In recent years, the rapid development of the lithium battery industry, promoting the development of various industry changes, in addition to our frequent attention to the electric car products. The power tools used in daily life are also increasingly inseparable from lithium batteries. At present, the majority of power tools are still using 18650 lithium batteries as the main source of power, but with the introduction of 21700 lithium batteries, this situation is gradually being broken.
Electric tools lithium battery in the end should choose 18650 or 21700
21700, 18650, 20700, etc. only refers to the physical size of the lithium-ion battery. For example, 18650 lithium battery, 18 represents the perimeter, 65 represents the length, 0 represents the cylindrical battery. 18650 batteries are not only lithium batteries, NiMH batteries also have 18650 size.
Compared to 18650 batteries, the additional 5 mm length and 3 mm diameter of 21700 cells can make its volume increased by 47%. This means an additional 7700 cubic millimeters of space for filling the anode, cathode and electrolyte materials that transfer energy. It also means that the 21700 lithium battery can have a higher capacity than the 18650 lithium battery.
Higher capacity also equates to a longer life span.
The most obvious benefit over 21700 and 18650 is that the extra volume space allows more energy to keep your tool running longer. We have seen batteries using 18650 cells for power each with a capacity of 1.5Ah (1500mAh) to 3.0Ah (3000mAh). However the high end 18650 cells (3.0Ah) are already having volume problems, which is why most manufacturers are putting 2.5Ah (2500 mAh) cells at the top of the list.
For power tool batteries, on the other hand, the 21700 cells start at 3.0Ah (3000 mAh) and go up to 4.0Ah (4000 mAh). That's why we can see compact (1P) battery packs can be labeled 3Ah or 4Ah up to 12Ah (3P) for larger batteries.
The following is a comparison of the capacity of conventional power tool batteries by size.
18650
Compact 1P battery: 2.0Ah-3.0Ah (36 Wh-54 Wh)
Universal 2P battery: 4.0Ah-6.0Ah (72 Wh to 108 Wh)
Large capacity 3P battery: 9.0Ah (162 Wh)
21700
Compact 1P battery: 3.0Ah-4.0Ah (54 Wh-72 Wh)
Universal 2P battery: 6.0Ah-8.0Ah (108 Wh-144 Wh)
Large capacity 3P battery: 9Ah-12Ah (162 Wh-216 Wh)
*Note: The above regardless of the nominal voltage of the battery.
How to make a choice between 18650 and 21700 lithium batteries
18650 lithium battery has been one of the lithium batteries used in power tools for a long time, and in addition to the right size, the weight is also more portable. 21700 has a larger size space than 18650, and also has a heavier weight and larger size than 18650, however, it is obvious that 21700 can provide more power and longer life at the same time. If you have to make a trade-off between the two types of batteries, you should focus more on the practical application, both batteries can meet the power tool carrying use. How to choose is not difficult.
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