Some 18650s aren't what they seem...

[farzooks]

Dec 23, 2012 13:56:07 GMT dave said:

Some sellers have been known to re-cycle old laptop batteries in new stickers as well! There are many horror stories about batteries on the flashlight forums

Indeed there are, and I've no doubt a lot of them are true, in spite of the disbelievers, because where there's a buck to be made, you will find grubby little bleeders exploiting others to make it.

Relatedly, I've been buying laptop batteries for re-cycling cells in use in my lights, and by getting only reputable makers' own batteries I've been harvesting good quality Sony and Sanyo cells from them, most of which are taking a good charge and, more importantly, holding it.
Now, if I were to do that on a slightly more business-like scale I could get away with re-selling these as half-decent cells in a new wrapper - just rate them slightly less than original and nobody would think much of it.

[djs]

Dec 24, 2012 1:26:47 GMT Brambles said:

along the same lines --- fake battery.

Give that person a medal!

ebanlan still exists. Chinese seller.

[djs]

Jan 7, 2013 0:16:04 GMT farzooks said:

Dec 23, 2012 13:56:07 GMT dave said:

Some sellers have been known to re-cycle old laptop batteries in new stickers as well! There are many horror stories about batteries on the flashlight forums

Indeed there are, and I've no doubt a lot of them are true, in spite of the disbelievers, because where there's a buck to be made, you will find grubby little bleeders exploiting others to make it.

Relatedly, I've been buying laptop batteries for re-cycling cells in use in my lights, and by getting only reputable makers' own batteries I've been harvesting good quality Sony and Sanyo cells from them, most of which are taking a good charge and, more importantly, holding it.
Now, if I were to do that on a slightly more business-like scale I could get away with re-selling these as half-decent cells in a new wrapper - just rate them slightly less than original and nobody would think much of it.

I do believe if you can solder effectively, it's easy enough to buy a used/unwanted laptop battery, open the plastic casing and put in new Li-ions and job done.

When you say for light, what sort of lights?

[farzooks]

Jan 7, 2013 12:24:56 GMT djs said:

I do believe if you can solder effectively, it's easy enough to buy a used/unwanted laptop battery, open the plastic casing and put in new Li-ions and job done.

Yes, it wouldn't be difficult, with the right solder technique. Tagged cells would be better and if I were rebuilding my own laptop batteries I'd keep the tags on the cells I'm harvesting.

When you say for light, what sort of lights?

Torches and bicycle lamps. Amazingly bright, powerful LEDs have at last hit the really worthwhile price point for me - no longer do you have to pay 2 or 3 hundred quid for lights that out-perform car headlights, but a mere 15quid or so will get a Cree T6, (claimed)1000 lumen unit and a couple or three of these turn dark back lanes into daylight.

[dave]

The new breed of LED flashlights are indeed truly amazing - I've got one that is less than 10cm long and 2cm diameter that will easily light up my back garden at night. I avoid flashlight forums now though - I don't need any more temptations to spend money

[djs]

Jan 7, 2013 12:37:39 GMT farzooks said:

When you say for light, what sort of lights?

Torches and bicycle lamps. Amazingly bright, powerful LEDs have at last hit the really worthwhile price point for me - no longer do you have to pay 2 or 3 hundred quid for lights that out-perform car headlights, but a mere 15quid or so will get a Cree T6, (claimed)1000 lumen unit and a couple or three of these turn dark back lanes into daylight.

I'm glad you said that. I am using a smart (that's the brand, not the fact it can surf the net and collect emails) front bike light, it's got two lamps. It uses a whopper 6v battery. Yuasa NP4-6 6v 4Ah.

I'm looking to upgrade the whole unit rather than replace the big lead-acid battery.

Can I get a Cree T6 (?) off the 'net here in England...one specifically with fittings for bicycle? Does it take 18650s like an e-cig?

[djs]

Jan 7, 2013 16:06:54 GMT dave said:

The new breed of LED flashlights are indeed truly amazing -

Even LED bike lights are great. Just ordered for about £4 a rear bike light (very bright considering), which runs on 2 x AAA batteries. I use Sanyo Eneloop AAs and AAAs, which do last far better than most rechargeables.

Someone was showing off their Fuji camera to me over Christmas. They were saying their only regret was using a set of batteries (4xAA) in about a month. I put eneloops in my Camera (also Fuji bridge) and, well, they've been in since the summer before last. Just changed them last week.

1 year and 4 months on a set of 4 rechargeables......

Beyond the boundaries of logic that.

[farzooks]

Jan 7, 2013 16:34:21 GMT djs said:

Jan 7, 2013 12:37:39 GMT farzooks said:

Torches and bicycle lamps. Amazingly bright, powerful LEDs have at last hit the really worthwhile price point for me - no longer do you have to pay 2 or 3 hundred quid for lights that out-perform car headlights, but a mere 15quid or so will get a Cree T6, (claimed)1000 lumen unit and a couple or three of these turn dark back lanes into daylight.

I'm glad you said that. I am using a smart (that's the brand, not the fact it can surf the net and collect emails) front bike light, it's got two lamps. It uses a whopper 6v battery. Yuasa NP4-6 6v 4Ah.

I'm looking to upgrade the whole unit rather than replace the big lead-acid battery.

Can I get a Cree T6 (?) off the 'net here in England...one specifically with fittings for bicycle? Does it take 18650s like an e-cig?

This is the one I'm thinking of; it is the cheapest I've found, of its type. I think the battery pack is 4x18650 in 2s2p internally, but it comes in a handy pouch and if necessary, easily replaced, as I doubt the supplied cells are all that good for the price being asked.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320864360370

[djs]

Jan 7, 2013 18:00:08 GMT farzooks said:

This is the one I'm thinking of; it is the cheapest I've found, of its type. I think the battery pack is 4x18650 in 2s2p internally, but it comes in a handy pouch and if necessary, easily replaced, as I doubt the supplied cells are all that good for the price being asked.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320864360370

Thanks farzooks.

Sorry to everyone for going off topic!