ROP low bulb running on Cr123's?

[Juggernaut]

Okay just wondering if you can run a ROP Low bulb off of 3 Cr123's, will there be enough amps I know the run time would be very sort. If Cr123's have .9 ah and you pull 2.5 out then would they only run for 3 min. or would they explode or something!
Just curious because I was going to do the $10 "you tube: flashlight hack" and thought that a cheap light like that making that many lumens would be pretty funny. "No I don't care if the flashlight melts in 30 sec. as long as the batteries work!

 

[Carpenter]

I believe running anything at over 2C is bad. If your CR123's only are at .9Ah then 2C is two times that or 1.8A. If your bulb is running at 2.5A then you are almost running at 3C which may cause some strange thing to happen to the batteries, including rapid venting w/ flame. Use NimH batteries for this since they are made to handle the amperage from the hotwire bulbs.

 

[FredM]

I think CR123's have 1400mah and the ROP LO takes ~2 amps.

The bulb life would be quite short.

 

[TexLite]

This same question was asked recently,or a similar one anyway.I think some of the Surefire HO bulbs pull this amperage,but something was said about the cell voltage sagging at that high of a load.I think the consensus was it was OK.

Michael

 

[Gunner12]

It should work. The ROP Low can handle 9.5v. RCR123s will pop the bulb though.

I usually use 1.3 amp hour for CR123s so the batteries should be fine.

 

[Illum]

I think I tried something like this before when I built my first ROP. I used the MB20 from the M6 [3s2p]...last I remember I stopped because there was a heat issue

I held the lamp using a miniature vice and connected some 12 gauge automotive hookup wire to it...it works, but I have no idea what I can use to hold it together, last I know theres no way even with substantial boring you can fit an MB20 in a mag:nana:

 

[mdocod]

The 2C rule if for rechargeable li-ion cells.

SureFire HOLA lamps all draw 2.5A (give or take) and that results in about 15-20 minutes runtime depending on the brand of cell used.

CR123s normally have ~1.3-1.6AH capacity at normal loads, but at 2 amps, will be closer to ~1AH, expect ~30-35 minutes runtime depending on cell brand and go for it.

In the cheap plastic body it will work fine, you just need to limit continuous runs to ~30 seconds each or less and everything should be fine.

 

[Lunal_Tic]

I ran a Mag like that for a while till I got the "Mag of the Ring" or whatever it was called from Download and put in 2 Li-ions.

-LT

 

[Juggernaut]

Excellent to hear that it will work, can't wait to have my ROD "Roar Of the Dorcy" but I can't call it that because some one here has already made a ROD "Roar Of the Dolphin" So mine will be the ROPL "Roar Of the Pathetic Light" wow talk about the ultimate sleeper light.:devil: Also the 30 min. run time would be Great! I can't even image going from it's 3 lumens "looks duller then my Mag Solitar" to 400 lumens!

 

[Mr Happy]

CR123A cells have terrible voltage droop if you draw more than an amp from them. Three good quality ones in series might just manage 6 V when supplying 2.5 A, but don't count on it.

 

[sLightlyObsessed]

I did the mod that you speak of with this light (rayovac industrial 2d):

It worked and was very bright, but the mount that the rop lo sits in is made of plastic and it would get rather soft, but never to the point of failure. I used it with 3 surefire cr123s and never used it for more than a few minutes at a time, each time checking for melting. I experienced no problems with batteries venting. I ended up putting a radio shack 6.0 volt bulb in it with good results (long runtime and lower heat). I made a custom battery holder out of pvc, a carrage bolt for the negative connection which held together several fender washers and nuts which acted as spacers. The holder looks kinda like this: =====|||
Be careful of shorting in the battery compartment as there is a long strip of brass running down one side of the inside of the flashlight so if you install the adapter I built backwards, you could directly short the cr123s and poof!