Defective NC SRT7GT. Does yours do this?

[CelticCross74]

I have had the SRT7GT since it came out. The light is great except one annoying thing. The lights electronics are for some reason having the little warning light on the lights head go full speed on 2xsources. 18650's are no problem. Any 2xsource be it CR123, 18350's and CR123 rechargeable in the light has the warning on the lights head going as fast as it can. The light has had this issue since I got it. Just cleaned my SRT7GT up. Broke out the Deoxit and everything. The light still does it. It does not seem to actually effect the lights performance though. It is extremely annoying especially in a $110 light. Will post some pics over the next couple days. Yes the cells are all new. Orbtronics 18650, NC 18350's, Surefire CR123's and of course Orbtronics CR123A's. All properly charged etc.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Could it be that you're using cells that aggregate to a higher voltage than a single 18650, which is 4.2v hot off the charger?

Two CR123As would be about 6.5v out of their pack, so that's higher. Two 18350s would be 8.4v hot off the charger.

Although the light is designed to use two CR123As, two RCR123s at 3.6v hot off the charger and in series, could be exceeding the driver's voltage threshold?

Perhaps that's the problem?

Whatever you do DO NOT use two 18350 (3.6/3.7v) cells, or two 16340 (3.6/3.7v) cells in series—end to end.

Chris

 

[CelticCross74]

Okay. I am just going to put the new very nice 3500GA Orbtronic 18650 back in it. The original SRT7 did not have this issue at all. It was when voltage dropped too low the little light on the head would start blinking. That is what that feature was for. Possibly the SRT7GT light goes on when OVER a certain voltage as well as going lower than a certain voltage. Just find it strange that NC says two CR123's are acceptable to use but when I do that the light starts blinking like everything 2x source I have tried in the light. Now my journey takes me to find a SRT6.

 

[Eicca]

I remember reading about this when researching the SRT7GT. You're not the first to encounter it. I never used mine with anything other than an 18650 though but I'm sure mine would have done it too.

I sold it to fund an Olight Warrior X Pro.

 

[CelticCross74]

I am putting in a big battery order soon. Going to order a nice big box of fresh CR123 cells. I am predicting that these cells end to end will not fry the light at a combined 7 ish volts. I remember reading through Selfbuilt's reviews and he was 100% correct about the SRT7 and the great SRT6. 2x CR123's in the SRT6 took output from 760 lumens all the way to 870 lumens. Cannot remember right off how the 2x Cr123's did in his SRT7 review. SRT6 was the best NC light I ever had. SRT7's are for sale everywhere. Finding a new SRT6 now is like pulling teeth. Sure I will find one out there. Just like getting as much out of my lights as possible.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Remember, there are differences between CR123As, RCR123s and 16340s/18350s.

3.0v vs. 3.2v vs. 3.6v/3.7v.

Chris

 

[CelticCross74]

Good to see you still around CPF ChrisGarrett. I have not been here in a while. Just got back into lights as a hobby again. Need to brush up on some basics as you have posted above. I actually found a brand new still in the box SRT6! Will have it by mid week. Yes 16340's and 18350's. Don't they charge all the way up to 4.2v? I will get a big box of regular Energizer CR123 cells. They come out of the box at 3.2v or 3.6v? Will order up a new batch of Orbtronic 18650's and see it they have 21700's yet. 16340's for my almost complete Olight fancy metal bite size Baton's.

Still. It is going to be very interesting comparing my coming SRT6 and my SRT7GT.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Good to see you still around CPF ChrisGarrett. I have not been here in a while. Just got back into lights as a hobby again. Need to brush up on some basics as you have posted above. I actually found a brand new still in the box SRT6! Will have it by mid week. Yes 16340's and 18350's. Don't they charge all the way up to 4.2v? I will get a big box of regular Energizer CR123 cells. They come out of the box at 3.2v or 3.6v? Will order up a new batch of Orbtronic 18650's and see it they have 21700's yet. 16340's for my almost complete Olight fancy metal bite size Baton's.

Still. It is going to be very interesting comparing my coming SRT6 and my SRT7GT.

Yeah, most, if not all of the li-ions that we use in FL/HLs are of the 3.6v/3.7v variety, which charge up to 4.2v.

In a light with a 6.0v driver, we're safe with a single li-ion such as an 18650/16650, or two CR123A primaries in series.

Where we run into trouble, is in running two 18350s in series, in lieu of CR123As, or that 18650/16650 single cell.

8.4v should be enough over-voltage to kill the 6 volt driver, but not always.

Chris

 

[CelticCross74]

I will take your advice. Been a while since I stopped with the light hobby. I have so many lights I do not even know where they all are. 7 volt driver? That is actually a lot more than I thought it would be. I finally scored a new old stock SRT6 and cannot wait for it to get here. Yeah I know it is old news but good lights are good lights. Will not go any heavier than CR123's.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

There are no 7v drivers, but there are 3.0v, 4.2v, 6.0v and 9.0v drivers (among some others.)

Remember, in series (end to end,) we compound voltage and not capacity, but we compound capacity when we run them in parallel—that is to say all positives are connected together, as well as connecting all negatives together.

Chris

 

[eff]

I got this quick flashing issue on my SRT3.
I guess it's warning indicating either "over voltage" or "under voltage".

 

[jon_slider]

> I actually found a brand new still in the box SRT6! Will have it by mid week.

congratulations
enjoy your Rotaries

why do you prefer to use two disposable CR123a, instead of a single rechargeable?

> Any 2xsource be it CR123, 18350's and CR123 rechargeable in the light has the warning on the lights head going as fast as it can.

sorry your light does not like dual cells.. but, look at the bright side.. single cells are safer…

"Mixing batteries with different charge levels may cause one of the cells to overheat, even if using batteries made in the United States."