Fenix L1T on 3.7V Li-Ion - Whoa!

[UnknownVT]

In my comparsion review -

Fenix L1T (vs. L1 v2.5, L2T, Civictor, P1)

I regretted not being able to try out the Fenix L1T with a Li-Ion rechargeable.

However 4sevens (http://fenix-store.com/) very kindly lent me some 14500 3.7V Li-Ion rechargeables and a charger just so I could try them out.

Sizes -

There is an immediate and pretty apparent length difference between the batteries. The Unprotected 14500 is shorter compared to a standard alkaline AA - whereas the Protected 14500 is definitely longer - enough that I was a bit worried whether it would work properly in the L1T - it did fine -

L1T on Unprotected Li-Ion vs. Fenix P1 - "pocket rocket" on Primary CR123A

That's pretty seriously bright to be (just) noticably brighter than the Fenix P1 - even if the P1 is "only" on a primary CR123A.

I took some current draw readings -
L1T
Unprotected Li-Ion 14500 - 3.97V open-circuit
High = 0.65A
Low = 0.46V
Protected Li-Ion 14500 - 3.69V o-c
High = 0.49A
Low = 0.32A

Hmmm...... the open-circuit voltage of the Protected 14500 was noticably lower by my measurement - and both batteries were just fully charged. The current draw readings also seems to confirm the lower voltage - interesting.
Unprotected total power draw from the battery is 2.58 watts
Protected total power draw from the battery is 1.80 watts

That's pretty significant - can I see a difference?
Unfortunately I don't have two L1T's to compare side-by-side - but here's a control beamshot -

L1T on Protected 14500 vs. Fenix P1 - "pocket rocket" on Primary CR123A to directly compared to the above (respective) beamshots

I can just make out the L1T on the Protected 14500 is not quite as bright as on the UNprotected cell - although in practice it probably would not make much difference - it is however perceptible......

So I conducted the rest of the beamshots using the UNprotected 14500 -

L1T LOW - on Unprotected 14500 - Fenix P1 - "pocket rocket" on Primary CR123A -

OK this is big - even when on LOW the L1T with Unprotected 14500 Li-Ion is very comparable with the Fenix P1 on Primary CR123A - the L1T maybe just a bit brighter on Low.......

L1T High - on Unprotected 14500 vs. Fenix P1 - "pocket rocket" on 3.7V Li-Ion RCR123

very comparable - and I've already said the Fenix P1 on 3.7V Li-Ion is spectacular - and with the L1T on Unprotected 14500 being just a bit brighter - that's why the Whoa!

L1T High - on Unprotected 14500 vs. Nuwai Q3 with RCR123

This confirms - this is BIG.....
why? the Nuwai Q3 on 3.7V Li-Ion I considered spectacular - and its beam has a narrower and more concentrated side-spill corona......
The L1T's side-spill is much wider - therefore more spread out - so looking at the -2 stops underexposed shot where the side-spill of the L1T is not just comparable - it might even be a bit brighter - oh, Whoa! again

 

[havand]

Nice! Now, how does it compare to a RCR123 in the P1 :naughty:

 

[maverick215]

Nice! Now, how does it compare to a RCR123 in the P1 :naughty:

L1T High - on Unprotected 14500 vs. Fenix P1 - "pocket rocket" on 3.7V Li-Ion RCR123
***2 pics***
very comparable - and I've already said the Fenix P1 on 3.7V Li-Ion is spectacular - and twitrh the L1T on Unprotected 14500 beigh just a bit brighter - that's why the Whoa!

one needs only look to see
editn a side note I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the difference is due to lux lotto...

 

[MillerMods]

UnknownVT, I may want to send you one of my latest mods to do some comparisons if you're interested. It will be the 3-stage L1P/L2P mod I'm doing. It will also run on anything you put into it. The difference is the power to the Lux with a Li-ion cell. On high it will draw 1.7 Amps from a Li-ion and put 80-85% of that power to the Lux. Perhaps the K-2's will be a nice touch also.

