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2024-05-13 01:17:01
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 SirJinx
    
Location: Los Angeles Area
Gender: Male
 |  | Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
< on 1/22/2009 1:29 AM >
|  | | | I actually have a legit question and not one of those, "What would you do if you were in an abandoned place and saw Bigfoot taking a dump while playing poker with the Chupacabra?" Which I find to be hilarious but other folks find to be annoying. I personally would sit down and play poker with them, but that's not what this thread is about - it's about flashlight batteries.
I use Energizer Max on my usual flashlights - (Coast Lenser LED primary, AA Mini Maglight as backup). Sometimes I use Duracell if I'm being a cheapass. I am considering a switch to Energizer Lithiums which supposedly last 7x longer in digital cameras. However, I'm not using a digital camera here, I'm planning to use these in mini flashlights.
Now I know there are online reviews but just wanted a down to earth real opinion on anybody using Lithiums in flashlights. Are they really worth the price for flashlight use? I spend about 7 or 8 bucks for a 8 pack of energizer Max. The Lithiums seem to be an average of 8 or 9 bucks for a 4 back and 20 bucks for the 8 pack.
I guess it would be worth it if I'm able to use my flashlight 4 or 5 times as long before replacing. It also means less batteries to carry around so it seems. I usually carry an 8 pack on a really long explore (just in case) but I wouldn't mind carrying just 2 or 4 pack.
Searched the archives and read articles related to use in CAMERAS, but not in flashlights. So my apologies in advance if this has been discussed, just point me to the forum and I'll be on my merry way if this has been done.
Thanks.
People are weird. |
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\/adder
 
Location: DunkarooLand
Gender: Male
I'm the worst of the best but I'm in this race.
| |  | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 1 on 1/22/2009 1:36 AM >
| | | | I think they are worth it. I use lithium AAs. My only complaint is can't find any Lithium D's.
Be forewarned though lithium batteries give little warning before they ultimately die. The flashlight will get dimmer (slightly) for the last 3 hours of use. If you notice that the light doesn't seem as bright as it did the last time; get a spare set of batteries. Because when it goes; it goes fast.
"No risk, no reward, no fun."
"Go all the way or walk away"
escensi omnis... |
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programmer437
 
Location: Columbia, SC; Charlotte, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 2 on 1/22/2009 5:01 AM >
| | | | Personally, I suggest a flashlight designed specifically to run off of lithium batteries, such as CR123A's. A Cree Q5 based flashlight will run on alkaline AA's for less than an hour, but last several hours on lithium CR123A's. But they're more expensive as well.
I've never tried lithium AA's myself; I don't really see the point.
"I don't care if you're urban explorers or urban infiltrators or URBAN LEGENDS!" |
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Assistance
"Run Away! It's an... um... Run away!"
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 3 on 1/23/2009 8:16 AM >
| | | | Lithium battery powered flashlights are definitely the way to go if you use your flashlight often. Specifically, I would strongly recommend CR123As. I know the price can be intimidating, but if you know where to look, you can get them as cheap as $1 per battery. These babies have more than double the energy density of normal alkalines. They are also super light, so you can carry many spares and not even notice them. Now, if you need advice on a good CR123A flashlight to buy, just say so. I'd love to help.
Sometimes I wonder if my obsession with flashlights led to my interest in Urban Exploration, or conversely, if my
interest in exploration led to my flashlight obsession |
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tick
Location: Abingdon, VA
Gender: Male
| |  | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 4 on 1/30/2009 4:16 AM >
|  | | | Lithium AA batteries work well in LED flashlights (especially those with regulation circuitry). BUT, if your flashlight has a regulation circuit, you'd be better off using NiMH rechargeable batteries - they'll give you roughly the same increased runtime as lithium batteries.
I'd pass on using lithiums in your Mini-Mag... the tiny little bulb is already overdriven, and the higher voltage of lithium batteries (1.7v or so) can really shorten the bulb life.
