18650 Battery Store Legit? Will not answer the phone.

[timselectric]

"Grade A" and "Grade B" are just marketing terms.
They don't mean anything. There's no official grading system.
Each vendor chooses what they want call their cells.
A good vendor will be more trustworthy. With their advertising. So, when 18650batterystore calls some cells "A" and some cells "B". You can be fairly sure that the "A" cells are better quality than the "B" cells that they are selling. But the line between "A" and "B" is different from vendor to vendor.
I'm not saying that test reports don't exist. They absolutely do. Otherwise, they wouldn't know what the quality of the cells are. They are tested to determine if they are good enough for EV's.
We get the rejects. Because they are more than good enough for solar storage.

 

[sunsurfer]

I vote this the most important thread of the year. Keep the info and questions coming....

 

[Alkaline]

"Grade A" and "Grade B" are just marketing terms.
They don't mean anything. There's no official grading system.
Each vendor chooses what they want call their cells.
A good vendor will be more trustworthy. With their advertising. So, when 18650batterystore calls some cells "A" and some cells "B". You can be fairly sure that the "A" cells are better quality than the "B" cells that they are selling. But the line between "A" and "B" is different from vendor to vendor.
I'm not saying that test reports don't exist. They absolutely do. Otherwise, they wouldn't know what the quality of the cells are. They are tested to determine if they are good enough for EV's.
We get the rejects. Because they are more than good enough for solar storage.

 

[toms]

The real question should be, what is the best way for a vendor to prove the cells they have are cells that have passed all the manufacturer quality assurance tests.

As I was trying to explain, a cell that has failed QA for SEM anomalies is likely to have a significantly shorter lifespan (in the case of Thundersky / CALB SE / Sinopoly 100 this has shown to be around 1/3 the usual lifespan).

People are taking a punt that rejected EVE cells will somehow last significantly longer, good luck - it’s your money.

 

[sunsurfer]

As a person getting ready to spend $10K ish on some new cells....I am watching this thread .....

 

[Alkaline]

Sunfunkits.com - only for large orders if you want the absolute cheapest/cell price and can wait a month or two
Ezealco.com - good overall vendor with great prices all around but doesn't really lower them for large orders.
18650batterystore.com - Put in comments of your order you are demanding a copy of the test report before they ship your cells
Batteryhookup.com - only for the v3 eve280K cells, not the rest they sell a lot of used/grade B too so my thumbs up is only for the v3 280K cells)

Any of the above will give you test reports with your cells and you can verify this by emailing eve directly.

Grade A vendors are buying cells a container load a time which kicks out like 99% of other sellers who can't spend a quarter million to get stock.

 

[timselectric]

Eve added the B on the QR code about a year ago. To identify that they are rejected for EV's.
Because the dishonest vendors were making all kinds of false claims about the cells they were selling.
But the "grade A, grade B" bs has been around for many years.

 

[sunsurfer]

Eve added the B on the QR code about a year ago. To identify that they are rejected for EV's.
Because the dishonest vendors were making all kinds of false claims about the cells they were selling.
But the "grade A, grade B" bs has been around for many years.

thats good news

 

[timselectric]

I really didn't plan on diy'ing my own batteries. Because of the horror stories about all of the internet vendors.
But when 18650batterystore opened up in the states. And the members here were giving them great reviews. I decided to give it a shot.
I purchased 16, for my first battery. And was happy when they arrived 3 days later. And tested above the advertised capacity.
After a few months with no issues. I felt confident in another 16. And again I was very satisfied.
My third purchase was 48 cells, and I picked them up myself. That saved me $800 on shipping.
I am very satisfied with all of my cells, so far.
So, I will be getting the 144 cells for the next phase, from them also.
If it weren't for 18650batterystore, my system would have been all server rack batteries. At a much higher expense.
Bottom line is, find a good vendor. There are a few that members are happy with. And you will be happy building your own batteries.

 

[sunsurfer]

I really didn't plan on diy'ing my own batteries. Because of the horror stories about all of the internet vendors.
But when 18650batterystore opened up in the states. And the members here were giving them great reviews. I decided to give it a shot.
I purchased 16, for my first battery. And was happy when they arrived 3 days later. And tested above the advertised capacity.
After a few months with no issues. I felt confident in another 16. And again I was very satisfied.
My third purchase was 48 cells, and I picked them up myself. That saved me $800 on shipping.
I am very satisfied with all of my cells, so far.
So, I will be getting the 144 cells for the next phase, from them also.
If it weren't for 18650batterystore, my system would have been all server rack batteries. At a much higher expense.
Bottom line is, find a good vendor. There are a few that members are happy with. And you will be happy building your own batteries.

I suspect many on here want the same thing. More KWH for their $$$. I want to pickup 96 cells, its allot of many to spend on DIY. Thanks for your input.

 

[Quattrohead]

is an idiot:

Calling Tim an idiot is the most hilarious own goal I've seen this year ?

