Safe to use Li-Ion 3.7v cells in Fenix L1D CE?

[whc]

Just got my Fenix L1D CE today, but unlike the L1T, there is not written anywhere on the package (or on there website) "Input voltage: 0.8V~3.7V".

I therefore am I little concerned about using Li-Ion 3.7v battery in the L1D CE, is it safe, what input voltage is the L1D CE rated to:huh2:?

 

[taiji]

I am using a 3.7 14500 exclusively in mine w/o any problems thus far. I've used it at 5 mins constant on high at the most. did not get too warm.

 

[UnknownVT]

whc wrote: "Just got my Fenix L1D CE today, but unlike the L1T, there is not written anywhere on the package (or on there website) "Input voltage: 0.8V~3.7V".
I therefore am I little concerned about using Li-Ion 3.7v battery in the L1D CE, is it safe, what input voltage is the L1D CE rated to

?"

You asked this question in Post #750 of the thread -
More Fenix Digital Lights - L0D CE and L1D CE (

1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page )

Please see my reply in Post #751 same thread.

 

[HarveyRich]

UnknownVT: I looked at all your listed older posts--very interesting. You indicate that the 3.7V Li-Ion 14500 battery on the L1D-CE had a current draw of 0.60A on low, medium and high and 0.69A on turbo. That would seem to put the drain well within the Cree LED limits and make the Li-Ion 14500 safe for use with this light, correct? It does appear brighter on turbo on Li-Ion batteries. What would the likely run times be on NiMH vs the Li-Ion?

Also, I've read posts elsewhere that the current from a Li-Ion 10440 on the LOD-CE would be well over 1A and therefore not advisable on that flashlight, correct?


3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable 14500
Open-circuit = 4.06V
Turbo = 0.69A
Low = 0.60A
Medium = 0.60A
High = 0.60A

 

[whc]

Thanks for the replys .

Very nice, the 14500 cells really brings light to this flashlight , good to know it is safe to use 14500 3.7v cells. Was worried about burning my new flashlight off, or damage the electronic inside.

I wonder why Fenix no longer informs what voltage range the flashlight can handle? Anyway time to test my new flashlight in the dark .

 

[Mike abcd]

I just measured the current draw on a Jetbeam C-LE using a 3.7 V RCR123 at over 1.3 A. The open circuit voltage was 4.10 V. I won't use a 14500 in it because of this even though it would have 3 levels due to the PWM on low and medium.

The current draw in the regulated modes using a freshly charged LiOn on a bunch of lights using boost regulators depends on the Vf of the particular emitter and how good the battery is at supplying current. It can vary a LOT between different samples of the same make/model light.

Get a low Vf emitter and a good LiOn and it can draw more current than Cree's claimed 1 A max. IMHO, it would be wise to check the current on your particular light.

Recent Cree based light seem to have lower Vf emitters based on the current readings folks are posting and what I measured on my Jetbeam C-LE. The Vf on the Crees also seems to get a little lower after the LED has been in use a bit judging by my P1D-CE.

Mike

 

[nanotech17]

I just mod my LOD SE with SSC P4 (just for comparison to L1D CE)
Runs brighter and cooler with li-ion 10440.
No problem at all as i'm using it intermittently never runs it 10 minutes straight.

 

[Frank Maddix]

UnknownVT: I looked at all your listed older posts--very interesting. You indicate that the 3.7V Li-Ion 14500 battery on the L1D-CE had a current draw of 0.60A on low, medium and high and 0.69A on turbo. That would seem to put the drain well within the Cree LED limits and make the Li-Ion 14500 safe for use with this light, correct? It does appear brighter on turbo on Li-Ion batteries. What would the likely run times be on NiMH vs the Li-Ion?

Also, I've read posts elsewhere that the current from a Li-Ion 10440 on the LOD-CE would be well over 1A and therefore not advisable on that flashlight, correct?


3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable 14500
Open-circuit = 4.06V
Turbo = 0.69A
Low = 0.60A
Medium = 0.60A
High = 0.60A

Why would the 10440 need to give more than the .69A of a 14500? It's the same emitter.
I've used a 10440 in my L0Dce since I've had it. It does heat up quickly on High, so I just use it in bursts. How often do you need to light up your garden shed?

 

[Frank Maddix]

Why would the 10440 need to give more than the .69A of a 14500? It's the same emitter.
I've used a 10440 in my L0Dce since I've had it. It does heat up quickly on High, so I just use it in bursts. How often do you need to light up your garden shed?

Just had a thought - the PWM modulation on the L0D is said to be inefficient. Is the 1.0A / .69A a measure of its inefficiency? I hope not.

 

[UnknownVT]

Frank Maddix wrote: "Why would the 10440 need to give more than the .69A of a 14500? It's the same emitter.
I've used a 10440 in my L0Dce since I've had it. It does heat up quickly on High, so I just use it in bursts. How often do you need to light up your garden shed?"

This is a good question -
but this thread is supposed to be about the L1Dce.....so it's kind of
Off-Topic -

These were my current draw readings with the L0Dce on 10440
(please see -Part 2 - using 3.7V Li-Ion rechargeable 10440 - in Post #14 in Fenix L0D-CE Comparison Review)

10440 Open-Circuit voltage = 4.03V
Medium = 0.38A
Low = 0.17A
High = 1.11A

The reason L0Dce seems to be drawing a much higher current on High/Max - is most probably as Mike abcd has already suggested above - the Cree XR-E in the L0Dce probably has a lower Vf - therefore would draw higher currents.
and that may well be the reason why in my own comparison tests with 10440 in Fenix L0D-CE Comparison Review - Part 3 - "Practical" Stairway beamshots -in Post #39 - seems to show that on 10440 the one sample of L0Dce appears to be brighter than the P1Dce on 3.7V Li-Ion rechargeable .......

Are you aware of this thread? -

L0D(-CE) on 10440 Li-Ion - Maybe there should be a big fat WARNING about this?

 

[tomcat017]

Hey everyone,

So, what I understand from reading everyone's threads on this is that the L1D-CE can run on the 14500, but that all the modes will be the same brightness until the voltage comes down. My question is this: if I run the L1D-CE on 14500s, can I switch back to NiMh AAs to use all of the levels? Or will the 14500s permanantly destroy the ability to run on different output levels in the future? Thanks!!!

 

[cbubu]

@ tomcat017 : all levels work fine when you switch back to NiMh or Alkaline AAs, I did it several times. Nothing is destroyed when using 14500, levels are just intermittently not available.

 

[tomcat017]

@ tomcat017 : all levels work fine when you switch back to NiMh or Alkaline AAs, I did it several times. Nothing is destroyed when using 14500, levels are just intermittently not available.

Ah, thats good news. Thanks cbubu!