Are you planning on upgrading to 26800 batteries?

[XTAR Light]

Some flashlights manufactures have started to make the bigger 26800 lights, or offer the extended body tubes on some flashlights for the larger capacity, longer runtime 26800 battery. Such as the QB26800 battery, many flashlights enthusiasts think it nails the middle ground between high output and mAh. 6800mAh big capacity, also putting out over 20A continuously, shows pretty good performance. The larger high output battery means it can last longer time, with still putting out the high continuous amps needed for a large light. And some enthusiasts even tell the 26800 is quite an ergonomic size.

Are you also planning on upgrading to 26800 batteries? And do you think it is possible this size battery will become popular and be used widely? Any thoughts or views, welcome to share freely!

 

[KITROBASKIN]

It would be interesting if a CPF member (XTAR Light even) might list flashlights that can use the 26800 batteries as well as a source for the battery itself. Personally, the 26650 sized flashlights fit my hand just fine but not sure our application really needs more amps or runtime. We are not into mega blaster flashlights when a single 18650 flashlight handles our needs for a few weeks before recharging from typically more than 50% charged.

Still, having capability of that increased capacity and amps is tantalizing...

 

[fivemega]

We don't gain much from 26800 over 26650 I believe more people would like something like 26950 to fit in 2x26500 flashlight.

 

[idleprocess]

The prospect of the 4680 is tanatlizing, however the odds of getting it with TSLA's promised special secret sauce + proprietary blend of herbs and spices seems ... long. Still, 25Ah at even 2C would be pretty amazing.

 

[orbital]

+

No to a 26800, just pointless.



Yes to a 46800 light that's PD charged.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

A quick search yielded these choices that can use a 26800 battery. That third one is an Emisar with many (13?) emitters, 2nd and 4th are quads, and the first has a single SBT90.2:

Convoy L8 SBT90.2 6400LM Strong Light Flashlight With 26800 Battery & 26980 Expansion Tube, Type-C Rechargeable LED Torch Super Bright Long Range LED Searchlight - Black

Astrolux® EA01S 4*XHP50.2/SST40 11000LM 500M USB-C Rechargeable Anduril UI EDC Flashlight with 26800 6800mAh Li-on Battery Large Capacity High Power LED Torch - XHP50.2 6500K

NOCTIGON DM1.12 THROW + FLOOD 21700 & 26800 LED FLASHLIGHT

HaikeLite HK4S LED Flashlight

 

[vicv]

Most of my cells are older 18650s from 1300-2000mah. They all serve me very well. So if I'm not even going to get newer 3500 mA hour cells, I'm not going to worry about it is a size. I'm sure they will be good though for ebike and car batteries and such

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Unless the power density of the 26800 can match that of current 18650/21700s I see little advantage in using them over multiple 18650s etc in parallel. On top of it all, the availability and cost per cell per Watt Hour likely could land it in a more specialty size we already have 26650 and 32650 etc sizes that are not mainstream out there like others have said to me this seems more like putting carts and horses together in random order to try to sell them both at once than trying to sell either devices based upon the cells or the cells themselves.

 

[Laser_Project]

I'd be happy to have a 26800 if there were more devices which could use them in series. So far, four series-parallel 21700 batteries will do what I want, except finding 4000 mAH or more high current 20 amp or higher CD protected button top ones are not offered anywhere I've searched.

If the 26800 batteries were protected and capable of 30 amps or more of true continuous discharge I'd be interested, especially if it had a button top to be able to run two in series without having to modify them or use a magnet on top of the lower cell (so they contact together to produce 2X the voltage).

The higher the current demand of a Li-ion battery, the more likely it is they could be discharged too far, but such are not available as it appears the protection circuitry for high current isn't possible in the smaller form factor batteries at the capacity we want or would take too much of the cell size needed for chemicals to have enough mAH, but the size of a 26800 may allow. In that case, if added, I expect it would have the capacity of the best 21700 available right now, but protected at higher current CD and a win for me.

 

[idleprocess]

If the 26800 batteries were protected and capable of 30 amps or more of true continuous discharge I'd be interested, especially if button top to be able to run two in series without having to modify them or use a magnet on top of the lower cell so they contact together to produce 2X the voltage.

"Protected" and "high-current" are nearly exclusive attributes in loose li-ion cells.

Not sure I'd want high-current cells in series dependent on pressure-contact to maintain continuity between cells.

 

[Laser_Project]

Must be the reason Lumintop has such force required to screw the end cap all of the way down on their GT94X, for their extended tube option they use two battery packs/carriers consisting of four 21700 with a plastic ring on the ends of the carrier which must be crushed down far enough to make contact. They won't fit loose, I see your point.

 

[scout24]

18650 is a perfect balance of runtime vs. bright vs. size. I have no need to venture bigger than that. I don't do 25k lumen handhelds, I don't need all night at 1000lm. 1x18650 is comfortable enough to edc, 2x18650 works for me to increase runtime or brightness (within the limits imposed by physics re: heatsinking) in a still practical form factor. Spare cells are easy to source and carry if needed...

