Can anyone make flashlight tubes to hold 3 wide 18650 ?

I really do want a host fitting 3x18650 parallel too -
many people in FM´s "what´s missing?"-Thread gave their "+1" to more Elephant-Bodies. I guess FM has recognized it but didn´t say anything whether he will make them in the near future or not.
I emailed Leef about it and he didn´t answer.

I don´t quite understand why no one is building them, many people would buy them (at an affordable price, let´s roughly say 150$ for a coated tube with tailcap fitting a MagD head - don´t need it gold plated :duh2.

Oh well, gotta keep on waiting. :shrug:

Bogus1: I favor the idea of a twist-on tailcap as it would provide another engagement option while under duress. Absolutely mill the tube for anti-roll and improved grip. MagD threading should take precedence over those of others. SureFire and Lumens Factory KT lamps max out with three 3.8V cells and consideration should be given to the inclusion of an M-threaded 3P1P body. For a tri-cell body, I gather popular Moli (rested) pack options would include:

64623 @ 16V = 15.2 w/ 4S (2S + 2S) bi/quad-bore for 18mm (4 cells)
64655 @ 24V = 22.8V w/ 6S (3S + 3S) bi/quad-bore for 18mm (6 cells)
64663 @ 36V = 34.2V w/ 9S (3S + 3S + 3S) bi/quad-bore for 18mm (9 cells)
64665 @ 36V = 34.2V w/ 9S (3S + 3S + 3S) bi/quad-bore for 18mm (9 cells)

The Moli cells in question would be the IMR18650E (18.24 x 65 mm), IMR26650D (26.4 x 65 mm) and IMR26700A (26.4 x 70 mm), with preference to the IMR18650E due to its advantage of being canned in a smaller diameter. As Moli themselves state on their product data sheets:

Custom design the MOLICEL® lithium-ion rechargeable battery into your mobile device

A modular, TnC tri-IMR18650E (preferred) and tri-IMR26700A body would make a fantastic addition to the arsenal of flashaholics. Make it happen!

Lux, I looked at the Leef system, and I recall how neat someone here or on the incan forum put one together with like 4 or so batteries together. Looked really nice.

I don't mind a tail cap swith as a second safety switch, but as others have said, I like the regular M@g pushbutton switch location for convienence....but it could be one of the toggle type switches that some of the incan guys have done. We need a solution here and I realize that incan and led uses will be different. Guess a chunk of plastic with a wire running through the middle going to our own switch would work, but is there something better?

So it looks like two real camps out here. One with the 18mm diameter A123s and Emolis and the 26mm Emoli camp. The small emolis and 123s would be perfect to create what we have done with AA's with both LED and incan, just smaller packages or same package, good runtime.

I assume unless you go big and long, the 26mm emolis will be 3,4,5 maybe more LED lights or small single LED lights with amazing duration (which may not be bad either vs. the WOW lights).

Perhaps we need to get out our pen and paper and sketch some stuff up for TnC to look at for ideas. I looked at their stuff. Very, very nice...ok, amazing finish from what I can tell. I am not so sure in the beginning if we need or want our stuff quite that fancy. Mainly because here in the beginning, we need our stuff reasonable, particularly price wise so we can get people to manufacture in mass and people to buy into these battery types.

Bob E.

This is exactly what we've been waiting for, even if we didn't know it.

I'd like to see the tri-18650 configuration Eric mentioned, and with the modularity and adaptability hinted at it could be a solution for everyone who needs a high current, high power host from hotwires to multi-LEDs.

I've been exploring extreme multi-LED mods lately, and at least half the battle is powering them. The mod needs to be planned from the tube up, which doesn't allow much flexibility and severely limits the build. The direction I am taking is 26700 Emolis in series, in custom cut Mag D tubes. But this thread is opening up some exciting alternatives.

Leef's modular system is okay, but the C size Li-ions can't deliver the current I need. More than half the ones I had tested couldn't cope with even 4-5 amps.

A system like the C-flex with the tri-tube would be perfect. The ability to use a standard Mag head, or compatible, and either the tail or side switch would be a dream.

And though the C-flex parts looked a bit odd IMO, this new shape is making me drool thinking of the possibilities with TnC's machining abilities.

Other than the obvious machining challenge, the details of the cell holding will need some thought. The tube could be pre-wired for series or parallel, with permanent contacts, but for flexibility there would need to be some sort of adapter plate that made contact between the cells and switch/head. And though this could be eliminated with a fused pack, I'd rather see the ability to use loose cells too.

I'll be anxiously waiting these parts. Please, please bring 'em on!

I don't think the interests of LEDs and hotwires are mutually exclusive. I was planning on providing a side switch option (or two) for those who want it and a tail switch for those who want that, or for those who want both. I'll lay out my proposal on this in more detail later along with additional features.

I think a 3x 26700 would be huge and need a handle. I don't know how much of a market there is for that. However 3x 18650 makes sense to me. I don't see the point in 4 lengths of 26700 cells. If I'm going to go that large I'd rather have the capacity to match the length with 12x 18650 cells.

Anyhow I need an interest thread in TnC forums to flesh out the build and see what the demand is. I'll try to get around to posting that soon if someone doesn't before me. Perhaps if there is interest for a stripped down and deluxe version, and perhaps accessories, then that would be a good thing to know. It may be possible to do two builds just by pulling one build off the machines earlier with fewer machine steps than a deluxe version.

