Bad advice from Surefire?

[pfccypret]

A friend of mine recently had a Surefire flashlight blow up on him. He was using department issued Interstate CR123 batteries at the time.

Surefire made right on it and replaced the flashlight. But over the phone, the tech told my friend to stay away from all non-surefire brand batteries (specifically interstate). The tech's reasoning was that "other" lithium batteries were designed for only from cameras and got "too hot" in flashlights. Surefire brand batteries are designed for flashlights and are safe for such.

While their might a vague ring of truth to his reasoning (though I think it's more "cheap" vs "quality" batteries and not "camera" vs "flashlight"). I think it is irresponsible to attempt to scare a customer into only buying your brand of batteries.

Opinions?

 

[Mr Happy]

It's good advice.

CR123A batteries really were designed for cameras. Flashlights put a totally different load profile on the batteries compared to cameras. There have also been many reports of non-Surefire brand cells exploding when used in lights.

You can use some other good quality brands of CR123A than Surefire, but you have to be careful about the choice, and many low cost brands can be dangerous when used in lights.

Read around the forum here for more details.

 

[Black Rose]

Of course they need to plug their own branded CR123 cells, but SureFire doesn't make the cells, Panasonic OEM does.

Panasonic OEM also makes CR123 cells for Streamlight and Rayovac, as well as Panasonic's own CR123 cells.

Stick with any of those 4 brands, and your friend (or anyone else for that matter) will be safe.

 

[Rossymeister]

Which Surefire Model Flashlight Was He Using?

1 Cell? 2 Cell?

 

[pfccypret]

I think it was his E2D, 2 cell.

I agree that surefire should plug their own brand, but I think they can do so without strongly implying that anything else will blow up your light.

 

[brandx]

If one considers just which brands of batteries SF has CONTROL over, they can only responsibly reccomend their own. What a society we inhabit today, but much illuminating wisdom can be found in this forum allowing resonably informed options. Ever wonder what our society would be like with more engineers and less lawyers?

 

[Illum]

well, surefire pushes the current draw from cr123as way over most consumer products will ever hope to reach, this yields greater performance but also greater liability that should something go wrong it will go

 

[FlashKat]

Your first post states the flashlight blew up using Interstate batteries, so Surefire is not giving bad advice. Take your chances if you don't want to take advice.

I think it was his E2D, 2 cell.

I agree that surefire should plug their own brand, but I think they can do so without strongly implying that anything else will blow up your light.

 

[speshow]

I'm currently trying to figure out which brand of primaries i should stock up on.
Right now the choices are:
-Duracell
-Energizer
For around the same price.

Any suggestions?

 

[h2xblive]

I'm currently trying to figure out which brand of primaries i should stock up on.
Right now the choices are:
-Duracell
-Energizer
For around the same price.

Any suggestions?

Duracell

 

[Illum]

Energizer/streamlight/surefire are my opinions....

I heard duracell/rayovac are good too...if not outstanding

 

[h2xblive]

Energizer/streamlight/surefire are my opinions....

I heard duracell/rayovac are good too...if not outstanding

I've also had good experience with Streamlight batteries.

 

[Dr Jekell]

Ever wonder what our society would be like with more engineers and less lawyers?

Most probably colonising other planets.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

I direct your attention here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=67078

SF is correct in that some cells are made with a certain function in mind, like cameras. However the BS starts in the implication that ALL other cells are bad. There are others out there that, depending upon current draw beat SF.

 

[etc]

Kodak is missing from these charts...

I plan to get some better cells like Sanyo, Panasonic or Duracell, or SF if I can find it. But SF cells did not score the highest BTW.

 

[swampgator]

I heard duracell/rayovac are good too...if not outstanding

Rayovacs are as good as SF in my limited (20 cells) experience.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Pfccypret,

SureFire lights were developed using Duracell batteries. When they came out with their own brand, they were careful to make sure that their cells would hold up to the high loads encountered in their lights.

The chemistry and build quality of CR123 cells can be tweaked a lot. Some of the adjustments result in lower costs, at the expense of performance. Other adjustments result in higher cell to cell variations. Other adjustments result in higher costs, but better performance and safety under high loads.

If your department is issuing batteries, I would suggest issuing a complaint with Interstate and advising them of what loads the batteries are being subjected to. I have tested a few Interstate cells and found wide variation from cell to cell. Interstate may be able to approach their battery manufacturer and come up with a cell that is up to this type of service.

Interstate should be able to run QC tests on their cells and determine cell temperature under load, as well as overall cell to cell consistancy and performance.

If Interstate is not interested, have your department move over to issuing SureFire cells...

Tom