Battery Life Question

[ctownstud00]

Excuse my ignorance, but I am looking for a flashlight with the best battery life and output around at least 1,000 lumens.

I know there is some kind of new technology that always draws some battery power to remember the last used setting and whatever else it does and I want to avoid this, but I forget what the technology/feature is called.

Can anyone recommend a light for me that is similar to the Xtar WK18, but perhaps brighter? I am considering just getting another WK18, but I want to see what else is out there.

Thanks kindly!

 

[richbuff]

Parasitic drain. Normally, it is negligible compared to normal power used.

Longest runtime is when the ratio of power used to fuel capacity is lowest.

Lots of battery capacity and lowest power used = Longest runtime.

Small battery capacity and lots of power used = Lowest runtime.

 

[ctownstud00]

Thanks for the information on terminology!

Any recommendations for flashlights without parasitic drain?

Similar to Xtar WK18, perhaps with brighter output?

 

[RetroTechie]

Parasitic drain is 0 when the battery is physically disconnected. There's some ways to do that:

* Remove battery (duh).
* Many aluminium body flashlights have anodized threads at the "insert battery" end. Unscrew tailcap a little, and battery contact is broken.
* Most simple tail switches do the same. Switch off = 0 current.

Exceptions are usually lights with (electronic) side switches. But even then: if that switch changes modes but there's also a (physical) tail switch that does the on/off, switching that off will again reduce parasitic drain to 0. Not that it's much to worry about: typically in uA range, a battery with 2000+ mAh capacity would drain in something like >100,000 hours (>10 years) continuous. Likely the battery's self-discharge is bigger factor. I might worry about the "electronics always-powered" aspect. :thinking: Not about the speed at which battery is discharged...