Great battery
KEY SPECS · SAMSUNG SDI INR18650-30Q6
SOURCE [1]- SIZE
- Ø18.40 × 65.00 mm
- max. · with tube
- CAPACITY
- 3,000 mAh typ.
- 2,950 mAh min.
- 0.2C to 2.5 V, 23 °C
- CURRENT
- 15 A
- max. continuous
- without temp. cut
- 30 A
- max. continuous
- with 80 °C temp. cut
- TEMPERATURE
- −20 to 60 °C
- discharge · ambient
- charge 0 to 45 °C · ambient
[1] Specification of Product, SDI Model INR18650-30Q6, Version No. 1.0, on file since 2021-06-09
An 18650 power cell: 2,950 mAh standard minimum capacity at 0.2C, 2,900 mAh rated minimum at 10 A, and 15 A maximum continuous discharge without a temperature cut-off, or 30 A with an 80 °C cell-surface cut-off [1]. Below: every rating with its condition, the figures Samsung prints in its tables and reports, and what we calculated from them, so you can check each number.
A bare cell: a component for protected packs and devices built for it. Not for vaping. Charge on a lithium-ion (Li-ion) charger that stops at 4.20 V.
01SPEC PLATE
Every rating, with its condition.
Samsung’s data sheet for the 30Q is titled Specification of Product [1]; this page calls it the specification. The newest we hold, from 2020, names the model “INR18650-30Q (Version 6)”. Its ratings come first, copied as printed. Then the capacity figures its tables print, our arithmetic, and facts from the safety data sheet (SDS) [3] and the UN38.3 transport test report [4]. Each row names its source or shows its formula.
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE | CONDITION · SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| RATED · MANUFACTURERcopied from specification [1] | ||
| MODEL CODE | INR18650-30Q6 | model name “INR18650-30Q (Version 6)”, as printed [1] |
| CAPACITY, STANDARD | 2,950 mAh | minimum; 0.2C (600 mA) to 2.5 V after standard charge, 23 °C [1] |
| CAPACITY, RATED | 2,900 mAh | minimum; 10 A to 2.5 V after rated charge, 23 °C [1] |
| CAPACITY, NOMINAL | 3,000 mAh | no condition printed [1] |
| CAPACITY, TYPICAL | — | Not stated by manufacturer [1] |
| 1C | 3,000 mA | the current [1] defines as 1C |
| NOMINAL VOLTAGE | 3.6 V | [1] |
| CHARGE VOLTAGE | 4.20 V | CC-CV (constant current, then constant voltage) [1] |
| DISCHARGE CUT-OFF | 2.5 V | end of discharge [1] |
| STANDARD CHARGE | 1.5 A | 0.5C, CC-CV to 4.20 V, 150 mA cut-off; 135 min [1] |
| RATED CHARGE | 4 A | CC-CV to 4.20 V, 100 mA cut-off; 65 min; no maximum charge current printed [1] |
| MAX. CONTINUOUS, NO CUT-OFF | 15 A | “Without temperature cut” [1] |
| MAX. CONTINUOUS, 80 °C CUT-OFF | 30 A | “With 80℃ temperature cut”, measured at the cell surface, on the hottest cell in a pack; resume discharge only below 60 °C [1] |
| CHARGE TEMPERATURE | 0 to 45 °C | ambient; 0 to 50 °C at the cell surface, recommended recharge release below 45 °C [1] |
| DISCHARGE TEMPERATURE | −20 to 60 °C | ambient; −20 to 80 °C at the cell surface, re-discharge only below 60 °C [1] |
| AC IMPEDANCE | ≤ 26 mΩ | initial, AC 1 kHz, after standard charge [1] |
| CYCLE LIFE | ≥ 1,770 mAh | after 250 cycles: 4 A charge, 15 A discharge to 2.5 V, room temperature; 60 % of standard capacity [1] |
| AFTER STORAGE AT 60 °C | ≥ 2,320 mAh | 30 days at 60 °C from rated charge, then 10 A to 2.5 V; 80 % of rated capacity [1] |
| STORAGE | 0 to 23 °C | humidity below 65 %; long-term at the shipping voltage; the pack guideline recommends 20 °C [1] |
| RECOVERY 80 % AFTER STORAGE | −20 to 23 °C | up to 1 year; to 45 °C up to 3 months; to 60 °C up to 1 month; kept at the ex-factory 30 % charge [1] |
| AS SHIPPED | 3.44–3.52 V | ex-factory voltage; about 30 % charge [1] |
| DIAMETER | 18.40 mm | maximum, with tube [1] |
| HEIGHT | 65.00 mm | maximum, with tube [1] |
| MASS | 48.0 g | maximum [1] |
| TERMINAL · PROTECTION | Flat top · none | as sold: bare cell, no protection circuit; terminal style not stated in [1] |
| + Source: [1] Samsung SDI, Specification of Product, SDI Model INR18650-30Q6 (model name “INR18650-30Q (Version 6)”), Version No. 1.0, Date of Application 2020/06/04, issued to customer Rutronik (as printed); on file since 2021-06-09; not posted, as the document is marked confidential. Call or text to ask about it | ||
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE | CONDITION · SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| PRINTED IN THE SPECIFICATION’S TABLESpercent of the 2,900 mAh rated capacity, as printed; mAh calculated [1] | ||
