18650 lithium-ion batteries are reliable, and the most recommended batteries for medium and high drain applications. Different brands and models of 18650 batteries are available to differentiate based on specifications.
But when we consider its type’s two most popular types of 18650 batteries are protected and unprotected batteries. Are both batteries the same or different? Stay here to read 18650 battery protected vs unprotected comparison for better understanding.
Table could not be displayed.What are 18650 Protected Batteries?
18650 lithium-ion batteries are not much different in specifications compared to unprotected batteries. A battery with a small electronic circuit in the cell packaging protects the battery from damages such as short circuit overcharge, over-discharge, temperature effects, and over current. Protected batteries are expensive as compared to unprotected batteries.
These batteries have three essential components that make them safer to use for devices and users.
- PTC
- PCB
- CID
1. PTC
PTC component is for the protection of the battery from over current or overheating; if it happens, it automatically resets and protects the battery from any damage such as burning.
2. PCB
The function of the PCB component is to protect the battery from over-discharge, over current, and overcharge based on its design. It will reset the battery to protect it from any damage during charging.
3. CID
CID components in protected batteries are also called pressure valves that disable the cell permanently if the pressure rises in the cell, it mostly happens when the battery overcharges.
What are 18650 Unprotected Batteries?
Unprotected batteries are also helpful and widely used, but these batteries do not have such electronic circuits as protected batteries to protect batteries from damage during charge or use. You can get more power, and they also come with more current storage capacity than protected cell batteries, but they are risky.
Your device, and especially the battery itself, always remain in danger of short-circuiting, over-discharge, overheating, or over current. You need to be more careful when you have unprotected batteries with you, but unprotected batteries are cheaper as compared to protected batteries.
Which One is Better for Me to Use a 18650 Protected or Unprotected Battery?
It depends on various factors such as the purpose of use and your budget; when we refer to experts’ recommendations then mostly recommend protected batteries because they are safe in service for your devices. Protected batteries are expensive but have a long lifespan that makes them cost-effective compared to unprotected batteries. The average lifespan of a 18650 protected battery could be ten years.
On the other hand, 18650 unprotected batteries are cheaper, and you could prefer it when you need more power or have a short budget. You can also make it worthwhile with some care of its use and recharge. But its lifespan is short compared to protected batteries, not more than five years.
Conclusion
18650 protected and unprotected batteries come with positive and negative features that make them suitable and unsuitable for specific cases. But protected batteries have better features except cost than unprotected batteries and are also recommended because of the safety circuit.
