Are these OK?

[ArkAngel]

Hiya all

Just got a Surefire L5 today (and very nice it is too

)

I got this rechargable set a while back from glowgadgets for a Fenix i never got round to buying.

http://www.glowgadgets.co.uk/rcr123a...ower-batteries

They are supposedly 3V not 3.7. I quickly put them in the torch and tapped the on/off switch a few times just to see (risky huh?

). Everything seems to work ok and the batteries fit into the torch ok (not too tight etc)

Does anyone know if continued use will damage the light in any way? Apart from reduced runtime (i expect) it would be useful to have a rechargable option for what has just become my EDC.



Cheers

 

[matrixshaman]

I'm not sure if this uses the same electronics as the L4 but it might be best to use a single 17670 rechargeable as it's the same size as 2 CR123's put together and has better capacity than those reduced capacity cells that are typical of the 3.0 volt versions of RCR123's. I forget off hand if the L4 can take 2 x 3.6 volt but I don't think that's a good idea or I probably would not have gotten a 17670 for mine and I'll assume until better experts step in here that the L4 may be essentially the same 100 Lumen output electronics that the L5 has. I've tried to convert everything I can to some sort of rechargeable or another - it just makes good sense for many reasons.

 

[ArkAngel]

Thanks for the advice,

I should add for future readers that 17670 batteries are nearly impossible to find in the UK. At the moment funds do not allow any further buys of gadgets for a while.
I already had these batteries so if i can use them great, if not i can source disposable 123's for about 70p each so for the time being i would stick to them.

 

[Mr Happy]

I'm not sure if this uses the same electronics as the L4 but it might be best to use a single 17670 rechargeable as it's the same size as 2 CR123's put together and has better capacity than those reduced capacity cells that are typical of the 3.0 volt versions of RCR123's.

I'm fully in agreement with trying to use rechargeable cells wherever possible, but I do wonder about the capacity comparisons and run time?

For instance I see an AW 17670 specified as 3.6 V, 1500 mAh, which would give a capacity of (approximately) 3.6 x 1500 = 5400 mWh. For comparison I see a 3 V RCR123a specified as 1000 mAh, so two of these would give a capacity (approximately) of 2 x 3 x 1000 = 6000 mWh.

Since the regulator circuit in the light may be less efficient with a lower input voltage, it seems like the two RCRs would have the advantage over the single 17670?

 

[mdocod]

find a RCR123 with 1000mAH true capacity at any kind of realistic load and you win the prize! (I'll figure out a prize later, lol). They routinely test between 400 and 600 mAH regardless of what the label says. Whereas 17670s are often accurately labeled (or at least within 10%)...

 

[VidPro]

find a RCR123 with 1000mAH true capacity at any kind of realistic load and you win the prize! (I'll figure out a prize later, lol). They routinely test between 400 and 600 mAH regardless of what the label says. Whereas 17670s are often accurately labeled (or at least within 10%)...

Yup, might get 700ma out of a premo , rechargable rcr123 cell, if you were running something on low.
wheras a PRIMARY cr123 would have 2 times that.

so if you compared the primary the things were designed for, to the 17 & 18650 things, then the primary would win, right before it goes in the trash bin .

 

[mdocod]

actually an 18650 competes toe to toe with a pair of CR123s for the amount of stored energy[depends on what brand you compare to what brand], but since the SF bodies won't hold one, it becomes a moot point.

 

[ArkAngel]

These are 600mAh batteries as stated on the box!

Some intresting points made so far, however my original one remains...

I expect reduced runtime i have no issue with that, will they damage the LED?

 

[VidPro]

2x 123 li-ion is more likly to work correct because of the high voltage already, and its use of a buck type converter.
but recomendations have been for a SINGLE li-ion like say the pila 168s somthing like that single li-ion would SURELY not overrun the driver thing.

 

[Essexman]

if not i can source disposable 123's for about 70p each

Wow good price. Is that from a UK source? Would you mind sharing where they come from?
Sure beats Tesco's where they are around £5 each ! Not that I've done that, I normally go to 7dayshop.com