| CAPACITY AT 15 A | 97 % | ≈ 2,813 mAh; to 2.5 V after rated charge; table 7.8 [1] |
| CAPACITY AT 20 A | 95 % | ≈ 2,755 mAh; a test current in table 7.8, above the 15 A rating without cut-off [1] |
| DISCHARGE AT −20 °C | 60 % | ≈ 1,740 mAh at 10 A, charged at 23 °C; table 7.6 [1] |
| CHARGE AT 5 °C | 90 % | ≈ 2,610 mAh, then 10 A at 23 °C; table 7.7 [1] |
| CALCULATEDarithmetic on [1], shown so you can check it | ||
| CONTINUOUS AS C-RATE, NO CUT-OFF | 5C | 15 A “without temperature cut” ÷ 3 A, the 1C in [1] |
| CONTINUOUS AS C-RATE, 80 °C CUT-OFF | 10C | 30 A ÷ 3 A; only with an 80 °C cell-surface cut-off [1] |
| RATED CHARGE AS C-RATE | 1.33C | 4 A ÷ 3 A |
| RUNTIME AT 15 A | 11.3 min | 2,813 mAh ÷ 15 A, from table 7.8 [1] |
| ENERGY, MINIMUM | 10.62 Wh | 3.6 V nominal × 2,950 mAh minimum [1] |
| VOLUME | 17.3 cm³ | π × (18.40 ÷ 2)² × 65.00 mm³, the maximum size [1] |
| FROM THE SAFETY DATA SHEET (SDS) AND UN38.3 TRANSPORT TEST REPORTcopied as printed from [3] and [4] | ||
| CHEMISTRY | Li-ion | [1] says lithium-ion only; the SDS describes the cathode as “based on lithiated metal oxide (Cobalt, Nickel, Manganese)” [3] |
| ENERGY RATING | 10.8 Wh | Wh rating, SDS [3]; 10.8 Wh in the UN38.3 report [4] |
| RATED CAPACITY, SDS | 3.0 Ah | [3]; 3,000 mAh in [4] |
| TRANSPORT | UN3480 | “UN No. 3480”; UN3481 when packed with or contained in equipment [3] |
| UN38.3 | SDI-UN-140531-01 | Revision 06; T1–T6 and T8 Pass; T7 not applicable to cells; Samsung SDI Safety Center, 2014-05-31, before the 2020 specification [4] |
| MASS · UN38.3 TEST CELLS | 45.389–45.495 g | the 10 cells Samsung weighed before T1 [4]; not our lot; maximum 48.0 g [1] |
| SAFETY DATA SHEET | Revision no. 02 | 2015-01-01; section 1 names INR18650-30Q; the page header reads “MODEL ICR18650-30A” [3] |
| STORAGE · SDS | ≈ 20 °C | at about 20–60 % of capacity, 3.6–3.9 V open circuit [3] |
| + Source: [1] Samsung SDI, Specification of Product, SDI Model INR18650-30Q6 (model name “INR18650-30Q (Version 6)”), Version No. 1.0, Date of Application 2020/06/04, issued to customer Rutronik (as printed); on file since 2021-06-09; not posted, as the document is marked confidential. Call or text to ask about it + Source: [2] Samsung SDI, Specification of Product, Model INR18650-30Q, Version No. 1.0, Feb 2015 (as printed); on file, not posted; superseded by [1] and used on this page only to show what changed + Source: [3] Samsung SDI, Material Safety Data Sheet, Revision no. 02, 2015-01-01; section 1 names commercial product INR18650-30Q, while the page header reads “MODEL ICR18650-30A”; on file 2026-10-20 · SDS PDF + Source: [4] Samsung SDI Energy Business Division, Test report, UN Manual of Tests and Criteria Part III Subsection 38.3 (2011, Rev. 5, Amend. 1), INR18650-30Q, Document No. SDI-UN-140531-01, Revision 06, 2014-05-31; tests run at the Samsung SDI Safety Center, Cheonan, Korea; on file 2026-10-20 · UN38.3 report PDF | ||
Voltage window
Black marks: rated voltages [1]. Orange band: the voltage cells leave the factory at, 3.44–3.52 V, about 30 % charge [1].
Current limits
Currents as rated in [1], each with its condition. C-rates against the 3,000 mA that [1] defines as 1C. The 30 A rating holds only with a temperature cut-off at 80 °C on the cell surface; [1] lists no pulse rating.
Temperature envelope
Operating ranges as rated in [1], in °C: ambient, and at the cell surface, where a pack’s temperature protection should sit [1]. Last row: the temperatures of the capacity tables in [1], shown in section 04.
Recovery 80 % after storage, by duration
Storage time and temperature for which [1] specifies more than 80 % capacity recovery, with the cell kept as shipped at about 30 % charge. Its handling section says to store cells at 0 to 23 °C, humidity below 65 % [1].
Capacity, as each document prints it
Each document’s capacity figure, as printed, on a 2,850–3,100 mAh scale; the axis doesn’t start at zero. 3,000 mAh is a nominal figure in [1] and a rating in [3] and [4]; the minimums are 2,950 mAh at 0.2C and 2,900 mAh at 10 A [1]. [1] prints no typical capacity.
Energy, by document
Wh as printed in [3] and [4], beside our 3.6 V × 2,950 mAh for the specification [1], which prints no Wh figure. Both printed figures equal 3.6 V × 3.0 Ah, the nominal capacity. Scale 10.4–11.2 Wh.
97 % of 2,900 mAh at 15 A.
