Wondering why a23 12v batteries aren't suitable for led flashlight?

A23 battery's are tiny, cheap, and have 12volts. I know they have very small capacities but what other reasons are there for not making an led flashlight that uses these. Especially in times where led's are able to use these higher voltages. Can you not run these in series or in multiples to get better run times? I would love a truely nano light that uses these even if the output isn't astounding.Or maybe something along the lines of the streamlight cr2 nano. Or maybe even a 1 Cr123 sized light running 3 A23's using a p7 or MC-E. Thanks for any input. Would definately be interested in purchasing lights like these.

There's the Glo-toob FX, but nothing else comes to mind.

They are intended for low draw applications (like car remotes), not the 1 Amp plus draw of high-flux LEDs.

Please post in the correct sub-forum. This belongs in the Battery section. I'm moving it there now.

herbicide said:

There's the Glo-toob FX, but nothing else comes to mind.

They are intended for low draw applications (like car remotes), not the 1 Amp plus draw of high-flux LEDs.

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Exactly, they are made to produce voltage in a tiny package, not power.

The A23 cell just has a stack of 1.5v coin cells inside. These are utter crap for trying to power anything other than a single 5mm (such as the Solitaire mod that uses the A23). There are lights such as the Drake or Draco or Nano or Wee that all use small cells if pure tiny size is all you are looking for.

For LED's, anything much over 4v is really just a waste of voltage, because it needs reduced anyhow. More voltage does not mean more power.

I think they could be used for multiple 5mm LEDs in series, rather than the usual parallel connection. Unfortunately, you'd be limited to 3 white LEDs, and they'd probably not be very bright (I don't really know about the resistance of coin cells/A23s, but it's not low), but would be fairly uniform, unlike many cheap multi-LED keychain lights, which have quite visible brightness variations among the parallel LEDs.

Peak has some tiny keychain lights (pics w/ batteries in second post) for 10180 and 10280 cells, and Modamag has the Draco for 10280. The 10280 would be mechanically compatible with A23. I doubt an A23 can push enough current to blow anything, but I definitely wouldn't risk it unless the manufacturers approve. (The more so since it's quite a senseless decision...)

See, you're much better off with a single 10280 LiCo (which is available with capacity of 200mAh = ~0.74Wh, not sure what discharge rate) than the A23. From Energizer's datasheet, the A23 gets 39-55 mAh at a pathetically low 0.01C discharge, depending on cutoff voltage. Assuming a "working voltage" of 10V, and using the 6V cutoff, this is ~0.55Wh max (at ~0.5mA current!), so you're getting way less light out of a $2 primary than you would from a $5 rechargeable of the same size. That's why nobody uses it.

If you really must have 12V (at full charge) in a small package, which you shouldn't (unless you're making a small hotwire?!), modding a AAA light with 3x10180 is your best bet. It's a little larger than A23, but inordinately more energy and power. Now, when AW produces some IMR10100 cells, you could connect three of those in series for a high-current A23, and try for a Solitaire85 -- estimated runtime, 10 whole seconds!

This is exactly what I love about CPF. I really didn't think anyone would bother to respond. Thanks for all the info you guys are always so knowledgeable. Didn't know a23's were made of coin cells. I've heard that 9volt battery's were made of aaa's but never bothered to take one apart. Sorry about placing this thread in the led section. Thanks everyone.

The main disadvantage of the A23 as a tiny battery is its inefficient use of the available volume. Because it is made up from a stack of coin cells a lot of the internal volume is taken up by the inactive metal walls and less of the volume is free for active energy storing parts. It therefore wastes a lot of the space it occupies. Far more energy can be stored by a single cell of the same size that that uses all of the available volume for active electrodes and chemicals.

importculture said:

I've heard that 9volt battery's were made of aaa's but never bothered to take one apart.

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They are either AAAA (quad-A) or little prismatic rectangles stacked up. I've harvested some of the first kind for our maintenance guys at work to use in their little streamlight stylus pen lights.

I did a mod quite a while ago using this battery. If my memory serves me, I used a small plastic 1xAA flashlight. I used one 5mm white led and a long spring. I think I used a resister and glued it into the original bulb holder after I broke out the glass. The thing works great. I still have it. Before anyone asks what the heck for. It was for my youngest daughter.


Brad