AA Battery options

[joepa150]

I am debating whether to get a AA or a CR123 flashlight. A lot of people like AA flashlights because of the different batteries some of those lights can also use. I am a noob and do not know much about the different batterys. Can someone help me out?

Can someone tell me what these batteries are, the advantages of each, the average price, and the availability?

1) Akaline
2) NiMh
3) Lithium
4) Eneloop
5) 14500
6)Li-ion

Sorry but these all seem like common knowledge to you folks but for me I only hear of a few of them.

 

[Magic Matt]

That's quite a lot of information you're asking for. Can I point oyu in the direction of the Wiki? There's tons there about batteries.
http://www.cpfwiki.com/Wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Also the Battery University http://www.batteryuniversity.com/

That will give you the what, how, etc.

For availability, the best thing to do is search for the battery types you want and see which retailers come up. The CPF Marketplace is a good place to start
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/

A very very quick answer to these though...
1) Alkaline - non rechargable, common sizes, designed for household electronics mainly.
2) NiMh - rechargable, common sizes, designed for household electronics mainly.
3) Lithium - until recently most non-techies only saw them as coin cells. Now they are popping up as 'photo' batteries and substitutes for alkalines. Lithium actually covers a whole range of different types, but when people say lithium they more often than not mean the non-rechargable type.
4) Eneloop - a particular brand of NiMH battery made by Sanyo regarded as one of the best.
5) 14500 - a particular type of Li-ion cell (the numbers tell you the size).
6)Li-ion - Lithium Ion - a rechargable lithium battery basically.


Now off to the Uni and Wiki with you. Seriously, there's tons more there than I could ever type even if I sat here all night. :thumbsup:

 

[joepa150]

Thanks Magic Hat for the info. You helped me out a lot just with your short answers.

 

[Mr Happy]

You are definitely starting out in the right place by thinking about batteries before you think about the light. Many people buy the light first and later realize they are not happy with the kind of batteries it requires.

 

[Apollo Cree]

Be sure to consider your own usage.

For instance, a light using CR123 lithium batteries.

You can get rechargeable lithiums, but you can buy quite a few non-rechargeable lithium batteries for the price of a good set of protected rechargeables and a charger. Then you have to maintain them, follow proper procedures, etc. Rechargeables can burst into flame if mishandled.

Consider how many sets of batteries a year will you use in your use of the light. Are rechargeables worth the effort.

 

[T0RN4D0]

Well since hes asking about AA battery options, CR123s don't really fit the bill here. Where i live, you cant even get primary lithiums in normal smaller stores. The bigger ones have the CR123 size at about 8$ a piece. Considering that high powered LEDs will eat a pair in no time, rechargeable li-ions are the only reasonable choice.

In any case i would go with a rechargeable option, because alkalines suck.

 

[joepa150]

Be sure to consider your own usage.

For instance, a light using CR123 lithium batteries.

You can get rechargeable lithiums, but you can buy quite a few non-rechargeable lithium batteries for the price of a good set of protected rechargeables and a charger. Then you have to maintain them, follow proper procedures, etc. Rechargeables can burst into flame if mishandled.

Consider how many sets of batteries a year will you use in your use of the light. Are rechargeables worth the effort.

I know the quoted runtimes by manufacturers and they seem really good especially on the low or medium settings. It seems to me that they should last a decent amount of time if I don't use it on high all the time but I read a post where someone uses it 5 min a day and goes through a battery a week!!! While i probably would only use it 30 min a week at most, i don't want to go through several CR123 batteries a month. I could handle going through one AA a week though.

 

[bfksc]

I know the quoted runtimes by manufacturers and they seem really good especially on the low or medium settings. It seems to me that they should last a decent amount of time if I don't use it on high all the time but I read a post where someone uses it 5 min a day and goes through a battery a week!!!

My Quark will run for 24 hours on Med, which is 22 lumens out the front (OTF) and quite adequate for general use. Even on High at 85 lumens it will run for 5 hours before dropping to Med for a while. That's a lot of light for 5 hours.

While i probably would only use it 30 min a week at most, i don't want to go through several CR123 batteries a month. I could handle going through one AA a week though.

Even one alkaline AA a week adds up after six months, at which point you're probably breaking even when you buy two rechargeables and a charger. After that, you're saving money. With any of the rechargeables you don't have to worry about using the light too much...you've always got a spare that's charged and ready to use.

Did you see this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XSBVK2/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Did you decide on which light to purchase yet? I didn't see any more posts from you in the LED Flashlights forum?