Where to buy an 18650 battery on the island?

[fmerkel]

Reality-you can't go to a hardware or drugstore in the US and get 18650. They are still a 'specialty item'. Coz isn't any different.
User ignorance (as in, not stupid, simply not informed, and often see no particular reason to be informed) for NiMh is significant. For Lithium rechargeable it's profound.
NiMh are generally pretty safe....good thing.
Li-on improperly handled can have unfortunate consequences. Some of the problem in NOT JUST IN THE CHEMISTRY. There are some seriously crap batteries being widely, and successfully distributed on the internet. Uninformed people do buy and use them.So, bad things happen.

Note - addendum on @ggunn statement: [Volts - yes, milliamp hours - no]
Mostly true, but, there are ABSOLUTELY NO 18650 BATTERIES OF OVER 3500mAh!!!! If you see one being sold, and there are a LOT being sold....it is junk!!! Don't go there.
If the name is ***fire (like Ultrafire), Don't go there.

Use my link from earlier in the thread. Buying from a reputable dealer is pretty damn important in this area. The shysters are numerous and convincing.
Buy Panasonic, Sony, LG, Samsung. These are manufacturers. If you want it protected that is an ADD-ON device and the battery may be re-labeled and recovered with another name. That is another discussion.

If you are going to dump the battery, strip the shrink first. See what was underneath and how the PCB protection was put on. Good thing to know about. Then duct tape it back up and dispose properly. Or give it to someone that knows how to reclaim it. Mexicans are generally very good at that.

 

[dflaher]

@fmerkel - Thanks for the additional information.

Use my link from earlier in the thread. Buying from a reputable dealer is pretty damn important in this area. The shysters are numerous and convincing

Lot of batteries on that site. Most are not button-top, but I have no idea if that's important. Which batter(ies) at that link would be suitable to relace this one?
18650 Rechargeable Cell 3.7V (3000mAh) | Dive Gear Express®

. If you want it protected that is an ADD-ON device and the battery may be re-labeled and recovered with another name. That is another discussion.

How do I know if I need protected? The battery that came with the light is both protected and button-top, so I am assuming that is what I want/need. Initially I thought all button-top Li-Ion batteries were protected but there are some button-tops on the site you linked that are not protected.

If you are going to dump the battery, strip the shrink first. See what was underneath and how the PCB protection was put on. Good thing to know about. Then duct tape it back up and dispose properly. Or give it to someone that knows how to reclaim it. Mexicans are generally very good at that.

I duct-taped both ends, but left the blue shrink wrap on. Then I took it to 3P's shop and Pony and Julio both told me they would take it to the Chedurai, where there is a recycle bin for them. I mention this as it may help others with the same issue.

 

[The Chairman]

How do I know if I need protected?

It's hard to get them unprotected in singles, but always be sure. There's no need to not use them.

 

[ggunn]

Note - addendum on @ggunn statement: [Volts - yes, milliamp hours - no]
Mostly true, but, there are ABSOLUTELY NO 18650 BATTERIES OF OVER 3500mAh!!!! If you see one being sold, and there are a LOT being sold....it is junk!!! Don't go there.

Like I said, I was speaking generally. When picking out a battery for any application the voltage is important, because some electronics are very picky about voltage. Current capacity (e.g., mAh, etc.) is much less important except that the length of time a device will run is directly proportional to current capacity. In general (again) for current more is better, but for voltage, not so much.

Speaking specifically, I wouldn't know a 18650 battery if it walked up and bit me on the leg.

 

[fmerkel]

@fmerkel - Thanks for the additional information.

Lot of batteries on that site. Most are not button-top, but I have no idea if that's important. Which batter(ies) at that link would be suitable to replace this one?
18650 Rechargeable Cell 3.7V (3000mAh) | Dive Gear Express®

How do I know if I need protected? The battery that came with the light is both protected and button-top, so I am assuming that is what I want/need. Initially I thought all button-top Li-Ion batteries were protected but there are some button-tops on the site you linked that are not protected.

I duct-taped both ends, but left the blue shrink wrap on. Then I took it to 3P's shop and Pony and Julio both told me they would take it to the Chedurai, where there is a recycle bin for them. I mention this as it may help others with the same issue.

The long answer is pretty long. So, just buy this: High end, quality, button top, protected.
Panasonic NCR18650B 3350mAh 4.87A Battery - Protected Button Top

Protected is a CHOICE. But you have to know enough to make that choice. Until you understand what that device is and does, don't go there. Most 18650 are NOT button top OR protected.

Button top > Look inside the light. Can you make electrical contact with a flat top battery? If you can (usually), you don't need it. If you can't you do need it.
Since STOCK 18650 batteries DO NOT have either a button top OR a PCB protection, those items are added on, generally at a cost bump for the extra work.
Some people solder on a bit of solder to flat top batteries. Some people use a powerful small magnet. Some just buy a button top.

 

[fmerkel]

Double post-deleted.

 

[DandyDon]

Batteries can be so irritating...

• Too many different sizes and types, impossible to keep a personal inventory.
• Gadgets that use AAAs when AAs deliver so much more lasting power.
• Lights that use Cs when Ds have so much more lasting power.
• Fakes like illustrated above sold by outfits that have no way of testing, knowing that we have no way of testing.
• And then the dangers of button cells with toddlers...!!

But then complaining adds a lot to my days.

 

[JohnnyC]

Trying to find the "best" 18650 is like trying to sort fly **** from pepper with tweezers while wearing boxing gloves. Just buy the Panasonics that fmerkel linked above. They're good cells. I use them in lights without built-in protection circuitry. And buy a good charger.

 

[fmerkel]

It's hard to get them unprotected in singles, but always be sure. There's no need to not use them.

I just read that sentence 5x. I don't understand what it's saying. But maybe this is the gist:

It's easy to get unprotected single batteries. If you mean PACKS (multiple cells), that's not hard either. Now....the quality of those PCB's associated with packs is another issue entirely. I've seen a number of them fail. I frankly won't use them, but I recognize I'm in a minority here. For most people they are not only fine but pretty much a necessity.

There ARE perfectly good reasons to NOT use protected cells, lots of them. But, if you are new to Li-on battery use, and/or don't care to learn more about them, then it's probably a very good idea to use protected cells. They aren't perfect, but they are one more level of insurance against problems.

 

[dflaher]

.......And buy a good charger.

I figured if I'm getting new batteries I should get a new charger. Don't know what the quality of my DGX one is, or whether it's even compatible with the Panasonic batteries linked above.

This one OK? My main concern is whether the longer, protected battery will fit in the charger. I'm going on a LOB in a couple of weeks and would like to do some night diving, so I need to move fast.

Nitecore D2 2 Channel Digital Battery Charger