R123, 3.7-4.2 won't with SF P90 bulb

[Bullzeyebill]

R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Will I tried it out today. Using two R123's to power the P90 bulb. Charged up batterystation.com R123's yesterday to 4.18 volts, and, nothing. Took off tailcap, and wiggled switch around, makeing contact with barrel, and after a bit, got it to work. Stayed on bright and nice. I moved connection a little, and lost it. At home I used DMM and 20amp mode to make connection and once in awhile it worked and stayed on, then when I removed prong and replaced it would not work. Checked out P60 bulb with three Cr123's and it worked every time with switch. Can not seem to get power out of the two R123's to turn on light. When it is on it is pulling 1.13 amps. Al hit and miss thing when I use prongs of DMM for contact. Help! Help! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Gene]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Bill,
Have you compared the BatteryStation cells to SF cells to see if maybe they're much shorter? I don't have any BS cells so I can't try any in mine and I'm not familiar with them. Try carefully expanding the P90 LA's spring and also the tailcap's spring some for a better contact. It has to be something simple because it's merely something's not making P or N contact. Wrap some tin foil around your tail switch and see if that helps but make sure the foil doesn't ground out against the body. I ditched my stock switch a long time ago for the clickie conversion and have no problems with any cells that I've tried. Keep playing with it because I guarantee you something's not making proper contact.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Physical connection is being made. Nothing. I laid three Cr123's on table cloth making contact with small spring of LA, then using DMM probes, and DMM set at 20amps, touched neg probe to last cell and plus probe to larger spring on LA. Instant light. Tried that with R123's, two of them, and nothing. Something else is going on having to do with two cells putting out amps. Together, now, they read total of 8.26 volts. I am using surefire 6P, which works quite well two two Cr123's and the P60 bulb.

Bill

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

I tried my R123's using the P60 bulb and a dummy cell in my 6P. Lights up right away, though somewhat dim. Somehow my R123's do not like to in series, and will not pass current through the two cells. Are Battery Station R123's just for single cell application? I think I need to be moved to battery forum.

Bill

 

[xpitxbullx]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

2xR123 (Batterystations) and my Nuwai ALX-352L runs just fine. 5W Luxeon with 2 rechargeables in series. Must be the connection, I think. Try a little piece of tin foil or something.

Jeff

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Laying the P90 LA, and the two R123's on the table and making the connection with the DMM, it will not light up. Doing the same thing with three Cr123 primary cells and instant light. I even used conductive rare earth magnets to connect all of the components together using the R123's, to quarantee a good connection, and nothing. Very frustrating. As I said in earlier post, you can sometimes get a connection with the batteries in the 6P.

Bill

 

[SilverFox]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Hello Bill,

Those cells have short circuit protection. When you turn the lamp on, the cell sees the condition as a short circuit and shuts off.

Tom

 

[kubolaw]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Interesting! I didn't realize that the short circuit cutoff for the protected R123s was so low (doesn't the P90 only draw something like 1.2A?). Does this mean that the BatterySpace cells would be best for this type of incandescent application?

 

[UncleFester]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

kubolaw.
Even though the steady state current of the P90 might be 1.2A, the startup current might be WAY more than that. Incandescent lamps have a MUCH lower internal resistance when cold. When they get up to operating temperature (incandescance), the resistance goes up and the current goes down.

 

[larryk]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

I had the same problem, it seems that the batteries are right at the threshold of tripping the short circuit protection. If you click it on a few times it will work. I picked up some unprotected cell from BatterySpace for $ 2.99 each and they work extremely well. Larry.

 

[Gene]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Interesting Tom. I'm using Jon's fully protected cells and have no such issues.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

This is interesting, I just ran two of these R123's, and a dummy 123 in my 2 C mag, with battery adapter, using a 6 Cell mag bulb, and it worked every time. Ran at just under 1 amp. When I get the P90 to work, it pulls 1.17 amps. Works at 6 volts, but not at voltage of P90. I pushed and pushed on the 6P switch and after about 10 tries it came on, and stayed on, released pressure and reapplied pressure and nothing. I guess I will have to order from another source. Wish I had known going in that I would have this extreme problem.

Bill

 

[SilverFox]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Hello Bill,

Another thing to consider is that there is some variation on when these circuits kick in. Another set of same cells may work fine.

You might want to give Kevin a call and check with him about this.

Tom

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Silver Fox, I emailed Kevin and he responded. He does not recommend them for multiple cell use due to protection circuit in cells. I had five of these cells and tried different combinations of cells. All reluctant to fire up. As I posted earlier, I did get a 4D mag cell to light up, and stayed lit. Must be particular demands of the P90 cell that causes protection circuit to kick in big time. I ordered 6 CR123's from Battery Space, and will use the Battery Station charger. I will try the Battery Station R123's in some of my led lights, might work ok with Lux 5 leds direct drive. I feel better now. I just should of read up more on the Battery Station R123's.

Bill

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Re: R123, 3.7-4.2 won\'t with SF P90 bulb

Well, Battery Space will with the SF P90 LA. Got my Battery Space (Powerizer) RCR123's today. Charged some up, and put two in my 6P. Output is obviously over spec, using my LM 631 to measure overall output, and in the 140 lumen range. Looks like the P90 bulb is robust. Am using the Battery Station R123's in my new Nuwai ALX-352L. No real problem with Battery Station cells except when I removed them to test voltage, and reinserted them in Nuwai, and the light would not function. Took them out and reinstalled, and the light fired up. They really prefer to be used in single cell application.

Output is so good with the 6P and P90 LA, that I will not go to the P91 LA.

Bill