New here, Need help with rechargeables.

[bman1179]

I just signed up today but have been checking out this site for awhile now. I am now looking for battery options one of my lights. I am looking for about two hours of run time and the ability to recharge.

Surefire 6P: I am looking for the easiest switch here, two to three hours at full power. I do Inspection at my job so I would have spares with me at all times so if the output drop off is sudden it won't matter.

I know there are different sizes and brands. Could someone please explain what options are best for runtimes, easily swappable, best brand, etc...

I have read the battery sticky and yet am still confused being new and all what is my best option.

If possible could someone also recommend a clicky tail switch that doesn't cost a fortune like Surefire.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Marduke]

Besides batteries, you'll need an LED dropin lamp to get a similar (or better) brightness with that sort of runtime.

 

[RGB_LED]

bman1179, :welcome:! There was another thread talking about just this topic - check it out here. It looks like you have the stock 6P with the P60 incandescent dropin so, as Marduke indicated, you would have to swap it out for an LED dropin.

For example, by swapping the stock P60 incan for a SF P60L, you will automatically get about 11 hours at 80 lumens on 2xCR123's. There are also many P60-style LED dropins available that would fit your SF6P from other retailers such as Lighthound, DealExtreme, etc. with varying degrees of output and runtime - it all depends on how much output vs. runtime you want. There are also many popular brands of rechargeable RCR123's but I personally prefer AW's 750mAh RCR123's.

A couple of popular setups are listed below but it may ultimately depend on your budget since there are cheap P60 LED dropins for about $10-15 and the more expensive Malkoff's that may set you back $50+. See below for a couple of examples:
- SF P60L + AW 2xRCR123 => 80 Lumens and runtimes... I don't know the actual runtime with this setup since I don't have a SF P60L dropin - but you would definitely get more than 3 hours with the P60L for certain since you get 11 hrs using primary CR123's.
- Malkoff M60L + AW 2xRCR123's => 140 lumens and 4+ hrs of runtime

I personally have a SF6P + Leef 18650 body + Malkoff M60 LED dropin and use an AW 3.7v 18650 that gives me 200+ lumens of output and 3.5hrs+ of runtime (output diminishes throughout the 3+ hours though). Good luck.