What I've Learned in 6 Months Since Becoming a Flashoholic

[Lumencrazy]

Microsoft used to do that for benchmark tests.

Hear about the new BMW performance option? It plays engine noise over the stereo system when you jam on the throttle. I'm totally serious. This is sold as a "performance feature!"

The high performance jettas and golfs have had a base speaker inside the enjine compartment for years up against the firewall giving off a low fake frequency growl upon acceleration (Soundactor).http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/23/fake-engine-sounds-car_n_6533596.html

 

[rmwood]

A well written post, I found it very entertaining as I relate it to myself. It's too bad that it caused so much ridicule and controversy later. Well done.

 

[GunRaptor]

Don't feel bad. I have sourced flat tops for lights that require button tops before. Can happen to anyone.

Time for a discharge/charge test if you've not done so already. You should do this as part of matching batteries in a multibattery lion light. It's also part of conditioning and breaking in new batteries. You want the internal resistance, voltages under load, and CAPACITY to be as close as you can get it.

What device would you [or anyone else] recommend for the task of testing these cells? I'm as much concerned about the physical damage as any issues with the chemistry...I'm not sure if testing them on an Opus or [that yellow tester that costs $100 and I can't remember the name of] will give me a good enough gauge of their safety...or, will they?

I know I'm getting nearly to the territory of needing to start a new thread...though, this is in a funny way an extension of the original topic "What I've Learned..." and in a meta way is amusing to watch. Thus, continuing thread.

Also, though I don't currently (and haven't for the past few days had a chance to reply back to all of the other comments, but I shall simply say that all ya'll are pretty awesome, and even the earlier "harsh welcome" was...for me in the context of this post...quite welcoming. Like, I caught the ire and later sincere attention of one of this site's higher level contributors, and that's pretty cool for a welcome back to the world of internet forums. Reminds me of how some of the threads on MCB (mcarterbrown.com, a paintball forum I used to be very involved in) played out. Anyway...beyond the above battery stuff, I'm wondering what I can do to contribute positive information to the forum from this point...both dry snarky entertainment and quality thoughts on lights. I have a decent collection at this point, but the reason I bought most of them was because I saw a good review on them here...so doing light reviews on my own might be a bit of a redundant waste...so....eh....I'll figure it out. I'm just eager to take part in this place, while recognizing I'm still quite the newb just getting his first SolarForce and without a 6P...thus a lot to learn

Anyway...yeah...dented batteries...that happened...because my TM16 is too much fun to play with and I was putting in new cells with the excitement of a 7 year old on Christmas....also, I'm glad I don't drive a VW.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

What do you think of your ZebraLight? Have you used it much? Are you ever going to say specifically what kind of writing you do?

 

[GunRaptor]

What do you think of your ZebraLight? Have you used it much? Are you ever going to say specifically what kind of writing you do?

I absolutely love the SC62....it's a tad smaller that the Xeno E03 (keeping in the theme of using it as a baseline), handles well in the hand, and just overall performs well. It gets hot. though...like, I thought I was about to have bad things happen to me level of hot, but no, that's normal for this little guy. Given its small size and power, it makes sense that it heats up faster than even slightly larger lights. So my conclusion is it's perfect as an everyday light, but if I planned to go out searching for something at night, it wouldn't even be my backup light. Admittedly, I haven't gotten out much lately to use a lot of my toys, but I'm hoping some time will open up in the next few weeks to get out and have some fun...beyond just using flashlights, obviously.

And as for the kind of writing I do, I'd much prefer to just leave it at boring professional stuff for which one generally pretends to be wearing a suit while typing. It's not like I don't enjoy my work immensely...it's just that here and now I'd rather just talk about flashlights, batteries, and chargers. I do appreciate the interest, though

That said, what does everyone here do? I mean, if you care to talk about it within talk about lights

 

[more_vampires]

What device would you [or anyone else] recommend for the task of testing these cells? I'm as much concerned about the physical damage as any issues with the chemistry...I'm not sure if testing them on an Opus or [that yellow tester that costs $100 and I can't remember the name of] will give me a good enough gauge of their safety...or, will they?

Any battery analyzer with a charge/discharge test function, I like my Opus.

 

[GunRaptor]

Any battery analyzer with a charge/discharge test function, I like my Opus.

ZTS MBT-1 Multi-Battery Tester...that's the yellow one I can't remember.

Anyway, shouldn't I be concerned about more than just charge/discharge? Or am I looking for something specifically other than similar capacity to each other and undamaged cells? I mean, the cases are dented...shouldn't I be concerned about the walls rupturing under thermal stress? Or shock forces, considering the cells will be in a flashlight that can be dropped?

 

[more_vampires]

With pretty much any battery:
1. Don't overdischarge. They don't like being drained completely flat.
2. Don't charge at too high a rate.
3. Don't charge an overdischarged battery.
4. Keep away from water.
5. When not in use, store in a cool dry place.
6. Do not combine various chemistries or batteries at different charge levels (unbalanced) in one light.

There are a whole lot of people who freak out over batteries. By following the above list, you'll stop 99.9% of problems before they start.

 

[GunRaptor]

With pretty much any battery:
1. Don't overdischarge. They don't like being drained completely flat.
2. Don't charge at too high a rate.
3. Don't charge an overdischarged battery.
4. Keep away from water.
5. When not in use, store in a cool dry place.
6. Do not combine various chemistries or batteries at different charge levels (unbalanced) in one light.

