18650 or 16340 Lithium Battery – Advantages and Limitations

Batteries are a uniform and uninterrupted source of power which makes them applicable almost everywhere in this era of technology. Several different types of batteries have been used over the years, however, lithium-ion batteries have become the most preferred choice for a variety of applications. Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that are mostly used in daily electronic items and military andspecial types of equipment.

Lithium-ion batteries became popular due to their ability to supply higher currents while storing a large amount of energy within them. Higher energy density and outputs make these batteries the first choice for applications where higher energy outputs are required. There are many different lithium-ion batteries available in the market, although, the most desirable ones in the market are 18650 and 16340 Lithium-ion battery. To choose the most suitable battery, one must know the advantages and limitations of both.

Are 18650 batteries Better Than 16340 Lithium-ion Batteries

The question most commonly asked is, if 18650 batteries are better than 16340 Lithium-ion batteries The answer to this question to some extent depends on the type of application the consumer has in mind. However, generally, to figure out which battery is the better one among both of them, it is very important to take an analytic look at the specifications of both of these batteries.

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1.Size

When comparing two batteries, one of the most determining factors is the size of both batteries. Upon studying the size chart of Lithium-ion batteries, amazing classifications can be made from these names. For the 18650 Lithium-ion batteries, 18 represents the 18mm diameter and 65 represents the length of the battery, whereas the 0 marks the cylindrical size. For the 16340 Lithium-ion batteries, 16 represents the 16 mm diameter with a length of 34 and the same cylindrical size. This shows that the 18650 battery is greater in size.

2.Storage Capacity

The storage capacity of 18650 battery is around 1800mAh to 3500mAh, whereas, the storage capacity of the 16340 battery is 880mAh. This means that the 18650 Lithium-ion battery has a higher charge storage capacity than the 16340 Lithium-ion battery making 18650 more suitable for devices that require longer backups and charge storage capacities.

3.Voltage and Ambient Condition

The 18650 Lithium-ion battery has a rated output voltage up to 4.4 volts and the 16340 battery has a rated output voltage of 3.7 volts. However, the advantage of 16340 batteries over 18650 batteries is that they can perform well under freezing temperatures without any malfunctioning.

These are some of the many reasons which clear up the picture that 18650 Lithium-ion battery is up to most extent better than the 16340 batteries. However, choices of consumers may be different according to their requirements and ambient conditions.

Advantages of 18650 and 16340 lithium-ion batteries

18650 and 16340 Lithium-ion batteries have large storage capacities (up to 3600mAh) as compared to general batteries with capacities up to 800mAh.

The 18650 and 16340 have larger battery life and can perform about 500 charge cycles which is double than that of the ordinary Lithium-ion and NiCd or NiMH batteries.

No explosions, no toxic materials, and non-polluting characteristics of the 18650 and 16340 batteries making them one of the safest batteries in the market. These batteries also do not overheat under longer usage durations.

The nominal voltage of these Lithium-ion batteries ranges from 3.3 volts to 4.4 volts which are higher when compared to other Lithium or ordinary NiCd or NiMH batteries.

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These batteries are free from ‘memory effect’ which calls for draining the remaining battery before recharging it.

The 18650 and 16340 Lithium-ion batteries can be connected in series or parallel formations to form battery packs for higher energy demands. These batteries can form battery packs providing up to 5000mAh.

The low internal resistance of the batteries is what contributes to longer standby times and fewer self-consumption losses.

These Lithium-ion batteries have their cathodes and anodes (positive and negative poles) physically apart which reduces the chance of short circuits inside the battery.

Depending on the usage of the 18650 and 16340, special protections can be set up inside the batteries for overcharging and over-discharging.

These batteries have a variety of uses in daily lives. Electronic devices such as laptops, mobile phones, DVD Players, and digital cameras make use of these batteries.

Limitations of 18650 and 16340 Batteries

Just like any other equipment or piece of technology, Lithium-ion 18650 and 16340 have their disadvantages in contrast to the advantages they offer. These disadvantages do not affect the overall performance of the batteries and can most possibly be reduced or tackled. Several changes in the designs of the batteries or their applications can be made to mitigate their effect.

Lithium-ion batteries 18650 and 16340 are not stout as other rechargeable batteries. Careful protective measures have to be taken to protect the conditions of overcharging and over drainage of the batteries. For this purpose, internal circuitry in the form of protective plates can be employed during the design.

Temperature monitoring is one of the disadvantages of the 18650 and 16340 batteries. Integrated circuits designed for internal temperature protections are incorporated into the battery packs to monitor the temperature rise in the batteries and battery packs during normal and fast charging.

Aging is a very common threat that Lithium-ion batteries face. The age of 18650 and 16340 batteries is calendar and clock dependent along with its strong dependency on the charge cycles of the battery. The batteries support 500-100 charge and discharge cycles before their maximum storage capacity starts to deteriorate,

18650 and 16340 Lithium-ion batteries suffer from standby charge degradation. This means that the battery will lose its charges no matter if it is in use or on standby.

Lithium-ion batteries face a unique transportation restriction by air. There is a specific number of Lithium-ion batteries that can be carried by a single person traveling via air. This makes their transportation limited to ships.

The 18650 and 16340 batteries have a 40% higher manufacturing cost as compared to other ordinary batteries such as the Nickel-Cadmium battery.

Lithium-ion batteries are a part of immature-technology. A technology which is still under the process of research and development which imposes a risk of obsoletion on technologies that make use of these batteries.