My ten+ year old TrustFire not hold a full charge?

[drbuck]

Hello!
So I've learned that sometimes brand-names makes a difference in 18650's; I have a ten+ year old TrustFire TR18650 2500MaH 3.7V battery and use this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Liitokala-Lii-100-USB-Smart-Charger-with-LED-Indicator-for-Lithium-Ni-MH-Battery/114229774121?hash=item1a98a00729:g:98IAAOSw6Tdb1nBs

So after like a a few hours, it just seems to heat up the battery (hot, but not untouchable) and not reaching a full charge (three out of four indicator lights on the charger light up solid, but not the fourth.) Is all the energy going into charging it just converting to heat? The battery basically dead? THANKS!!

 

[john61ct]

LOL yes they're dead how could you expect then to last this long?

I recycle when SoH reaches 70-75%

 

[drbuck]

I dunno... :lol: Other good batteries hold more of a charge than the cheap ones, and this was a good one, so I dunno!! :lol:

 

[john61ct]

Most LI chemistries only last a couple-few years / hundred cycles

A123 LFP and LTO are exceptions

 

[Schlafmutze]

Old li-ion batteries can often get a soft internal short that only becomes apparent once they reach a higher state of charge, it's not a full short but the batteries start heating up before becoming full.

They don't discharge all the way when left alone, but this can sometimes occur.
I wouldn't use this battery anymore as it is not safe, discharge the cell fully and dispose of it for recycling.

 

[amberwolf]

I'm honestly surprised a Trustfire cell (or any other *Fire type) held a charge at all even the very first time you charged it...since most of them are literally recycled garbage.

 

[Hillhater]

AW.... im pretty sure it is a troll wind up !
Trustfire ?... 10 yrs old ?.
...yea, sure !

 

[drbuck]

:lol: So some fault will appear sometime, eh? Is that a design flaw of the cell? Materials? (I assume as with everything there getting better/smaller)

 

[neptronix]

AW.... im pretty sure it is a troll wind up !
Trustfire ?... 10 yrs old ?.
...yea, sure !

Indeed. i'd be shocked if one lasted that long. They're literally rewrapped dumpster cells. If they lasted 10 years, the application must have had an extremely light power draw compared to what the original cell was designed for.

 

[Hillhater]

A related tale..
I have an “Ultrafire” 18650, 3800mAh cell that came in one of those military LED flashlights.
When it is in use, it lasts 15 mins max, ??...
..... but it really keeps your hand warm whilst in use ! :lol:

 

[amberwolf]

AW.... im pretty sure it is a troll wind up !
Trustfire ?... 10 yrs old ?.
...yea, sure !

Since the poster "drbuck" claims to be from the USA but signed up from and is posting from a french IP and ISP, it is probably a spammer "establishing" themselves before they start spamming links, etc., or they are just SEOing the brand name.

 

[john61ct]

[emoji38] So some fault will appear sometime, eh? Is that a design flaw of the cell? Materials? (I assume as with everything there getting better/smaller)

OK I'll play it straight.

This type of cell only lasts a short lifespan, if ten years then that is freakish, must not have been cycled much.

Even the best of this type of cell usually gets a hundred or a few hundred cycles then needs replacing.

Yours is considered a poor quality brand, and many think you are a lying troll of some sort.

 

[drbuck]

[emoji38] So some fault will appear sometime, eh? Is that a design flaw of the cell? Materials? (I assume as with everything there getting better/smaller)

OK I'll play it straight.

This type of cell only lasts a short lifespan, if ten years then that is freakish, must not have been cycled much.

Even the best of this type of cell usually gets a hundred or a few hundred cycles then needs replacing.

Yours is considered a poor quality brand, and many think you are a lying troll of some sort.

Cool. Learning about cells, GOSH!! And I use a VPN.