Help with batteries - my first rcr123's not what I expected

[Vivi]

the batteries: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003DCXTSM/?tag=cpf0b6-20

The batteries have given me mixed performance in my initial testing. I ordered Trustfire Multifunctional Universal Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery Charger to use with these batteries, and for my initial test I had three LED lights: Fenix P2D Q2 Edition, Fenix PD10, and Sunwayman V10R.

Based on the research I did I expected these lights to be brighter with the 3.7v RCR batteries, compared to the 3.0v non-rechargeable Surefire batteries I had been using. My results were as follows:

Fenix P2D: Same brightness on max output turbo mode. Inability to switch modes except by twisting the flashlight body I can go between turbo mode and high mode. I cannot utilize strobe modes, low or medium modes like I can with non rechargeables.

Fenix PD10: Same brightness, only able to access high mode, twisting the bezel does not cycle through medium, low and high like it does with non rechargeables.

Sunwayman V10R: Same performance as with a non rechargeable battery. Same brightness and the variable output ring functions the same.

These tests were all conducted using just 2 batteries side by side, a standard 3.0v Surefire CR123A (Or SF123A as they call it) and one of these Soshine rechargeable batteries. The second soshine rechargeable battery did not work in any of my lights, and when I plugged it in to my Trustfire charger it indicated it was not pre-charged like it should of been.

While I am disappointed my lights are not brighter like I expected them to be, and they don't seem to work in my Fenix lights well, I will still be satisfied with them if they continue working in my v10r and give me good battery life. The v10r is my EDC light and the Fenix are just back-up house lights that I used to carry for my EDC.

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Is this typical or did I order substandard batteries?

 

[varmint]

I sure would try some good cells in them, all I use is AW brand, never has any problem at all.

 

[Vivi]

well damn, let the other one fully charge and it still won't work in any light I use. Guess I'm going to be returning these and going back to primaries for now.

 

[TEEJ]

It sounds like the batteries were potentially all in different states of charge, and that you put them into the lights without using a DMM to check them first....counting on your charger to tell you if they were charged, as opposed to charged the same, etc.

The CONCEPT you were testing has already been proven by others, and as long as a light is electronically set-up so as to be ABLE to run on either 3 v or 3.7 v, etc, it will tend to be brighter with the rechargeables, or at least the same if the voltage is regulated, etc.

I think what you discovered is that either you need to check the batteries with a meter before using them, or, you need to get reliable batteries instead of Chinese junk. (Or Both)




Example of "Able to" - the Fenix P2D needs a different TAIL CAP to use rechargeables than primaries...did you get the tail cap for the rechargeables?

I'm not sure if the PD10 takes rechargeables at all?

 

[Vivi]

I dunno, I don't have a voltage tester and I didn't email Fenix to see what they had to say about the 3.7v rechargeables. I did email Sunwayman and they verified these should work fine in them. Either way the primaries and 1 of these RCR's work fine in the v10r, but the 2nd RCR simply does not do anything in any device I try it in, it's a dud as far as I can tell.

 

[Ualnosaj]

None of your lights will take advantage of an RCR123A as far as I can see.

That is, unless your V10R is XML. The newer Fenix will not take RCRs in general. The P2D will take it but have no benefit (if it's anything like the P3D I have).


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Posted from my phone.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

So ,I"m going to resist the temptation to point out that you have low-quality cells and charger, and perhaps a beginner should go with a bit more quality to reduce the various risks. An xtar or cottonpickers that follows CC/CV reasonably acceptably doesn't cost much, nor do quality AW cells. But, as I said, I am totally going to resist the temptation to do that.

So, some questions: your lights can all accept 3V primaries or 4.2V RCRs. What makes you think they perform differently on high with them? For example, if you have an XP-G rather than an XM-L version of the V10R, you might not be able to tell much of a difference. The triple lumen output on the V10R only applies to the XM-L version -- and it's immediately noticeable. As for your other lights, I don't know them very well -- they can obviously accomodate 4.2V (but lose some modes in the process), but are they supposed to be much brighter? How do you know? And are you sure you can measure the difference by eye? And if there's satisfactory answers to all of those, I'll draw your attention to your equipment choices, in the rant I didn't make at the beginning

edit: Ualnosaj posted as I was posting. Guess that answers my questions ,too .... none of your lights will see a difference with Li Ions unless your v10R is xm-l. If you want a light that gets brighter with rechargeables, you'll have to buy one that has that characteristic

 

[Vivi]

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression it applied to any flashlight.

 

[Chicken Drumstick]

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression it applied to any flashlight.

No not at all. Before running higher voltage rechargeable you need to confirm what the voltage rating of your lights can handle. Some will handle higher voltages fine, some can use them but might lose modes/features, some you'll just burn the out and ruin the driver and/or LED.

The box, instruction manual, flashlight makers website will normally tell you. Failing that email them or one of their distributors and ask or do a search/post a thread on CPF.


Just for an example the EagleTac website lists this:

So you can see the rated voltages of each light and they specifically mention about Li-ion and it's potentially affect. Some companies will only list the rated voltage and mention nothing of what affect may result in using such a power source, these are the ones to research further.


I would also echo buying quality components, with regards to the batteries themselves and the charger.

 

[RBWNY]

or, you need to get reliable batteries instead of Chinese junk. (Or Both)

Hmmm... (not exactly a response to this thread) ... but I take somewhat exception to that comment since I have some Soshine 18650's that have been performing very well.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Hmmm... (not exactly a response to this thread) ... but I take somewhat exception to that comment since I have some Soshine 18650's that have been performing very well.

Characterizing something as lower quality doesn't necessarily mean every single sample is junk. Back when the quality of American cars was a disaster, I had one that refused to break. Nevertheless, back then, people buying American cars had a higher probability of problems than someone buying Japanese. The quality of manufacture and raw materials of some of those manufacturers of batteries varies wildly even from batch to batch, you have a higher probability of a lower quality battery than if you buy an AW.

 

[RBWNY]

Characterizing something as lower quality doesn't necessarily mean every single sample is junk. Back when the quality of American cars was a disaster, I had one that refused to break. Nevertheless, back then, people buying American cars had a higher probability of problems than someone buying Japanese. The quality of manufacture and raw materials of some of those manufacturers of batteries varies wildly even from batch to batch, you have a higher probability of a lower quality battery than if you buy an AW.

Hmmm, point taken. Thanks for the analogy! I guess we've come to know that some of the cheaper brands can be very unpredictable.

 

[TEEJ]

Hmmm, point taken. Thanks for the analogy! I guess we've come to know that some of the cheaper brands can be very unpredictable.

They tend to be unreliable at a higher rate than other brands.

Its not the cost so much as the quality control, etc.

Some brands seem to hold up better than others, like you can have a Toyota with lots of problems, and a Yugo that runs like a top...but its not the way to bet.