Hello guys,
In this entry we will talk about another 18650 cell of Chinese manufacture. This is Varicore NCR18650B battery.
These batteries are one of the best-selling aliexpress batteries, along with liitokala NCR18650B batteries. The reviews they have are very positive and the actual capacity corresponds to what the manufacturer indicates, which are 3400mAh.
Soon I will create specific entries to test these cells, both to measure their real capacity, and the degradation it has with use.
If the degradation is good, they can be ideal cells for mounting large capacity batteries (a DIY powerwall for example), as they are a little cheaper than those of Liitokala.
Where to buy Varicore’s NCR18650B battery
- I bought them through the following link: buy NCR18650B cells from Varicore
The price varies considerably, but waiting for the promotions made by the seller, I have managed to get them for less than 1,7€ (I have got them at 1,66€ taking advantage of a promotion, and ordering 2 packs of 10 cells, which gets an additional 3% discount).
The package takes a long time to arrive, which is common when buying batteries in aliexpress. It took me about 6 weeks (shipping to Spain).
Varicore NCR18650B battery pack photos
In my case I have placed large orders to make them cheaper (orders of 20 cells). The seller has put all 20 cells in one package. Some of the packages have arrived with some external damage. It hasn’t happened to me with all the packages. I leave you some pictures of the one that has come most damaged to me so that you can see it:
As you can see, the box is pretty damaged, but the cells are intact. It is also not a particularly fragile component. Anyway, it is a point that should be improved. Anyway, it’s a point they should improve.
In addition, compared to Liitokala’s NCR18650B battery packs, I see that the inner protector that the cells carry (that foam paper) is of a single layer, while in Liitokala they have two layers of protector.
In any case I have not received any damaged cell in any of the orders that I have made, but it is true that the boxes came to me on several occasions with damage, such as the one shown in the photos.
Varicore NCR18650B battery parameters
Next we go on to show the parameters indicated by the seller:
- Brand name: Varicore
- Model: NCR18650B
- Type: Li-ion18650
- Nominal Capacity: 3400mAh(3100-3400mAh)
- Nominal voltage: 3.7 V
- Weight: 46g 1g
- Rechargeable battery: Yes
Charging cycles: not specifiedInternal resistance: not specified- Limited charging voltage: 4.2v
- Operating voltage: 2.75-4.35V
- Size: 655Mm x 185Mm (diameter)
Liitokala NCR18650B battery photos
Let’s put a few more photos to see them in detail:
Conclusion
At the beginning of the entry he commented that these cells gave slightly more capacity than Liitokala’s. I’ll create an entry where I’ll show you. If the degradation is the same as in the cells of Liitokala, then we can say that they are better cells in quality / price since they are usually slightly cheaper. Let’s wait to finish the tests to draw a definitive conclusion.
Any questions, leave it in comments.
Thank you and greetings!