What appeared to be an alternative battery, for the Soshine LiFe 3.2V 280mAh 10440 size, is available from Only Batteries. They have offices in Canada AND the USA. Unfortunately these batteries performed subpar and are unacceptable for our use. Because the availability of 10440 size Lithium-ion cells is so variable, I decided to order some LiFePO4 (LiFe, IFR) batteries from a new source and give them a try. I ordered 4 LiFePO4 10440 size batteries from Only Batteries on November 10, 2023 They arrived in the late afternoon on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. They were $4.69 each and the shipping was $10.95. I was told, via email, that they had 600, instock, at the time that I placed my order. The only printing on the blue wrapping notes, "IFR10440 300mAh 3.2V". No data sheet was provided with the batteries, and none could be found on their Website. The batteries were weighed. Two weighed 8.1g and two 8.3g. This is a bit lighter than my 4 Soshine LiFe batteries that weigh 8.9g a piece. The resting voltage, as received and taken in my kitchen, was 3.280V, 3.206V, 3.209V & 3.208V. The batteries were charged using the SkyRC MC3000 charger set at a termination voltage of 3.65V (typical for these types of batteries) at 0.14 amps (what I use for my Soshine 10440 batteries and just a bit less than the 1/2C rate as indicated by the capacity on the label of 300mAh.) With the Only Batteries weighing close to a gram less each, I was very suspect of the capacity rating of 300mAh, as they should weigh more than the Soshine batteries, not less. My testing showed exactly what I had anticipated. These batteries do not perform as well as the Soshine LiFe 280mAh 10440 size batteries. The testing procedure and data collected is presented below. If the stated capacity is not a made up number by the marketing department, then the batteries stated capacity is the capacity of an industry standard battery test. The industry standard test is at an extremely low amp draw to the minimum recommended voltage for the type of battery. For LiFe batteries, generally that means 2V before damage is actually caused to the battery from too low of a discharge. Unfortunately, that is NOT the usable capacity before the device being powered may have an issue with too low of a voltage being supplied to it to operate correctly. The device being powered, in this case, is the LocoFi™ module feeding power to the motor during a prototypical run on MY layout. The usable capacity is much, much lower than the stated capacity. The usable capacity is what determines the maximum run time. The usable capacity for the Only Batteries IFR10440 300mAh 3.2V battery is about 120mAh. The Soshine LiFe 10440 size 280mAh batteries have consistently yielded a usable capacity of 200mAh. What that means for the CSX loco using the Only Batteries 10440 size LiFe batteries is only a 30 minute run time, while the Soshine LiFe 10440 size yields a 55 minute run time. I find the Only Batteries IFR10440 300mAh 3.2V battery UNACCEPTABLE for our purposes and do not recommend them for our use. The initial charge data, at 0.14 amps, was very strange. This is the data at the end of the first charge;
At the charge termination, the voltages should be much closer to 3.65ish and the capacity returned is just very odd. The batteries were removed from the charger and their voltages recorded at that time.
That is an EXTREMELY fast drop in only a few moments! The batteries were inserted in the gondola battery car, pulled by the CSX loco, for just barely 30 minutes of prototypical run time before the sound started acting up, which indicated a low voltage to the LocoFi™ module. The batteries were removed from the gondola and rested for 20 minutes. Their resting voltages, after the 20 minute "voltage bounce back time" were;
The above are very low voltages, although voltage is not a good way to determine the state of charge of LiFePO4 batteries. The batteries were charged. Here's the charge termination data;
I looked at the charger screen almost immediately at the termination and was surprised to see such low voltages as they had already dropped from 3.65V to what is shown above. Voltages after a 65 minute rest;
Again the voltages dropped very quickly. The train was prototypically run for 30 minutes. Shortly after the run, the voltages read;
20 minutes after the run, during the "voltage bounce back stage" the voltages read;
The batteries were put on charge and this time I graphed and captured the data with the App on my iPhone for this charger. At the charge termination, 6:20 p.m., the voltages and capacity returned read;
The following morning at 4:30 a.m. the voltages read;
Those voltages were similar to the 65 minute rest above. Unfortunately the iPhone graphing didn't show what I was looking for; the voltage drop after charge termination. The data did show that batteries #1 and #4 had a considerably lower internal resistance than batteries #2 and #3. A prototypical run was made for 33 minutes and it became apparent the batteries were done. Voltages shortly after the run while in "voltage bounce back" phase;
Voltages 20 minutes after the run while in "voltage bounce back" phase;
The batteries were charged. The charge termination results;
Battery #4 was the first to terminate. By the time the 4th battery terminated, it had already gone from 3.65V to 3.44V in a little over 2 minutes. The voltages at 20 minutes after the charge termination were;
The voltages stabilized in 3 hours 50 minutes at;
Since these batteries were fully charged, I did a prototypical run of 15 minutes to bring their capacity down for storage. Doing this is not as critical as the 3.7V nominal voltage Lithium-ion batteries, but I do it with these small 10440 size LiFePO4 batteries as well. 12/04/23 I emailed Only Batteries with my weight and mAh numbers on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. Paul, from Only Batteries, contacted me, via email, in the early morning of Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 and asked how many cycles I'd done. I checked the above data and only found that I done 3 cycles (returned mAh). While several cycles on NiCd and NiMH batteries can bring them to "full" capacity, several cycles on "new" Lithium-ion batteries are not needed when manufacturers perform a full formation, thus creating the SEI layer, and then quality capacity checks are performed. Those two steps being the last in the manufacturing process for Lithium-ion batteries. The four Only Batteries batteries had set on my workbench for several days. I use my Fluke multi-meter to read their voltages.