Samsung’s table 7.8 prints the 30Q’s capacity at four currents, from 5 to 20 A, as a percent of the 2,900 mAh rated capacity. At 15 A, the continuous maximum without a temperature cut-off, it prints 97 %: about 2,813 mAh, or about 11 minutes at 15 A by our arithmetic.
Data: table 7.8 of [1], Discharge rate capabilities · after rated charge, to 2.5 V · percent of 2,900 mAh, mAh calculated · the line joins the four printed points; Samsung prints no curve between them · 20 A is a test current above the 15 A rating without cut-off · axis starts at 2,650 mAh · data table under fig 3.1
03BY CURRENT
Capacity and runtime, by current.
Table 7.8 of [1] prints the capacity at 5, 10, 15 and 20 A as a percent of the 2,900 mAh rated capacity. The mAh and the runtime are arithmetic on those percents, with the formula under each.
Capacity delivered, by current
Capacity to 2.5 V at each current, after rated charge, printed in table 7.8 of [1] as a percent of the 2,900 mAh rated capacity; mAh = percent × 2,900. Orange: 15 A, the continuous maximum without a temperature cut-off. Gray: 20 A, a test current above it; [1] rates currents above 15 A only with an 80 °C cut-off. [1] prints 5 A at 97 %, below 10 A, as shown.
DATA TABLE · FIG 3.1
| CURRENT | C-RATE | PRINTED % | mAh | RUNTIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 A | 1.67C | 97 | 2,813 | 34 min |
| 10 A | 3.33C | 100 | 2,900 | 17 min |
| 15 A | 5C | 97 | 2,813 | 11 min |
| 20 A | 6.67C | 95 | 2,755 | 8.3 min |
Runtime at a constant current
Runtime = capacity ÷ current, from the mAh in figure 3.1: one full rated charge, constant current to 2.5 V. Gray: 20 A, a test current in table 7.8 above the 15 A rating without cut-off; [1] rates currents above 15 A only with an 80 °C cut-off. A device whose average draw is below its peak current runs longer than the figure at that peak.
15 A or 30 A?
- 15 A is the continuous maximum with no temperature cut-off [1].
- 30 A is continuous only when something stops the discharge at 80 °C on the cell surface, on the hottest cell, and lets it resume only below 60 °C [1]. In a pack that is a temperature sensor read by the BMS.
- If you don’t know whether your device has a cell-temperature cut-off, use 15 A.
- [1] prints no capacity or runtime at 30 A; its table stops at 20 A.
- The 30 A rating is printed in the 2020 Version 6 specification [1]; the 2015 specification [2] rated 15 A continuous only.
04TEMPERATURE
Capacity in the cold and the heat.
Two tables in [1]: capacity when the discharge runs at −20 to 60 °C (charged at 23 °C), and when the charge runs at 5, 23 and 50 °C (discharged at 23 °C), all at 10 A. At −20 °C, the bottom of the rated discharge range, table 7.6 prints 60 %.
Capacity, by discharge temperature
Capacity when the discharge runs at each temperature: 10 A to 2.5 V after rated charge at 23 °C, with 3 h at the test temperature first. Printed in table 7.6 of [1] as a percent of 2,900 mAh; mAh calculated. −20 °C is the bottom of the rated discharge range.
Capacity, by charge temperature
Capacity when the rated charge runs at each temperature, then 10 A to 2.5 V at 23 °C, with 3 h between. Printed in table 7.7 of [1]; mAh calculated. [1] doesn’t say whether its table temperatures are ambient or cell surface. Gray: 50 °C is above the 45 °C ambient charge rating, so treat it as a test point, not a charge rating.
Runtime at 10 A, by temperature
Runtime = capacity ÷ 10 A, from figure 4.1: arithmetic on table 7.6 of [1]. At −20 °C the same discharge ends after about 10 min, against 17 min at 23 °C.
05CHARGING
Charging: 1.5 A standard, 4 A rated.
The specification rates two charges, both CC-CV to 4.20 V: a 1.5 A standard charge in 135 min and a 4 A rated charge in 65 min [1]. Its ratings name no maximum charge current; the 2015 specification called 4 A the “Maximum rapid charge” [2]. Charge between 0 and 45 °C ambient [1].
Charge time, as rated
Charging time for each charge, CC-CV to 4.20 V, as rated: at room temperature in [1]; in [2], the rated charge at 25 °C and no temperature printed for the standard charge. The 2020 sheet rates the same currents with shorter times. Neither prints a charge curve. Values also in the section 08 table.
Voltage thresholds for a pack
Voltage thresholds for a pack’s battery management system (BMS): the cell ratings in [1], and the pre-charge, re-charge and do-not-charge levels from the pack design guideline printed in [1]. The re-charge mark sits at 4.1 V, the highest the guideline allows. Below 1.0 V, the guideline says not to charge the cell at all.
Charge temperature
Where charging is rated, in °C: ambient and at the cell surface [1]. Below 0 °C, don’t charge. The lowest charge temperature [1] prints a capacity for is 5 °C (90 %, figure 4.2).
Before you charge
- Use a lithium-ion charger with a CC-CV profile that stops at 4.20 V.
- 1.5 A is the standard charge and 4 A the rated charge [1]; the cycle-life rating uses the 4 A charge. [1] prints no higher charge current.
- Charge between 0 and 45 °C ambient [1]. Below 0 °C, don’t charge.
- Don’t charge a cell that has fallen below 1.0 V; the pack guideline in [1] says not to.
