Help with 14500's!

[seanwilliams78]

Hey gang...

Noob here! 😉

My lights: nothing crazy. Inova T3 (3x CR123A) and Icon Rogue 1 (1x AA), Fenix HL20 (1x AA), plus a couple no-names.

My question relates to aftermarket Li-Ion batteries not working in ANY of my LED lights. I got some Tenergy 14500's and I've tried them in the Rogue, the HL20, and the no-name. I'm guessing they have some sort of over-voltage prtection in the regulators and they simply don't power on with the Tenergy 14500 (3.7v, 800mah).

How do I know WHICH lights will work with these aftermarket batteries as "upgrades" for more light? I'm specifically looking for a 1- or 2-AA (even a 3 or 4 AA) light that I can "overclock" with upgraded batteries. How do you tell which ones have circuitry that allow this, and which ones don't?!

Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance! 🙂

 

[Norm]

Moved to Batteries Included - Norm

 

[seanwilliams78]

Sorry for the incorrect placement with the post!

So can anyone help me out here? What inexpensive lights can I use these 14500's in? Everything I've tried has a protected circuit and won't light up (except the plastic $5 Energizer light which I put a Xenon bulb in...it was as bright as a Fenix TK20 until it melted!). :thumbsup:

Halp! 😉

 

[Chidwack]

You have to have a light that will handle the voltage of the 14500 batteries. Regular AA batteries have a voltage of 1.5 volts or so. The 14500 will give you 3.7 to 4.2 volts. That's too much voltage for lights that are not designed to handle anything more than AA batteries. You will find a hard time finding a inexpensive light that will handle more than one of the 14500 batteries. I don't know of any. However there are lights that will handle one 14500 battery that are not too expensive. The one I recommend is the Xeno E03 that costs about $30. It will also use AA MiMh batteries but with the 14500 battery it becomes a real pocket rocket flame thrower. It will give out upwards of 500 lumens for 20 minutes or so but you will not want to run it that long on high as the light heats up quickly. It has three modes. Here is a link http://tacticalhid.info/e03

If you want to have a great little light that will light up a room, order the diffuser while you're at it for only $6 more. He doesn't charge extra for shipping the diffuser. This little light goes everywhere with me in my shirt pocket.

PS. Make sure you have a charger that will charge 14500 Li/Ion batteries. I don't think you can use chargers that are built to charge AA NiMh batteries.

Look here for a great review of this light.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-G-R5-Neutral-White-Review-RUNTIMES-BEAMSHOTS

 

[Pat-inCO]

😀 DO NOT TAKE THE ABOVE LINK! 😀

I did and ended up with THREE of them. :naughty:

GREAT little light and it does very well with 14500s.

Keep in mind, they DO get warm running on High.

 

[CKOD]

Generally you'll only see one cell flashlights that can take AAs or 14500's They use a boost converter, and there is a diode in the boost regulator which would put the light basically into direct drive when the battery voltage is over the Vf of the internal diode + LED.

4.2-0.4V for the internal diode leaves 3.8 for the LED, but that would sag down under a load, which means the LED would be in a good range for running at high power. But with a 2-4 cell light, youre running way over the voltage of the LED.