can someone please explain all this battery madness?

[ClarkWGrizwald]

this might need to get moved as i wasnt sure where to post this. but anyways i just bought a surefire cree from kd. it uses 14500 batteries. what the hell is a 14500 battery? can someone recommend maybe an all in one battery charger? do they make one that will charge AAA AA and 3v123? i dont understand all this battery craziness. ive always just bought them at wal mart. but considering i bought 5 flashlights in one week i might need to look into the right batteries to use. :shakehead

 

[xcel730]

ClarkWGrizwald, :welcome:

This thread will most likely be moved to the Flashlight Electronics and Battery Section

Since you're new here, I'll attempt to answer to the best I can:

14500 battery is a 3.6v Lithium Ion (Li-ION) battery that's the size of a AA. The first two number: "14" means the battery is 14 mm wide, the next two number: "50" means the battery is 50 mm long. Make sure your flashlight could handle the voltage or else ... just because it fits, it doesn't mean it'll work. The only 14500 batteries I've used is AW Protected 14500. I've been using the Ultrafire WF-139 charger for them.

Unfortunately there's no all in one charger since NiMh AA/AAA are completely different chemistry from Li-Ion. You'll have to get two seperate chargers for them.

You have a lot of catch up reading to do. I would start with the Welcome Mat. They have ton of great information. Enjoy your stay :wave:

 

[abarth_1200]

the 14500 battery is the same size as your AA but its is litium ion thats about as much as i know, which you do need a cerain charger, im sure someone else will come along shortly and explain a bit more

 

[orcinus]

Hope this helps somewhat...

AA sized batteries:
LR6 - primary - Alkaline - 1.5V - 2700 mAh*
HR6 - rechargable - Ni-MH - 1.2V - 2100 mAh
14500 - rechargable - Li-Ion - 3.7V - 750 mAh

AAA sized batteries:
LR03 - primary - Alkaline - 1.5V - 1200 mAh
**** - rechargable - Ni-MH - 1.2V - 900 mAh
104x0 - rechargable - Li-Ion - 3.7V - 300 mAh

123 sized batteries:
CR132 - primary - Lithium - 3.0V - 1500 mAh
R123 - rechargable - Li-Ion - 3.7V - 750 mAh
RCR123 - rechargable - Li-Ion - 3.7V - 750 mAh


* All capacities are typical, not maximum

Haven't seen that many mass-market, ready to use chargers that charge all of them, or even just two different chemistries (NiMH + LiIon).
There are chargers that charge more or less everything out there (NiCd, NiMH, Li-Ion, Li-Poly, Pb) of any capacity and voltage (you program the parameters before charging) but they usually cost quite a bit more and require you to make your own battery cradles. You can usually find them in RCM and hobby shops etc. and they are a really nice thing to have.

Example:

The clamps are for feeding the charger off a car battery or any other appropriate 12V source (if 110/220V mains is unavailable). You connect the batteries (via a custom made plug or cradle) with banana-style plugs on the right. It also does discharging, refreshes, etc.

 

[ClarkWGrizwald]

wow i must honestly be retarted because i looked for a battery forum and couldnt find it.

and for example and education purposes, if i tried to use 2 14500 batteries in my fenix l2P it wouldnt work?

 

[gilly]

and for example and education purposes, if i tried to use 2 14500 batteries in my fenix l2P it wouldnt work?

Don't do it!!

The L2P is designed to take two 1.5 volt alkalines, 1.2 volt nickel metal hydrides, or 1.5 volt lithiums (Energizer E2)

Those 14500s are 3.7 volts!!!

They'll FRY your L2P!!

 

[mdocod]

technically speaking, the name "14500" only refers to size, so if you use a pair of 14500 size NIMH cells in the L2P it will work fine, but if you use a pair of 14500 size li-ion cells, it will

generally speaking, when we say "14500" here without designating a chemistry or voltage, it is assumed to be a li-ion cell of Lithium Cobalt Oxide chemistry, which is 3.7V. So yea, make certain never to install "14500" cells in a device that is intended for use with only 1.2-1.5V NICD/NIMH/Alkaline cells.

I think you might have your purchase a bit confused, as SureFire products are not sold on KD, and Surefire doesn't make a 14500 powered light

 

[Crenshaw]

14 - Diameter of the battery
50 - Length of the battery
0 - Describes the Cylindrical Shape of the battery.

and as mdocod says, if youve found a 14500 sized surefire, thats the find of the century!