I know, I'm no fun... 🤣

 

[degarb]

I stick to 2s18650 because the drivers are 92% efficient, while single cells are 70% efficiency, which translates to about 2 hours more runtime over a 1p18650. The higher voltage wins.

The problem is that a single cell light is cheaper to make and so, has its place. I just hate the runtime and output of single cell lights.

 

[vicv]

I stick to 2s18650 because the drivers are 92% efficient, while single cells are 70% efficiency, which translates to about 2 hours more runtime over a 1p18650. The higher voltage wins.

The problem is that a single cell light is cheaper to make and so, has its place. I just hate the runtime and output of single cell lights.

I'd be interested in seeing the data on that. If an led needs say 3V to run at the specified brightness, a single cell will be around 4V fully charged under such a load. So the driver will only need to drop 1V and less and the cell discharges. With 2 cells, that's more like 8.25v under load. The driver needs to drop more than 5v. How would that be more efficient?
Not to mention you can get 4000+L single cell lights. How much more output do you need? I know runtime would suck but I'm using an extreme example to make a point

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I'd be interested in seeing the data on that. If an led needs say 3V to run at the specified brightness, a single cell will be around 4V fully charged under such a load. So the driver will only need to drop 1V and less and the cell discharges. With 2 cells, that's more like 8.25v under load. The driver needs to drop more than 5v. How would that be more efficient?
Not to mention you can get 4000+L single cell lights. How much more output do you need? I know runtime would suck but I'm using an extreme example to make a point

The issues is typically you can't really use a buck circuit on a single cell to power an LED while you can use one with 2 cells in series which has 2 advantages in that there is less power loss using higher voltage and the higher voltage means twice the power with less loss due to internal resistances of the batteries and all other components in the light while a single cell light often either uses PWM or linear regulators to drop the excess voltage.
As long as the current stays low enough the loss in use is minimal while at higher output it can add up. Also there is limits in how many lumens you can get from a single cell that isn't totally cell based. You can even get higher voltage LEDs

 

[vicv]

The issues is typically you can't really use a buck circuit on a single cell to power an LED while you can use one with 2 cells in series which has 2 advantages in that there is less power loss using higher voltage and the higher voltage means twice the power with less loss due to internal resistances of the batteries and all other components in the light while a single cell light often either uses PWM or linear regulators to drop the excess voltage.
As long as the current stays low enough the loss in use is minimal while at higher output it can add up. Also there is limits in how many lumens you can get from a single cell that isn't totally cell based. You can even get higher voltage LEDs

All of that is definitely true. I just don't think it is as big of a difference efficiency as that. But yeah two cells in a box circuit gives full power full regulation from the time the batteries are fully charged until they're completely dead. There are definite advantages. Whether it's worth making the light 65 mm longer or not I will leave up to individual. But I do think that one 18650 is better than two 18350s

 

[Duster1671]

I bought a couple of 26800s mainly to use with the Emisar D4S. That light has better proportions with the larger battery compared with the 26650.

There's also the Convoy L8, which comes with a 26800 cell and solves the charging problem. It's a pretty nice SBT90.2 thrower.

Other than those lights, I don't see too much use for the size, at least not yet.

 

[yazkaz]

18650 is a perfect balance of runtime vs. bright vs. size. I have no need to venture bigger than that. I don't do 25k lumen handhelds, I don't need all night at 1000lm. 1x18650 is comfortable enough to edc, 2x18650 works for me to increase runtime or brightness (within the limits imposed by physics re: heatsinking) in a still practical form factor. Spare cells are easy to source and carry if needed...

I know, I'm no fun... 🤣

Agree with that as well. Many of us here have been accustomed to the 18650 and (up to) 26650 workflow for years, so it will be difficult to adapt to another cylindrical cell standard. Not only flashlight compatibility is in question, but also that means existing battery chargers (that support up to 26650 and 21700 length) will need to be updated with newer models with longer charge bays, which could be the reason why Xtar was asking for opinion on the 26800 usage. However, IMO their fault was to not take these future cell lengths into consideration when devising and producing their battery charger models a few years back, unlike companies like Nitecore where some of its existing battery charger models already support (protected) 21700 cells......

 

[bykfixer]

I chuckled at the historical irony because for 100 years big clunky batteries were required in order to achieve a decent run time of then tech electric sunshine. Back then some lights came with a shoulder strap.

Then one day a light the size of a tube of chapstick was brighter with a decent runtime. Really good runtime if throttled back to the output of a 2D incan.

Mankind doing what mankind does has again begun building big clunky batteries in order to achieve better run time from modern electric sunshine.

Although I don't largely use the 18650 my thought is that was the pinacle. Anything bigger is stepping backward in my mind regarding size vs performance.

 

[chip100t]

For edc 18650 are perfect for me, but if I am taking a bag I will take a 21700.

I do have a couple of soda can lights but I use them with diffusers as lamps.