3 different headlamps - which should take protected cells?

Telkwa

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Good morning!

This seems like the right sub-forum for my question. Maybe not.

I'm new to 18650. I bought three headlamps recently. A Zebralight H600w II, a Nitecore HC30, and an Armytek Wizard. As far as I know the Armytek is not a Pro. The label on the box says "Wizard Silver/XM-L2 Warm V2".

Which lights should use protected cells, and why?

I'm beginning to get my arms around the parameters that lights can protect themselves against, and that some of the methods are better than others. It'd really help to hear what exactly you'd consider in choosing prot. vs. unprot.

Some folks have mentioned that having the light strapped to your forehead is reason enuf to go with prot. cells.
 

1DaveN

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I agree with those who advocate for protected cells in a device that's strapped to your forehead - I don't see any reason to forego any battery safety feature, even if you're unlikely to need it. Similarly, I only use protected cells in my regular lights, because they all spend some time right next to the bed.
 

ChrisGarrett

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Good morning!

This seems like the right sub-forum for my question. Maybe not.

I'm new to 18650. I bought three headlamps recently. A Zebralight H600w II, a Nitecore HC30, and an Armytek Wizard. As far as I know the Armytek is not a Pro. The label on the box says "Wizard Silver/XM-L2 Warm V2".

Which lights should use protected cells, and why?

I'm beginning to get my arms around the parameters that lights can protect themselves against, and that some of the methods are better than others. It'd really help to hear what exactly you'd consider in choosing prot. vs. unprot.

Some folks have mentioned that having the light strapped to your forehead is reason enuf to go with prot. cells.

Honestly?

What are the odds that having a quality, unprotected LG, Sanyo, Sony, Panasonic or Samsung 18650 grenade in a single cell ZL light (or the other two,) while you're wearing it on your head?

You probably have a better chance of being eaten by a bear, or killed when a piece of frozen toilet ice falls off the I.S.S. and hits you in the head.

Most of the problems with grenading lights/devices seem to be when people use crap Chinese dreck that isn't even what it purports to be, or when using mismatched cells in series, or when using things with poorly implemented battery management/charging systems.

Rarely is somebody shorting something out, causing the cell to heat up and thermally runaway. I had a light go up in smoke, with a new Efest IMR 26650 in it and it just melted the driver board, so even then, you're not always going to initiate a 'thermal runaway.'

I have a couple of protected ET 3100mAh 18650s, some Redilast 17670s and some AW 16340s--the first being stored in the fridge, but besides those six, I use naked cells in my lights and don't think one bit about doing so because I don't use crappy lights as a rule, I don't buy crappy chargers and I don't buy crappy cells.

My only HL (Fenix HL30) uses two AAs, but I'm about to pull the trigger on a ZL H600w/H602w Mk II if I can find one and I'll be using a naked cell in that.

Chris
 

Changchung

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I have zebralights for so long, H60 and H600 and others more, I have been using for many years the h60 with no protected, I have like 20 pana 2 of them are really old, I think 1250mha, I just replace for 3400 pana and I never have a problem
 

ChrisGarrett

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I have zebralights for so long, H60 and H600 and others more, I have been using for many years the h60 with no protected, I have like 20 pana 2 of them are really old, I think 1250mha, I just replace for 3400 pana and I never have a problem

If you're running them in series, no doubt, run some protected cells. Or, if you're prone to lending your lights out to people that don't know any better, who could run the lights down to zero, sure...protected cells would be a prudent move in those scenarios, but I don't have those two problems.

Chris
 

Changchung

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Where the night is too short...
If you're running them in series, no doubt, run some protected cells. Or, if you're prone to lending your lights out to people that don't know any better, who could run the lights down to zero, sure...protected cells would be a prudent move in those scenarios, but I don't have those two problems.

Chris

Ok, first, NOBODY touch my lights... [emoji12][emoji12][emoji12] I have a magmod with 4xml with 4 18650 in serie, I am prudent with it, never had problem, and all my lights has low level volt warning.
 

kosPap

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Naoussa Greece
Another question would be....
Of the three headlamps, which fit the longer protected batteries?
 

Telkwa

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Rainy side of Washington State
Of the three headlamps, which fit the longer protected batteries?

I have new unprot. Panasonics from Brask Supply (Amzn Mktplace). I've got one Nitecore NL189 and a couple of EVVA's (protected Panasonics) from Mtn. Electronics. Both the EVVA's and the Nitecore measure 69.5mm.

The protected cells do go into the ZL. I could tell the difference in torque screwing the cap down, and I didn't like the way the rear spring was digging into the metal cap at the battery's negative end. So I'm going to run unprot. in the ZL. For right now anyway. It's already been inferred that I'm stupid for using prot. in a ZL. It's also been inferred that I'm stupid for using unprot. cells. Clearly, there's no consensus so I'm learning to ignore the ones who make blanket statements.

I've been running the Nitecore NL189 in the HC30. No problems. Although the battery sets nearly flush with the rear of the tube, the rear cap goes on without fuss, and the spring isn't scratching the battery. So I'll leave the Nitecore battery with the Nitecore headlamp.

The Armytek Wizard (again, it's not the Pro) swallows the EVVA's. Unlike the HC30, the EVVA's drop down into the tube with - I'm guessing here - about an 1/8" to spare.

So, the Armytek swallows 69.5mm. The Nitecore HC30 seems to accept 69.5mm, but the battery is basically flush with the tube. 69.5mm is flush with the ZL tube too, but the ZL seemed less happy about it than the HC30.
 
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