Flashlight Batteries 101: Quick and Simple Explanation
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- Learn the basics of using lithium-ion batteries in flashlights. Charging and discharging safety, plus brand recommendations for cells like 18650, 26650, RCR123, 14500, and more.
Links for purchase:
18650, 26650, 18350 and Nitecore Charger: asflashlights.c...
Powerex Imedion AA: rover.ebay.com...
Tengergy Centura: rover.ebay.com...
My Shop
asflashlights.com/
Facebook
www.facebook.c...
CandlePowerForums
www.candlepower...
Damn dude. You teach, really, what needs to be known. Even I didn’t know that 18650 is the literal measurement of the battery. And I’ve been using them for years now
Thanks for this basic info. People often forget when learning something new that you need need to start with basics.
I have 16 Orbtronic 18650 (Panasonic cells) protected batteries for my various flashlights, and have been very pleased with them. The oldest among them being over 8 years and still going strong. I label mine A to P with a P-Touch labeler for easy I.D. I cant stress enough the importance of a quality smart charger, especially with auto discharge and ability to give a readout of the cells health/actual mAh capacity. Thanks for your comprehensive video in minimal time..
Such an important video for anyone utilizing these cells, I see tons of vapers with zero knowledge of batteries who will continue to run them with rips in the wraps. This is among the many reasons we have venting and explosion horror stories in the media. This should be required viewing.
Thank you for informing us without a long intro, corny jokes and no loud RUclipsr-tone of talking. And no useless sponsor mentioning.
Agree, except sponsor mentioning, that is not fair to them, IF it is their sponsor as long as it does not skew the content, useless to you not them. It is not all about you or I. It is their living so cut a little slack.
Yup, Matt is the most honest guy on RUclips amongst all the cancer and I certainly appreciate it, refreshing and reminiscent of old RUclips.
Clear,concise and educational - a must watch for the novice.
Did a right-fine job on this video, son. You might want to include the fact that, while rechargeable batteries are a good replacement in most devices, there will be quite a few instances where you really NEED that initial 5.8v-to-6v (4 X 1.5v cell) for the device to work, as a voltage of less than say 5.6v-to-6v (4 X 1.2v = 4.8v) just may not even turn the device on. In the last few years, there HAVE been rechargeable batteries that produce the same voltage as their alkaline counterparts, but for the most part, the voltage of the most popular Ni-Cads or Ni-MH are the 1.2v variety.
Good Point. I bought rechargeable 9 Volt batt kit for my basement water/flood alarms (placed next to sump pumps). The alarms would NOT work with them as the initial voltage was just slightly below that expected from a 9V Alkaline batt that the alarms designers based their product on. Got a quick refund on the rechargeables and bought some top-line alkalines. Both the rechargeable batt OEM and the water alarm OEM agreed on the problem. So, just a heads up -- research and test before setting aside rechargeable batts for contingency use or critical systems.
A good introduction, with something for both novices and experienced users. Most of my experience with rechargeable cells comes from the NiCad cell days. I remember learning to "zap" them to vaporize the metal whiskers to which they were prone. Good times!
Thanks for taking time to explain very use full for years to come
Hey buddy, love your channel. Had a question for you, what does AAA and AAA battery do you recommend? I just got a couple Olight flashlights and a couple other ones and they take either Triple-A or double-a and some of them take cr123 which brand name do you find to be the best in your technical opinion? Let me know when you get this body appreciate it long time since driver take care and be safe
There is a lithium ion rechargeable AA battery (1.5 volt) which I bought recently. Made by Hixon. The only problem is that because of the protection circuitry, the AM band is not listenable on portable radios. They're rated at 2333 mah. (3500 mwh).
Thanks Matt! I’m just getting into flashlights and I’m learning about all this battery stuff. Who knew?!?! I just bought my first two REAL flashlights (Thorfire Q8 and an Astrolux FT03) and ordered samsung INR18650-30Q 15A 3000mAh 18650 batteries. I read after purchasing them that they will not be ideal for the Q8, and that a 20A battery will let you get to the flashlights maximum output. Will there be a big noticeable difference between what I bought and the 20a? I also purchased a Nitecore i4 charger. This is a lot to learn! I haven’t received my batteries yet but I will research how to charge and take care of them. For now though I’m curious about the 15a and 20a difference
You the man. Thanks for the information as always. Just wanted to say o purchased an olight seeker pro 2 after watching your reviews. I tell people at my job that you are the man when it comes to flashlights
You're definitely a great help for me thank you so much for showing this I bought the mini pro it didn't come with a charger so it looks like I'm going to have to get a charger for it
I appreciate the video brother, and the recommendations as well. Very good info, thanks.
