What is the "best" cell(s) to use in SST-50?

[chef4850]

Just courious about what cell(s) can be used int he SST-50.



I have primary, IMR and RCR123's



Does it matter what cells? Can the light take primary cells?



Any help would be greatly appriciated!



Thanks



Chef

[jjohnson34]

Wow almost 400 people read this question and nobody could help out. Helpful forum for sure. I just bought a SST-50 EDC and I was looking up the exact same thing. Doesnt look like im gonna find it here

[nbp]

There was a forum crash a little while after this OP was made and a lot of replies to threads formed during a few month period were wiped out. There could have been replies that were lost. Have you looked at Mac's sales threads for the light you bought? He probably indicated it there.

[Barbarian]

I'm sure there were plenty of responses as Nick indicated, but they were lost in "The Crash" of last last year. Only the OP remained in many threads.

If you bought a 1.4 amp light, you can use a RCR or IMR. If you bought the 2.8 version, you should only use the IMR battery. No primaries..... even though I think I read it is okay to use them on low and medium modes. Stick with the IMR's and you'll be fine.

[jjohnson34]

Oh ok I didnt realize that due to the crash only the original post might remain (or a similar situation). Yeah mine is the 2.8a version and when I put my RCR123 in it it doesnt seem near as bright as I would expect. So Im sure I need some IMR's. And 18350's dont fit in this EDC so I will need IMR 16340's correct.

[Barbarian]

^
Correct. Mac's early versions of his EDC lights were only bored 16mm so the IMR 16340 is what you need.

[jjohnson34]

OK cool thanx man. How about if I decide to bore it out for 18mm cells, will this driver work fine with 18350's or did MAC switch drivers when he began boring all his lights for 18's?

[Barbarian]

The driver will work fine if you get your light bored to 18mm.

[fyrstormer]

Might be better to buy an 18mm tube from Mac. I'm not sure there's enough wall thickness to bore the existing 16mm tube.

[rda1]

Might be better to buy an 18mm tube from Mac. I'm not sure there's enough wall thickness to bore the existing 16mm tube.

Good chance it can be bored out, Mac bored my SST-50 to accept 18350 (from 16340).

[fyrstormer]

Good chance it can be bored out, Mac bored my SST-50 to accept 18350 (from 16340).

Okay. I won't argue with someone who's actually done it already.

[jjohnson34]

Ok one last Q, will an 18350 give me any more lumens or just a little more runtime?

[Colonel Sanders]

I can tell you that the capacity difference (especially under high load) is not just a little between an AW 18350 and an AW 16340. The 18350 will make 750mah+ under a 3 amp load, for example. Try that with a 16340 (it'll be about 450mah or less.) So we're talking 66% difference and that's not even taking into consideration the higher running voltage (meaning less voltage sag.)

Brighter and longer.

[jjohnson34]

Awesome. thats what i needed to know so thank you. I did a lot of searching for that and couldnt specifically find it. Im ordering some AW's right now.

[Colonel Sanders]

Awesome. thats what i needed to know so thank you. I did a lot of searching for that and couldnt specifically find it. Im ordering some AW's right now.

Interestingly, in my testing, the AW 18350 made about the same mah at 1a, 2a, and 3a. I ran multiple tests at all levels and it was always about 750-760mah. They really retain their voltage under load well. Awesome cells....so awesome that I am really moving away from 16340 lights. I now have two 18350 lights, another on the way (my second Mac's Customs Tri-EDC) and I am looking for more.

[fyrstormer]

I can tell you that the capacity difference (especially under high load) is not just a little between an AW 18350 and an AW 16340. The 18350 will make 750mah+ under a 3 amp load, for example. Try that with a 16340 (it'll be about 450mah or less.) So we're talking 66% difference and that's not even taking into consideration the higher running voltage (meaning less voltage sag.)

Brighter and longer.

Are you talking about IMRs or RCRs?

[Colonel Sanders]

AW IMRs in both cases. No way would I push an RCR16340 to 3a!

[jjohnson34]

Yeah I should have 2 AW IMR 18350's in the mail in the next day or 2 so I"m checking the mailbox as soon as the mailman drives off. Thats really great news. I would be interested to know exactly how AW IMR 16340's (which I'm currently using) compare in testing. I also want to order my first Macs Ti Tri but I just cant decide if I will be happy with it as opposed to an XML EDC. I have A Quad which I do really like but not as much as my XML lights. But the Tri's look so muck cooler too. What to do?????

[Colonel Sanders]

Buy both, of course!

[fyrstormer]

AW IMRs in both cases. No way would I push an RCR16340 to 3a!

Butbutbut...that's what I've been doing! If I'm doing it, it must be perfectly safe, right?

[Benchiew]

Mac. Are you accepting boring jobs for titanium SST50 tubes initially bored for 16340 to 18650?