Lithium batteries are one of the most prevalent batteries nowadays. Especially cylindrical batteries. In fact, among all cylinder batteries, 26650 and 18650 batteries have a prominent place in the market.
Both of them are widely used for multiple applications including flashlights, E-bicycles, vapes, laptops, and even electric vehicles. However, which is better? There are some opinions/comparison you need to consider.
Let’s start in detail.
What is 26650 battery?
26650 battery is a rechargeable lithium ion battery. the dimension is 26mm and the height is 65mm, a standardized industry size. In general, the capacity are between 2500mAh and 5000mAh.
Meanwhile, The 26650 battery can realize full charge and full discharge, this process cause no influemnce to their performance.
What is 18650 battery?
18650 battery is a rechargeable lithium ion battery. the dimension is 18mm and the height is 65mm, a standardized industry size. The capacity are between 1200mAh and 3600mAh usually.
The 18650 battery can realize full charge and full discharge. However, this process cause no influemnce to their performance.
Difference between 26650 battery and 18650 battery
Chemistry
Most of 26650 battery is a rechargeable LiFePO4 battery. However, Most of 26650 battery is a rechargeable NiCoMn ternary.
Dimension
When it comes to size, the main difference between 26650 battery and 18650 battery is the diameter. 26550 battery is 65 mm in length and 26 mm in diameter, whil 18650 battery is 65 mm in length and 18 mm in diameter.
So due to a larger diameter, the total size and weight of the 26650 battery are bigger.
Capacity
The capacity of the 18650 rechargeable lithium battery is 1200mAh to 3600mAh. However, the 26650 rechargeable lithium batteries come with a large capacity in comparison to the 18650 Battery. the capacity of 26650 rechargeable lithium battery is 2500mAh to 4000mAh.
Voltage
The 18650 rechargeable batteries can take up to 4.2V maximum. Their charge current can be 1C. (What Is Battery C Rating) On the other side, the 26650 batteries are made up of Lithium iron phosphate material and they can achieve a nominal voltage of around 3.2 volt per cell. However, the suggested charging voltage can be up to 3.65 volts.
Discharge rate
The discharge rate refers to the measurement of the maximal power that a battery can deliver at a time. The discharge rate is divided into two types. The maximum discharge rate is max absolute full power in 30s. Continuous rate is the maximal power that can be equipped over long periods. The continuous rate always lower than the maximum discharge rate.
Application
Basically, both batteries are used for vaping devices, flashlights, toys, and torches.
However, according to the different application, the 26650 have more size and capacity than 18650 battery.
Which battery is better? 26650 battey or 18650 battery?
The selection of the best battery type usually depends upon the requirements and needs of an individual. It is important to mention that, 18650 rechargeable batteries are more famous and verified by the market. Also they carry more power and can serve today’s high-tech flashlights.
The selection of the best battery type usually depends upon the requirements and needs of an individual. It is important to mention that, 18650 rechargeable batteries are more famous and verified by the market. Also they carry more power and can serve today’s high-tech flashlights.
On the other side, the 26650 rechargeable batteries are high-performance, high-capacity batteries that can serve high-drain devices in a much better manner.
Can I use 26650 battery and 18650 battery together?
Due to the inconsistent chemical composition and size , usually we do not use them together. Mixed use will easily affect the life and performance about whole batteries.
Are 26650 lithium batteries better than 18650 batteries?
It is quite difficult to choose between 26650 battery vs 18650 battery basically. They both have unique advantages. The 18650 lithium-ion batteries are more mature than the 26650 lithium-ion battery evidently, while the 26650 lithium-ion battery is superior in terms of its capacity.
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