MEGA6 or HELIOS with 3.6V Batteries

[soloco]

I was interested in using these 3.6V Lithium D Cell batteries I found with the Inretech MEGA6 or HELIOS so that I only need to use a 2D or 3D size Maglite. Would either of these lamps work with 2 or 3 of these batteries? (ie- 7.2V or 10.8V) I hear that they are underdriven anyway.

 

[FalconFX]

I drive mine with 7.2V NiMHs (1.2x6)... But with Lithiums, their Voltage won't drop much at all, so I think your best option may be to go 2xLiD at 7.2V in a 2D Mag body with either a Helios or Mega6... You can go 10.8V, but I believe it would overdrive the LSs (not too sure, since both already have resistors on board, and they may not be enough to control current)...

Your best bet's to give InRetech an e-mail, or hopefully, Mike will catch this post...

But the Mega6 is sweet at 4.5Amps and the Helios at 2.3Amps. Keep it at that current with your Lithium Ds, and you should be fine...

 

[RickLux]

Right now my favorite flashlight is my helios. I am running it in a 2 c cell mag with a tube to shrink down the size for 3- 3 volt lithiums (surefire) IT IS REAL SMALL AND LIGHTS UP AN AREA REAL SWEET. Lots of light, run times have been good. I changed my first set after 2 weeks of use each night, not sure on exact times. I also put a glass lens I ordered that gives me 99% light transmission and it is very noticeable .

 

[Alan Hsu]

RickLux,

Are you using the original MAG head or the one supplied by Inretech?

 

[INRETECH]

You are welcome to try the battery combinations, just make sure to keep the current under those postings you see above

Mega6 <= 4.5Amps
Helios <= 2.3Amps

I run my White HELIOS with 3xD 3.5v Air Batteries, and it works GREAT - not having to carry around the MONSTER 6D; unfort I can only run it for 5 minutes and then I have to open it up and let it Breathe

 

[INRETECH]

Who makes these 3.6v Lit Size Ds?

I think they would be the perfect batteries for this product, if the current is a little too high - we could put in a very-slightly higher value resistor to keep the LEDs at the correct current

The heatsink in the SUPER6/TRILIGHT/HELIOS/MEGA6 is HUGE and does a great job of cooling the LEDs

I would also suggest that for maximum cooling, the user could put a "ring" of heat-sink "goo" on the adapter where it touched the flashlight to better conduct the heatsink to the flashlight case, just means you would have to wipe it off should you decide to convert the flashlight back to "normal" operation

 

[Jonathan]

Saft ( http://www.saftbatteries.com ) is a major manufacturer of these sort of primary lithium cells. Be aware that they are rather expensive, and that there are different kinds, some of which are optimized for high energy density (18 Ah per cell, but only at 1mA) and others are optimized for high power density (10A drain, but 'only' 8 Ah per cell )

The discharge curves are pretty darn flat, which will help maintain stable light output until the cells discharge. Under high drains, the cell voltage is pretty temperature sensitive.

-Jon

 

[soloco]

I was actually thinking of using Tadiran's TL-5930 D Cell Lithiums. They are supposed to have a 5.0 mA discharge rate per cell. This will only get me 10-15 mA, which is definitely lower than either the 4.5 A or the 2.3 A limits on the MEGA6 and the HELIOS respectively. Will this low current be able to get any light of these LS lamps? Do I need to find a Lithium battery with a higher discharge rate?

 

[James Van Artsdalen]

I think 5 mA is too low by one or two orders of magnitude.

Doesn't Tadiran have some high-temperature batteries with a higher drain rating?

More interesting would be to explore the Copia Lithium rechargeables. FalconFX has some. If they can do the trick they might be an “economical” way to run a Mega6 at full power (if heat doesn’t preclude it) and the other lights in a smaller body. An adapter might be needed to get the battery diameter up to C or D cell size. See this thread for info on the Copia.

 

[StoneDog]

Saft also has 4/5 D li-ion batteries at 3.6v/3.8Ah and D at 4.5v/4.8Ah. Are these the ones you're referring to?

Jon

 

[INRETECH]

These batteries you mentioned:

--
Tadiran's TL-5930 D Cell Lithiums. They are supposed to have a 5.0 mA discharge rate per cell
--

These are for memory-backup in products, not for a primary power source, 5ma would barely make the LED "Glow", the light output would be useless

You need a battery designed for the high current applications, those batteries most likely have a built in fuse to prevent such current such as a short

 

[INRETECH]

The HELIOS and the MEGA6 do seem to cause the "DALMATION SYNDRONE"

 

[RickLux]

Alan Hsu yes the module that the helios comes with will drop into the d cell or c cell maglight
in the c cell it slips down so you have to hold from the back to screw the head on but there is still spring room so it works great. Or you can put it together upside down. You juggle a bit to keep the 3 lens in place. I have been using it each night with my dog and some time in the woods
it lights up a huge area with bright very white light. I ran the first set of batteries down and started a second set after 2 weeks, but they were still brighter then my other 1 watt ls mods. I do use it intermittantly and don't leave it on for very long. I bought 2 c cell mags so it would have a purple body and silver head and tail, looks cool too!! The glass coated mag lens I ordered makes a difference.

 

[RickLux]

Oh yea I have been getting 3 volt lithiums from Botach for a little over a dollar a piece. So it is fairly cheap to run and small. To me it seems like it would be the ultimate Leo traffic stop flashlight it illumines everything inside a car.
Of course some folks might think they are in some remake of, "close encouters of the third kind," and look for some financial compensation.