It looks like battery packs would be good in this application and I'll look into making a 3x 18650 holder since they don't seem to be readily available. Although we'll consider forming the tube interior so it could hold the cells loosely and perhaps just have wired plates on the head and tube ends of the battery tubes as Dennis mentioned. There are a few other features I'd like to incorporate that I will reveal later as well.

To recap this would be a 3x 18650 (and other applications) tube with a one piece tube/tail, and or a side switch. The batteries would load from the neck of the tube rather than the rear and there would be a neck or adaptor(s) designed to fit various heads. There would be additional 3x 18650 extenders built so any configuration could be used. If we move ahead with this (based on interest) we would label this project TnC D-Flex Series.

Maybe the A123 is making this parallel 18650 stuff less interesting.

Anyway, the Tigerlight is the right diameter for 3x18650, I think. Mod host?

Eric, I agree with you on the 3 X 26700, too big to hold. And 18650s are available in may chemistries and relatively common, many of use have a bank already.

I've taken the liberty of starting this thread in the TnC forum to focus on D-Flex interest and ideas.

Agreed that 3x26700 would be a bit unwieldly for average hands. I am already in love with the idea of a modular, 3x18650 TnC D-Flex Series body . Best to integrate a soft start (dual mode low to high), 10A switch for higher voltage incan lamps as well.

Hello LuxLuthor,

The Wolf Eyes M300 uses 3 18650 cells. It's a little fat, but still comfortable to use. The battery carrier connects the cells in series. The only issue I have had is that the batteries can get out of balance during charging.

Of course the near famous "LuxLuthor balancing/charging leads" take care of that.

Tom

I'm thrilled with the feedback in this thread. TBH, I have never been in the TnC subforum before, and it was already seeming like I spent too much time at CPF! LOL!

I agree the 18650 is the better form factor for flashlights. The 26mm diameter cells are already being used either as a single stack, or hand held Lanterns.

I didn't know about the Wolf Eyes, thanks Tom, but for me just having 3 x 18650 is not enough. I really want something like Bogus1 is talking about with extender tubes, switch options, and threaded to Mag heads...mainly because of the reflector supply that we depend on.

From my calculations, the ID of that body (3 18650s) will need to be a minimum of 1.55". ...with 1/8" wall thickness, you're looking at a 1.8" OD. That's beefy! I might be interested in machining something like that myself.

To not spend all day boring out a solid aluminum rod, I'd probably start with a pipe that's almost the right size (I found some that is 1.9" OD X 0.2" WALL X 1.5" ID for fairly cheap online) and bore it slightly to the right size. Then, I'd make a m@g-sized head adapter piece from a piece of solid aluminum rod. The two would thread together and the m@g head would thread onto the adapter. The massive tailcap would be a no-brainer.

I have a couple newbie questioins, though, Lux. Would you parallel the 18650s to get 3.7V and high current, or would you put them in series? Or some combination of the two? An 18650 should push about 4Amps if discharging at 2C, right? Finally, what bulb would you put in this?

zambai said:

From my calculations, the ID of that body (3 18650s) will need to be a minimum of 1.55". ...with 1/8" wall thickness, you're looking at a 1.8" OD. That's beefy! I might be interested in machining something like that myself.

To not spend all day boring out a solid aluminum rod, I'd probably start with a pipe that's almost the right size (I found some that is 1.9" OD X 0.2" WALL X 1.5" ID for fairly cheap online) and bore it slightly to the right size. Then, I'd make a m@g-sized head adapter piece from a piece of solid aluminum rod. The two would thread together and the m@g head would thread onto the adapter. The massive tailcap would be a no-brainer.

I have a couple newbie questioins, though, Lux. Would you parallel the 18650s to get 3.7V and high current, or would you put them in series? Or some combination of the two? An 18650 should push about 4Amps if discharging at 2C, right? Finally, what bulb would you put in this?

Click to expand...

I think this should have adaptability to adding lengths, so you could have 2, 3, 4, 5 lengths of tri-wide 18650 cells. You could have any combination of "s" and "p" from 3s1p to 5s3p (or any combination in between by using dummy spacers and/or contact point wiring).

@SilverFox

are you sure that the Wolf Eyes M300 uses 3 18650 cells? On the wolf-eyes website it says "3 x LRB-168A Li-ion battery". Don´t know if I missed something out on the battery specs... did I:thinking:

If so please let me know, thanks!

edit: seems as if it means the same. Everyone else who´s not familiar with the battery types look here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/177460&highlight=168A

SilverFox said:

Hello LuxLuthor,

The Wolf Eyes M300 uses 3 18650 cells. It's a little fat, but still comfortable to use. The battery carrier connects the cells in series. The only issue I have had is that the batteries can get out of balance during charging.

Of course the near famous "LuxLuthor balancing/charging leads" take care of that.

Tom

Click to expand...

For anyone that is interested H22A is talking about the possibility of a 4 X 18650 or 8 X 18650 MAG compatible body. Head assembly is optional so you can just order the body or total package. But, he needs 25 pieces minimum to make it happen. No battery adapter option.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/189630

Thanks! I didn't even think to click on a topic called "Mammoth" despite its Pachydermial similarity to an Elephant!