- In a pack, a BMS (battery management system) should end charge at 4.20 V per cell and stop on temperature.
Figure 5.2 plots values that the pack design guideline in [1] prints as text; Samsung draws no chart of them. The guideline matches the cell ratings: charge cut-off 4.2 V, discharge cut-off above 2.5 V [1].
06CYCLE LIFE AND STORAGE
What it keeps after use and storage.
[1] rates at least 1,770 mAh after 250 cycles at 15 A, and at least 2,320 mAh after 30 days at 60 °C. It prints no cycle-life curve, so these are the two points on the page.
Capacity after storage and cycling
Minimum capacity as rated in [1]. New: 0.2C to 2.5 V. After 30 days at 60 °C: 10 A to 2.5 V. After 250 cycles of 4 A charge and 15 A discharge to 2.5 V at room temperature: [1] prints no separate measuring current. A rating, not a warranty, and not a curve: [1] prints no capacity between cycle 1 and 250.
Storage charge, by document
State of charge for storage, as each document prints it. [1] says capacity recovers to more than 80 % after storage at the as-shipped charge, and asks for long-term storage at the shipping voltage.
07TRANSPORT TESTS
What Samsung’s UN38.3 report records.
Samsung’s own UN38.3 report [4] records Pass for T1–T6 and T8 on the INR18650-30Q; T7, overcharge, doesn’t apply to cells. Its tables also print what each cell did. This is Samsung SDI’s in-house Safety Center report from 2014, before the 2020 specification: a manufacturer sample, not our lot.
Highest temperature, by abuse test
Highest external temperature each cell reached, as printed in [4]: one tick per cell, the bar spans the lowest to the highest. T5 external short circuit: 10 cells at 100 % charge, after T1–T4; [4] prints no short-circuit resistance or starting temperature. T6 crush: 5 new cells at 50 %; all five read 22 °C. T8 forced discharge: 10 new cells and 10 after 50 cycles, from 0 % charge, initial current 15 A, 12 min interval. Pass criteria as printed: T5, below 170 °C with no disassembly, rupture or fire within 6 h; T6, below 170 °C with no disassembly or fire within 6 h; T8, no disassembly or fire within 7 days. [4] records a Pass for all 35 samples in T5, T6 and T8.
DATA TABLE · FIG 7.1
| TEST | CELLS | MAX °C, EACH CELL | RANGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| T5 external short | 10 | 99, 93, 98, 99, 89, 93, 101, 95, 93, 95 | 89–101 °C |
| T6 crush | 5 | 22, 22, 22, 22, 22 | 22 °C |
| T8 forced discharge, new | 10 | 111, 100, 91, 108, 105, 100, 104, 105, 105, 100 | 91–111 °C |
| T8 forced discharge, cycled | 10 | 108, 109, 98, 90, 109, 95, 112, 93, 105, 108 | 90–112 °C |
Voltage kept through T1–T4
Open-circuit voltage after each test, as a percent of the voltage after the test before it, printed in [4]: 10 cells at 100 % charge, 4.16 V before T1 and 4.08–4.09 V after T4. Where [4] prints a range, the mark shows its lower end. The scale starts at 85 %.
Mass of the cells in the report
Mass of the 10 cells Samsung weighed before T1, as printed in [4]: 45.389–45.495 g (mean 45.45 g, our arithmetic), against the 48.0 g maximum in [1]. Mass change after each of T1–T4: −0.01–0.01 % [4]. The axis starts at 45 g. A 2014 manufacturer sample, not our lot.
DATA TABLE · FIG 7.3
| CELL | BEFORE T1 g | AFTER T1 | AFTER T2 | AFTER T3 | AFTER T4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45.443 | 45.443 | 45.440 | 45.442 | 45.445 |
| 2 | 45.460 | 45.462 | 45.465 | 45.467 | 45.467 |
| 3 | 45.389 | 45.385 | 45.388 | 45.386 | 45.387 |
| 4 | 45.447 | 45.448 | 45.447 | 45.447 | 45.447 |
| 5 | 45.473 | 45.473 | 45.471 | 45.474 | 45.475 |
| 6 | 45.475 | 45.476 | 45.478 | 45.478 | 45.475 |
| 7 | 45.464 | 45.464 | 45.460 | 45.462 | 45.464 |
| 8 | 45.463 | 45.465 | 45.464 | 45.465 | 45.465 |
| 9 | 45.495 | 45.498 | 45.495 | 45.495 | 45.494 |
| 10 | 45.401 | 45.402 | 45.403 | 45.405 | 45.406 |
Safety tests the specification lists
| TEST | METHOD, CONDENSED FROM [1] | CRITERIA | SECTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overcharge | cell discharged at 0.6A to 2.5V, then charged with 4.6V and 12A for 7 h; performed with the UL1642 standard | No fire, and no explosion | [1] §9.1 |
| External short-circuit | fully rated-charged cell shorted through 80 ± 20 mΩ until discharged below 0.2 V and back within ± 10°C of ambient; run at 20 ± 5°C and at 55 ± 5°C; UL1642 | No fire, and no explosion | [1] §9.2 |
| Forced discharge | discharged cell reverse-charged at 1.0C (3A) for 90 min; IEC62133 | No fire, and no explosion | [1] §9.3 |
| Heating | standard-charged cell heated at 5℃ per minute to 130℃ and kept 30 min; UL1642 (10 min) and GB31241 (30 min) | No fire, and no explosion | [1] §9.4 |
| Drop | fully standard-charged cells dropped onto concrete from 1.0 m, 3 times in random orientations, then at least 1 hour of rest and a visual inspection; IEC62133 | No fire, no explosion | [1] §8.1 |
| Vibration | per UN38.3, each axis (X and Y for cylindrical cells): 7Hz→200Hz→7Hz in 15min, 12 times, 3 hours in total; 1g from 7 to 18Hz, 8g (amplitude 1.6mm) up to 200Hz | No leakage, with less than 10% of OCV drop | [1] §8.2 |
Methods condensed from sections 8 and 9 of [1]; criteria as printed. [1] lists these as tests the cell is specified to meet and prints no results. The UN38.3 results above are a different set of tests, from [4].
