Anyone prefer AA over 123

[tenaciousj]

the only benefit that i see is that AA is very common, easy to find and slightly slimmer light, whereas the 123 generally has more lumens and longer runtime, or am i missing something?

 

[CampingLED]

Many AA lights are also 14500 compatible. This gives you more battery options, especially in emergencies when AA is more freely available. Capacity between 14500 and 123A is fairly similar and not the deciding factor. AA lights are more slender, but longer. This is nice for pocket carrying. So, looking at the above, most of my EDC lights are AA/14500.

 

[BentHeadTX]

I prefer AA over 123 for many reasons

Alkaline in a pinch
1.6V Energizer E2 lithium AA
14500 "AA" sized lithium-ion generally has 20% longer run time

I prefer the more slender barrel on AA over 123. Consider that most of my electronics run on AA, it all goes together well. Besides, when somebody remarks about how bright the flashlight it, it is more impressive that it runs on AA cells.

 

[tenaciousj]

sorry i am new to this, what is a protected 14500 vs a non-protected 14500?

 

[289]

I prefer AA over 123 for many reasons

Alkaline in a pinch
1.6V Energizer E2 lithium AA
14500 "AA" sized lithium-ion generally has 20% longer run time

I prefer the more slender barrel on AA over 123. Consider that most of my electronics run on AA, it all goes together well. Besides, when somebody remarks about how bright the flashlight it, it is more impressive that it runs on AA cells.

+1, even though I pretty much run eneloops in all my AA lights.

 

[HarveyRich]

When you read more posts on CPF, you'll see that the verdict seems to be split. Many prefer the availability of the Alkalines or NiMH batteries, while others prefer the smallness of 123 and the brightness you typically get compared to AA. However, as mentioned above, you can substitute 14500 li-ion for AAs in many new lights. They're still bigger though. As an alternative to both, I like the smallness of AAA with the substitutability (frequently) of 10440s. There are some new lites coming out with CR2 li-ions, which make them smaller (although still wider than AAA). Nitecore EZCr2 and Aeon come to mind.

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

What BentheadTX said!

LiIon cells require caution. See this important link:
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-5B.htm

Rechargeable LiIon's at 3.7v offer higher performance opportunities than primary (non-rechargeable) cells at 3.0v. "Protected" cells reduce (but do not eliminate) potential trouble.

Before the advent of protected 14500's (AA sized 3.7v LiIOn's) you needed two AA's (for a total of 3.0v) to equal the output of a LiIon, making the more compact 123 a better choice for small, higher performance lights. But today, a trim 14500 based light with the proper emitter is just ideal for many uses, especially one like the Peak El Capitan in Brass or SS.

 

[curtispdx]

I like having lights that can be powered by both. (The Derelight C2H and the JetBeam RRT-0 come to mind.)

 

[PhantomPhoton]

I lost any interest in CR123 lights once I found the 18650 cell. Between Eneloops and L91 AAs aren't just as good now as CR123. So for smaller lights I love AA, for something a bit larger 18650. I stopped buying CR123 a couple years ago and haven't looked back.

 

[Billy Berue]

AA for me, especially when the input voltage also allows the use of 14500 Li-Ions. AA lights are just more versatile IMO, and I prefer the form factor. 1x123 lights are too fat and too short for my taste. The slightly longer, more slender form factor of most 1xAA lights is just right. :thumbsup:

 

[Cheapskate]

Another plus for AA's is that they tend to be cheaper. CR123's are usually not cheap when bought in brick and mortar stores.

Just a quick search reveals you can get a Panasonic CR123 from here - http://www.battery-force.co.uk - for $3.23. For $3.06 from the same place you can get a pack of 10 AA Panasonic alkalines.

 

[TONY M]

I have always liked AA lights personally.

RCR123s have less capacity than NIMH AAs which is one reason to go for AAs if you plan on using the light regularly and can not afford primary lithiums. In Europe they are more expensive than in the USA too.

As PhantomPhoton said above the 18650 cell is a good replacement for 2xCR123s, though they are not easy to find in emergencies lol.

One reason to dislike AAs is that primary lithiums (L91s) although good are not cheap.

 

[regulator]

I prefer AA over 123 for many reasons

Alkaline in a pinch
1.6V Energizer E2 lithium AA
14500 "AA" sized lithium-ion generally has 20% longer run time

I prefer the more slender barrel on AA over 123. Consider that most of my electronics run on AA, it all goes together well. Besides, when somebody remarks about how bright the flashlight it, it is more impressive that it runs on AA cells.

These are my comments as well. It is nice to be able to very easily find an 8 pack of lithium cells for around $16-17 without having to order them. This will keep you going for a LONG time. And the 14500 cell option is nice to have. But the main benefit to me is the dimensions of the AA light.

I would not pass up on a nice CR123 light that had functions/features that I could not find in an AA light.

 

[NoFair]

I prefer AA over 123 for many reasons

Alkaline in a pinch
1.6V Energizer E2 lithium AA
14500 "AA" sized lithium-ion generally has 20% longer run time

I prefer the more slender barrel on AA over 123. Consider that most of my electronics run on AA, it all goes together well. Besides, when somebody remarks about how bright the flashlight it, it is more impressive that it runs on AA cells.

This^

 

[curtispdx]

A little off-topic: I see that Walmart is selling 2 packs of the Energizer Ultimate Lithium for $5.00.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Not me. I refuse to buy AA/AAA lights.

 

[Henk_Lu]

I usually preffered CR123A as the batteries have a long shelf life and work under extreme condition, they are lightweight and have more capacity.

L91 & L92 have changed that though, their shelf life is even longer, I'm not sure about the capacity and they should also work under extreme conditions.

My preference was based on the fact that I used primaries only for the CR123A lights and NiMh-LSD for my AA lights. As I didn't treat my NiMh right and as my charger wasn't the best, my results with the AA lights weren't the best. That'll change now, as I got a better charger and as I'll start with li-ions.

So, my new preference goes to those AA lights that can take li-ions, they are the most versatile lights! I won't however get extenders, I don't really see the point as I have a good stock of CR123A and RCR123 work as well.

 

[Th232]

+1 to what BentHead said, although I'm leaning more towards 18650s over both of them.

 

[rtt]

I now use AA alkalines only. Can get them everywhere and they are cheap. My favorite combination is a SF 9P with a Lumens Factory led drop-in designed for a single cell 123. Good output and long runtime.

Went through all the phases cr123 and rechargables in various sizes. The AA alkalines really makes life simple!

 

[mcnair55]

Living in the UK it is more cost effective to run either AA or AAA cell lights.The 123 cells are just to expensive to buy from a retail shop.

I have a decent LCD charger that will charge AA and AAA at the same time if needed plus mine has the advantage of charging single cells.

Not that keen on the tiny cell lights but running around with one on my neck at night to spot the bathroom etc as it runs on low low with a little twisty action and to be fair was less than a UK pound,only bought it for the decent fastener on it but it is quite cute.