Rechargeable batteries for Inova X5?

I bought an Inova X5 four years ago. (Second generation, with tailcap switch but not the newer LEDs.) I have been very satisfied with its durability/quality/feel/size, but two things have been bothering me.

1. I want more light. Even when the batteries were newer, it just isn't bright enough for me in some situations. As I learned here after discovering this forum, a third-generation X5 with Nichia CS LEDs came out two years ago, which is twice as bright as mine! Great, so maybe I can just go get one of those instead of having to find another LED-based replacement that measures up to the X5 in everything else without costing a lot more. But...

2. I want rechargeable batteries. Those darn CR123A batteries make me hesitant to use it very much (which is why I'm still on the first set after four years), since they easily add up quite quickly, even when getting the relatively-low online prices.

I did some looking around, and all I found so far was a few people who'd asked this question in the middle of a thread and never got a reply.

So: Can the Inova X5 safely use rechargeable batteries? And if so, what batteries and charger would you recommend?

Thanks for any information.

From what I understand, it is definitely not recommended.

However, this light is known for its tremendous runtimes, so that should be some small comfort.

If you want more light in a similar package, there are a great many options out there, not least the Fenix P3D.

If you really like Inova, I can recommend the X02 (with the flared head). It offers the same build quality as the X5 but with a lot more power out the front.

However, neither of these are designed for rechargeables.

Oh and :welcome:

I have a Inova x5 that I run Tenergy 3.0 v rechargables in with no problem,however I do not notice any diffference in lumens.

So can I take it that a 17670 is out of the question for this light?

metlarules said:

I have a Inova x5 that I run Tenergy 3.0 v rechargables in with no problem,however I do not notice any diffference in lumens.

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Lucky you. I have a second gen X5 and Tenergy protected 3.0v Li-ion rechargeables and they don't fit. Wish they did 'cause I love free lumens!

jbviau said:

So can I take it that a 17670 is out of the question for this light?

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17670's may fit and judging by how the X5 is such a battery vampire, 3.7v may be enough to run it ok. My protected cells are 18+ diameter.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: Welcome to CPF Aluminous.

17670 is too fat, believe it or not.

However, they do make a 14670 that fits fine. I believe AW sells a protected one. I get mine from Lighthound:

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1687

metlarules said:

I have a Inova x5 that I run Tenergy 3.0 v rechargables in with no problem,however I do not notice any diffference in lumens.

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I have a 2007 T3 and use the Tenergy 3.0v as well.

jbviau said:

So can I take it that a 17670 is out of the question for this light?

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no inovas can take rechargeable cells

XO3 ≠ 17670 or RCR123a
XO2 ≠ 17670 or RCR123a
XO ≠ 17670 or RCR123a
X5 ≠ 17670 or RCR123a
X1 ≠ 14500

either I'm just bad in luck or inova is really tight on tolerances:candle:

Thanks, everyone! Sounds like some of the rechargeables would work except for it being a big gamble on whether they'd physically fit. It's a shame that all batteries weren't better-standardized from the beginning (fewer types, and less inconsistency within each type). I'm not very lucky, so I'd probably end up like Illum_the_nation, with money wasted on batteries that don't quite fit. :thinking:

Sigh... I should probably just give in and buy some regular CR123As and keep on using the X5 like I have been (even replacing batteries before the output dims, should get a year or so per pair, and that's really not that bad!), and look into buying a different flashlight once I end up needing to get more frequent/brighter use, maybe one that can take simple rechargeable AAs.

I've been using Ultralast RC-123's in my 1st gen X-5...they fit fine, and haven't had any problems so far.

Ultrafire 17670 unprotected fit aswell.

I have used the rechargeable 123a's with no problems...I wish I could give you some run times but I would say it is about 12 to 15 hours on RCH 123's...that light was my carry light for years and yes the second generation X5 is very bright but not much throw outdoors great light indoors though..:thumbsup:

I have two X5's and run them on AW 17670's, not as bright as 2x CR123's but good enough.

Aluminous said:

I'm not very lucky, so I'd probably end up like Illum_the_nation, with money wasted on batteries that don't quite fit. :thinking:

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well, I have other uses for 17670s and RCR123As...I just happen to have a collection of inovas to try it out...I have all of the lights above except the XO-R...that was informed from another thread

Cernobila, did you do something special to make the 17670 fit? My AW protected 17670 is too fat for the X5.

jbviau said:

Cernobila, did you do something special to make the 17670 fit? My AW protected 17670 is too fat for the X5.

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The fact is that some of my 17670 cells slide in and out like a piston while some have to be pushed in and then vigorously shaken out. The only thing I did was to get rid of the sharp edge at the entrance of the body so as not to scratch the batteries.

Oh yeah, I also took the sticker off......

Aluminous,

The new T4-MP is rechargeable, just as rugged as your old one and 175 lumens. From your first post it sounds like this is what your looking for.

Bill

Illum_the_nation said:

well, I have other uses for 17670s and RCR123As...I just happen to have a collection of inovas to try it out...

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Yeah, that does make that a lot easier. The X5 is the only thing I have that uses these.

Hitthespot said:

Aluminous,

The new T4-MP is rechargeable, just as rugged as your old one and 175 lumens. From your first post it sounds like this is what your looking for.

Bill

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Yes, it does sound almost perfect, except for three things...

Someone posted today (https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/197715): "They appear to leak at the charging terminals which has no o-ring or any type of seal at all."
I don't expect a need for intentional submersion, but my area does get a lot of heavy rainstorms (and plenty of deep puddles to drop it in, too). I highly value having a lifetime warranty, but I wouldn't want to have to be sending off for replacements on a monthly basis.

Also, I like having 'tactical' controls on the tail, and it appears that the T4 only has a button on the body.

And it might be impossible, but I had been hoping to find satisfaction in the under-$50 range, or at least under-$100... the T4 is $130. With this kind of price range, whatever I do decide on will probably have to wait till after I get a better job (it's been 'any day now' for a while). The proliferation of Chinese products are cheaper for a given feature set, but apparently at the cost of having little or no warranty.


It was surprisingly hard to find lumen numbers for the X5 to give me a baseline for comparison, but I ended up finding that the 2nd-gen X5 is about 15 lumens, and the 3rd-gen X5 is about 30 lumens. So the T4 would certainly be fine on the lumens factor! I've decided I want at least 60 lumens; 100+ would be even better, to have more of the lower-power time still be above 60.

flashlightsnlasers said:

I have used the rechargeable 123a's with no problems...I wish I could give you some run times but I would say it is about 12 to 15 hours on RCH 123's...that light was my carry light for years and yes the second generation X5 is very bright but not much throw outdoors great light indoors though..:thumbsup:

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To you and the others who said you managed to use some rechargeables successfully, thanks for the info!

I realized that I really want something more powerful than even the improved 3rd-gen X5 for outdoor use :candle:, so I should try to find something else that fits my long list of 'wants' and buy that instead of the newer X5 (of course the newer X5 would be nice to have too! but I'm trying to limit my spending to where it's needed most). And I realized that at the rate I'm using it (the X5) currently, I could just buy a box of CR123As that would be enough for the next 8-10 years, for less money than it would cost to get set up with RCR123As and a good charger.