08WHAT CHANGED
The 2015 and 2020 specifications, side by side.
Some listings still quote the 2015 specification [2]. In short, [1] keeps 15 A without a cut-off, adds 30 A with an 80 °C cut-off, shortens the charge times, runs the cycle-life test with a 4 A charge, and rates storage recovery at 80 % instead of 90 %. [1] doesn’t say what changed inside the cell. Every rating on this page follows [1].
| ITEM | 2015 SPECIFICATION [2] | 2020 SPECIFICATION [1] |
|---|---|---|
| Max. continuous discharge | “15A(at 25℃), 60% at 250 cycle” | “15A(Without temperature cut) / 30A(With 80℃ temperature cut)” (surface temperature) |
| Standard charge time | 180 min | 135 min (@ RT) |
| Rated charge time | 70 min (at 25℃) | 65 min (@ RT) |
| Cell-surface temperatures | charge 0 to 50℃ (recommended recharge release < 45℃); discharge -20 to 75℃ (recommended re-discharge release < 60℃) | charge 0 to 50℃ (recommended recharge release < 45℃); discharge -20 to 80℃ (must re-discharge release < 60℃) |
| Ambient temperatures | not printed | charge 0 to 45℃; discharge -20 to 60℃ |
| Cycle life | ≥ 1,800mAh after 250 cycles (60% of the nominal capacity), standard charge and maximum continuous discharge | ≥ 1,770mAh after 250 cycles (60% of the standard capacity), 4A charge, 15A discharge |
| Storage | recovery 90%: 1.5 year -30~25℃, 3 months -30~45℃, 1 month -30~60℃; ex-factory 40±5% SOC | recovery 80%: 1 year -20~23℃, 3 months -20~45℃, 1 month -20~60℃; ex-factory 30% of charge |
| Storage at 60 °C | ≥ 90% of the initial 10A discharge capacity after 1 month at 60℃ from the standard charged state | ≥ 2,320mAh (80% of the rated capacity) after 30 days at 60℃ from the rated charge |
| Ex-factory voltage | 3.620V to 3.690V | 3.44V ~ 3.52V |
| Charge voltage | 4.20 ± 0.05 V | 4.20V |
| 4 A charge label | “Maximum rapid charge 4A” (charge-rate table) | “Rated charge”; no maximum charge current printed |
| Charge-temperature table | 0℃ 80%, 5℃ 90%, 23℃ 100%, 45℃ 95%, 50℃ 95% | 5℃ 90%, 23℃ 100%, 50℃ 95% |
| Discharge-rate table | 0.6A 100%, 5A 97%, 10A 100%, 15A 97%, 20A 95% | 5A 97%, 10A 100%, 15A 97%, 20A 95%; no 0.6A row |
| Overcharge and heating tests | 20V and 20A; 130℃ held 1hr | 4.6V and 12A for 7 h; 130℃ held 30 min |
| Dimensions | Max 65.0mm / Max 18.4mm | Max. 65.00 mm / Max. 18.40 mm |
| Capacity rows | minimum 2,950mAh; rated ≥ 2,900mAh at 10A | adds “Nominal Capacity 3,000mAh” and “1C = 3,000mA” |
Text in quotation marks is copied as printed in [1] and [2]; other cells condense the printed rows, keeping their numbers and symbols; “not printed” and “adds” are our notes. Unchanged between them: 2.5 V cut-off, 3.6 V nominal, 48.0 g maximum, ≤ 26 mΩ at 1 kHz, the 1.5 A and 4 A charge currents, the discharge-temperature table, and the 5–20 A rows of the discharge-rate table.
09COMPARE
Where the 30Q sits.
Nine other 18650 cells, each from its own data sheet. A higher discharge rating usually costs capacity. The conditions behind each rating differ, so the table quotes each sheet’s wording.
Minimum capacity and rated discharge, side by side
- Molicel P28B INR-18650-P28B2,650 mAh minimum · 2,800 typical40 A continuous · 80 °C cut-off
- Molicel P28A INR-18650-P28A2,700 mAh minimum · 2,800 typical35 A max. · 80 °C temp. cut
- Molicel P26A INR-18650-P26A2,500 mAh minimum · 2,600 typical35 A max. · no condition printed
- Sony/Murata VTC6 US18650VTC63,000 mAh minimum · 3,120 nominal30 A continuous max. · 80 °C temp. cut; 15 A without
- Samsung 30Q INR18650-30Q62,950 mAh minimum · 3,000 nominal30 A continuous · 80 °C cut-off; 15 A without one
- Molicel P30B INR-18650-P30B2,900 mAh minimum · 3,000 typical30 A continuous · 80 °C cut-off
- Samsung 25R INR18650-25R2,500 mAh minimum · no typical printed20 A max. continuous · at room temperature
- LG HG2 18650HG2Minimum not stated by manufacturer · 3,000 nominal20 A for continuous discharge · no temperature condition printed
- Molicel M35A INR-18650-M35A3,350 mAh minimum · 3,450 typical10 A max. · no condition printed
- Samsung 35E INR18650-35E3,350 mAh minimum · no typical printed8 A for continuous discharge · no condition printed
Each cell’s figures copied from its own data sheet [1][5]. Bars start at zero: minimum capacity on a 0–3,500 mAh scale, discharge on 0–40 A. The condition sits beside each current. The 30Q’s bar shows its 30 A rating, which needs an 80 °C cut-off; without one it is rated 15 A [1]. Pulse and other non-continuous figures are left out.