Great video, much appreciated. Also your other videos in general. I love flashlights, but noone else around me does.
I just purchased a 2000 lumen bulb for my Maglite 5/6 D cell (I have an extension).
Which rechargeable Lithium batteries will work for this? Is there any special way to set it all up? I can't find a specific video on your channel about this.
Kind regards
Thomas from Denmark
Very good and well detailed video. Great information. Thank you just what I need
Do you still prefer the batteries mentioned in the video? I need to buy a few dozen 18650s and a few decent chargers.
All still good choices here. Top picks for today SonyVTC6 and the Keeppower 3120ma protected. Xtar SV2 Rocket is a great charger because you can charge 2 channels at 2000ma each.
ive been using tenergy standard D batteries (the blue ones) since 2007... theyve been overcharged, overheated i dont know how many times, discharged until completely dead over & over, the bottom ends dented in because i dropped my maglite too many times... they still work awesome after about 13 years... they are not low self discharge (they didnt have that for D's then)... so i just got a bunch of tenergy centura D's & so far they are good...
i like the LSD NIMH, because you stash the flashlight & when SHTF, they are ready to use a year later, low maintanence
Thank you Very much for your time making this great Video !!!
Excellent video! Thank you for all the info!
Can I use a D size lithium ion battery in a flashlight conversion or do you recommend the 2-Pack (Card) Tenergy Centura NiMH D 1.2V 8000mAh Rechargeable Batteries as you mentioned in the video? Also do you recommend a nice bright LED? If so do you have a recommendation for an old 2 D battery conversion to lithium ion or the NiMH battery you mentioned in the video?
Thank you😊
OUTSTANDING commentary and educational. I enjoy your webcast. 🔦🐢🔦🐢🔦🐢
Hi Matt, love your videos and your enthusiasm! Can I replace a16 340 1300 milliamp hour 3.7 volt cheap Chinese battery with a comparable better battery preferably lithium. To be honest I don't know if this thing is lithium or not.
I have a flashlight. It was one of those retail store flashlights, like you might find close to the checkout counter. It came with a battery adapter, that holds four AAA batteries. I suspect that the adapter is a stand-in for some type of lithium battery, but I'm not sure what type the flashlight is really expecting. It's the standard "Tactical" configuration, that seems to be everywhere & sold under countless brand names. I'm tired of getting alkaline replacements for it, and if there is a legitimate rechargeable alternative, I'd like to find it.
i subbed and thank you for explaining i wish you made another lesson video it really helps me learn
Hlo bro my bright light led battery about 6" total size cell missing please tell me how can I find voltage rating of battery for my torch
Hi , just bought a pair of
Shockli 26650 's .
Could you please tell me where and what kind of
Charger I should buy ?
Thank you , Sir ,
Much appreciated !!
Excellent and informative video, thanks for sharing. 👍🏻
Great video, I also use the Efest and Keeppower, but also use Panasonic, Samsung, and LG. Most of mine are unprotected I'm not a big fan of the protected batteries I have over 70 li-ion batteries and about the same number of flashlights. I get mine from Obtronics, IMR, Gear best, and even some from eBay and Amazon. I checked mine with opus bt 3000 v2.2 charger to verify their authentic.
When I first started using these batteries like everyone else I went the cheap route and bought ultrafire 4000 mah when I put those in the charger they show about 300 or 400 mah.
Can l just ask why you are not a big fan of protected batteries? Thanks
When a double stack of heat shrunk 26650 rechargeable batteries go in a flashlight like the 100000 lumen flashlights on Amazon go can you buy single 26650 & put 2 in the flashlight?
Yeah, but you'll have to modify the spring if using protected unless the spring doesn't have too much tension.
great presentation love this guy thanks for all the info
Hi Matt, i still have a few Inova flashlights, old but well built and durable, i.e., inova x 5 and x 0. they run on cr123 batteries, expensive and non rechargeable. Is there any battery I can use to replace them? If there is, will they fit in my flashlights?
