General rules regarding rechargeable use
- Thread starter JeffH
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greenlight
Flashlight Enthusiast
I don't have any experience with this but I think nimh batteries are a suitable replacement for Alkaline batteries. The lithium batteries are high power and might affect the electronics in your light.
JonSidneyB
Flashlight Enthusiast
Actually the nihm have a bit more punch than alkalines. Not enough in most cases but in some cases it hits too hard.
GrnXnham
Enlightened
Rechargeables aren't recommended with the Surge.
bonvivantmike
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2004
- Messages
- 299
-QIII -- No experience with this one, the R123 from JS Burlys might work. There are numerous threads on this light; search around, you will likely find your answer.
-Surge -- No experience with this one
-UK4AAeLED -- NiMH work very well
-SL Jr. Lux -- NiMH work very well
-SL TL-2 -- A Pila 168S will work in the incandescent version, but you need to change the bulb out for a Strion bulb. The 4-volt R123s from JS Burly's will blow the bulb, and should not be used. I don't believe the LED version can use rechargables at all.
I hope this helps.
-Surge -- No experience with this one
-UK4AAeLED -- NiMH work very well
-SL Jr. Lux -- NiMH work very well
-SL TL-2 -- A Pila 168S will work in the incandescent version, but you need to change the bulb out for a Strion bulb. The 4-volt R123s from JS Burly's will blow the bulb, and should not be used. I don't believe the LED version can use rechargables at all.
I hope this helps.
It does help, thanks. What I'm trying to discover though is what specific variables make it ok sometimes and not others. For example, I too have seen that rechargeables are fine with the Jr. Lux but right on the pacakage it says don't do it. What about rechargeables make them ok for some LED lights and not others? There has to be some specific criteria relating to when one can and when one can't use them.
Jeff
Jeff
bonvivantmike
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2004
- Messages
- 299
I don't know if there are that many hard and fast rules along the lines of what you seek. There are so many variables.
Some flashlights COULD use rechargables, but the rechargables won't physically fit. This is the case in the Surefire L2, A2, and many of the Innova models.
Others require some modification. For example, all Surefire incandescents that use the P60 lamp assembly can use rechargable Pilas, but require the substitution of the Pila 3.7 volt lamp assembly. Also, there is a thread floating around right now on converting the Streamlight Stinger (already a rechargable) to use Pilas and extend the runtime.
As far as the Streamlight Junior Luxeon, I really don't have an answer for that. I know that it can use rechargables, since that's what I use in mine. Maybe Streamlight doesn't want to deal with any support issues arising from rechargable use. Maybe they would prefer that consumers buy a (much more expensive) light incorporating rechargable technology, such as a Strion. I don't really know.
I can give you this rule of thumb. Typically, the regulated LED lights are fine to use with rechargables, since the regulation circuitry can easily deal with the differences in voltage. NiMH are typically 1.2V, while Alkaline are typically 1.5 -- that's an oversimplification, since cell voltage sags under load, but it's a starting point. With the CR123-powered lights, it gets very complicated, so I hesitate to go much into that topic.
Folks here on CPF are very happy to provide information. If you are considering a specific light, and would like to know if you can use rechargables with it, just post in an appropriate forum. Odds are, you'll have your answer shortly.
Some flashlights COULD use rechargables, but the rechargables won't physically fit. This is the case in the Surefire L2, A2, and many of the Innova models.
Others require some modification. For example, all Surefire incandescents that use the P60 lamp assembly can use rechargable Pilas, but require the substitution of the Pila 3.7 volt lamp assembly. Also, there is a thread floating around right now on converting the Streamlight Stinger (already a rechargable) to use Pilas and extend the runtime.
As far as the Streamlight Junior Luxeon, I really don't have an answer for that. I know that it can use rechargables, since that's what I use in mine. Maybe Streamlight doesn't want to deal with any support issues arising from rechargable use. Maybe they would prefer that consumers buy a (much more expensive) light incorporating rechargable technology, such as a Strion. I don't really know.
I can give you this rule of thumb. Typically, the regulated LED lights are fine to use with rechargables, since the regulation circuitry can easily deal with the differences in voltage. NiMH are typically 1.2V, while Alkaline are typically 1.5 -- that's an oversimplification, since cell voltage sags under load, but it's a starting point. With the CR123-powered lights, it gets very complicated, so I hesitate to go much into that topic.
Folks here on CPF are very happy to provide information. If you are considering a specific light, and would like to know if you can use rechargables with it, just post in an appropriate forum. Odds are, you'll have your answer shortly.
Yukon_Jack
Enlightened
I'm really interested in using rechargables in the Surge. Are we sure Surge doesn't like rechargables?
Hookd_On_Photons
Enlightened
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2004
- Messages
- 647
CPFers have been using NiMHs in the Surge, with no problems reported (at least, not yet...)
PT Surge on NiMH
PT Surge on NiMH
turbodog
Flashaholic
Nimh caused my surge's bulb to darken sooner than I *thought* it should have. I didn't get to do long term testing since my bulb socket/switch/circuit traces melted.
I think the surge is a very good idea of a light that needs just a little tweaking to be great.
I think the surge is a very good idea of a light that needs just a little tweaking to be great.
Yukon_Jack
Enlightened
turbodog,
Thanks for the info. Could you please tell me if your Surge came with a little yellow card with some warnings? I'm told if the card is there then the unit is upgraded and the melting problem resolved? thanks.
P.S. - I did get one just today and have been running Energizer 2500 in it all day with no ill effects yet. On third set of batteries right now. My box did contain the yellow warning card the flashlightreview.com mentions.
Thanks for the info. Could you please tell me if your Surge came with a little yellow card with some warnings? I'm told if the card is there then the unit is upgraded and the melting problem resolved? thanks.
P.S. - I did get one just today and have been running Energizer 2500 in it all day with no ill effects yet. On third set of batteries right now. My box did contain the yellow warning card the flashlightreview.com mentions.
