Best Battery for a Zebralight SC51

[Enzo]

I ordered a Zebralight SC51 and it should be here by the end of the week. I heard this light is optimized for alkaline batteries.
Is that true and what batteries do you use in your Zebralights?

 

[Glock27]

I would never put an alkaline battery in one of my lights unless it was a dire emergency. Nickle Metal Hydride all the way. Eneloops or Sanyo 2700's.

"If you heard this light is optimized for alkaline batteries"...You heard wrong. They are optimized for NiMH.
You'll need a good charger. A charger that you can put one (or more) battery in at a time.

G27

 

[Quigath]

I only use Duraloops in my Zebralight. There are regularly good deals at Amazon, search for "Duracell Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries" there and they'll come up. Don't pay more than $10 for a 4 pack. Also recommend Costco's Eneloop pack of 8 AA + charger.

The propblem with saying that a Zebralight is "optimized" for a particular battery chemistry is that the nimh and alk have different voltages depending on their charge level. Though the Zebralights can account for this difference and keep your output nice and steady. Also, Zebralight uses eneloops in their literature for output comparison and runtimes.

 

[AaronG]

+1 for duraloops. alkaline sucks at higher draw currents

 

[glockboy]

Eneloops.

 

[mellowman]

Eneloop XX.

 

[Lite_me]

Eneloops... wouldn't use anything else.

 

[RBWNY]

Most definitely some form of NiMH .

 

[damn_hammer]

i use energizer l91 ultimate lithium in my h51w primarily. lighter, more energy (mA), outstanding cold weather performance, and longer shelf life then all other aa type.

l91 spec sheet: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...sg=AFQjCNEk6hgatr_w8oFA9lUtVKXwc9TLkw&cad=rja

sometimes i will use duraloop (duracell rebranded eneloop) in the h51w also. if you have no low self discharge (lsd) nimh aa rechargeables and are considering getting some, consider the eneloop xx. i've gotten 8 so far, and am happy with their performance. there is more information on them in the batteries sub-forum.

 

[Enzo]

Thanks everyone for the input!
I also found a 7 page thread on the SC51 that I read completly through and I'm convinced this light is a great little light.

 

[mrlysle]

Thanks everyone for the input!
I also found a 7 page thread on the SC51 that I read completly through and I'm convinced this light is a great little light.

It is a "fabulous" light! LOL. Anyway, about the batts for it. L91 lithiums if you don't mind throwing them away when they're done, or Eneloops if you do!

 

[Enzo]

Thanks Jeff. I have some L91 lithiums and based on the respones to my thread I ordered Eneloops this aftermoon.

 

[mrlysle]

Thanks Jeff. I have some L91 lithiums and based on the respones to my thread I ordered Eneloops this aftermoon.

You're going to be one "happy camper"! Enjoy!

 

[Russ Prechtl]

Eneloops all the way!

 

[Mr Floppy]

I heard this light is optimized for alkaline batteries.
Is that true and what batteries do you use in your Zebralights?

High mode 2 on the SC51 has one the most horizontal discharge/output curves with an alkaline battery. It's not even a curve, it's a flat line. That said, I wouldn't want to put an alkaline battery in it incase of leaks.

 

[tygger]

FWIW, I've been using Eneloops in my SC51 for months with no problems. I still can't get over how efficient this thing is. Its also a tough little light. After an accidental drop on a concrete floor (on the 2nd day of ownership) I decided not to baby this light at all. Pocket EDC for 3 months and still works perfectly. I'm pretty impressed.