Matt, really enjoying the knowledge drops! Have you used Orbtronic batteries? Thoughts?
Thanks for this video sir! Made it really easy to follow.
I have an led torch using a flat topped 26650 battery and it’s went dead. What can I do to revive it? Would it be safe to do the drill battery trick with two forks?
I got a new 2022 flashlight that ce with a 26700 3.7v battery. Can I use a 18650 3.7v battery in it as a backup? Can I charge the 18650 in the new flashlight? Thank you!
Lithium battery tortch or li -on battery is good... Pls answer
Nice intro video for someone getting into the hobby.
Thanks Jon.
Where do I buy 14500 batteries for my N1 AA flashlight? And which charger would you recommend? Thanks!
Thanks dude you save me a lot of money and time
Thanks for the tutorial. Awesome information!🙂👍👍👍
Matt, I've got a Rovyvon E700u angel eyes that loses charge over a few days. It uses a 21700 Fenix 5000 mah battery. You have any insight to my problem?
Excellent and very helpful video & information. Thanks
Bravo Matt. Great job!
Looking for Rechargeable CR2 batteries and CR123A batteries for Duty use in a Carbine (Red dot sight) and handgun mounted weapon light. Looking for high mAh, recently bought some Ultrafire brand rechargeable CR2 batteries and CR123A batteries, are these any good? Do you have any recommendations for high mAh rechargeable CR2 and CR123A batteries?
Hi i have got samsung 30q 18650 batteries 3.7v batteries and i have been having problems with them the first one i bought stopped being recognised by the charger and now i have one that when fully charged only reads 3.3 volts. They do get left in my torch over the summer unused is this causing the problem do you think?
I have a cheapy menards Guidesman 5w flashlight. I like it because if the flood and spot capabilities. Its bright. I look for addresses for work with the spot. Three questions.
Can i get a different battery or two, replacing the 6 aaa batteries it takes?
If not is there a better aaa battery than the EBL Nmh 1.2 v 1100 mAh? It seems it doesnt hold the charge all that long.
And Last
Is there a better slim profile not so long flashlight with spot to flood capabilities?
My guidesman is just a bit annoying with putting in my pockets because the bezzel or head of the flashlight is wider and bulky, its a bit uncomfortable when sitting so it comes out of my pocket. Need something less in length (6 inches i belive its at)
Thanks.
I have a Acebeam K70 I’m wondering what battery you would run in it?!
What 26650 battery do you recommend for best performance in a cup 90 Thank you!
Help!! I have a nicron n7 AA. It is supposed to take a 14500. I bought a klarus 800mah 14gt-80our and it will not work I fully charged it. I put it in a mag light and it popped the old buld immediately.. so its working..just not in the n7???
Super helpful video. Thanks
I have a Sanford SF438SL-2SC torch
Just the head
I don't know which battery to use
The manufacture I found saying 1900 mah 3.6 v ni-cad battery
I can't find it or even online buy it
Which li-ion battery can replace it
Great presentation! Thanks!
What does NCR mean? Is that like ICR (risky/cobalt)? Can NCRs release harmful fumes (HF poisoning, etc)? Very helpful video btw. Thanks
NCR stands for "Nickel / Cobalt / Rechargeable" which designates it as a hybrid lithium-ion rechargeable battery. That type are used in electric vehicles, , electric bikes, power tools etc. but if you have say a Panasonic NCR18650B or the like, it can only handle around 4.9 amps CDR (constant discharge rate) so check the specs on your flashlight as you wouldn't want to use them in a high output/high drain light that's going to be pulling a lot of amps.
AtPro411 Thanks, very helpful. I have a few 18650s that are Sanyo NCR18650GA 3500mAh 10A. Have always wondered if these are as safe as IMR and INR chemistries. Sounds like they aren’t. Maybe safer than ICRs though?
hi matt can you use vaping 18650 high drain in torches that are 35A? got some samsung 25R but dont know if they will do the job
question, what would be the best brand of 18650 batteries? i have a acebeam k75 and want very good batteries for it for maximum use and performance.