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\/adder
Location: DunkarooLand
Gender: Male
I'm the worst of the best but I'm in this race.
| | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 5 on 1/30/2009 4:48 AM >
| | | | Posted by tick
Lithium AA batteries work well in LED flashlights (especially those with regulation circuitry). BUT, if your flashlight has a regulation circuit, you'd be better off using NiMH rechargeable batteries - they'll give you roughly the same increased runtime as lithium batteries.
I'd pass on using lithiums in your Mini-Mag... the tiny little bulb is already overdriven, and the higher voltage of lithium batteries (1.7v or so) can really shorten the bulb life.
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I have nite-ize LED upgrade in my MiniMag. And I use the lithiums in my rayovac 3W LED light. I prefer my ravovac to my maglight.
[last edit 1/30/2009 4:49 AM by \/adder - edited 1 times]
"No risk, no reward, no fun."
"Go all the way or walk away"
escensi omnis... |
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Pravus
Location: Chicago Area
Gender: Male
Now the two key words for tonight - "caution" and "flammable"...
| |  | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 6 on 1/30/2009 4:58 AM >
| | | | I don't know which flashlight of theirs you are using but personally I tend to use Energizer rechargeable ones for my headlamp and my Coast V2 Dual colour (one red LED and 5 white) I left it on to test it and with all 6 LEDs on it still made more then enough light to get around and see with after being on for 40 something hours.. Granted rechargeable batteries have less of a shelf life because they are constantly slowly draining, throwing them on the charger once a week or less isn't that bad of a trade off to just not having to buy new batteries.. although I normally have a set of regular batteries in my bag as a fail safe just in case..
Live to Serve, Serve to Live.. |
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Air
Location: Canada
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 7 on 1/31/2009 6:57 PM >
| | | | Posted by TheVicariousVadder
I think they are worth it. I use lithium AAs. My only complaint is can't find any Lithium D's.
Be forewarned though lithium batteries give little warning before they ultimately die. The flashlight will get dimmer (slightly) for the last 3 hours of use. If you notice that the light doesn't seem as bright as it did the last time; get a spare set of batteries. Because when it goes; it goes fast.
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They also can explode when exposed to water so if you look at high end flashlights they usually use NiMH batteries, packs or sealed lead acid types. For this reason it might not be a good idea to use in certain environments. D rechargables are fairly cheap.
Posted by programmer437
Personally, I suggest a flashlight designed specifically to run off of lithium batteries, such as CR123A's. A Cree Q5 based flashlight will run on alkaline AA's for less than an hour, but last several hours on lithium CR123A's. But they're more expensive as well.
I've never tried lithium AA's myself; I don't really see the point.
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CR123 batteries is what all the new fenix and surefire lights seem to going toward. The batteries are a PITA to get if your traveling, cost $7 a piece and don't really last in high output devices more then AA's or C cells would. I used to have a light that only put out 40 lumens, got extremely HOT, and lasted about 1.5hrs. I got rechargeables, which eliminated the buying batteries all the time problem....but they could have just as well powered the damn thing with an AA.
Posted by Pravus
I don't know which flashlight of theirs you are using but personally I tend to use Energizer rechargeable ones for my headlamp and my Coast V2 Dual colour (one red LED and 5 white) I left it on to test it and with all 6 LEDs on it still made more then enough light to get around and see with after being on for 40 something hours.. Granted rechargeable batteries have less of a shelf life because they are constantly slowly draining, throwing them on the charger once a week or less isn't that bad of a trade off to just not having to buy new batteries.. although I normally have a set of regular batteries in my bag as a fail safe just in case..
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Some flashlights and headlamps won't work with the NiMH batteries. I had a black diamond headlamp that only worked with alkelines. PITA, died after 1 hr of being on. I think people should consider the long term cost of batteries and use rechargeables. Its better for the environment and certainly cheaper too. I always collect my batteries to dispose of properly, and was amazed at how much batteries I had left over at the end of the year.