 

[Randy Shackleford]

In my comparsion review -

Fenix L1T (vs. L1 v2.5, L2T, Civictor, P1)


L1T High - on Unprotected 14500 vs. Fenix P1 - "pocket rocket" on 3.7V Li-Ion RCR123

very comparable - and I've already said the Fenix P1 on 3.7V Li-Ion is spectacular - and twitrh the L1T on Unprotected 14500 beigh just a bit brighter - that's why the Whoa!

L1T High - on Unprotected 14500 vs. Nuwai Q3 with RCR123

This confirms - this is BIG.....
why? the Nuwai Q3 on 3.7V Li-Ion I considered spectacular - and its beam has a narrower and more concentrated side-spill corona......
The L1T's side-spill is much wider - therefore more spread out - so looking at the -2 stops underexposed shot where the side-spill of the L1T is not just comparable - it might even be a bit brighter - oh, Whoa! again

:rock: these are beamshots I have been waiting for. RCR123 QIII & P1 vs. 14500 L1T :goodjob:

 

[havand]

one needs only look to see
editn a side note I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the difference is due to lux lotto...

Ah, sorry. I DID read through the entire thing, but i'm at work and was skimming/reading. Didn't realize it was a rechargeable, only saw the CR123. Sorry! Thanks for the review!.

 

[unattended]

there´s nothing whiter than white :lolsign:


please "under"expose some more stops to have the
differences clearly visible in grey : )

 

[TORCH_BOY]

Great reveiw,

I may have to try it in my L1T

 

[HiltiHome]

@UnknowVT:
3,97/3,69 Volt is very low for fully charged lion-cells...
I guess you used a low-end-charger, like DSD-two-bay-charger, did you ?

I am charging 14500 cells with a rc-charger and they read 4,19/4,15 volts.

 

[MillerMods]

I took some current draw readings -
L1T
Unprotected Li-Ion 14500 - 3.97V open-circuit
High = 0.65A
Low = 0.46V
Protected Li-Ion 14500 - 3.69V o-c
High = 0.49A
Low = 0.32A

Hmmm...... the open-circuit voltage of the Protected 14500 was noticably lower by my measurement - and both batteries were just fully charged. The current draw readings also seems to confirm the lower voltage - interesting.
Unprotected total power draw from the battery is 2.58 watts
Protected total power draw from the battery is 1.80 watts

The Li-ion open circuit voltages are still high enough to be about 90% charged. The protected cell voltage will be less than an unprotected cell by around 200 to 300 mV even straight off the charger due to the protection circuit, at least with ones I have measured.

The thing I would like to talk about is the power calculations, and I'm not trying to be critical here, I just want to chat. The voltage of the cells will drop by a very considerable amount when the cells are under load.

 

[Dark Vapor]

UVT, was there a noticeable brightness difference between high and low using the either of the 14500? With my light, I could barely notice the difference using a protected 14500.

 

[Lite_me]

editn a side note I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the difference is due to lux lotto...

I don't have that much experience yet, but I'll have to agree with the Lux lotto thing.
Not to get OT here, but explain this.. I have an L1T and an L2T. If I swap heads, it ruins the beam on both of them. The L1T has the tightest spot of any light I have or have seen. I've compared it to 3 L2T's. It performs pretty well on a single cell but blows on 2. ? And everyone of LxT's are different.

That's why I think the superior performance on this test 'could' be a "luck of the draw" kinda thing.

Great review, tho. Love this kinda stuff. :thanks:.

 

[Lumbee1]

I wonder how the L2T would compare with two 14500's?

 

[Randy Shackleford]

I wonder how the L2T would compare with two 14500's?

magic smoke, since IIRRC the recommended Max input 4.2V.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Runtime must be a real POS.

 

[LightHearted]

Yeah, what's the runtime on 14500s?

 

[Brightsun]

Where is the best place to buy 14500 Li-Ion batteries and chargers?

Thanks Brightsun

 

[gadgetnerd]

Yeah, what's the runtime on 14500s?

Well I get about 40 minutes with an L2P head on L1 body with 14500, I should imagine the L1T wouldn't be redically different.