Can I use RCR123 cells in my Surefire 6PL?

[smg]

The search is not giving me a lot of good results for this question. I'd like to save some cash in the long run and power the light with RCRs. Can I?

 

[smg]

Uhh, sorry. I found the answer here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=181716&highlight=6pl+rcr123
Please disregard this thread and carry on.

 

[benighted]

I'd try a 17670 first

 

[nanotech17]

i power mine with 2xUF rcr123 no problem because the specs stated max 9v

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Surefire recommends 6PL for its 3 cell C series lights.

Bill

 

[adamlau]

As with all overdriven bulbs, YMMV...

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I will have some 17670 on my next DX order as I found any of the three (SF DX Cree and DX Seoul will run fine off my old 17500s.

The P60L is spec'd to run 3x123 so two RCR123 shouldn't be ANY problem.

 

[smg]

Thanks for the feedback. A couple things...

I hadn't really thought of using a 17670 in a light that was not originally designed for it. That would be 3.6V instead of 6V. Wouldn't output be reduced noticably?

Also, near the bottom of Lighthound's Lithium Battery page (here: http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=4), it states

LED Lights / Heads NOT compatible with 3.6 volt rechargeable batteries:

• All SureFire® Flashlights

Hmmmmm. :thinking:

 

[Grox]

Thanks for the feedback. A couple things...

I hadn't really thought of using a 17670 in a light that was not originally designed for it. That would be 3.6V instead of 6V. Wouldn't output be reduced noticably?

Also, near the bottom of Lighthound's Lithium Battery page (here: http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=4), it states

Hmmmmm. :thinking:

I'll just echo what others have said.

Since the P60L module is used in both 2 and 3 cell SF lights, you should be fine to use 2x R123 in your 6PLED running a P60L. If you do the math, it works out and you are driving the P60L no harder than you would on 3 cells.

Running a P60L on a 17670 seems to work, according to those people who use it (no loss of brightness) - this is what PlayboyJoeShmoe is saying.

Lighthound's lithium battery page was written long before the release of the P60L and is out of date. There are a lot of options to use rechargeables in SFs these days

 

[adamlau]

Output is absolutely and noticeably lower when driving the P60L with 1x17670 versus primaries. A simple ceiling test will indicate as much. I would gather that the higher constant voltage of 2xRCR123 after the initial sag would be of detriment to the overall lifespan of the bulb.

 

[Grox]

Output is absolutely and noticeably lower when driving the P60L with 1x17670 versus primaries. A simple ceiling test will indicate as much. I would gather that the higher constant voltage of 2xRCR123 after the initial sag would be of detriment to the overall lifespan of the bulb.

Oops, my mistake, sorry! I was just going on what others said. (e.g. here SCblur didn't notice a difference) Mine ought to be here in a few days.

But I'm think that the 2xR123 would be ok; in any case the 'bulb' or more correctly the LED is protected by regulation circuitry. So we are talking about potential harm to the regulator. I saw that with 2 primaries, the draw of the P60L is 390mA and with 3 cells, it draws 260mA. In any case quite a few people use this setup. I don't have measurements but I think that at that level of draw the primaries in a 3 cell setup would sag less than rechargeables in a 2 cell?

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I stand corrected. Output IS lower with the 17500.

I was thinking of the DX drop ins and the Romisen RC-F4 which ARE the same with 1xLi-Ion as with 2x123

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Oops, my mistake, sorry! I was just going on what others said. (e.g. here SCblur didn't notice a difference) Mine ought to be here in a few days.

But I'm think that the 2xR123 would be ok; in any case the 'bulb' or more correctly the LED is protected by regulation circuitry. So we are talking about potential harm to the regulator. I saw that with 2 primaries, the draw of the P60L is 390mA and with 3 cells, it draws 260mA. In any case quite a few people use this setup. I don't have measurements but I think that at that level of draw the primaries in a 3 cell setup would sag less than rechargeables in a 2 cell?

Your measurements prove that the 6PL is running a buck circuit, good for at least 9 volts. Adding that third battery dropped the current from the battery to 260mA's. The question has been asked, and answered.

Bill

 

[smg]

Ok. One more dumb(?) question. My 6PL is stock. Does it use a P60L? I thought that was the setup for upgrading an incan P6.

Then, can I upgrade my 6PL with other P60Ls, when LEDs advance in the future?

 

[Gunner12]

Yes, it has a P60L. That is what the 6PL, G2L and G3L comes with instead of the P60/P90 incan module.