batteries are very dangerous btw. This one is a LiMn. I think it might be dangerous. Is this true? Will I catch my house on fire again? Plz tell me what I need to know that way it won't!

THANK YOU

Stay away from eFest, they are a crap, unethical company who sells re-wrapped batteries which they label at sometimes double their actual capacity.

Stick with Samsung, Sony or LG from reputable sources.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[f1r3b1rd]

my brain hurts


Glad you got your battery issue resolved... There are several reasons why onboard charging is a terrible idea, though. If you are that worried about your wrappers might i suggest being more gentle and investing 99cents in battery wrappers. You only need a hair dryer and 5 minutes to rewrap.

The onboard chargers do not hold up in general, both from constantly shoving in your wire and pulling it out;and, from general usage. If it breaks you're down to using a standalone charger anyway and this discussion is moot; but, in the case of the 100wtc you just lost the ability to upgrade also.
The little plug thingy is only held on with two tiny solder points and a thin plastic rail. If you're that rough to tear a battery wrapper how are you with your plug thingy?

Now the other issue- some onboard chargers have been shown to not balance charge correctly; and, they can lack some of the safety features like over charging or current draw that the standalone chargers have. There is a reason they have all that circuitry and are bigger than your mod.
If you're worried about a fire you need to think about the cell and the chemical make up more than the replaceable plastic wrapper.
Oh and a cellphone is a single cell lipo.... We don't use the same battery technology in vaping

If you're interested in "safty" in terms of charging though, here's my opinion!:

Go ahead, ruin your battery sleve! Feel free to "pop it in" to your mod every time they're done charging! Feel "free" to waste time "wasting" your batteries! Feel "free" to be one of those, who acually buy the "re-wraps."

As for me, I will opt out of this. If it's "safe" to "pop it in" to my istick 60 and 100 tcs, I might. But only if it doesn't ruin the battery. I'm not down for a fire. Btw, never touching them and letting them still charge via usb (cell phones are charged via usb for hellsake!!) is the much safer option. You won't catch your house on fire like I almost did by even as much as trying to take them out of your box.

Just a personal perspective though, I guess

 

[OBDave]

ok, i'll get the sony VTC4 then, above all just to stay safe. btw, GREAT prices! why did you reccomend the 25R?

and finally, im going to use these batterys (all the same,...) also on a 60 w istick TC. so i prolly should stay away from the 2 3000 mah's you mentioned?

i guess its the vtc4 then!

The 20A 3000 mAh batteries will do fine - to pull the full 20 amps out of the cells you'd be around 75 watts, which means in a mod only capable of 60 watts you're under the safe limit.

y not the vtc5? it has best specs.... :/

VTC5 is 20A, 2600 mAh - not much more life than the 25r and the same amp specs (less actually, according to Mooch's ratings), and it costs more...