[last edit 1/31/2009 7:05 PM by Air - edited 2 times]
"The extraordinary beauty of things that fail." - Heinrich von Kleist |
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\/adder
Location: DunkarooLand
Gender: Male
I'm the worst of the best but I'm in this race.
| | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 8 on 2/1/2009 7:53 AM >
| | | | Maybe something like this:
http://www.uxcell....older-p-11650.html
For AA - D conversion.
"No risk, no reward, no fun."
"Go all the way or walk away"
escensi omnis... |
|
Assistance
"Run Away! It's an... um... Run away!"
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 11 on 2/2/2009 1:34 AM >
| | | | Posted by Air 33
CR123 batteries is what all the new fenix and surefire lights seem to going toward. The batteries are a PITA to get if your traveling, cost $7 a piece and don't really last in high output devices more then AA's or C cells would.
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You didn't read my post, did you?
Sometimes I wonder if my obsession with flashlights led to my interest in Urban Exploration, or conversely, if my
interest in exploration led to my flashlight obsession |
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Air
Location: Canada
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 12 on 2/2/2009 2:24 AM >
| | | | Posted by Assistance
You didn't read my post, did you?
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Do you mean this ...
"Lithium battery powered flashlights are definitely the way to go if you use your flashlight often. Specifically, I would strongly recommend CR123As. I know the price can be intimidating, but if you know where to look, you can get them as cheap as $1 per battery. These babies have more than double the energy density of normal alkalines. They are also super light, so you can carry many spares and not even notice them. Now, if you need advice on a good CR123A flashlight to buy, just say so. I'd love to help"
If so, yes i did. And I'm saying that regardless of lumen output I still think they could be using C, D or even AA cells to power these units. many manufactures were still using AA and C cells in their lights until about last year. Hell, fenix doesn't even make AA torches anymore. My CR123 rechargeables actually cost $17 for 4 batteries and the charger, and I still wouldn't pick up another CR123 light again. They might be denser, but if the light has shitty regulation it won't matter.
Many people here don't need 300 lumens, and certainly don't need anything other then a $20 cree LED AA torch, or a good old maglite. But whatever, sometimes $$ isn't an issue.
[last edit 2/2/2009 2:27 AM by Air - edited 2 times]
"The extraordinary beauty of things that fail." - Heinrich von Kleist |
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Dick Winter
Location: Richmond
Gender: Male
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 13 on 2/2/2009 4:42 AM >
| | | |
How does this work? I was under the impression that all batteries (by which I mean AAA, AA, C, D) had the same voltage (1.5), and the bigger ones just lasted longer. this seems to make a 3 volt D sized battery.
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metawaffle
King of Puns
Location: Brisbane!
Gender: Male
Purveyor of Fine Lampshades
| | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 14 on 2/2/2009 5:21 AM >
| | | | Posted by Dick Winter
How does this work? I was under the impression that all batteries (by which I mean AAA, AA, C, D) had the same voltage (1.5), and the bigger ones just lasted longer. this seems to make a 3 volt D sized battery.
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I suspect the batteries are connected in a parallel circuit, not in series, so the voltage will remain at 1.5V. Shamefully, I have to admit that I own some of these, but have never used them, or even looked at how they're set up. I'll have to check them out when I'm at home.
http://www.longexposure.net |
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programmer437
Location: Columbia, SC; Charlotte, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 15 on 2/2/2009 7:59 AM >
| | | | CR123A's aren't all that expensive.
http://www.batterystation.com/cr123a.htm
I picked up a box of 12 surefire batteries at a local sporting goods store for less than $30.
Considering that my WF-606A lasts only 40 minutes on AA's, yet my surefire (with very similar output) lasts over 8 hours, it's actually proven more economical than using AA's.
