Author: John Muchow

While this cell has a useless 40.2A “Max” current rating on the wrap it has accurate continuous  current and capacity ratings and is a great choice for regulated mods. It is essentially equal in performance to the Samsung 30Q and LG HG2. The VTC6 still performs slightly better than this Blackcell though.

Blackcell’s are not widely available in the US and EU but are very popular in Asia. These cells can be a good option since genuine Samsung, LG, and Sony cells are hard to find there.

I hate seeing the use of a “Max” current rating on the wrap, particularly when placed above the continuous discharge rating (CDR), but at least the CDR and capacity ratings are accurate. I hope Blackcell removes this “Max” rating soon.

The two cells I tested delivered 3119mAh and 3109mAh at 0.5A down to 2.5V. This is consistent with a cell rated 3000mAh minimum.

I’m often asked about ratings like these but I have no idea why they used “20.3A” and “3018mAh” as cell to cell variations make that kind of rating unnecessary and confusing. It is very easy to misread these numbers, especially when they are made so small. Hohm Tech also does this and I think it just takes away from the simplicity and clarity we need when placing ratings on the cells we buy.

I am estimating this Blackcell’s ratings at 20A and 3000mAh.

Three cells were donated for the purposes of testing by Blackcell (http://www.blackcelltech.com). Thank you!

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/CVfJVS4

Test report: https://bit.ly/2tObAU3

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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.

This VRK appears to use the same cell as Basen and CoilArt 21700’s, not a great performer. The Golisi S35 and Efest 3700mAh are better and have higher current ratings. Even the five “leg” top contact 20700’s from iJoy/Efest/EBAT/Ampking and others perform a little better and have higher current ratings too.

The 40A ”Max Discharge” rating on the wrap is useless as VRK doesn’t define what that means. Some type of “pulse” rating? We can’t use it to compare against any other cell unless we know the pulse width, time between pulses, and what criteria they use to set the rating (Temperature? Voltage sag? Cycle life? A combination of those?). That’s only if all the cell wrapping companies use the same pulses and criteria too.

The two cells delivered 4118mAh and 4116mAh at 0.5A down to 2.5V. I don’t know why VRK rated this cell at 3750mAh unless perhaps they are expecting to change cells or, for this batch, they switched over to a different one?

I am estimating this VRK’s ratings at 20A and 3750mAh. I’m not giving them a higher capacity rating due to the risk of the cell being changed.

Two cells were purchased for the purposes of testing by me.

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/7PLxxcg

Test report: https://bit.ly/2KkDr8y

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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/

While this 21700 cell has slightly exaggerated current rating it performs better than the Sanyo NCR20700A and is a great choice for mech/unregulated mods. Even for regulated mods at high current levels, over 25A, it’s a great choice if the Samsung 40T or its rewraps aren’t available. The Samsung 30T performs a lot better though.

I welcome the efforts of any company that wants to change over to rating their cells more accurately as Blackcell seems to be doing now. Their recently released 22A 2523mAh Electron 18650 is accurately rated. While the current rating is exaggerated with this 21700 it is a huge jump in accuracy over their preposterously rated 40A and 50A 3100mAh 18650’s that they used to sell. Hopefully Blackcell updates the wrap for this cell soon.

I know accurate ratings terrify the marketing departments for these companies, because they’re lower, but I feel strongly that accurate ratings will result in better sales over the long term. We want honesty, we want greater safety, and we will buy from the companies that offer this.

I am estimating this Blackcell’s current rating at 30A-35A depending on its cycle life requirements and how hot Blackcell allows the cell to run. Its estimated capacity is 3000mAh.

Three cells were donated for the purposes of testing by Blackcell (http://www.blackcelltech.com). Thank you!

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/T4PMlkf

Test report: https://bit.ly/2lvl7LT

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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.

