Making RCR123A cells better!

[ateallthepies]

Seeing as though many lights now accept multiple battery configurations, will an upgraded rcr123a be made that is the same diameter as a 18650 cell and maybe a flat top design like Aw's 2600 mAh 18650?

A cell with these characteristics would be nudging 1000 mAh or more and would be great for lights that run best on two cells?


Steve.

 

[rockz4532]

Huh? I don't understand your wording.

 

[ateallthepies]

Well, CR123A and RCR123A cells are thinner than 18650's true?

In lights that accept both of the above cells, there is enough space for using the bigger 18650 cell so there must be space that is wasted when using primary's or RCR123A cells?

It would be nice to have RCR123A size cells that take advantage of this 'wasted space' and have the same diameter as the 18650 cell.
Also using the flat top design would further improve the 'new' cells capacity?

So instead of using two regular AW RCR123A batteries with a capacity of 750mAh's, you could be using two of the 'new' batteries with more capacity, like 1000mAh or more?

Use the space man

Steve.

 

[mudman cj]

Those would be 18340 cells, and have been discussed here in the past. AW has said that there would only be about a 15% gain over a 16340 and therefore he feels that they are not worth the cost of fabricating a new cell.

There are 3V 17335 cells available, but their real capacity is somewhere around 650mAh, not 1000mAh. So, they really don't offer more capacity than good 16340 cells, which also top out at around 650mAh. Note that these are not stated capacities, but actual capacities at discharge rates typical for flashlights. The 17335 cells are useful in lights that will not accept 3.7V cells, where they offer more capacity than 3V 16340 cells, but otherwise not only can 16340 cells offer similar capacity in terms of mAh, but the higher voltage of 16340 cells (3.7V) will provide more total Watt hours.

 

[Black Rose]

RCR123 cells, otherwise known as 16340 cells, are a specific size so that they will fit in lights designed ONLY for CR123A/RCR123 cells (whether single or multiple cells).

Making them wider simply because they also fit into a light that takes 18650 cells would leave others high and dry.

The solution already exists for lights that take 2 CR123A/RCR123 cells - 17670 cells.
17670 cells are around 1600 mAh and are the size of 2xCR123A cells.

 

[ateallthepies]

O.k I think I get it.

It just seemed to me that I am seeing lots of lights like the Fenix TK11 and Tiablo A9 that can use both 18650 or CR/RCR 123A cells but prefer two cells instead of a single 18650 for regulated run times.
You have to either use expensive primarys or use low capacity RCR123A's to get the flat regulation we all like.

I agree though it would be a specialist market and not commercially viable but 15 % extra run time would be nice Do we know if the 15% figure was for button top or flat top cells?

That would be 9 extra minutes for a light that normally stays in regulation for say an hour using rechargeables?

Steve.

 

[mudman cj]

No, the post by AW did not specify, but as I am sure you could guess, the difference should be rather small. Still, I agree that some lights would benefit because they could attain full output where they would not from a single Li-ion cell. However, as Black Rose pointed out you would take a hit in capacity.

 

[tabetha]

So a 17670 could be used in place of a pair of RCR123's, and would offer better cpacity from the one 17670 cell than the combined RCR123 cells ?
tabetha

 

[ateallthepies]

It seems so Tabetha.

But I am more interested in flat regulation and to accomplish this in a lot of lights you need to use two cells in series, doubling the voltage at the expense of capacity and run-time.
Yes in many lights you can use single 18650 or 17670 cells in place of 123A's but the regulation goes to pot while the run time increases.

I personally would like cells with 15% more capacity as more is more, but if AW says it's not a good idea then I accept this.

Is there no way to pack more volts into a cell without loosing capacity?


Steve.

 

[Norm]

Ultrafire XSL 18350 1200mA 3.7V
Norm

 

[ateallthepies]

Ah they do do them then They look non-protected and the mAh seems a little optimistic

May have to give 'em a go for that price and if they are rubbish then I will have not lost a lot.
I know the Ultrafire brand is not so good quality wise and I have had DOA cells myself and ones that packed up a couple of charges in.

Thanks,

Steve.