Battery question for Streamlight TL-2

[lightoftheworld]

I have thought and thought,... and finally decided to buy a TL-2 flashlight with a Xenon bulb that puts out 100 Lumens and requires 2x123 lithium batteries.

The problem is, I can't afford to buy new batteries every hour, so I have three choices. Please tell me which of the choices below will be better, or brighter, or run longer, etc...

#1. One 17670 bare cell.

#2. Four NiMh 400 mAh 1/5 A cells as found here: http://www.batteryworldcenter.com/show_image.cfm?ProductID=149&CategoryID=1
(Check out this link if you don't understand why I am saying this as an option: http://www.tinwhistler.net/flashlights/123-rechargeables.htm)

#3. Pila 168s. (This is the most expensive option and I would prefer not to have to buy Pilas unless it is a way better option.)


Thanks, Shane

 

[JasonC8301]

#1 - I am not sure what that is.

#2 - I am not sure about this one also.

#3 - I don't think this is an option. The 168s cell only provides 3.7 volts to a bulb that needs 6 volts.

www.batterystation.com/cpf.html has CR 123 cells that cost $1 each. So $2 an hour isn't all that bad.

In most cases, the TL-2 will be too much light (around the house navigation, something fell under you're desk, working on the guts of a computer, etc. etc.) A LED light may be more economical and practical.

If you use the light more than an hour a night, and can go for something bigger, a Tigerlight is cost effective, if not I have been hearing good things about a Streamlight Stinger or the Pelican M9 in terms of size to output in a rechargeable.

Welcome to the forums.

 

[lightoftheworld]

Thanks,
I walk through the woods every day and I want the brightest thing I can get that will still fit in my pocket somewhat nicely. I know there are other choices, but I am pretty happy with the decision to get the TL-2. I think 100 Lumens for a light that is just under 5" sounds pretty good to me. I have thought about it a lot. I just want to make it rechargeable.

If anyone else knows, could you please tell me what is the best option for me out of the above three choices.

Thanks much! Shane

 

[_mike_]

Possibly consider a two light strategy? Maybe a "walking" light, one that has ample output for not tripping over things but has more than one hours worth of run time. Then have another one (ST TL-2) for the times when you want to really light things up a bit.

I live in the woods, no neighbors, no street lights ......it's really dark. My Infinity Ultra puts out plenty of walking light, especially when your eyes are adjusted. Then I have my Brinkmann Legend LX for when I want to light something up far away. I also have a Streamlight Twin Task 2L, which is used the most. With it I get my walking light and some throw in one package. I always have more than one light on me at any given time, but especially when I am in our woods at night.

Brinkmann $15-$20.00, run time about 1hr on 2 123's.

Infinity Ultra with AA battery, $14.50-$15.00 CPF specials Battery Station and Countycomm respectively. Either Alakaline or Lithium will give you plenty of run time.

Streamlight Twin Task 2L, $30.00 (Brightguy.com) Advertised 28hrs on the three led's, 2 1/2 hours on the xenon on 2 123's..

My humble opinion,
Mike

 

[JohnK]

I think Mikes got the right idea.

I'll second the SL TT 2L, with the 3LEDs, it'll light a path for hours and hours, and a medium throw incandescent will burn for more than two. A nice balance.

If you like the form factor of the TL-2 Xenon (I sure do, very tiny), adding a TL-2 LED also covers long run time. I've put 4-5 hours run on mine without bad dimming. It'll go MANY more hours in a dimmer mode.

In fact, the SL TT 2L covers 99% of what I want to do anyway. I have one in each of the cars, bedside, etc.

 

[paulr]

The TL2 is a tactical light. If you don't want to buy new batteries every hour, don't run it nonstop like that. None of those rechargeable options you mentioned will work in it.

Closest thing to it that works well on rechargeables would be a Surefire L4 with a Pila cell. It's an LED light, so no bulb to burn out. It will also be about as bright as the TL2, since the TL2's "100 lumen" rating is a bare-bulb laboratory measurement and not a real world rating for the whole light. The Surefire's 65 lumen rating is real world.

Another good choice might be the Streamlight Polystinger, a somewhat larger light, but still pocketable. It's a rechargeable light so you can just pop it in the charger at home or in your car.

Finally, as others have indicated, these lights are overkill for just strolling in the woods at night. They're bright enough to mess up your night vision and they defeat (IMO) the peacefulness of the woods at night. If you want bright light while you walk in the woods, why not go in the daytime?

