Batterystation CR123s

LawKid

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Feb 3, 2007
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I ordered 50 Batterystation brand CR123 batteries. Are these generics good quality?

I usually order some name brand through them, whatever is on sale at the time, but this time I didn't see any on sale, so I got the generics.
 

HoopleHead

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Dec 18, 2007
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yep, thats what i rock. no probs so far.

i cant say 100%, but i think ive read that its best if you are using multiple batteries in the same device, to use all the same brand...
 

Niconical

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I bought 40 batterystation CR123A based on positive comments here on CPF, and they are great in my Fenix TK10 and P1D Q5.:thumbsup:
 

Unforgiven

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I have had no problems with the made in USA BS CR123A batteries. So far they have all tested out to 100% with the ZTS tester and performed well in all my single and multiple cell lights as well as a camera.
 

Daniel_sk

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I have just ordered 30 for me and 30 for a friend. The new ones are made in US (most probably they are OEM Panasonics).
 

ampdude

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Aren't all made in u.s. cr123a from the same factory anyway?

Some people say yes, some people say no, some people say even if they are, it doesn't matter because they're made to different specs. I'm unaware if there are 1, 2, 5 or 100 lithium battery factories in the USA.

Personally I've had the best luck with Sure-Fire and Duracell.

I don't use that many primaries anyways, I mostly use rechargeable batteries. I generally just stick to SureFire and would probably do so even if I used a lot of primary batteries because I value my lights and myself. That's not to say SureFire batteries are immune from going nuclear, but it seems a lot less likely.
 
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brighterisbetter

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Some people say yes, some people say no, some people say even if they are, it doesn't matter because they're made to different specs. I'm unaware if there are 1, 2, 5 or 100 lithium battery factories in the USA.

Personally I've had the best luck with Sure-Fire and Duracell.

I don't use that many primaries anyways, I mostly use rechargeable batteries. I generally just stick to SureFire and would probably do so even if I used a lot of primary batteries because I value my lights and myself. That's not to say SureFire batteries are immune from going nuclear, but it seems a lot less likely.

ampdude, was curious as to whether you have used either the aw 750mah protected's or the tenergy 900mah li-ion protected's, or could point me to where i could find a comparison of the two. specifically, would be using in a novatac 120p, thanks for the reply.:wave:
 

MaxIcon

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Jun 19, 2006
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I've been comparing Made In USA CR123s, and have found the Panasonics have a green plastic ring at the base between the battery and the wrapper at the negative end. You can see it under there easily, even in the blister packs in stores. None of my Chinese (various brands) or Japanese (Sanyo and Maxell) batteries have this.

Looking at my other batteries and ones in the stores, all of these also have the green plastic ring:
Panasonic, Streamlight, Surefire, Energizer E2, Duracell Photo Ultra. I haven't found Kodak and Rayovac yet, but I believe they'll be the same.

So, if your BatteryStation CR123s have the green plastic ring, I'd say odds are good they're made by Panasonic in the USA.
 
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Hondo

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I don't want to let out any secrets, but I know that the company making the BS cells for them begins with an "R" and ends with a "C", and there could be a "ayova" somewhere in between. No info on wheather other branded products are made in the same plant they use or not.
 

pilou

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I don't want to let out any secrets, but I know that the company making the BS cells for them begins with an "R" and ends with a "C", and there could be a "ayova" somewhere in between. No info on wheather other branded products are made in the same plant they use or not.

And the company that makes the RCs is no other than Panasonic :)

Back in the days when BS batteries were Chinese manufactured, they cost $1 to CPF members. Now they cost nearly the same as places like batteryjunction charge for U.S. made brand name batteries with slightly higher capacity (1550 versus 1400 for BS).
 

pbs357

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I use rechargeables exclusively as the main power souce in my lights, and stow away primaries for backup and "just in case" places like backpacks, glovebox, etc. That being said, I have about 30 BatteryStation batts from about 4-5 years ago, and when I checked my spares carriers and stashes, I found one leaked cell in a surefire spares carrier. I checked all the other batteries and they all registered strong at a little over 3v each.
 

eng_driver

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Jun 18, 2008
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Looking at my other batteries and ones in the stores, all of these also have the green plastic ring:
Panasonic, Streamlight, Surefire, Energizer E2, Duracell Photo Ultra. I haven't found Kodak and Rayovac yet, but I believe they'll be the same.

I have also found that "Walgreens Ultra Photo Lithium Battery" fit all the descriptions of Panasonic, including the tops and "Made in the U.S.A.".
 

MaxIcon

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Yes, I just saw some of those at the local Walgreen's this weekend, and they definitely look like Panasonics, with the green plastic rings. They also cost $12.99/2 and $7.99/1!
 

kromeke

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Mar 29, 2006
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PBS357,

Would that leaked one be made in P.R.C.? It must be one of the old Batterystation cells if it is 4-5 years old.
 

Aluminous

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May 12, 2008
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Texas
I've been comparing Made In USA CR123s, and have found the Panasonics have a green plastic ring at the base between the battery and the wrapper at the negative end. You can see it under there easily, even in the blister packs in stores. None of my Chinese (various brands) or Japanese (Sanyo and Maxell) batteries have this.

Looking at my other batteries and ones in the stores, all of these also have the green plastic ring:
Panasonic, Streamlight, Surefire, Energizer E2, Duracell Photo Ultra. I haven't found Kodak and Rayovac yet, but I believe they'll be the same.

So, if your BatteryStation CR123s have the green plastic ring, I'd say odds are good they're made by Panasonic in the USA.

All of my recently-purchased made-in-USA Duracell CR123As have the green ring. But I also have a couple of made-in-USA 4-year-old Duracells, and they don't have the green ring. I wonder if this is true of all the apparently-made-by-Panasonic-in-USA batteries (that they now have the green ring, but they didn't until the past few years), or if it means that the Duracells used to be made elsewhere in the US?
 
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