"I don't care if you're urban explorers or urban infiltrators or URBAN LEGENDS!" |
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Tom
Location: Pittsburgh
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 16 on 2/3/2009 1:14 AM >
| | | | I take a different approach to it. I have a 4-D maglite with a 3 W LED conversion, it runs on standard alkaline D batteries that I change about twice a year. That's the light I use when I need a lot of light for light painting at a distance and the like. The vast majority of the time I use a AA LED mini-maglite that I feed alkaline batteries that are too dead to use in my camera flash. The "dead" batteries give me a few weeks to a month or two in the light and the flash gives me more to feed the light that I'm likely to ever use. I've considered going with rechargeables for the flash but at the price for a 40-pack of AAs I could just barely get started with a single set of rechargeables. I either don't use the flash much so rechargeabes would drain over time or I use it a lot in one session and a single (and often two) set of rechargeables wouldn't be enough.
AA alkaline all the way.
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|
Assistance
"Run Away! It's an... um... Run away!"
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 17 on 2/3/2009 5:41 AM >
| | | | Posted by Air 33
If so, yes i did. And I'm saying that regardless of lumen output I still think they could be using C, D or even AA cells to power these units. many manufactures were still using AA and C cells in their lights until about last year. Hell, fenix doesn't even make AA torches anymore. My CR123 rechargeables actually cost $17 for 4 batteries and the charger, and I still wouldn't pick up another CR123 light again. They might be denser, but if the light has shitty regulation it won't matter.
Many people here don't need 300 lumens, and certainly don't need anything other then a $20 cree LED AA torch, or a good old maglite. But whatever, sometimes $$ isn't an issue.
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I read no arguments against Lithium batteries in that post, other than batteries not mattering with bad regulation. First of all, that's not true. Your incandescent, unregulated 6P/G2/Whatever is going to be a much more weight efficient light source than a 3D Maglite. Regulation is more important than battery type, but that doesn't mean battery type does not matter. If $$ is an issue, you can buy CR123As for CHEAP. You can also buy cheap CR123A lights for cheaper than you can buy 4D Maglites.
[last edit 2/3/2009 5:42 AM by Assistance - edited 1 times]
Sometimes I wonder if my obsession with flashlights led to my interest in Urban Exploration, or conversely, if my
interest in exploration led to my flashlight obsession |
|
Air
Location: Canada
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 18 on 2/3/2009 6:08 AM >
| | | | Posted by Assistance
I read no arguments against Lithium batteries in that post, other than batteries not mattering with bad regulation. First of all, that's not true. Your incandescent, unregulated 6P/G2/Whatever is going to be a much more weight efficient light source than a 3D Maglite. Regulation is more important than battery type, but that doesn't mean battery type does not matter. If $$ is an issue, you can buy CR123As for CHEAP. You can also buy cheap CR123A lights for cheaper than you can buy 4D Maglites.
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Actually one of my first issues was the fact that they can explode when wet. My 3d maglite cost me $15 with a solitaire and aa. The best lights I have seen for tactical use all have internal, NiMH batteries. Ever try picking one CR123 when your out and about? Sometimes you can't even find them. Also, they don't last longer as claimed by companies. But that's no different from them not listing accurate lumens, or run time. I'd like to know how long i can run something before it just dies, or as my Li flashlight did, burn me.
"The extraordinary beauty of things that fail." - Heinrich von Kleist |
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Dick Winter
Location: Richmond
Gender: Male
| | Re: Lithium Batteries in LED and Regular Flashlights? Any Good?
<Reply # 19 on 2/3/2009 10:15 PM >
| | | | Posted by metawaffle
I suspect the batteries are connected in a parallel circuit, not in series, so the voltage will remain at 1.5V. Shamefully, I have to admit that I own some of these, but have never used them, or even looked at how they're set up. I'll have to check them out when I'm at home.
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Thanks. I really don't know that much about circuitry.
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