 

[lightoftheworld]

Can someone please answer this who has actually used Pilas in a TL-2? I know I've heard about it being done before.

Also, I was reading a post about Pilas in a Hyper Lux V. Is there some reason why they should work better in Hyper Lux than a TL-2? If they do, then maybe I will consider a Hpyer Lux V. Do Pilas work better in LED lights?

I am wanting just short amounts of bright light at a time. Maybe a total of 5 - 7 minutes a day at night. But I don't want to have to buy batteries every couple of weeks. I want something bright, small and rechargeable. The Surefire L4 is a good suggestion, and I have considered it, but the Hyper Lux V says it is 120+ Lumens, and by the pictures on their site, it looks considerably brighter than the L4. It's a little $pricy$ for me, but if it works better with rechargeables than the streamlight TL-2 Xenon light, then maybe I will get that one. Could someone please tell me? Does anyone have it?

I would also like to know if the 150a Pilas will fit in the Hyper Lux, as that should give it a longer run time than the 150s, right?

How about the bare panasonic cells in the Hyper Lux V? Or even the NiMh batteries? Is it just a given that anything works better in LED lights?

Thanks, Shane

 

[paulr]

Lightoftheworld, I suspect you're trying to troll the board.

The TL2 wants 6 volts and the Pila is a 3.6 volt battery, and that's why nobody uses Pilas in a TL2. It just doesn't work. I have some vague memory of someone putting a 3.6 volt Stinger bulb into a TL2 and running it with a Pila, but a TL2 with a Stinger bulb is not a TL2 any more. I also seem to remember that the Stinger/Pila combination worked, but not all that well.

I don't know about the Hyperlux but don't believe lumen ratings from manufacturers unless they're Arc or Surefire. Everyone else's lumen ratings are inflated by 50% or more. So if the Hyperlux claims 120 lumens, it's probably more like 80 lumens, which would put it in the same class as the TL2, L4, and so forth.

If you aren't going to lug the light around all the time, I really do think your best choice is the Polystinger. It's a few ounces heavier than the L4 or TL2 but it's one of the most popular lights with police departments and there's a reason for that. It's a more convenient recharging system than the Pila (just plop the light in the charger, no need to remove the battery), it's cheaper including the charger than the L4 all by itself, and spare battery sticks are cheap too. It's just not ultra-compact and high tech like the L4.

 

[lightoftheworld]

How does the Polystinger compare in brightness to the L4?

Is the charger smart? Will it turn off by itself when the light is fully charged? Can I just leave the flashlight in it all the time so it will always be topped off.

Thanks

 

[paulr]

The Polystinger and L4 are comparable in brightness, one may be a little brighter than the other, I don't remember. You could check Quickbeam's charts at www.flashlightreviews.com (throw vs lumens).

I don't know if the slow charger has auto-shutoff, but anyway people do leave Stingers on chargers all the time, and nothing terrible happens. Maybe the batteries don't last quite as long that way, I don't know. Replacements are just 12 bucks or so, vs. 30 bucks(?) for Pilas.

 

[lightoftheworld]

Thank you Paulr, I appreciate it.

Shane

 

[JerryM]

I am curious as to why you believe you need something like 100 Lumens. Having spent much of my life in the outdoors I have never needed that much light for walking trails in the dark.

I also recommend the TT-2L. If you need more light, then the TL-2LED is very bright, and small. the Pelican M6LED is a little larger, and definitely brighter.

I also agree that the TL-2 is too bright for some tasks. The more I "fool with" flashlights the more I gravitate toward beams which are not so focused that all you can see is where the spot shines. For that reason I much prefer LED lights, and have the TTL and TL -2LED and the PM6LED. If you have the opportunity look at these lights. I suspect you will find them more than adequate for the night in the woods walk, and they will be much easier on batteries.

For many things the small one cell lights such as the Sonic, Ultra, or Arc do the job better than a brighter light.

But, if you are convinced that you need the brightness of the TL2, then be prepared to pay the price of high battery useage.

Jerry

 

[Bravo25]

The L4 and Stinger only compare in brightnes at 5 feet or so. at several hundres feet the Stinger is the clear winner. Having said that I only wish my L4 would throw the same distance. It is a better quality of light. The stinger is easier to recharge, as the Pilas need to be removed fro charging. I had a local place make me 2400mAh battery to fit the stinger for 20 bucks. Gives me about an 1 1/2 run time.