Personally I like SonyVTC6 button tops for an unprotected cell. The keeppower 3120 ma cells are a protected version of this. The K75 carrier is designed for protected cells so either the acebeam 3100ma or the keeppowers would be best. You can fit the unprotected cells if you stretched the springs.
I use XTAR Protected 26650's in my 2D mags with the 5000 lumen dropin. Ive also just converted an ML150 to accept a paiur of 26650's rather than the lower voltage LifePO4 pack that comes in it.
So are Panasonic/Sanyo NCR batteries basically ICRs, or similar to that? Can’t seem to figure that out.
Hey Matt, we need to know who the reputable battery dealers are. Can you suggest a few?
I need your help, I have a surefire flashlight, uses 2-cr123 cell. I want to get a battery that will replace 1 rechargable high drain battery. Help
What do you think about the EBL batteries D cell Matt?
Been wondering what charger I'd need for a 18650, need a battery or 2 and battery but not sure where to buy or what to get
What is a good rechargeable 18650 battery
Very informative! Thanks!
Hy! Nice chanel. I am subscribed now. I have a question: i have a flashlight with 4 AA 2450 ni mh cells ( nitecore ha40) . Please tell me if the nitecore hc33 witch run with one 18650 ,3600 mah cell will light longer than the 4AA cells flashlight. Is it worth it to buy a new light with 18650 cell over my flashlight with 4xAA eneloop cells? Thank you!
Hi Vanessa. An easy way you can get an idea of which setup would give more run time is to convert to watts. Your NIMH AA cells are 2450ma (or 2.45 amp) at 1.2V and you have 4 of them so 2.45a x 1.2v= 2.94 watts per cell x 4 cells = 11.76 watts total. The 18650 is 3.7V x 3.6 amps = 13.32 watts total. So there is a slight gain in capacity.
There are other factors to consider, but if all other things are equal, for example if your light runs at the same current using the 3.7V cell as it does with 4AA etc.
AdventureSportFlashlights Thank you so much! Amazing answer. Respect and i will watch your future videos.
I know this is old post, but whats your opinion on buying batteries from banggood?
I've not ordered any from there but I don't recall ever hearing of fakes come from there. If you order a good brand like sanyo or LG, or some quality brand that wraps those cells in their own shrink like keeppower it should be ok. The only thread I could find about BG batteries was this. Only finding that is a good thing. If there were a ton of bad reports they would be easily found.
budgetlightforum.com/node/59601
I have a flashlight with 6 AA battery what would be a good alternative
Tx for the info, man, much appreciated... so, what do you think of using my flattop vape batteries in flashlights? lol... I drop a little half round bead of solder into the flash light make sure it's centered and drop n the battery, works great! Is it going to blow up in my hand? Cz I kinda like my fingers, especially my opposable thumbs, i'd be an ape without them😐
If that bead of solder is just loose in there its a bad idea. That bead could easily lodge between the battery + and - connections at the top. Explosions are rare, but a hard short like that could easily result in fire/smoke/burnt skin.
@@Lumencraft- - It also dented my flattop:( It wasn't rolling around, the battery pinned it down and the flashlight's connector is a plate almost the full diameter, and I made sure it wasn't big enough to span from wall to + post, but still, your point was duly noted. I ordered some Panasonic button tops, problem solved. haha But I just heard your video in the background say NCR is dangerous?
lol New problem, I ordered some Panasonic button tops, lmao..... That's what they are! NCR or ICR idk, are they no good?!??
question, so when charging a 14500 what rate should it be at? 500 mAh? I know for an 18650 the optimal is 1.5 amp but I don't know what it is for a 14500?
Hi Matt. My gut as well as some forum resources say that I should be able to run batteries capable of much higher amp outputs than a given light requires with no risk of damage to the circuits. Are there any reasons you in your seemingly infinite wisdom can think of that would contradict that notion? I have had a couple (High quality brand name here) 1200lumen headlamps fail on me and I was told that it was because I ran a battery capable of an output of 10 a in them. That just never made sense to me. Thank you kind sir!! Be well
Yes that is basically correct. You can run a cell capable of high amp discharge in a lower powered light. Most high drain li-ion cells are UN-protected so you do have the risk of draining the cell too low that could damage the battery. The only way that using a high drain cell could damage a light is if the light was direct drive. A high capacity cell will have higher internal resistance so it will drive the LED at a lower current. 99% of lights that are direct drive are made with high current cells in mind though. What headlamp failed?