1) Vapcell flat top purple 1100mAh 10A (accurately rated)

2) Aspire flat top 1100mAh 10A (9A rated in testing)

3) Keeppower 1200mAh 10A (1000mAh, 9A rated in testing)

There isn’t a huge difference between the three but the Vapcell could run up to 25% longer in a regulated device and is the better choice for unregulated/mech mods as it hits the hardest.

The Aspire and Keeppower have similar run times and current ratings and I don’t think you’d see a difference between them. The three seem to be different cells though.

I wasn’t able to test the AW 18350’s due to them not being available anywhere. There was a mention of a flood at the factory a while ago but I cannot confirm that. I do not know when, or even if, I will be able to test them.

The two button top cells I found and tested, the Imren and MXJO, were pretty terrible performers compared to the three above. If you have to pick one, pick the MXJO and stay under 5A. Preferably under 3A.

I hope to test another batch of 18350’s in a few months.

Shootout discharge graphs: https://imgur.com/a/AuBb7Ml

Link to 18350 ratings table: https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/blog-entry/18350-18500-safety-grades-and-pulse-performance-data.7566/

While this cell has a close to accurate 10A continuous current rating on the wrap it is in very tiny print and a useless 15A “pulse” rating is also used. This is confusing, unnecessary, and I would like to see this type of rating stopped.

It is an above average performer but a bit worse than the Vapcell and Aspire cells. The two Keeppowers I tested delivered 1040mAh and 1042mAh at 0.2A down to 2.5V. This is quite a bit below their 1200mAh rating.

I am estimating this Keeppower’s ratings at 9A and 1000mAh. Current ratings for high internal resistance cells like these are a combination of the temperature the cell runs at and how badly the voltage sags, i.e., its Wh specs.

The performance of any 18350 really suffers at higher current levels due to their very high  internal resistance, leading to huge voltage sag. I recommend staying under their continuous current rating. This results in much more efficient operation and much longer vaping time.

This is the last in a group of seven 18350’s I am testing and I will be posting a shootout between all of them after the individual test reports are posted. The top three performers will then be identified.

Two cells were purchased for the purposes of testing by me.

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/E18Xmmm

Test report: https://bit.ly/2K9JPPL

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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.

While this cell has an accurate 7A continuous current rating on the wrap it is in very tiny print and a useless 10.5A “pulse” rating is above it in much larger type. This is confusing, unnecessary, and I would like to see this type of overrating stopped.

It is an average performer, a bit better than the overrated AWT 10.5A 850mAh cell. It appears to be the same cell as the Nitecore 7A 700mAh 18350.

The two cells I tested delivered 713mAh and 708mAh at 0.2A down to 2.5V.

I am estimating this Efest’s ratings at 7A and 700mAh. Current ratings for high internal resistance cells like these are a combination of the temperature the cell runs at and how badly the voltage sags, i.e., its Wh specs.

The performance of any 18350 really suffers at higher current levels due to their very high  internal resistance, leading to huge voltage sag. I recommend staying under their continuous current rating. This results in much more efficient operation and much longer vaping time.

This is the sixth in a group of seven 18350’s I am testing and I will be posting a shootout between all of them after the individual test reports are posted. The top three performers will then be identified.

Two cells were purchased for the purposes of testing by me.

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/JPDYX6l

Test report: https://bit.ly/2tm09lZ

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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.

This cell has an accurate capacity rating but is a poor performer. Even at just 5A it delivered less than 1/2 the energy of the other 18350 cells I tested due to its incredibly high internal resistance. This means very short run times at anything above a couple of amps.

The two cells I tested delivered 874mAh and 887mAh at 0.2A down to 2.5V.

I am estimating this Imren’s ratings at 3A and 800mAh. Current ratings for high internal resistance cells like these are a combination of the temperature the cell runs at and how badly the voltage sags, i.e., its Wh specs.

The performance of any 18350 really suffers at higher current levels due to their very high  internal resistance, leading to huge voltage sag. I recommend staying under their continuous current rating. This results in much more efficient operation and much longer vaping time.

