Fake batteries on eBay
🧽🫧This article needs cleanup. It contains sources and content but lacks proper formatting/structure.
Common issues include not following the correct preload outline (incident, company, product), references that don't use <ref></ref> or Cite web, leftover "WIP" markers, or long quotes not wrapped in Quote. You can help by applying the relevant preload sections, converting raw URLs into proper citations, and removing editor notes.
Impossible battery capacities are a common sight when one is looking for cheap rechargeable batteries. Readers may be familiar with this due to the Deep Cycle Systems coverage in ~5 of Louis Rossmann's YouTube channel videos.
A consumer was successful in pressuring eBay to remove entire sub-categories of 100% fraudulent battery products from its site - e.g.
- Rechargeable AAA batteries (NiMH) with a claimed capacity of 1800 mAh+ ,
- Rechargeable AA batteries (NiMH) with a claimed capacity of 3000 mAh+ and
- Rechargeable 18650 (Li-ion) batteries with a claimed capacity of 4000 mAh+ (example of expert testing of a "10000 mAh" one).[1]
The categories were taken down and the fraudulent products were often unavailable on eBay for several years.
Readers are encouraged to emulate the activity shown - contact eBay via the periodic public community chats where it's hard to avoid the spotlight.
Due to the basic chemistry of NiMH and Li-ion batteries, often, claimed-capacity advertising claims can be clearly identified as false without seeing the product - just based on the ad content alone, when the size of the battery makes the energy storage claim implausible.
According to expert opinions (e.g. on sites like HKJ's lygte-info.dk) no one (including the world's best Li-ion battery manufacturers) even make 18650 Li-ion batteries that are truly > 4000 mAh.[2] The best AAA NiMH batteries in the world top out around 1100mAh (and ~3500 mAh for AA NiMH's). One can see this if you visit specialist testing sites, e.g. see HKJ's lygte-info.dk site.[3]
The major name brands/manufacturers never claim anything close to 1800 mAh for AAA batteries. e.g. 1000 mAh AAA's.[4] Real rechargeable AAs (see an archive of AA's shown on Sony's website) are 2100, 2500 and 2700 mAh. Fakes claim 3800 mAh.[5]
Sadly fake memory is still being sold on eBay and Amazon and more egregiously, eBay has even resumed allowing listing these readily identifiable categories of 100% fraudulent batteries.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "eBay Community Discussions". Nov 2016. Archived from the original on 7 Aug 2019.
You've shamed me into following up on this issue. So I'll see what I can do to clean up this category."
in response to
"Categories is your field, @syedmhaq. Please don't dodge responsibility. The category is still live. So are similar guaranteed 100% fraudulent categories.
The best AAA NiMH batteries in the world top out around 1100mAh ((and ~3500 mAh for AA NiMH's). You can see this if you visit specialist testing sites, e.g. see lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/CommonAAcomparator.php and check them all out - e.g. the highest capacity: Tecxus AAA 1100 NiMH ~== Camelion AAA 1100mAh - see image below.
The major name brands never claim anything close to 1800 mAh for AAA batteries - ↑ "Battery test for Li-ion (mostly 18650) batteries, comparator". lygte-info.dk site about batteries, chargers and flashlights. Archived from the original on 2026-08-03.
- ↑ "Battery test for AA and AAA (Alkaline, lithium, NiMH) batteries, comparator". lygte-info.dk (site about batteries, chargers and flashlights). Archived from the original on 2026-08-03.
- ↑ "Energizer hr03 spec sheet" (PDF). Energizer. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2026-08-03.
- ↑ ""Sony" CycleEnergy "3800mAh" Ni-MH AA-cells". CandlePowerForums. Archived from the original on 2026-10-30.