@@Lumencraft- I have lost 3 ArmyTech Wizard Pro headlamps. the last gen 1050 lumen units. I have never had failures like that in hundreds of lights.
My question is if I get a light that takes 16340 can I use a cr123 instead?
Really nice and honest review
This guy knows his shit. Very informative!
I cannot find proper battery for my GT micro I have thought 14500 batteries they don't power it fully do you know where I can get proper batteries
Your video is very informative thank you...
Hi Matt, I'm from Scotland UK and have a Thrunite TN4A (cw) and every time I use it I can't help wondering "IF" I start using rechargeable batteries would I be better off and would it make that much difference ?
it's that same with aaa, would I be better off using rechargeable batteries in my OLight i3s EOS ?
I finally went and bought a Nitecore intellicharger new i4 BUT the only thing is I am as thick as two short planks when it comes to batteries etc, Could you PLEASE give me some suggestions or some helpful tips ?
Just remember that I live in the UK and we have different 240v to the US 120v
ps THANKS
Best Wishes from Bonnie Scotland
Hi Owen. I'd be glad to help you with that. I have been using NIMH recharageable AA cells for years, and never been sorry I bought them. I use aa cells quite a bit so they have paid for themselves many times over. My only suggestion is that you spend the money to get really good ones. Dont buy any knock offs. I use imedion 2400 ma cells. They are low self discharge type which is a must IMO, and the capacity yis good on them. In high drain applications they will outperform primary cells.
For the AAA cells I mostly use lithium primaries because I almost never use them. If you use yours a lot a quality set of NIMH might be a good alternative.
Hey Matt, I love your videos. How can I get in touch with you about modifying a convoy flashlight that I have?
Wow. Good info. Any commentary on Orbtronic batteries?
is size of 26350 battery and size of 26500 BATTERY is same sir?
Fantastic video man...
So if I have a flashlight that takes two CRI 23 batteries I can replace them with two AA batteries ?
Matt, thanks for the video. Do you recommend high amp ratings or low amp ratings for flashlights. lots of videos on vap mods gets a bit confusing. Not sure if it applies to lights. thanks
Hi LD. By amp ratings do you mean the cell capacity rating, or the maximum discharge rating?
I would say moderate amp ratings. 10A would be plenty except for extreme cases.
I got an LED torch and using my LI Ion AAA cells, the LED got really warm, then started to flash (presume that's a safety feature) Yet both say 1.5 volts Why does it get hot?
And what's the benefit of higher voltages, will the flashlight shine brighter?
I mean, if I got a Li ion 18650 to use in my flashlight instead of regular alkaline AAs, or even rechargeable Ni MH, would it be brighter?
Can I also assume that because of the larger size(of 18650s vs. AAs) that the batteries would last longer as well? Or does the size get "neutralized" because of the greater discharge/output amperage(if that's the right term)?
Using li-ion cells means that you get higher voltage but it also means the batteries can carry a heavier load (amperage). You should not try and put li-ion batteries into a device unless you know for sure it is made to handle it. In some AA size flashlights you can replace the cell with a 14500 size li-ion and it will be much brighter, but only if the driver board in the light is made to handle it. Otherwise you will burn it up.
@@Lumencraft- Thanks.
I actually have a flashlight that takes two AAs, and it's pretty bright, but the seller said it actually can take 18650 batteries as well, but I'm a bit unsure about that, often times sellers don't put the correct information in their ads.
Also, it's unfortunate that I cannot find a webpage for the company or product so I could check it out and get the info straight from the manufacturer.
Should I use nihm batteries of same rating and sizes but different brands, eg 800 gb and energizer
I have a question I hope you can answer. If two flashlights have say 900 lumens but one uses 3 cr123a and the other uses 2 cr123a batteries. What would be the benifit of the one with 3 if any???
Hi Johnny, "IF" all other things about the lights are equal. If both lights are truly putting out 900 lumens, using the same driver current and the same bin LED then the result of the extra cell would be additional run time.