 

[G00SE]

I suspect many on here want the same thing. More KWH for their $$$. I want to pickup 96 cells, its allot of many to spend on DIY. Thanks for your input.

I’m not in any position to make battery recommendations but after months of research for my own build and feeling in a similar predicament to @timselectric (with much less experience though) the first round of 18650store grade B 304 for 79/ea came up.
At the time 280/304 cells were hovering around 135-145. So I saw this as an opportunity to build at nearly half off, and learn my system in the process.
Now, the only prebuilt battery I have ANY interest in is Sok, because one can user service easily.

I don’t consider myself careless to my decision. My rationale might not be sensible but I have no interest in touching just any cheap Lifepo4 battery. Not gonna buy any on Amazon, not gonna buy off the boat. But I will buy a “lesser quality for cheaper” cell from a vendor who has given me no reason to not taken them at face value.
I simply trust that 18650, imr, and ezeal will provide what they advertise. I don’t feel that I can trust the chins type batteries and rack batteries that may one day fail and take down the whole battery doesn’t appeal either. I have 1 extra cell per battery so I’m counting on/hoping for minimal troubles down the road.

That’s how I ended up being both an 18650 customer and a “grade b” customer.

I will continue to buy whatever provides me the best value per kWh from one of those 3 vendors and go from there, ezeal currently has some “A” 230s that have my eye (as well as hopefully poach a few good SOK deals at some point for portability)

 

[Hiker]

In an email inquiry they answered promptly. I bought a Victron Smartsolar 75|15 and a Orion Tr-Smart 12|12 18 from them, both on sale at a great savings.

 

[42OhmsPA]

I will continue to buy whatever provides me the best value per kWh from one of those 3 vendors and go from there (as well as hopefully poach a few good SOK deals at some point for portability)

B is better but SOK Supersedes Other Kinds...
I'm still Bumming I didn't order 54 of those 305s.

A risky side of me wants to order 38 of those $55 280s from gobel power but I don't think it will gowel with the current 'logistical issues'

 

[SalmanFarooz]

Looks like you have been going to the grade B Kool-Aid stand and its starting to mess with your head.

This is the certification for the LF280K and its listed for UL1973 which is NOT rated for use in a vehicle so anyone claiming the 280K sold by 18650 are failed EV cells is an idiot: https://www.sunfunkits.com/MediaStorage/Product/Documents/Document/55_20231219082553974.pdf

This is the certification for the LF304 and its listed for UL2580 WHICH IS AN EV rated cell designed to be used in vehicles:https://www.sunfunkits.com/MediaStorage/Product/Documents/Document/55_20231220080717296.pdf now you could potentially say the 304 cells sold by 18650 battery store are failed EV cells, but you can only make that claim if you have proof that they are some how altered or don't have test reports (which I[m sure they do but hoping they start providing them to stop this bs rumor going around).

I see this thread as nothing more than attempt by the grade B mob to attempt to change the narrative to do what they have always wanted to do, muddy the waters to make it seem like there is no difference between grades: Cells with intact unaltered qr codes & test reports, Sanded off and re-lasered grade, Grade B or, Fraud grade.

18650battery store is legit, it was one of the first stores in the USA to offer cells at similar prices to Alibaba, it forced other usa vendors to lower prices and is established. Haters are just jealous because there little fly-by-night operation ghetto ebay / amazon store can't compete with them.

Sfk was the piñata for a while, you just watch, they are gonna start going after Ezeal and Batteryhookup soon too they are just looking for a "in" so they can inject there garabage "no difference between grade a or b bs"

Don't fall for it. I built batteries with both. Grade b sucks and in todays pricing extremely overpriced at near 85%-90% of the cost of grade A.

So the 304 cells can not be used in battery storage applications? Well I guess I am happy I ordered the 280K V3 cells then, I'm planning on using them for home storage.

 

[Alkaline]

So the 304 cells can not be used in battery storage applications? Well I guess I am happy I ordered the 280K V3 cells then, I'm planning on using them for home storage.

 

[Nonlin]

Sunfunkits.com - only for large orders if you want the absolute cheapest/cell price and can wait a month or two
Ezealco.com - good overall vendor with great prices all around but doesn't really lower them for large orders.
18650batterystore.com - Put in comments of your order you are demanding a copy of the test report before they ship your cells
Batteryhookup.com - only for the v3 eve280K cells, not the rest they sell a lot of used/grade B too so my thumbs up is only for the v3 280K cells)

Any of the above will give you test reports with your cells and you can verify this by emailing eve directly.

Grade A vendors are buying cells a container load a time which kicks out like 99% of other sellers who can't spend a quarter million to get stock.

Can you explain more about emailing EVE? I was thinking about calling them to try and verify if the sold anything to lets say Docan Power. IS that pretty much what the email would be for?

 

[Nonlin]

 

[740GLE]

Proper disclosure they were being recorded was made before the start right?

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Proper disclosure they were being recorded was made before the start right?

They are in GA. GA is one-party consent. Now it depends on where Nonlin called from...