Talk To Me About Batteries
#1
Talk To Me About Batteries
So I just bought a Fenix Bike Light 1800 Lumens BC30T6GR and a Fenix ARE-C2 four bays Li-ion/ Ni-MH advanced universal smart battery charger but I am unable to find Fenix ARB-L2P 3200mAh Protected 18650 Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries anywhere.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MB494LO...=IEJN1Y06FPLPS
I came upon Orbtronic batteries on Amazon. How are these compared to the Fenix ARB-L2P batteries? Should I just buy the Orbtronic rainmakers?
ORBTRONIC 3400mAh Two 18650 PROTECTED 3.7V Rechargeable High Performance Li-ion Batteries - 10 Amp Dual Protection - For High Power 18650 Flashlights
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CAD6AUE...I2BO4N6OIEWRG9
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MB494LO...=IEJN1Y06FPLPS
I came upon Orbtronic batteries on Amazon. How are these compared to the Fenix ARB-L2P batteries? Should I just buy the Orbtronic rainmakers?
ORBTRONIC 3400mAh Two 18650 PROTECTED 3.7V Rechargeable High Performance Li-ion Batteries - 10 Amp Dual Protection - For High Power 18650 Flashlights
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CAD6AUE...I2BO4N6OIEWRG9
#2
Señior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,748
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
I don't think it's worth stressing that much over a few mah rating one way or the other. Just go up on Amazon and buy a good protected cell. I just search for Panasonic 18650 protected, or NCR18650B and read reviews. Decent cells are going to be $6 each or so. Avoid anything that claims to be > 3500 mah, they're guaranteed to be crap.
I think any battery you buy (assuming you get decent name brand ones) is going to be the same within +/- 5% and it's just not worth stressing over.
I think any battery you buy (assuming you get decent name brand ones) is going to be the same within +/- 5% and it's just not worth stressing over.
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#3
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 792
Likes: 20
From: New England
Bikes: Brompton M6R, Specialized Tricross Comp, Ellsworth Isis, Dahon Speed P8
Both are legit companies that are repackaging 3rd party cells, usually from Panasonic. Here is the Internet Guru of battery testing that can give you a sense of brand names, if not actual battery. Avoid batts with the names that end in "xxxxFire" and try and make sure the seller is legit because there're fake cells floating around too.
Battery test-review 18650 comparator
Battery test-review 18650 comparator
#4
Full Member

Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 287
Likes: 24
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: '97 Bianchi CDI, '97 Specialized RockHopper, '13 Specialized Sirrus Pro, '13 Trek 8.5 DS, '13 BH EasyMotion NeoXtrem, '14 Trek Domane, '86 Schwinn AirDyne ;)
Two thoughts/observations: 1) when hedging, I usually would trust a product with 243 reviews (Obtronics), more than one with 10 reviews; it may apply/help here. Also, 86% 5-star reviews is quite high for that many reviews -not that the 10 reviews aren't also quite positive. 2) The Fenix batteries linked shows "currently unavailable" in or for my neighborhood. You may be patient or have better info; but, I also couldn't compare prices which would be my other factor. Enjoy the eventual 1800 light.
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 430
Likes: 15
From: Puyallup, WA
Bikes: Tout Terrain, Panamericana
Best... as of now.
LG MJ1 is the most power dense battery as of 2017
https://batterybro.com/blogs/18650-w...review-3500mah
https://batterybro.com/blogs/18650-w...review-3500mah
#6
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,945
Likes: 255
From: Sin City, Nevada
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
The 10 amp(maximum) Orbtronic battery you are looking at is probably overkill for your intended use. Ten amps at 3.7V is equal to 37 watts https://www.supercircuits.com/resour...amps-converter and there is not a small flashlight available that would draw this many watts and not fry your hand if you touched it or destroy the LED in the light. The ones I use draw about 7W maximum and get noticeably warm while in use.
The Orbtronic high drain batteries are really expensive ($32 a pair) compared to the name brand batteries like the Panasonic or NCR batteries which can be bought for $10 a pair with the same capacity (3400 mAh).
The Orbtronic high drain batteries are really expensive ($32 a pair) compared to the name brand batteries like the Panasonic or NCR batteries which can be bought for $10 a pair with the same capacity (3400 mAh).
#7
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2003
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Bikes: 2 many
#9
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
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From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Tobacco or weed?
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 9
From: Columbia, Maryland
Bikes: Mountain bike & Hybrid tour bike
Oh, and FWIW, a lot of Panasonic batteries are rated to around 10A. I forget now what Panasonic series (G? B? ) is the highest rated but that's because now there are more hybrid type cells being produced that function almost like an IMR cell. Most people will never need their single cell battery to provide a 10A draw. Still, can come in handy when building battery packs ( for multi-emitter high powered lamps that draw high amps ) or for using in torches that are using multiple high power emitters.
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