14500 li-ion cell for the car?

[dsmegst]

Hi,

I was thinking about using some 14500 cells in my Quark AA that I leave in the car. My main concern is day time heat and what that may do to the cell on a hot summer day. Is this a bad idea? :duh2: Currently, I use Eneloops for my AA lights but I know the Quark AA can handle 14500 cells. I would love to have a high output light in the car.

Help please!

 

[Sugarboy]

Energizer lithium is your friend.

 

[Helmut.G]

Sugarboy is right.
I wouldn't leave a rechargeable battery in the car where I don't plan touse the light regularly. Too expensive. regular alkaline will leak in a very short time in the temperature differences in a car.
Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries have high capacity and are resistant to extreme temperatures.

 

[hazna]

If you want an extra boost in brightness over the energizer lithiums, you can look into the 3.0V CRAA batteries. Have a look at cpfmarketplace for the thread.

 

[dsmegst]

Sugarboy is right.
I wouldn't leave a rechargeable battery in the car where I don't plan to use the light regularly. Too expensive. regular alkaline will leak in a very short time in the temperature differences in a car.
Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries have high capacity and are resistant to extreme temperatures.

Ok. So it the cost the only reason for not using the 14500 cell? Or are there other issues with things like heat, self-discharge, etc. The cells are AW protected 14500 li-ion cells and since I already have a few, I'm exploring my options. Currently, I use a AA eneloop with a spare and swap them out to deal with higher self-discharge rates. As far as I know, the heat doesn't do any damage to the NiMH cells so I'm wondering if it's the same thing with the AW 14500.

 

[Helmut.G]

It guess the 14500 would survive heat ok, but it's not the best treatment and might shorten the cell's life. For a primary you don't have to care since you can only use it once anyway and just replace it after 5 years or so to be sure you have a 100% full battery when you need the light.
The Lithium primary cell will have a bit higher capacity, but you can't recharge it once it's partly used, that's a downside of course if you plan on using this light from time to time. For an emergency flashlight in the car I would go for a lithium primary.

 

[dsmegst]

It guess the 14500 would survive heat ok, but it's not the best treatment and might shorten the cell's life. For a primary you don't have to care since you can only use it once anyway and just replace it after 5 years or so to be sure you have a 100% full battery when you need the light.
The Lithium primary cell will have a bit higher capacity, but you can't recharge it once it's partly used, that's a downside of course if you plan on using this light from time to time. For an emergency flashlight in the car I would go for a lithium primary.

Yeah, I agree that rechargeables are not the most practical or the best option and lithium primaries are the way to go. I'm trying to convert to rechargeables for everything and stop buying primaries. The eneloops made this possible so I'm just trying to keep consistent.

The CRAA cells are very tempting. I may pick some up.

 

[Helmut.G]

For me personally it's also a psychological factor.

some cheap (or not so cheap) rechargeables I wouldn't trust after a long storage in the car when I didn't check on them for some time, but made in USA lithium primaries feel different because it is said everywhere that they are the best for long storage and in extreme temperatures, so I know if I'm going to need the light I have one the best possible batteries in there. Just feels good.