Run single Cree off 3 14500 in parallel?

[madbroon]

Hi,

First post and noob on the flashlight scene, I've got a Lenser H7 headlamp which is great but crap runtime off 3xAAA and even worse off 1000mAh Ni-Mh. I was thinking about running it off 3x 14500 in parallel after being impressd with them (bought an Akoray k106 a couple of weeks ago). Can this be done or will I burn it out?

Was either going to mod it with current LED or replace it for a Cree XP-G for more lumens, direct drive or 5-mode chip, althought I do like the dimmer...

Thanks for your help.

 

[Balefire]

Have you tried lithium primaries? Expensive, but they should increase your runtime.

If you're set on modding it, I don't think you need to use 14500s in parallel, as just modifying it to take AAs in series should lead to a significant runtime increase.

 

[Nitroz]

As you have found out, the capacity of AAA batteries is awful. In the past I have modded AAA lights with one 18650 lithium battery. If you can find a way to use one of these in place of the AAA's you will be set.

Is this light regulated or direct drive?

 

[hopkins]

Nitroz - the LED Lenser has an adjustment lever, like the volume control
on a radio , for infinite levels of brightness. So its direct drive, no transistors
coils or caps pumping up the voltage/current to the LED.
Actually I think the design idea is optimum. Want more or less light you reach
up and adjust the lever. ( potentiometer )

 

[hopkins]

Madbroon
Li ion's strapped to a persons head are worrisome. Worse a parallel
arrangement where one cell may be weaker or go bad. I'd want a steel
battery box with a big vent hole directed away from my head so the
rocket exhaust of catastrophic failure wouldn't burn me.

Suggest buying a 3 AA series battery holder (4.5v output) for alkaline
cells or us NimH rechargeables. Wire it into the empty 3 aaa slots in the
LED Lenser H7's battery compartment and enjoy longer runtime without
worry of a fire.

example

 

[madbroon]

Thanks for the replies, as it was my first post I lost the thread until someone kindly pointed me in the right direction!

Maybe I'll just try running it off 3xAA which is pretty easy to do with a new box, and see if I can attach the brightness lever somehow (potentiometer). It would be good to try an upgrade the LED too though, might get the cheap H7 version for £10 of DX and have a hack at it, bit nervous to do it on the one I paid £36 for!

Where would I get a battery holder for a 18650 from? Haven't got any yet but the capacity seems much better than a 14500....