UltraFire BRC18650 3000mAh (Red-silver)

These batteries are sold from many China shops, I have tested from 3 different shops and there is wide differences and none of the batteries are good.



Official specifications:

• Model : 18650 (Protected)
• Voltage: 3.7V
• Capacity : 3000mAh
• Size : 65mmx Ø18mm Weight: 35g
• Recharge up to 800 times
• Xenon bulbs are not suitable

These batteries are from the UltraFire shop that insists that they sell genuine UltraFire with good quality.











The two batteries has a huge difference in capacity, especially at low currents.











It does not look like this battery has a over current protection or maybe it is at a higher current than the battery can supply. The A battery failed after one test.






UltraFire BRC18650 3000mAh (Red-silver) cnq



Official specifications:

• Genuine Ultrafire 3000mAh 18650
• Real capacity: 2900mAh (-100mAh / + 100mAh)
• Internal PCB protection prevents under-voltage at 2.5V and over-voltage at 4.25V. UNIQUE INTERNAL PCB!
• Diameter 18.6+/-0.2 mm (Note: Diameter may not fit all flashlights)
• Height 66.5+/- 0.2mm
• Weight (Typical) Approx. 46 g
• Nominal Voltage: Average 3.7V
• Cut-off Voltage: 2.5V
• Internal Impedance: less or equal to 180 milli-ohm (with PTC)
• Cycle Performance: 90% of initial capacity at 400 cycles
• Cycle life: > 500 cycles
• Charge: Current = 0.5C mA Voltage = 4.2 V End Current = 0.01 mA
• Discharge: Current = 0.5C mA End Voltage = 3.0V

This is the most expensive UltraFire 3000mAh than cnq has, these are supposed to genuine UltraFire.










The two batteries has a huge difference in capacity, especially at low currents.











It does not look like this battery has a over current protection or maybe it is at a higher current than the battery can supply. The A battery failed after one test.






UltraFire BRC18650 3000mAh (Red-silver) DX



Official specifications:

• UltraFire Protected 18650 3.7V 3000mAh Lithium Batteries

These UltraFire does not have the same performance as the two other pairs.










There is a fairly good match between the batteries.











On these UltraFire the protection works.





Conclusion

The genuine UltraFire batteries are not very good with very different capacity and problems with the protection circuit, the DX version is better (At least the ones I got). None of the batteries are close to the rated capacity.
The internal resistance is also way to high for the genuine batteries.
I will rate these batteries as BAD, the DX ones are acceptable for a cheap battery, but because there is many different UltraFire 3000mAh on the market, I would not trust them.



Notes and links

Due to the wide difference between batteries from the same dealer, I have not included them in the charts, but only in the comparator.

How is the test done and how to read the charts
How is a protected LiIon battery constructed
More about button top and flat top batteries