| CELL | TYPICAL OR NOMINAL mAh | MINIMUM mAh | DISCHARGE RATING AS PRINTED | CHARGE RATING AS PRINTED | MASS g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molicel P28B INR-18650-P28B |
2,800 typical | 2,650 | “Discharge Current, Continuous: 40 A (80°C cut-off)” | “8.4 A (70°C cut-off)” | 48 max |
|
Molicel P28A INR-18650-P28A |
2,800 typical | 2,700 | “Maximum discharging current: 35A (with 80 °C temp. cut)” | “8.4A, see Section 4.14” | 48 max |
|
Molicel P26A INR-18650-P26A |
2,600 typical | 2,500 | “Maximum discharging current: 35A” (no condition printed) | “6A” | 48 max |
|
Sony/Murata VTC6 US18650VTC6 |
3,120 nominal | 3,000 | “Continuous Maximum Discharge Current: 30A (With 80 deg temperature cut)” / “15A (Without 80 deg temperature cut)” | “Continuous Maximum Charge Current: 5.0A” | 46.6 typical |
| Samsung 30Q INR18650-30Q6 |
3,000 nominal | 2,950 | “Max. continuous discharge: 15A (Without temperature cut) / 30A (With 80℃ temperature cut)” | “Rated charge: CCCV, 4A, 4.20V, 100mA cut-off” | 48 max |
|
Molicel P30B INR-18650-P30B |
3,000 typical | 2,900 | “Discharge Current, Continuous: 30 A (80°C cut-off)” | “9 A (60°C cut-off)” | 47 max |
|
Samsung 25R INR18650-25R |
not printed | 2,500 | “Max. continuous discharge: 20A (@ RT)” | “Rated charge: CCCV, 4A, 4.20V, 100mA cut-off” | 45 max |
| LG HG2 18650HG2 |
3,000 nominal | Not stated by manufacturer | “Max. Discharge Current, For continuous discharge: 20000mA” | “Max. Charge Current: 4000mA” | 48 max |
|
Molicel M35A INR-18650-M35A |
3,450 typical | 3,350 | “Maximum discharging current: 10 A” (no condition printed) | “1.7 A, see Section 4.14” | 48 max |
|
Samsung 35E INR18650-35E |
not printed | 3,350 | “Max. Discharge Current: 8,000mA (for continuous discharge)” (non-continuous figure not shown) | “2,000mA (not for cycle life)” | 50 max |
Text in quotation marks is copied as printed from each manufacturer data sheet [1][5], newest version in our library, checked by a second reading; notes in parentheses are ours. Links go to the bare-cell listing in our store.
10PACK MATH
From one cell to a pack.
How the single-cell ratings scale in series (S) and parallel (P). Illustrative arithmetic, not a pack rating.
charge voltage, 4.20 V [1]
nominal voltage, 3.6 V [1]
Ah, standard minimum at 0.2C; 2.90 × P at 10 A [1]
A without a temperature cut-off; 30 × P only with an 80 °C cell-surface cut-off [1]*
| CONFIG | CELLS | V MAX | V NOMINAL | Ah MINIMUM | Wh MINIMUM | A, NO CUT-OFF* | A, 80 °C CUT-OFF* | CELL MASS g, MAX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1S1P | 1 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 2.95 | 10.6 | 15 | 30 | 48 |
| 2S1P | 2 | 8.4 | 7.2 | 2.95 | 21.2 | 15 | 30 | 96 |
| 3S1P | 3 | 12.6 | 10.8 | 2.95 | 31.9 | 15 | 30 | 144 |
| 4S1P | 4 | 16.8 | 14.4 | 2.95 | 42.5 | 15 | 30 | 192 |
| 2S2P | 4 | 8.4 | 7.2 | 5.90 | 42.5 | 30 | 60 | 192 |
| 3S2P | 6 | 12.6 | 10.8 | 5.90 | 63.7 | 30 | 60 | 288 |
| 4S2P | 8 | 16.8 | 14.4 | 5.90 | 85.0 | 30 | 60 | 384 |
| 7S3P | 21 | 29.4 | 25.2 | 8.85 | 223.0 | 45 | 90 | 1,008 |
| 10S3P | 30 | 42.0 | 36.0 | 8.85 | 318.6 | 45 | 90 | 1,440 |
| 10S4P | 40 | 42.0 | 36.0 | 11.80 | 424.8 | 60 | 120 | 1,920 |
| 13S4P | 52 | 54.6 | 46.8 | 11.80 | 552.2 | 60 | 120 | 2,496 |
| 14S5P | 70 | 58.8 | 50.4 | 14.75 | 743.4 | 75 | 150 | 3,360 |
Continuous current ceiling, by parallel count
The single-cell continuous ratings [1] times the parallel count. Ceilings before derating, not pack ratings.
