This is a great performing, ultra-high capacity 26800 size cell. Why test such a large cell? I was curious about it and other sizes like 20700 and 21700 weren’t used until manufacturers decided to support those sizes. I always like to see what is available in different sizes in case there are great performing cells out there we’re not using right now. This is one of them.
If more 26800’s become available then the larger manufacturers might be willing to make the investment and create 26800 devices. Or a smaller company could 3D print some 26800 battery sleds and create a device using these cells for a relatively small investment.
The QB26800 is 26mm in diameter and 80mm long, weighing about 121gms. Think of it as a long 26650.
It is rated at 3C (20.4A) continuous by the manufacturer. There is a 5C (34A) “max pulse discharge current” rating for 30 seconds but that could be for just a single pulse so we cannot use that as some sort of “pulse” rating.
This cell performed pretty well at 20A, staying at a decent temperature and without a lot of voltage sag, so the manufacturer’s rating of 20.4A sounds reasonable.
This is a great cell for low to moderate power levels, up to 60W or so, beating the best high-capacity cells in other sizes. The QB26800 outperformed the Vapcell Red 20A 5500mAh 26650, delivering 15.5Wh of energy at 15A down to 3.2V versus 12.8Wh for the Vapcell 26650. The great performing (5000mAh) Vapcell G50 21700 only delivered 10.2Wh of energy.
The capacity of the two cells I tested was 7177mAh and 7203mAh. This is decent consistency for cells from a China manufacturer and they significantly exceeded their 6800mAh rating. This kind of underrating rarely happens and I am wondering if there is either a large inconsistency between batches (or within a batch) or this cell has had its chemistry adjusted or might do so in the future. I am rating them at the manufacturer’s rating of 6800mAh.
Two cells were donated for the purposes of testing by Oskar Triebe. Thank you!
Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/YNaocNN
Full Test report: https://bit.ly/3ePBMDW
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These tests only note the ESTIMATED ratings for these batteries 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 is one of the hazards of using “rewrapped” batteries 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 personal injury or property damage. They are not meant to be used outside of a protected battery pack and you use them AT YOUR OWN RISK. Never exceed the battery’s continuous current rating and keep the plastic wrap and top insulating ring in perfect condition.
Any rating in my ratings tables can change at any time as different grade cells appear on the market, we get swamped with fakes, or new information becomes available to me. Please, never assume that the ratings in the tables are permanent and will never change! Always download the latest version before considering any cell purchase.
To see how other cells have tested check out this link: https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blog-entry/list-of-battery-tests.7436/
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