AdventureSportFlashlights thanx for the reply! It was just a hypothetical question that was spawned by my Elzetta "Charlie" and Surefire " Tactician". The Elzetta has 3 batteries and the Surefire has 2. Lumen output is 900 and 800 respectively. I know there's lights out there with 900 lumens in just 2 cells so i just didnt get the purpose of having 3 cells for a similar output.
Wow! Very informative vid. Thanks. What do you think about "Bangood" as a battery supplier?
Hi G&K, I've not ordered a ton of cells from BG. I think the keepower cells they have are genuine, and I can't recall anyone at BLF reporting fake batteries from that store. The only "fakes" I've heard of coming from there were a few flashlights that use a clone (Latticebrite) of a cree LED and are then stamped as "Cree". To me that is really more of a reflection on manufactures than on BG though.
here I’ll just give you the run down basically I bought the new trunite t10v2 and want the max 550 lumen output and have these random 14500 rechargeable batteries go by the brand ultrafire
+TR 14500 900mah 3.7v is Written on it and trunite says on the website it says they used a 750mAh 14500 batteries so my question is can I use the batteries I have safely and reliably
Ps sorry for any spelling mistakes and not punctuating
Great vid. Brilliant advice. Ty.
Is Illumn a reputable battery company?
Hi:
I have been an INOVA T5 Flashlight (old model) proud owner since it came to the market around 15 years a go. My flashlight its still brand new. Today i am planning to use it more than before, so the common CR123, 3V, batteries doesn't work any more for me. Too expensive. I were trying to find the same kind of batteries, but rechargeable. My surprise is the don't existe in good brands. Good brands just manufacture the 3,7V ones. In other hand, regular batteries don't say how many mAh they are, but the rechargeable ones I can find them from 650 mAh to 2600 mAh, or so.
My questions are:
- Do I can use 3 batteries x 3,7V on my T5? In normal conditions should be 9V total, but now I would put 11.1V. Do I will fry something inside the T5? I am not even taken in consideration the fact that both, regular a rechargeable, always comes, or have when finishing to be charged, between 0.1 to 0.4V more than rated.
- If the answer its yes, how many mAh do I should choose?
Thanks and best regards!
Hello Alexei Crucet de Prada from cr123 3volt batterys there is also a rechargeable battery version ! If you use 3x 3volt that is 9volt but if you gonna use 3x 3,7 volt you must read or search if the flashlight driver can handle that ! Or you solder a resistor to the positive cable - line - lead to reduce the voltage so you have 9 or 9.5 volt is ok I think ! The mAh is the time how Long will your flashlight will work ! But you shouldn't use more that 3000mah you must test it if your flashlight can handle that!
Best regards,
That's ok to use 14500 3.7 800mah lion,and normal 1 AA battery in bushnell flisglit won't damage the battery.or (bushnell 2 AA batteries flashlight.ok to and use in this one one cheese and one EBL 14500 .3.7 lion)thanks
Is there a difference between CR 123 and CR 123a.
Are GP Recyko batteries good?
great topic and summary. i admire your work, please keep up.. (follower from Saudi Arabia )
Thank you mks, and welcome to my channel!
Hello, I need help, I bought a M3 pro flashlight from "On the Road" but it did not come with a battery and I don't know what battery to buy, I saw the Olight rcr123 but I am not sure it will work with this flashlight since there are 2 types of these batteries, one with a lighter green color and the other with a darker green, please help
Get an 18350 it's much better than cr123
Ner Montiero thanks, but doesn't it have to be a 16340?
Great review, but i disagree thats its simple - would be nice if the industry standardized it nomenclature. Having the same name for two different batteries makes it tough to remember what it is you have. I got so much tech to mange in my life already. But i have given up on leaky alkalines got tired of destroyed devices that i have forgotten in a draw somewhere LSD cells are my go to (imedions have been working great) . thanks for great info and simplifying it for me a bit . Went to the battery checker site - wow does he have a lot of info - Chargers too !
Hi, I recently bought a blf gt mini with the short tube. What 18350 battery you advise me to use? Sorry for the simple question but I'm just beginning.
I like the Efest IMR 18350s myself. Make sure what ever cell you get its high drain/IMR type.
@@Lumencraft- Thanks
Agreed, IMR, you need high drain for that light.
Well done! Thanks really helped me.