Gripes with 3 cell format Flashlights

[kaichu dento]

I'm a single cell fan and with the great range of lights available today it's very easy to find a light that will cover the majority of consumer needs. When you're light only takes one battery, that's when you go find that orphaned AA laying in with the socks!

 

[Crenshaw]

Its very simple.....

go rechargeable

its also good for the environment

Crenshaw

 

[Paul_in_Maryland]

Its very simple.....
go rechargeable
its also good for the environment

I do use rechargeables: NiMH and NiZn. The issue isn't just, "When I need 3 fresh cells, I must buy four," but "Even though I wish to carry 3, 6, or 9 spares, all the AA holders are designed to hold 4 or 8." It's not a big deal, but it's a small one.

 

[Brigadier]

I like the 3X123 lights. Nice long runtimes! :twothumbs

 

[Magic Matt]

So you have a 3 x AAA light, and you end up with 1 cell left over.

Obviously you are neglecting your collection of 1 x AAA lights. Get an ITP A3 EOS - problem solved.

 

[AMD64Blondie]

One of my favorite 3-cell lights is my Lightwave 4000. Decently bright,durable,and seems to last forever on a set of 3 D cells.(I once got 3 months of intermittent use off of 3 Duracell D batteries.)

 

[Frank E]

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

Should read "4 battery torch".

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

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

+1!!

Excellent point. :thumbsup:

 

[hyperloop]

Should read "4 battery torch".

thanks for clearing that up.

Only 3 cell light i own is a Fenix TA30, havent run it in its 3xCR123 configuration yet as i am using 2x17500s in it, it can also use 2x14500s and even 2xAA (alkalines) though output is very diminished when using AAs

 

[Lynx_Arc]

dunno what you all are griping about, you buy a 4 pack and end up with a free battery left over instead of using them all. I would bet if they sold 3 packs of batteries and had a special buy 3 get one free you would all be happy

 

[Illum]

dunno what you all are griping about, you buy a 4 pack and end up with a free battery left over instead of using them all. I would bet if they sold 3 packs of batteries and had a special buy 3 get one free you would all be happy

There was a civil tort case a couple years ago about a duracell battery exploding in an electronic device a lady bought in Taiwan, after return and examination it was concluded that the battery was in fact not defective, but used with duracells made from different batches [I.E. different packages] and that the customer should assume the risk of what they're buying [Caveat emptor], that one should match the production numbers stamped on the battery prior to using them in a collective manner in any applicance.

Imagine if that case in occurred the US...
Just as what Toyota is currently going through.... one case, just one case is necessary to eliminate batteries sold in packs of four as opposed to three or the elimination of lights that uses three batteries instead of four....preferrably both:nana:

 

[Magic Matt]

Well unless you're buying Li-Ions, an exploding battery isn't really much to worry about, is it?

 

[Illum]

Well unless you're buying Li-Ions, an exploding battery isn't really much to worry about, is it?

well, my fear is that should this case be valid using the one battery left over from one package in any light in combination with a couple other cells from different packages would increase the chance of the cell's leaking.
If this is the case, then it probably answers the question of why my 3D, 3C cell lights tend to leak more than 3AA, 3AAA lights...the current draw and the imbalance must be propagating the breakdown:nana:

 

[Wiggle]

I'm a single cell fan and with the great range of lights available today it's very easy to find a light that will cover the majority of consumer needs. When you're light only takes one battery, that's when you go find that orphaned AA laying in with the socks!

I agree completely. I don't even like 2-cell lights anymore, I have one 2xAA light (which rarely gets used). Single-cell just has great appeal to me. The only time I'd get multi-cell is for a multiple 18650 monster light.

3xAAA is such a lazy design. 1xAA has about the same energy, is way cheaper, no carrier to break, and smaller. I assume companies just do it because 3xAAA can direct drive an LED.

 

[SureAddicted]

Is anyone using a 17670 + RCR123 combo in their 3 cell light? I have not run this setup personally, but have seen it utilized.

 

[Wiggle]

That sounds weird. The RCR would run out of juice before the 17670 could deliver all it's power. I think 1X500 x 2 would be smarter.

 

[Illum]

Is anyone using a 17670 + RCR123 combo in their 3 cell light? I have not run this setup personally, but have seen it utilized.

your asking for an exploson with that setup...
li-ions voltage sag is a function of their charge capacity, under any form of moderate load the RCR123A will sag farther than the 17670, and may suffer a reverse charge process not unlike the CR123A explosions due to cell imbalance:green:

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Is anyone using a 17670 + RCR123 combo in their 3 cell light? I have not run this setup personally, but have seen it utilized.

 

[mcnair55]

Get yourself down to your nearest Home Bargains store or similar and get yourself the box as posted in the pic a couple of reads back and they are on offer and in 3 different sizes,buy 10 packs of the industrial version of most batteries and you get just 1 cell left,good excuse to buy a 1 cell light and bobs your uncle problem does not exist any more.

Just to add I hate the 3 cell format as well and avoid them,even though my little grand daughter bought me one for xmas so she is let off.

 

[Turbo DV8]

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.

Or the Steve Martin film where he goes ballistic in the grocery store, ranting about having to buy ten hot dog buns when the hot dogs were sold in packs of eight, so he was opening the ten-pack of buns and ripping two buns off the end! (Was it "All of Me" with Lilly Tomlin?)