This is the fifth in a group of seven 18350’s I am testing and I will be posting a shootout between all of them after the individual test reports are posted. The top three performers will then be identified.

Two cells were purchased for the purposes of testing by me.

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/Hvf0cPV

Test report: https://bit.ly/2lk7bEo

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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.

This cell has accurate current and capacity ratings. It is an average performer, a bit better than the overrated AWT 10.5A 850mAh cell.

The performance of any 18350 really suffers at higher current levels due to their very high  internal resistance, leading to huge voltage sag. I recommend staying under their continuous current rating. This results in much more efficient operation and much longer vaping time.

The two cells I tested delivered 719mAh and 736mAh at 0.2A down to 2.5V.

I am estimating this Nitecore’s ratings at 7A and 700mAh. Current ratings for high internal resistance cells like these are a combination of the temperature the cell runs at and how badly the voltage sags, i.e., its Wh specs.

This is the fourth in a group of seven 18350’s I am testing and I will be posting a shootout between all of them after the individual test reports are posted. The top three performers will then be identified.

Two cells were purchased for the purposes of testing by me.

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/TI5S7o9

Test report: https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/threads/bench-test-results-nitecore-7a-700mah-18350-accurately-rated-an-average-performer.867907/

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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.

Considering how overrated Blackcell’s 3100mAh cells were I am very happy to see them release an accurately rated cell with the true continuous discharge rating (CDR) marked on the wrap.

I do not like seeing a useless “Max” rating on the wrap though, especially when it’s above the CDR number. I hope Blackcell decides to remove it.

So while the Samsung 25R, and certainly any of the newer generation of cells from Sony and Samsung, are a better choice if available this cell is a good option in countries where genuine versions of those other cells are very hard to find, particularly in Asia.

The two cells I tested delivered 2526mAh and 2522mAh at 0.5A down to 2.5V.

I am estimating this Blackcell’s ratings at 21.8A and 2500mAh.

Two cells were donated for the purposes of testing by Blackcell (http://www.blackcelltech.com). Thank you!

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/JsrRIHD

Test report: https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/threads/bench-test-results-blackcell-21-8a-2523mah-18650-accurately-rated-but-an-average-performer.867891/

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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/

This is a great performing cell, beating any other 2500mAh-2600mAh 18650 available as of June 2018.

At 10A this cell is a better choice than the Samsung 20S and 24S. At about 20A-25A and higher though the 24S will run for a bit longer. The 20S will hit a bit harder than both the 24S and 25S but won’t run as long at lower current levels.

As of December 2017 Samsung gives this cell a TENTATIVE 25A continuous current rating and a 35A temperature limited rating if you don’t let the cell reach 80°C. As with any cell though, at high current levels it isn’t running efficiently and you will get a lot of voltage sag, power loss in the cell, and accelerated damage and aging of the cell.

I don’t know if the 25S cells available for purchase now are preproduction samples or full production cells. This means that this cell could still be tweaked by Samsung. I don’t know whether that will happen, what might change, or when it might happen…if at all. This will be an issue for EVERY new cell we have access to, particularly if it’s only occasionally available in small quantities as that could indicate they are preproduction samples.

The two cells I tested delivered 2521mAh and 2494mAh at 0.5A down to 2.5V.

I am estimating this Samsung’s ratings at 25A and 2500mAh, same as Samsung’s ratings.

Two cells were donated for the purposes of testing by Efest (http://www.efestpower.com). Thank you!

Ratings graphic: https://imgur.com/a/UoC5OQM

Test report: https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/threads/bench-test-results-samsung-25s-2500mah-25a-18650-a-great-battery-best-at-under-20a.867849/

I want to work for the vaping community full time! If you feel what I do is worth a couple dollars a month and you would like early access to battery availability and testing news and a say in what I test then please consider becoming a patron and supporting my testing efforts: https://www.patreon.com/batterymooch

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, LG, Panasonic, 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. 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.