Sanyo 20700 batteries, a new size?

Hi guys, I've just received an email from "IMR Batteries" advertising a couple of new batteries that they are now carrying; they are the Sanyo NCR 20700 size cells.
One is rated at 3100mAh and 30A, the other is a 4000mAh at 15A, I have never heard of this particular size cell. Take a look and see what you think.

I saw one of those at illuminate.com maybe something for a boosted blue or red?

These are the cells used in one of the new Tesla model's batteries. I've been waiting for these for a long time -- thanks for sharing! They may fit in an S4X host, given the extra space inside - we'll have to see!

dden4012 said:

I saw one of those at illuminate.com maybe something for a boosted blue or red?

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Yep, after some searching, I found Illumination supply carries them also. Thanks!

Sta said:

These are the cells used in one of the new Tesla model's batteries. I've been waiting for these for a long time -- thanks for sharing! They may fit in an S4X host, given the extra space inside - we'll have to see!

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I just came across a thread at Candlepowerforums that discussed these batteries back in June.

It means they are 20 mm wide and 70.0 mm long, just 2 mm wider and 5 mm longer than an 18650

I guess it's a Tesla thing.

Increasing from 18650 to 20700 makes the cell volume 32.9 percent larger, so the extra 33% capacity is exactly what one would expect.

The form factor for direct application is inconvenient since a lot of stuff has been built for 18650 cells. Then again that was mostly because laptop battery packs used the 18650 cells, and virtually all modern laptops use rectangular cells since the 18650 format would make them very thick by todays standards.

If they really catch on perhaps we will see flashlights/hosts using this form factor, but i doubt it'll be mainstream.

I might have to pick up a couple to see if any of my lasers would accept them. The higher amps might be worth it. ?

BobMc said:

I might have to pick up a couple to see if any of my lasers would accept them. The higher amps might be worth it. ?

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These would be great for boost drivers! Though we'll have to wait for information from lygte-info.dk - I'm sure it'll have some 20700 tests soon enough. We'll see if the current ratings hold up.

Well I just ordered two, thought I give them a try, see which host will accept them. Hoping the mx900 host does. I'll check out the s4x host also. ( for Sta ) I'll check out all my hosts and see which ones will work. Let everyone know what I find. aypal:~~~~~edit~~that was dumb, the mx900 host will fit 26650's so they will fit these 20700 easily. ( brain fart )

Bowtie not to highjack this my friend but I don't want to open a new thread on this question
I did my first laptop battery pull and got 6 seemingly healthy LG 18650's. Looking them up why are there so many different LG's of this size. Other than the usual flat top, button top, some higher mah, Am's etc. could there really be that much of a difference between them for different applications?
"IMR Battery" has 22 of them...?!?

There can be lots of different cell models indeed. As you indicate they can have flat or button tops, but also new generations of batteries are released once in a while. And there are batteries built for high capacity at low current vs ones for high currents at reduced capacities (e.g. for use in power tools).

Adding that up multiplies to a LOT of different cells being available from a manufacturer at any point.

The ones you pull from a laptop pack would usually be the flat-top type, optimized for capacity rather than current handling. But even then there are several options that have become available over the years.

The availability of 18650s from laptop batteries is something disappearing rapidly though, virtually all modern laptops use custom form factor batteries. Many of these things are fairly flat rectangular cells, or even L or U shaped batteries depending on the device - probably not of any practical use for laser pointers.

Google sure is a great thing "duh", as for curiousity on just what I salvaged I scoured all the battery stores and couldn't match the numbers.
Just simply ended up Googling the LG numbers and got exactly what Benn said,
basicly a 2200mah lower Amp laptop inspired battery. Even found a CandlePowerForum review, "a bit of an older model but solid".

Well, as if the 20700 format that these new Sanyo's use isn't enough, it looks as if Samsung, and Panasonic/Tesla are going with a slightly larger 21700 size cell.
It seems that Tesla has started production of their new "2170" cell at it's new Nevada factory last week. It's getting hard to keep up with all these newer battery sizes.

Now there's also going to be all kinds of adapter sleeves:can:
maby some 20350's or 21350's??

I don't think they'll be doing such short-and-fat cells unless there is some specific application where they would be needed.

It looks like they are just making slightly bigger batteries that can still be used with the same cooling design and such, possibly upping the power density of car battery packs a bit.

These are not the most energy dense systems possible though. For example the ones on jet airplanes use rectangular cells and pack more per cubed metre that way, but those have been prone to serious problems in the past years.

I doubt we will see many of these cells outside automotive use though, 18650 has become the consumer standard to some degree. If they only use these 20700 or 21700 cells in car battery packs that would mean you'd have to harvest them from such car batteries, yieling a very large number of cells in each go.

18650 lithium cells were not really intended as a consumer product to begin with, but china has taken care of that putting them in replaceable sockets on all kinds of devices. I don't really blame them, the best thing before that were AA or AAA sized NiMH batteries with low cell voltages and energy density.

How do you think the 18350's and 16340's came to be?