Issues with 16340 and RCR123A batteries in Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA

[aznsx]

I did not know Fenix, Olight and Eagtac RCR's are junk either.
I use NiteCore 650 mAh RCR's. Soon Elzetta RCR's once they arrive.

Fenix 16340 cells are most definitely not junk, and I've not heard any reliable empirical evidence from anyone that they are.

I've had a bunch in service during the past 5 years (I use 16340 lights a lot), they all work well (incl. the on-board charge and hi-drain versions), I haven't retired any yet, and they're the primary (no pun) 'protected' 16340 I use. I've also tried both OL and ET 16340s and will just say that I don't think they measure up to the Fenix cells, but would stop short of calling them 'junk' - only that I don't plan to buy more of either after having tried them, which I guess speaks for itself. The ones you have on order are (apparently) an unknown at this point, but hey, take a walk on the wild side, and let us know how they test.

I still wouldn't use any of them in a ProTac 1L-1AA. I'll defer to SL's expertise on that, as I'm confident their knowledge on that point exceeds my own.

Edit: bykfixer, I realize you weren't personally calling those cells 'junk', but were referring to other comments (as am I). I should have clarified that.

Edit2: By the way, bykfixer - Speaking of over-the-top rhetoric - before you take delivery on those new cells, you may want to have one of those emergency clinic places on your speed dial in case you need rabies shots. Apparently you could be at risk.

I'm beginning to think there was something in the eggnog this year. Glad I don't drink it

 

[tango44]

I'm not that technical and I have a couple of questions:

I´m using Surefire charger and batts, this:

On my Surefire EB2, EDCL1-T and Backup MV lights.
I'm okay using these on my lights or should I stick with Surefire 123A only?
Thanks.

 

[Megalamuffin]

I'll just use the disposable CR123 or the NICad AA from now on.

Try the keeppower rcr123's that are 3v discharge. They are very long batteries that don't fit in every cr123 light but are compatible with the protac 1L-AA. You will get about 40 minutes of full output with them before the brightness drops a little and runs for another 10 minutes before it dies.

I'm not that technical and I have a couple of questions:

I´m using Surefire charger and batts, this:
View attachment 26904

On my Surefire EB2, EDCL1-T and Backup MV lights.
I'm okay using these on my lights or should I stick with Surefire 123A only?
Thanks.

These batteries will be fine in all those lights.

You can use a 16340 in the edcl1-t and the E1B mv. They seem to be able to handle the voltage just fine, but it's still not recommended by surefire so do so at your own risk.

 

[aznsx]

I'm not that technical and I have a couple of questions:

I´m using Surefire charger and batts, this:
View attachment 26904

On my Surefire EB2, EDCL1-T and Backup MV lights.
I'm okay using these on my lights or should I stick with Surefire 123A only?
Thanks.

You will get about 40 minutes of full output with them before the brightness drops a little and runs for another 10 minutes before it dies.

The ones you show are probably fine with those lights - Megalamuffin would know best from experience.

However, I think when says 'dies' with respect to the KP cells he refers to, he probably means a very sudden death (straight vertical drop in the output graph), and again he likely knows best because he uses them. The Surefire LFPs you show will almost certainly run at a fairly flat, steady output for most of their run time (as the KPs probably do as well - even flatter because they're electronically regulated), while providing shorter run time than the KP cells he references, but will almost certainly die much more gracefully, with a gradual drop in brightness at the end that would likely be more noticeable and provide plenty of advance notice and time to take action / grab backup, etc. and not leave you in sudden / unexpected darkness. He can confirm, because I think he's used those too.

If I'm correct in my assumptions, I much prefer the more gradual demise myself. Sudden darkness is the worst-case failure mode for a flashlight, and can get me in serious trouble, and I'll avoid that even at some other penalty / cost myself. If this is a critical service application, you should consider that difference carefully.

MM can probably confirm (or not) my assumptions here.
EDIT: I've used (and continue to use regularly) the K2 Energy LFP cells which I believe are essentially the same as the Surefire, but have NOT used the KP cells, which is why I defer to his experience on these characteristics. I believe the SF cells you have will likely perform essentially like / similar to this:

https://www.custompower.com/documents/LFP123A.pdf

 

[bykfixer]

I'm not that technical and I have a couple of questions:

I´m using Surefire charger and batts, this:
View attachment 26904

On my Surefire EB2, EDCL1-T and Backup MV lights.
I'm okay using these on my lights or should I stick with Surefire 123A only?
Thanks.

You should be fine using those and that charger.

 

[hamhanded]

I use LFP 123 cells (similar to the surefire rechargeables shown above) in both an EDCL-1T and the Protac-1L AA. They work fine and have a flat discharge curve with a relatively quick taper as aznsx described.

 

[Monocrom]

I have a handful of Watson RCR123 cells.
(3volt, 400mah).
Those should work since they're not the more common 3.6 or 3.7 volts. Especially useful in the SL Protac 1L-1AA. Streamlight does specifically recommend using only CR123 or AA primary batts. in that light. But, yeah.... those Watson cells do a very good job of mimicing lithium primary CR123s.

 

[vicv]

I knew that RCR123 had higher voltage than disposable CR123. I wrongfully assumed that the ProTac 1L-AA was capable of handling 1v over that standard 3v.
I thought most flashlights could survive that voltage because they already have the technology to scale down the voltage.

In this case, this light does not have tech to scale down voltage. Any specified battery will need its voltage boosted or increased for the light to work. That emitter probably needs 3.3V or so on high. A cr123 will only give about 2.4 or so at that draw. A AA will only be around 1.1-1.4V depending on chemistry. So the voltage will need boosting. That's why this light doesn't have a voltage lowering driver like some others do and it's why it's so much brighter on a 16340. It's probably running in direct drive