Discovering the Greatest 18650 Li-Ion Battery for FPV Lengthy Vary Flying and Gear

18650 Li-ion cell is a well-liked battery selection for each lengthy vary FPV drones and tools similar to FPV goggles and radios. Nonetheless, with so many choices in the marketplace, selecting the right 18650 cells may be overwhelming. I examined varied 18650 batteries, evaluating their efficiency and true capability to seek out the best batteries that provide 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 result of its steadiness of broad availability, longevity, and cost-effectiveness. It’s notably 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 satisfactory for drones designed for effectivity and endurance.

For a deeper dive into the professionals and cons of Li-ion batteries over LiPo, take a look at this put up: 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 well-liked for FPV drones and equipment:

• Capability and Effectivity: They provide substantial power storage in a compact kind issue.
• Rechargeability: These batteries are able to a whole bunch of cost cycles with out vital degradation.
• Availability: They’re broadly accessible and used throughout varied digital units and instruments.

Eager about long-range flying? Try the following pointers: https://oscarliang.com/long-range-fpv-flying-mini-quad/

The Contenders

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

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

** Weight is measured on my own

Testing Methodology

To find out the perfect batteries, I targeted 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 power storage capabilities.
• Voltage Sag: Assessed by discharging at a sooner price (12A) from 4.2V per cell to 2.9V to guage their efficiency beneath 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 beneath heavy load, making them ideally suited for high-demand lengthy vary FPV flying. The Sony VTC5A and VTC6 have been shut contenders, performing admirably as nicely.

By way of 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:

Primarily based 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 options, with the VTC6 barely edging out in flight time and the P28A offering a bit extra punch.

Prime selections:

Second selections:

For low present functions 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.

Prime selections:

• Sanyo NCR18650GA:
• Molicel M35A:

Second selections:

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 aren’t utilizing the perfect cells to maximise revenue). Due to this fact assembling your personal Li-ion battery pack utilizing top-quality cells, ensures the very best efficiency, typically even cheaper.

Conclusion

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

Charging 18650 Batteries

Fashionable LiPo chargers sometimes assist Li-Ion battery kind; merely join them as you’ll a LiPo battery. For charger suggestions, take a look at: https://oscarliang.com/choose-lipo-battery-charger-power-supply/

Edit Historical past

• Feb 2018: Article creation.
• Mar 2024: Replace with the newest take a look at outcomes on new market-available 18650 cells.