Gripes with 3 cell format Flashlights

[abarth_1200]

Is it just me or is a 3 cell battery orientation a big turn off.

I mean most AA or AAA batteries sell at either the most commonly purchased 4 packs or 8 packs.

So lets put this into perspective,

Damn my battereis went dead in my LED L****R, I'll have to go buy some more.

At the shop,

Me: hi do you sell any 3 packs of AAA battereis
Shopkeeper: no sorry we have 4 pack AAA batteries
Me: ok that will do, thanks.

Back at home,

Great nice and bright again, what will I do with the forth battery, I cant put it into my TV remote, or my clock or my smoke alarm because they all need 2 battereis, Oh I know I will put it in my drawer and forget about it.

So I have just lost (you know what happens when you put a single battery in your drawer) another perfectly good battery and didnt need to if I had bought a decent flashlight in the first place, I wouldnt have to go to the shop to get new battereis because I would still have 2 left out the four pack I bought with my 2 cell torch.

Am I the only one?

 

[DimeRazorback]

Get a case to put all of your spare batteries.

Then you wont forget where they are if there is an emergency, and you will also only need to buy three packs of batteries per every 4 battery change cycles

Or you could buy packs of 12

 

[GMLRS]

At COSTCO they sell 36xAA Duracell packs, last time it was only about 33cents a piece. In other stores when on sale they are still about 50 cents a piece.

A 1xAA headlamp and 1xAA flashlights are a good way to use up the end of the batteries life.

AAA battery prices are about the same. thats why I prefer AA batteries.

Alkalines hate the cold. Very Very large loss of battery capacity.

 

[abarth_1200]

Yeah I dont actually own any 3 cell flashlights

 

[skyfire]

agreed, most my co-workers use 3xAAA lights, and need to replace the batteries very often, i would say every other day, because the light get noticeably dimmer by the second night. the capacity of AAA compared to AA is much less, although AAA are much smaller and lighter. and the funny thing is when the AAA cells run out, because they are constancely changing and using them, they ask me to borrow a light, cause they know i have at least 4 with me at work, and always have them fully charged, or near fully charged.

the other day at frys, i was checking out the fenix lights. and there was another guy looking to buy a light. he had in his hand something that uses 3xAAA, and i recommend him the fenix LD10 that uses a single AA for about the same amount of output, and runtime but the fenix cost about $20 more.
of course he went for the 3xAAA light. for about $35. i think he would of been better off with the LD10. its smaller, uses 1 cell, and has a better UI.

 

[Frank E]

Yes, very annoying and it is a put off.
I'd buy a less bright torch which takes 2 batteries over a three battery one just to avoid the inconvenience caused in having an odd battery.
If I wanted the extra illuminance I'd just get a battery torch.
The exception was with my LED lenser headtorches and the solution was I eventually got 4 headtorches.
Not a problem with Alkalines ..., that someone else is paying for. For my own use I always use rechrgeables except when certification dictates alkalines eg some ATEX/Intrinsically Safe equipment.
The battery manufacturers and distributors don't help the situation by selling their rechargeables in the most expensive (and overpackaged) way for consumers , the 4 pack.

 

[kramer5150]

Theres several strikes against the 3AAA format, the odd number cells is one of them for me too. A charger that charges cells independently is nearly a must have. You owe it to yourself to invest in a storage case. I use a plano and it works fine. Pelican is the best option, but more $$$.

 

[flasherByNight]

Buy an additional single cell light to feed the odd man out.

Win win!

 

[Moonshadow]

Yes, having to purchase or charge an odd number is just another of the hassles of the 3-cell format.

Could perhaps be merged with this one:

3 AAA Battery Cage No Way!

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=261155

I think it would actually be handy to have these as a sticky, since there's a lot of useful information in both threads, and it's a question that does come up quite often.