* Multiplies a single-cell rating by the number of cells in parallel: 15 A without a temperature cut-off, or 30 A only when the pack’s protection stops discharge at 80 °C on the hottest cell surface and resumes below 60 °C [1]. Wh = 3.6 V × 2.95 Ah × S × P, from the minimum standard capacity. Derate for heat, size the BMS, fusing and interconnects for the derated current, and use matched cells of one model and lot; [1] recommends more than 1 mm between cells. Mass counts cells only. The UN38.3 report [4] is Samsung’s 2014 report on the bare cell, not on your pack; a pack you build needs its own UN38.3 testing before it ships as UN3480.
11SIZE AND FIT
Ø18.40 × 65.00 mm, flat top.
Drawn at its rated maximum, with tube, beside nominal outlines of three common formats. Check tight holders against the 65.00 mm maximum length.
Drawn to scale
All outlines drawn to the same scale. The 30Q at its maximum with tube [1]; the other outlines are nominal format sizes, for scale only.
| DIMENSION | VALUE | CONDITION |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 18.40 mm | maximum, with tube [1] |
| Height | 65.00 mm | maximum, with tube [1] |
| Mass | 48.0 g | maximum [1]; 45.39–45.49 g for the 10 cells weighed in [4] |
| Terminal | Flat top | as sold, bare cell |
| Volume | 17.3 cm³ | π × (18.40 ÷ 2)² × 65.00 mm³, the maximum |
Check that your holder or device takes a flat-top cell 65.00 mm long (maximum) [1]. Spot-weld nickel strip for packs; don’t solder to the cell.
12USE IT RIGHT
Keep it inside its ratings.
What this cell is, and how to use it within its ratings.
- This is a bare cell: a component for protected packs and devices built for it. It is not a standalone consumer battery and not for vaping.
- Flat top, unprotected. Check that your device takes a flat-top cell 65.00 mm long (maximum) [1].
- Charge on a lithium-ion (Li-ion) charger that stops at 4.20 V. Stop discharging no lower than 2.5 V [1].
- Stay inside the ratings [1]: discharge at no more than 15 A continuous without a temperature cut-off, or 30 A only with an 80 °C cell-surface cut-off, between −20 and 60 °C ambient; charge at 4 A rated or 1.5 A standard, between 0 and 45 °C ambient.
- Replace a torn wrap before use. Carry cells in a case, never loose.
- For packs: matched cells of one model and lot, a BMS, fusing, and a way for heat to leave.
Questions? Call 1-800-547-3050 or text 1-833-419-2192 to ask a person.
Documents
The specifications [1] and [2] are on file but not posted: Samsung marks them confidential. Each posted document is linked as published by its author; versions are listed as printed. The SDS names the INR18650-30Q in section 1, while its page header reads “MODEL ICR18650-30A”.
Ships from Stockbridge, GA. Most in-stock orders ship within 1 business day.
13QUESTIONS
Questions, answered.
Short answers. Where an answer comes from a document, it carries its source; the rest is standard handling practice. Anything else: call 1-800-547-3050 or text 1-833-419-2192.
Is the 30Q a protected cell?
No. It is a bare flat-top cell with no protection circuit. Use it only in packs with a battery management system (BMS) or in devices built for unprotected cells.
Is it 15 A or 30 A?
Both, under different conditions [1]. 15 A is the continuous rating with no temperature cut-off. 30 A is continuous only when something stops the discharge at 80 °C on the cell surface: in a pack, a temperature sensor on the hottest cell, read by the battery management system (BMS); in a device, its own cell-temperature cut-off. Discharge may resume only once the cell is below 60 °C. If you don’t know whether your device has a cut-off, use 15 A. At 30 A the cut-off can stop the discharge before the cell is empty; [1] prints no capacity above 20 A. [1] gives no ambient temperature for the 15 A rating; the 2015 specification rated it “at 25℃” [2].
Why do other listings show different figures?
Most differences come from older Samsung specifications. The 2015 specification [2] rated “15A(at 25℃)”, printed longer charge times (180 and 70 min) and a different cycle-life clause; section 08 lists every change. Neither specification rates 20 A continuous: 20 A appears only as a test current in the discharge-rate table, at 95 %. This page follows the 2020 specification [1].
Is it a 3,000 mAh cell?
3,000 mAh is its nominal capacity [1], and the SDS and UN38.3 report rate it at 3.0 Ah [3][4]. The specification’s minimums are 2,950 mAh at 0.2C and 2,900 mAh at 10 A [1]; it prints no typical capacity.
Is the 30Q6 the same cell as the 30Q?
Same model, later version. Samsung’s 2020 specification is numbered INR18650-30Q6 and names the model “INR18650-30Q (Version 6)” [1]. It doesn’t say what changed inside the cell or how to tell a Version 6 cell from earlier production; the ratings on this page are the Version 6 ratings. The SDS and UN38.3 report, both from before 2020, name the INR18650-30Q [3][4].
How fast can I charge it?
The rated charge is 4 A, CC-CV to 4.20 V, in 65 min; the standard charge is 1.5 A in 135 min [1]. [1] names no maximum charge current, and the 2015 specification called 4 A the “Maximum rapid charge” [2], so we don’t suggest charging above 4 A. Charge between 0 and 45 °C ambient [1].