There are a whole lot of people who freak out over batteries. By following the above list, you'll stop 99.9% of problems before they start.

Yeah, even considering all of this, reading the horror stories about battery failures and HF exposure to CPFers....it makes me a bit upset that for years I was handed SureFire lights with CR123a's loaded in them, and nobody....NOBODY....ever told me the risks, or what to do in case of a cell rupture. I mean, within context, and know what I do now, I'd still probably pick SureFires for military use (I wasn't paying for the batteries), but that's beside the point. And while I see the place of CR123a's in my collection, I'm definitely gaining a preference for 18650s and 14500s....and speaking of 14500s, OMG, I just got my EA11....yeah, I know I'm late to the party on this one, but this thing might exceed my SC62 for daily carry usage. If only my order of 14500s from FastTech would get here (and yes, this was my first time ordering from them, and no, I don't think I will again considering Mountain Electronics has delivered like twice since I ordered from them....fingers crossed I don't get a bunch of knock-off cells....).

Yeah....learning a lot of lessons in quick succession with this hobby I feel like...I think I'll get into drones next. I kinda get into hobbies, learn as much as I can about them, and while still staying in said previous hobby, starting another hobby after I get over the initial learning curve hump. Sometimes I combine hobbies....and right now I'm imagining a DJI Phantom with a downward facing TM26......

 

[bykfixer]

^^ my flashlight hobby began while learning how to properly add illumination inside my hot rod without a buncha new circuits or lit up malfunctioning indicators.

So I know what you mean about hobbies crossing over... A few months ago I just bought a good dust blocking car cover and commenced to enjoying some flashaholic-ism for a while.

 

[more_vampires]

Yeah, even considering all of this, reading the horror stories about battery failures and HF exposure to CPFers....it makes me a bit upset that for years I was handed SureFire lights with CR123a's loaded in them, and nobody....NOBODY....ever told me the risks, or what to do in case of a cell rupture.

You don't know how good you had it! My outfit never handed me a Surefire. People would just show me theirs and gloat!

In response, since I *did* have access to milspec cr123, I did what any self-respecting flashaholic would do. I made one out of paper, aluminum foil, and some strips of soda can with my trusty Leatherman (that I had to buy myself because people who could issue them had them but didn't need them and wouldn't issue them to anyone else. Had to make friends with a supply sergeant because pro gear is a priveledge not a right, but that's another story.) The light wasn't tightly focused, as you'd expect from a homemade aluminum foil reflector. The only part I paid for was the lamp, genuine Surefire. Unbelievably, my homemade Surefire was stolen. Nobody wanted to steal my minimag, so lessons learned and I kept on with that.

The summary: I've been trained on the dangers of depleted uranium, but never a whisper on lithium safety. I was even a safety guy at one point!

I mean, within context, and know what I do now, I'd still probably pick SureFires for military use (I wasn't paying for the batteries), but that's beside the point.

All the milspec cr123 I've seen was OD green and never a whisper of Surefire. There's rather a lot of mil gear that runs on those.

Yeah....learning a lot of lessons in quick succession with this hobby I feel like...I think I'll get into drones next. I kinda get into hobbies, learn as much as I can about them, and while still staying in said previous hobby, starting another hobby after I get over the initial learning curve hump. Sometimes I combine hobbies....and right now I'm imagining a DJI Phantom with a downward facing TM26......

Your lipo pack knowledge will transfer to drones nicely.

 

[SidewaysLS4]

Yeah....learning a lot of lessons in quick succession with this hobby I feel like...I think I'll get into drones next. I kinda get into hobbies, learn as much as I can about them, and while still staying in said previous hobby, starting another hobby after I get over the initial learning curve hump. Sometimes I combine hobbies....and right now I'm imagining a DJI Phantom with a downward facing TM26......

Now that would be neat...just watch the light output and flash patterns becoming too disorienting at night, lol. But lots of fun for sure. (Google bait coming up...) I have a Goblin 500 with DJI Naza-H sporting 2 Axixtech ST6's in white, MS6 in Red/White, and 2 Whelen Vertex for extra seizure inducing fun on board. At night it is a sight, and the DJI autopilot makes it actually do-able

 

[SidewaysLS4]

. Sometimes I combine hobbies....and right now I'm imagining a DJI Phantom with a downward facing TM26......

Some more on my drone with LED's...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGC7rQgS5kg

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

Some more on my drone with LED's...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGC7rQgS5kg

Be careful with that. Don't want to get fined for using police color flashing lights.

 

[SemiMan]

Perhaps add to the list:

- question everything
- flashlights can give you a distorted view of the lighting/led market


Cree is not the biggest LED vendor. I would expect when even looking across all flashlights it isn't, though likely for the premium flashlight segment.

Outside of premium flashlights, vaping, few have seen an 18650 even if inside their laptop.

Even those seriously into lighting (and flashlight), may have a $10 go to light as it's bright enough (50-100 lumens), beautiful beam (nice dimpled reflector), near ideal general purpose beam, and it runs on a single AA that I can always find at least one of either fully charged or alkaline. I don't care too much if I lose it either .... except its discontinued :-(