Discovering the Finest 18650 Li-Ion Battery for FPV Lengthy Vary Flying and Tools

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18650 Li-ion cell is a well-liked battery selection for each lengthy vary FPV drones and tools comparable to FPV goggles and radios. Nonetheless, with so many choices in the marketplace, selecting the right 18650 cells will be overwhelming. I examined varied 18650 batteries, evaluating their efficiency and true capability to search out the best batteries that supply lengthy flight occasions and dependable efficiency.

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Why 18650 Li-ion Batteries?

Selecting the best battery is essential for optimizing the efficiency of FPV tools. The 18650 Li-ion battery emerges as a best choice as a consequence of its steadiness of extensive availability, longevity, and cost-effectiveness. It’s significantly favored by long-range FPV pilots for its superior energy-to-weight ratio in comparison with conventional LiPo batteries. Though it could not ship the excessive present output of LiPo batteries, it’s ample for drones designed for effectivity and endurance.

For a deeper dive into the professionals and cons of Li-ion batteries over LiPo, try this publish: https://oscarliang.com/li-ion-battery-long-range/

Left: 4S 1500mah LiPo; Proper: 4S 3500mAh Li-ion

To sum it up, right here’s why 18650 batteries are most popular for FPV drones and equipment:

Capability and Effectivity: They provide substantial vitality storage in a compact type issue.
Rechargeability: These batteries are able to a whole lot of cost cycles with out important degradation.
Availability: They’re extensively obtainable and used throughout varied digital units and instruments.

Fascinated with long-range flying? Take a look at the following tips: https://oscarliang.com/long-range-fpv-flying-mini-quad/

The Contenders

To seek out the very best, I examined a wide range of 18650 batteries from respected manufacturers, contemplating completely different specs for a well-rounded overview.

* Worth in line with my native reseller on the time of publishing.

** Weight is measured on my own

Testing Methodology

To find out the very best batteries, I centered on two key efficiency indicators:

Capability: Measured by discharging batteries at a sluggish price (2A) from 4.2V per cell all the way down to 2.9V to precisely gauge their vitality storage capabilities.
Voltage Sag: Assessed by discharging at a quicker price (12A) from 4.2V per cell to 2.9V to guage their efficiency below load all through the discharge cycle.

In case you might be curious what testing tools I used, it was the SkyRC BD350 discharger.

Outcomes and Suggestions

When evaluating the discharge price, the Molicel P30B and P28A stood out for delivering constant energy, particularly below heavy load, making them supreme for high-demand lengthy vary FPV flying. The Sony VTC5A and VTC6 have been shut contenders, performing admirably as effectively.

When it comes to true capability, the Molicel M35A and Sanyo NCR18650GA led the pack, providing the very best mAh at roughly 3260mAh. Right here’s an in depth breakdown of marketed versus measured capacities:

Marketed Capability	Measured mAh (Cutoff 2.9V)
Sony VTC5A 2500mAh	2415mAh
Sony VTC6 3000mAh	2939mAh
Molicel P30B 3000mAh	2851mAh
Molicel P28A 2800mah	2627mAh
Molicel M35A 3500mah	3263mAh
Sanyo NCR18650GA 3500mah	3265mAh
Radiomaster 3200mah	3058mAh
Radiomaster 2500mah	2583mAh

Based mostly on our testing, listed below are our high suggestions for various FPV wants.

For lengthy vary FPV flights, the Molicel P30B emerges because the best choice for its distinctive capability and discharge efficiency, minimizing voltage sag. The VTC6 and P28A are glorious alternate options, with the VTC6 barely edging out in flight time and the P28A offering a bit extra punch.

High decisions:

Second decisions:

For low present purposes like powering FPV goggles and radios, the Molicel M35A and Sanyo NCR18650GA are my go-to choices. The Radiomaster 3200mAh and VTC6 are additionally worthy concerns.

High decisions:

Sanyo NCR18650GA:
Molicel M35A:

Second decisions:

Constructing Your Personal Pack

You’ll be able to construct your personal battery packs utilizing singular 18650 cells following this information: https://oscarliang.com/li-ion-battery-long-range/.

Whereas I’ve examined varied pre-made 6S Li-ion packs from respected distributors, none matched the efficiency of Molicel cells (I assume they don’t seem to be utilizing the very best cells to maximise revenue). Due to this fact assembling your personal Li-ion battery pack utilizing top-quality cells, ensures the absolute best efficiency, typically even cheaper.

Conclusion

Selecting the best 18650 Li-ion battery requires weighing a number of efficiency components. I hope our comparability and testing helped you resolve which 18650 cells to get. Pleased flying!

Charging 18650 Batteries

Trendy LiPo chargers usually assist Li-Ion battery sort; merely join them as you’d a LiPo battery. For charger suggestions, try: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/

Edit Historical past

Feb 2018: Article creation.
Mar 2024: Replace with the most recent check outcomes on new market-available 18650 cells.

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