What charger should I use?
A lithium-ion charger with a CC-CV profile (constant current, then constant voltage) that stops at 4.20 V. Not a NiMH, LiFePO4 or lead-acid charger.
How long will it run at my current?
Runtime ≈ capacity ÷ current. Calculated from the capacities in table 7.8 of [1], after a full rated charge: about 34 min at 5 A, 17 min at 10 A and 11 min at 15 A (figure 3.2). For your own draw, divide 2,900 mAh by your current in mA to get hours.
How does cold affect it?
At −20 °C, the coldest it is rated to discharge at, table 7.6 prints 60 % of the rated capacity at 10 A, about 1,740 mAh [1]. After a charge at 5 °C, table 7.7 prints 90 %. Don’t charge below 0 °C.
How many cycles will it last?
The specification rates at least 1,770 mAh, 60 % of the standard capacity, after 250 cycles of 4 A charge and 15 A discharge [1]. It gives no figure for other currents or temperatures, and no end-of-life count. Heat, current, depth of discharge and storage all change the result.
Can I use it in a vape or e-cigarette?
No. It is a bare cell: a component for protected packs and devices built for it, not for vaping. Samsung’s specification says its cells are not designed for vape or e-cigarette devices [1].
Can I solder to it?
Don’t solder directly to the cell: the heat can damage the seal and internal parts. Spot-weld nickel strip, or use a holder.
Can I mix 30Q cells with other cells?
No, not in the same pack. Use cells of the same model and lot, at the same state of charge. In series, the weakest cell reaches 2.5 V first and limits the whole pack, and mismatched cells drift further apart with every cycle.
How should I store spare cells?
In a case, away from metal objects, somewhere dry. The specification’s handling section says to store cells at 0 to 23 °C, and its pack guideline recommends 20 °C. For long-term storage it asks for the shipping voltage, 3.44–3.52 V, about 30 % charge [1]. The 2015 SDS suggests about 20 °C at 3.6–3.9 V [3]; this page follows the specification. Check the voltage every few months.
How does it ship?
As UN3480, lithium-ion batteries, under the SDS [3]. Samsung’s UN38.3 report [4] is for the INR18650-30Q and dates from 2014, before the 2020 Version 6 specification; we hold no later report. A pack built from these cells needs its own UN38.3 testing.
14SOURCES
Sources and method.
Where every number on this page comes from.
- + Source: [1] Samsung SDI, Specification of Product, SDI Model INR18650-30Q6 (model name “INR18650-30Q (Version 6)”), Version No. 1.0, Date of Application 2020/06/04, issued to customer Rutronik (as printed); on file since 2021-06-09; not posted, as the document is marked confidential. Call or text to ask about it
- + Source: [2] Samsung SDI, Specification of Product, Model INR18650-30Q, Version No. 1.0, Feb 2015 (as printed); on file, not posted; superseded by [1] and used on this page only to show what changed
- + Source: [3] Samsung SDI, Material Safety Data Sheet, Revision no. 02, 2015-01-01; section 1 names commercial product INR18650-30Q, while the page header reads “MODEL ICR18650-30A”; on file 2026-10-20 · SDS PDF
- + Source: [4] Samsung SDI Energy Business Division, Test report, UN Manual of Tests and Criteria Part III Subsection 38.3 (2011, Rev. 5, Amend. 1), INR18650-30Q, Document No. SDI-UN-140531-01, Revision 06, 2014-05-31; tests run at the Samsung SDI Safety Center, Cheonan, Korea; on file 2026-10-20 · UN38.3 report PDF
- + Source: [5] Molicel INR-18650-P30B data sheet, Version 1.0 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] Molicel INR-18650-P28B data sheet, no version printed (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] Molicel INR-18650-P28A data sheet, Doc # INR18650P28A-01, Rev. 1.2, 2024/05/21 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] Molicel INR-18650-P26A data sheet, Doc # INR18650P26A-01, Rev. 1.2, 8/17/2018 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] Sony/Murata US18650VTC6 data sheet, Murata Version 001; ratings from Sony Ver. 0.1, 2015.06.30 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] LG 18650HG2 data sheet, BCY-PS-HG2-Rev0, 2014-04-24 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] Samsung INR18650-25R data sheet, Version 1.0, 2016/04/15 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] Molicel INR-18650-M35A data sheet, Doc # INR18650M35A-02, Rev. 0.1, 10/21/2019 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Source: [5] Samsung INR18650-35E data sheet, Ver. 1.1, July 9, 2015 (as printed) · copy in our data-sheet library
- + Method: the specifications [1][2] print capacity tables, not performance charts, and none of the documents we hold has a 30Q curve. Every chart on this page plots a figure printed in [1]–[4], or arithmetic on those figures with the formula under it; where a line joins printed points, nothing between them is printed. Each figure was copied from the document and checked against it by a second reading.
- + Not shown from [1]: the rest of its vape and e-cigarette warning (handling precaution 3.6), which also covers handling by individual consumers and online sales for vape use; its warranty clause, which applies to Samsung’s direct customers; and its packaging bill of materials.
- + Also on file and in our data-sheet library: Samsung SDI, Specification of Product, Model INR18650-30Q, Version No. 0.0, Mar. 2014, marked “(Tentative)”; superseded by [2] and [1] and not used on this page.
- + Not shown: lot measurements. We will add Measured rows only once our incoming-inspection procedure is published, with sample size, instrument and date.