 

[Kestrel]

Hmm, my 3-cell format flashlights are my favorites, but that's because I run 2x17500 & 2x18500 in them. :nana:

 

[flasherByNight]

Hmm, my 3-cell format flashlights are my favorites, but that's because I run 2x17500 & 2x18500 in them. :nana:

that's actually a very good point

 

[kramer5150]

Hmm, my 3-cell format flashlights are my favorites, but that's because I run 2x17500 & 2x18500 in them. :nana:

... and some 3AAA lights can be modded to accept an 18500. Although there is the high risk of direct driving the LED, since most 3AAA lights are not regulated. The only 3AAA light of mine that gets any use at all is this duracell flood-to-throw.

 

[abarth_1200]

Oh man that is one bulky ugly looking torch, I can tell that the Head at Duracell made his point clear that he wanted it to look like a battery.

Sorry but it is:shrug:

 

[C.F.Burgess Battery]

Most manufacturers offer their single cell batteries in 12 pack configurations ... sounds like a supplier problem more than a light problem ...

with kids , toys and flashlights galore , a 12 pak is a minimum size pak at our house ...

 

[Paul_in_Maryland]

I've given this matter considerable thought: Of my five lights, four are 3AA! Even if I carry two sets of 4 spares, I end up 2 over or 1 short.

One solution: Carry a 3-cell and a 1-cell--obviously, of the same battery type. Now you've got just the right number of spare for each light.

You can buy a 6AAA small case, but not a 6AA. I finally bought a 12AA; 12 is the smallest multiple of 3AA I could find. But I don't know when I'd carry 12 spares; instead, I stuff a 4AA case of spares in my winter coat, in my raincoat, in my commuting satchel, and in my car.

But there's a 12AA rubbery case that you can cut in half.

 

[Lightcrazycanuck]

3AAA=:thumbsdow

Had one,gave it away. Case Closed.

 

[Benson]

Is it just me or is a 3 cell battery orientation a big turn off.

Well, if you insist on using primaries, and find the left-over batteries "disappearing" in the junk drawer to be a big issue, get a place to drop batteries. This will also allow you to buy batteries in bulk, which is usually cheaper in stores, and saves on shipping if you buy online.

The only time I'd think of buying a 4-pack in a stores was if I'd already burned through my charged spares, which pretty much means an emergency. So the fact that, in an emergency, I might have to waste one battery from a 4-pack? Doesn't bother me -- I'd obviously have more important things to worry about at that point...

As for carrying spares, that's a little dicier, but at least for the typical 3xAAA lights that use removable carriers, just use a spare carrier from another light (make sure it fits!). This option makes the 3-cell format a plus for me in dual-battery lights, such as 3xAAA lights converted to 18500 or 18650 while still accepting the original carrier, or a 1D Mag running a 26700, with a 3xAA carrier as a spare -- this gives me simple, affordable, high-performance operation from 1 li-ion cell until I use all my rechargeables, then fall-back ability on alkaline and/or lithium primaries for an emergency. And the loaded carrier is handier to carry than individual cells...

 

[Paul_in_Maryland]

I'm reminded of those evil coin-operated televisions that you used to find in America's bus terminals. $0.75 (3 quarters) bought you 25 minutes. The hope was that you would then pay another $0.75 to finish your 30-minute show.

 

[Illum]

Really? people dislike 3 celled lights that much?

my 3D mag and L6 seems like good lights to me:twothumbs

 

[hyperloop]

Yes, very annoying and it is a put off.
I'd buy a less bright torch which takes 2 batteries over a three battery one just to avoid the inconvenience caused in having an odd battery.
If I wanted the extra illuminance I'd just get a battery torch.
The exception was with my LED lenser headtorches and the solution was I eventually got 4 headtorches.
Not a problem with Alkalines ..., that someone else is paying for. For my own use I always use rechrgeables except when certification dictates alkalines eg some ATEX/Intrinsically Safe equipment.
The battery manufacturers and distributors don't help the situation by selling their rechargeables in the most expensive (and overpackaged) way for consumers , the 4 pack.

i'm a little puzzled? What 'battery torch' are you referring to?