Help! Unused cells that are 12 years old? Any good still?

[Gorillazilla]

Panasonic NCR18650PF with a date code of 0525

If the date code is correct and there has not been a change in the way Panasonic handle date codes then these cells were manufactured in 2010

according to here: https://eu.nkon.nl/blog/Panasonicbatterydatecode/

And here: https://batterybro.com/pages/18650-date ... ookup-tool

Really quite unacceptable, as I ordered them as new around 3.7 Euros each (reduced to this price due to buying them in bulk), and from the supposedly most reputable and highly recommended on the forums 18650 supplier, they are unused with no spot welds but they were not advertised as being so old.


I specifically went with NCR18650PF as they are well known to be great cells, as I was looking to make a top notch bike battery pack for Longevity, safety and reliability

With them being so old This is not the case anymore? Especially with them being NCM chemistry (NCR is a Hybrid variant of NCM), If they had been NCA it would have not been too much of an issue because the Aluminium would have been stable, but from what I have heard the Manganese in NCM cells dissolves into the Electrolyte over time, ever degrading them as they calendar age regardless of Cycle aging...


There's also tiny slivers of Rust on most of the cells Positive terminals. 4 Short fingers on this one for example, some better some worse.


What is your opinion of these cells?

What kind of capacity and cycle life can I expect from these compared to freshly manufactured cells?

 

[Nealh]

I doubt they are 2010 cells and 12 years old.
I expect the date is 25 May 2020 and are grade D cells.

The 0 indicating 2020 as we are in a new decade.

 

[Gorillazilla]

I doubt they are 2010 cells and 12 years old.
I expect the date is 25 May 2020 and are grade D cells.

The 0 indicating 2020 as we are in a new decade.

If that's true, Panasonic has settled upon a rather daft way of arranging their date codes to the point where you cannot differentiate decades. They are not that stupid are they?

 

[Nealh]

It's only my take on it, if you think they are or were 12 y/o send them back.
I I buy genuine cells then ideally no more then 2 y/o.

 

[soundwave]

if you get a cheap imax charger and a cell holder you can use it to capacity test the cells.

iMAX B6 Charger for Lipo NiMh Li-ion Ni-Cd RC Balance Charger with Discharger 714367586588 | eBay

LiIon / LiPo / LiFe battery: 1-6 cell. NiCd / NiMH battery: 1-15series. 1 x Adapter charging cable with deans connector. 1 x Adapter charging cable with servo connector. 1 x Adapter charging cable with BEC connector.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[richtea99]

The PDF datasheet linked in this page says the PF variant was only introduced in April 2013, so the date code can only mean 2020:

NCR18650PF Datasheet - 2900mAh, 3.6V, Battery - Panasonic

NCR18650PF Datasheet - 2900mAh, 3.6V, Battery - Panasonic, NCR18650PF pdf, NCR18650PF pinout, NCR18650PF manual, NCR18650PF schematic, NCR18650PF data.

www.datasheetcafe.com

 

[Nealh]

The date code system is fine and one has to realise these big brands don't expect their cells to be kept for 10 or more years and sold later. They produce batches annually as the life span isn't very long in permanent storage.