The batteries were charged in my SkyRC MC3000 at 0.14A. At 30 minutes into the charge the MC3000 read; (the slot numbers are the same as my battery numbers)
At 60 minutes into the charge the MC3000 read;
Two minutes later they all had reached 3.65V and the constant current phase began. 11 minutes later, battery #4 finished and the other 3 finished in the next three minutes. Just shortly after the 4th battery stopped charging the MC3000 display read;
All of the batteries started the voltage "fall back" very quickly and the drop was very fast. By the time the fourth battery finished charging the screen read;
The data shows that battery #3 stopped charging last. 30 minutes later, using the Fluke multi-meter, the voltages were;
60 minutes later, using the Fluke multi-meter, the voltages were;
The train was run prototypically for 33 minutes. It was stopped when it had significantly slowed and had problems sounding the horn and bell. The voltages read, when taken as soon as possible with the Fluke multi-meter;
Of course those voltage were taken during the "voltage bounce back" period. 60 minutes later the resting voltages read;
The batteries were put on charge at 0.14A. Fully charged the charger noted;
12/05/23 The batteries rested over night after the previous day's charge.
The train was run prototypically for 30 minutes. It was stopped when it had significantly slowed and had problems sounding the horn and bell. Voltages close to when stopped and near the beginning of the "bounce back period";
Voltages 20 minutes later;
Immediately after that voltage reading, and during the "bounce back period", the batteries were recharged. These are the readings shortly after the 4th battery finished charging;
There was no significant improvement in the usable capacity.
12/06/2023 Resting voltage the following morning;
The Soshine batteries had set on the workbench for 3 days at a fully charged state, but I'd forgotten that! I accidentally "topped them off" but let them rest for a long time before using them. There resting voltages at the beginning of the prototypical run was;
The same train was run prototypically for 55 minutes. It was stopped when it had significantly slowed and had problems sounding the horn and bell. The voltages close to when the the train was stopped;
I had previously noted, to myself, that the Soshine battery #4 was the weakest battery in the set of 4 batteries. For this comparison test I wanted the train stopped at the same point I stopped the test using the Only Batteries batteries. The resting voltage 2 hours later and before charging were;
The batteries were charged at 0.14A using the SkyRC MC3000. The readings, after the charge, were;
Average Amp Draw: 212mAh * 60 minutes = 12.72 amp minutes / 55 minutes = 0.231 average amps 12/06/2023 Resting voltage the following morning;
12/06/2023 Hi Paul, While several cycles on NiCd and NiMH batteries can bring them up to "full" capacity, several cycles on "new" Lithium-ion batteries are not needed when manufacturers perform a full formation, thus creating the SEI layer, and then quality capacity checks are performed. Those two steps being the last in the manufacturing process for Lithium-ion batteries. That being said, I did two more tests on the Only Batteries IFR10440 300mAh 3.2V batteries. I also did a comparison test using the Soshine AAA 10440 LiFePO4 Battery: 3.2V 280mAh batteries. Usable capacity is extremely different from the label stated capacity. Label stated capacity is based on a constant 0.2C load down to a specified voltage. Usable capacity is based on the load, over time, of the device being used. Usable capacity varies a lot, and especially when the device is being used to power an electric motor over a range of voltages and amp draws, such as driving a prop of an electrically powered RC model airplane, or running the electric motor of a model locomotive. The following data, placed after my closing, shows that the Only Batteries IFR 300mAh 3.2V batteries only have a usable capacity of about 120mAh, while the similar Soshine AAA 10440 LiFePO4 Battery: 3.2V 280mAh batteries have a usable capacity, in the same application, under very close to identical conditions, of about 200mAh. Unfortunately, your batteries will not work well in this application. In November of 2023, a myriad of LiFePO4 10440 size battery offers showed up on Amazon. They all use one of the same three photos of the batteries and claim a capacity of 500mAh. That is physically and chemically impossible. Using this search term on Amazon - "10440" lifepo4 3.2v 500mah - 39 individual offers showed up on the first page of their search on December 4, 2023. The majority of these offers note "Date First Available" as November 2023, although a few noted a date in August of 2023. I thought that your company might want to contact Amazon as these Chinese companies are somewhat competing with you, and I believe, unfairly. Thanks for your attention,
02/14/2024 The discharge was set to 0.25 amps with a termination voltage of 2.9 volts. The settings were the same as I'd previously used when discharging some 14500 size LiFePO4 batteries. 0.25 amps was used because that was the highest average amp draw for my locomotives. The 2.9V cutoff was high for LiFe batteries, but the captured discharge graphs clearly demonstrate the poor and inconsistant quality of these batteries.
All 4 batteries have extremely high Bat.Res. (battery internal resistance). Only battery #4 shows a somewhat typical discharge but it didn't even make it to 100mAh. Without recharging, I took the batteries down to 2.5 volts with the following results.
The battery internal resistance values were approximately the same. Very little capacity, mAh, was removed during this second discharge. Battery capacity total removed with the two discharges.
These labeled 300mAh definitely only have about 100mAh of usable capacity.
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