Crenshaw

 

[Marduke]

I think you might have your purchase a bit confused, as SureFire products are not sold on KD, and Surefire doesn't make a 14500 powered light

Half of that is current. Surefire doesn't make a 14500 light, but KD does sell them. With KD's horrible service I would NEVER buy one from them, but they do indeed sell them.

 

[xcel730]

14 - Diameter of the battery
50 - Length of the battery
0 - Describes the Cylindrical Shape of the battery.

I didn't know what the last "0" meant. So I left it out on my post . If they made Li-Ion based off the 9v rectangular batteries, what will the last number be? :nana:

 

[Marduke]

I didn't know what the last "0" meant. So I left it out on my post . If they made Li-Ion based off the 9v rectangular batteries, what will the last number be? :nana:

Ever look at the shape of the Li-Ion cell in your cellphone?

 

[xcel730]

doh

 

[marschw]

I've been using this for a while and I like it pretty well. It handles 1.2v NiMH/NiCd, 3.6v Li-Ion, and 9V NiMH batteries, and the sliding spring-loaded negative terminal makes it fit pretty much any battery under about 65mm long. The auto-shut-off feature works, and it's dirt cheap. Only drawback is that it only handles one cell at a time.

Note, however, that it *doesn't* handle 3.0v cells, such as LiFePO4, and 3.0v regulated Li-Ion.

Regarding 14500 cells, I've been using some of these TrustFire 14500 cells, but their low discharge rate isn't enough for some flashlights. I've ordered some of these in hopes of getting better performance from some of my 14500 lights that aren't drawing as much current as they should, but it'll be a while before they're delivered.

 

[mdocod]

Half of that is current. Surefire doesn't make a 14500 light, but KD does sell them. With KD's horrible service I would NEVER buy one from them, but they do indeed sell them.

I stand semi- corrected!

darn, and I thought I was always right

Eric

 

[Marduke]

I've been using this for a while and I like it pretty well. It handles 1.2v NiMH/NiCd, 3.6v Li-Ion, and 9V NiMH batteries, and the sliding spring-loaded negative terminal makes it fit pretty much any battery under about 65mm long. The auto-shut-off feature works, and it's dirt cheap. Only drawback is that it only handles one cell at a time.

Note, however, that it *doesn't* handle 3.0v cells, such as LiFePO4, and 3.0v regulated Li-Ion.

Regarding 14500 cells, I've been using some of these TrustFire 14500 cells, but their low discharge rate isn't enough for some flashlights. I've ordered some of these in hopes of getting better performance from some of my 14500 lights that aren't drawing as much current as they should, but it'll be a while before they're delivered.

It should also be noted that particular charger does not properly charge NiMH cells.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

It should also be noted that particular charger does not properly charge NiMH cells.

How do you mean?

 

[Fallingwater]

Example:
http://www.modellbau-peters.de/webshop/Simprop Intelli-BiPower.jpg

The clamps are for feeding the charger off a car battery or any other appropriate 12V source (if 110/220V mains is unavailable). You connect the batteries (via a custom made plug or cradle) with banana-style plugs on the right. It also does discharging, refreshes, etc.

This charger is remarkably similar to my Hyperion 5i AC/DC, the only changes are in colour, panel writings and buttons (mine are all in a line).

Don't do it!!
The L2P is designed to take two 1.5 volt alkalines, 1.2 volt nickel metal hydrides, or 1.5 volt lithiums (Energizer E2)
Those 14500s are 3.7 volts!!!
They'll FRY your L2P!!

Along with most other devices that run on AAs. You have to make sure the voltage is compatible before feeding them 14500s.
This is why I don't give 14500 lights as presents. I totally expect people to grab the 14500(s) from the lights and use them in their remote controls, or what have you, and blow circuitry all over the place.

 

[Marduke]

How do you mean?

The termination technique is max voltage of 1.38v, not -dV. I know of no quality cell that is done charging at 1.38v, only cheap junk. Most cells are closer to being done at around 1.42ish

 

[TigerhawkT3]

The termination technique is max voltage of 1.38v, not -dV. I know of no quality cell that is done charging at 1.38v, only cheap junk. Most cells are closer to being done at around 1.42ish

That's odd. Mine charged to 1.462V in a recent test. Perhaps you ended your test too early or got a defective unit.

 

[Marduke]

That's odd. Mine charged to 1.462V in a recent test. Perhaps you ended your test too early or got a defective unit.

I'm quoting the advertised termination method of max voltage = 1.38v