Cordless phone batteries on headlamps?

[Northernflame]

Any one else ever try to adapt cordless phone batteries to a headlamp instead of 3xAAA batteries?

Experiences:

Runtime, weight, e.t.c.?

Yeah you'll still have to use the phone the charge them. However it's an interesting idea.

 

[VidPro]

i use Ipod, pda, and digicamera ones, because certian ipod ones have 1500-2000ma , and that is finally sufficient juice, also they dont have as much packaging, so they are lighter. they still come (usually) with protection on them. Digicamera ones can be found in very light rectangular packages of all sizes , like 600ma for a nothing weight one, and up to 2200 for big fat Flat ones , there is plastic around it so its more durable than a raw protected cell.
i assume the same thing would apply to cell phone batts, but they often have casing around them that makes them weird sized, but i bet most of them are protected too.
really popular brand things, like "ipod" or "nokia" often have a lot of available selections, so finding one that is of great capacity is easier, that is the only reason i got those particular ones, cheeeep.

 

[TorchBoy]

... they often have casing around them that makes them weird sized, but i bet most of them are protected too.

Most cordless phone batteries here seem to be just NiCd or sometimes NiMH cells welded together with a bit of heatshrink around them.

 

[VidPro]

Most cordless phone batteries here seem to be just NiCd or sometimes NiMH cells welded together with a bit of heatshrink around them.

oops, cordless, i though he was saying cell phone :-( oops
most cordless batteries arent worth trying to use somewhere else they arent worth using in cordless phones either.

 

[gunga]

Go look at a Black Diamond Icon headlamp.

Check out their power pack rechargable system. Looks a whole lot like a cordless phone batetry to me.

It's just 3 AA nimh soldered togetehr after all...

 

[Northernflame]

Thanks all for the great answers.

I was interested for the simple reason that 3xAAA is worthless wether in a flashlight or a headlamp.

Gunga: As for the black diamond HL. Yes it looks very much like a fullsize phone battery.

I picked up a link to an 18650/17500 li-ion headlamp with charger. However it is still using an old luxeon.

http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/headlamp-with-liion-2000mah-battery-insiderecommended-p-542.html

Now if we had a cree, ssc or even a Q5, and possibly an OP reflector version of this li-ion headlamp. Then we would have something to chat about.

 

[TorchBoy]

I was interested for the simple reason that 3xAAA is worthless wether in a flashlight or a headlamp.

Worthless? So no one would bother making those sorts of lights because no one would consider buying them at any price? That don't sound right... :thinking:

 

[NA8]

Have you tried sanyo eneloop LSD NiMH AAA's and a Maha charger ? Easy to maintain and good runtime.

 

[Northernflame]

Worthless? So no one would bother making those sorts of lights because no one would consider buying them at any price? That don't sound right... :thinking:

Torchboy.

A normal 1 watt 3xAAA flashlight has an average run time about about 30-50 minutes before getting very dim even on 800mah nimhs.

Also yes i have too many (embarased to say) 3xAAA led fls decaying away in boxes.

They are fine for a quick look around the house/yard. However not much use for let's say fixing a plumbing problem in the dark. That includes the 12->20 5mm led array types which do last a little longer than a luxeon or similar led.

My daily jog last longer than my headlamp batteries. Perhaps i'l add some sort of shifting generator to my legs to keep the headlamp going... Would you actually belive that there is a device like that already? GO GREEN!

I ordered the 18650 li-ion headlamp and will see what it can do.

 

[TorchBoy]

Would you actually belive that there is a device like that already?

Is that the one incorporated into the heels of the shoes?

 

[Northernflame]

Is that the one incorporated into the heels of the shoes?

Not quite.

It straps to just above your waste with cables extending down to your legs. When you move it spins a pulley to which the cables are looped in. The rest you can figure out.

There is also one for your arm swinging movement while walking quickly or running.

Must be awfuly unconfortable though. Also it must be like carrying one of the bowflex home gym pull exercise machines on your back.

But it was ment to be a bit of a joke.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Northernflame,

I am not sure why you are getting such poor run times with your AAA cells...

I have a PT EOS that I use with 3 10440 AAA Li-Ion cells in parallel. I am getting 3 hours 45 minutes on high and 12 hours on medium and 48 hours on low.

I believe the EOS is close to 1 watt, perhaps your NiMh cells are "crap."

Tom

 

[TorchBoy]

A normal 1 watt 3xAAA flashlight has an average run time about about 30-50 minutes before getting very dim even on 800mah nimhs.

Oh yeah, that's what we were talking about. Two hours I say! At least. I went on a short caving trip recently - about 1 hour 45 minutes. Two of my fellow cavers were just using 3xAAA headlamps and they were still going strong when we got out. I suspect Tom is right with his diagnosis of your cells.