Batteries...

[Lord Oort]

Can someone recommend a decent brand/model/supplier of 18650's? At the moment I have at least one die a week and its getting a bit annoying.

 

[drhowser]

SoShine and Xtar are both good. Basically anything using the Panasonic NCR18650B cells is going to be reliable, but get protected.

 

[Lenston]

Nitecore 3400mah, not cheap but protected, high output and 500 charge cycle.

 

[professor frink]

Despite the cheap sounding name 'Torchy' 18650's are good.
Beware of the cheap 18650's which are just old laptop batteries which are unprotected and repacked to look like new.

 

[Ojay]

The last lot I used I got from @Oxygen Thief are the best batch of 18650's I've had in years, I'll get the make of them later

 

[drhowser]

Despite the cheap sounding name 'Torchy' 18650's are good.
Beware of the cheap 18650's which are just old laptop batteries which are unprotected and repacked to look like new.

Actually, yes. Torchy the battery boy isn't it? That rings a bell for some reason.

 

[professor frink]

Actually, yes. Torchy the battery boy isn't it? That rings a bell for some reason.

The guy has a website that's pretty interesting if you're a battery geek

http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/18650-batteries-chargers.html

Also it was a TV programme but this was even before my time.

 

[Dan1701]

Just buy the 10p ones, no point faking shit that cheap.

You'd be surprised, honestly you would.

Say you're a Chinese equivalent of "Cut me own throat" Dibbler and you've just taken delivery of a job lot of zinc-carbon AAA batteries that your more honest colleagues cannot shift at all, because there's nobody left in the world who'd buy zinc-carbon batteries when alkalines are as cheap and last way longer.

So, there's you with your load of old-technology cheap crap batteries. How to shift them? Easy, just run off a job lot of Duracell packaging and put them into those wrappers, then hawk them on everyone's favourite tat bazaar eBay at stupidly low prices. Sooner or later some complete mug is going to buy them, and get burned on the deal. Doesn't matter to Chinky CMOT Dibbler; there's a never-ending supply of dozy idiots willing to buy crap at silly prices...

 

[Lord Oort]

Thanks guys 'preciate it!

CMOT Dibbler

Pratchett fan!!!

 

[Maniac]

I strip down old laptop batteries and use the cells out of them for my 18560 battery supply. If you know what you're doing there's virtually no risk - the trick is to never fully discharge them and always charge them fully with a proper charger that monitors the voltage of the battery. All the protection circuit does is prevent over-discharge and over-recharge - it's that simple.

 

[Lord Oort]

Been there, done that. CBA as they always seem to be a really low mah and last next to no time. in my experience of course and to be fair I was using some pretty old laptop batteries.

 

[Lord Oort]

On that note though... I have a box of 12 I've pulled from lappy batteries (untested), if anyone wants em, just looking for postage.

@Ojay did you manage to find the suppliers name?