Short or sub C battery recommendation

[RussH]

I'm awaiting my order of WA01185 and WA01274 superbulbs from the GB. I'm planning on using some of these in my old 6C mag. Obviously I would prefer to use more than 6 cells and accordingly I have been looking at various of the short Cs. 6 standard Cs totals about 300mm. I'm only considering NiMH batteries and I'd like to get some advice on sizes and any other usful information that might help with this application.

First, because of cost and time considerations, I'm considering using the 1274 with 7 sub Cs (SC) total 301mm. I assume that sub Cs are the most readily avaliable and hopefully, less expensive. These would be most convenient if they are avaliable with a button top, so does anyone know of anyone carrying these as button tops or have a recommendation for someone to make a custom stick?

I'm also interested in an 1185 version of this, and I assume I will need to solder together 9 cells, either 4/5C (306mm) or possibly 3/5C (279mm). I assume that the 4/5C will have more capacity. Is there any significant difference in avaliability or cost, or other factors that I should consider in deciding which to use, 3/5 or 4/5?

I've seen Ginsengs recommendation of AERONiMH and also mentions of Powerstream as a source. Are there any other recommendations regarding a source? Is anyone considering a group buy which could include one of the above C sizes in NiMH? TIA, RussH

 

[Ginseng]

Hi Russ,

What an exciting area, isn't this? For supershort "C" body conversions, I use the Sanyo CP1300SCR. These are high current nicad 1/2 sub-C cells. My present favorite is the "Thin Man." This is detailed in this thread: The Thin Man MagC Mod and consists of 7 x 1/2SC driving a WA01274 in a 4C body. I have also run the "Tiny Mag11" consisting of 6 x 1/2SC driving a WA01111 in a 3C body. This body also lends itself to the "Tiny Mag60" with the WA01160 driven by 5 x 1/2SC. The "Supershorty83" is 4 x 1/2SC driving a WA01183 in a 2C body. Since the capacity is only 1300mAh, runtime is not great, but brightness is superb since these cells sag very little under even a 4A load.

If you can stand a longer body, stepping up to 4/5SC (such as the GP2200) can gain you much more runtime. I see you have a 6C body so 7 x SC would do nicely. Just keep in mind this is high overdrive for the WA01274 so reliability and bulb life are somewhat compromised for brightness. Also, when running HC 4/5SC cells, you'll want to stick to 8 cells for the WA01185. Nine is ok for consumer grade AAs but too much for HC cells.

These cells typically do not come with button tops but there is often enough of a nub for contact to be made. I can't say it's desirable or reliable, but it can be done.

I have never seen 3/5SC cells. 1/2, 4/5 and 1 are easily available though. And you don't need a special source or to wait for a GB since these cells are commonly used by the Radio Control hobby community. There are many retail outlets. For example, www.cheapbatterypacks.com www.battlepacks.com www.dynamoelectrics.com

Here are useful links to battery size charts.
Small Batteries, 18mm diameter and below

Larger Batteries, 23mm and above
Courtesy of Master Instruments in Australia.

Wilkey

 

[mrsinbad]

Wilkey, have you used any of the "shorty" sub-c 3300 mah NiMH like the ones at this link?

Would it be possible to have 6 or 7 side by side inside a D body or in double stick arrangement? The high drain and high capacity is intriguing.

 

[RussH]

HI Wilkey, thanks for all of the interesting information. I was a hotwire type long before finding CPF. I've always used one cell more than bulb rating with Nicads since I got my first mag light in the late '60s or early 70s. I started with a Mag5D (6D was just too heavy & awkward) using nicads (1200mah?) and a 4 cell bulb (most readily avaliable). New 4 cell bulbs worked fine on alkalines & seemed to last forever on Nicads (they were designed for the 6 volts of 4 alkalines). I did find it best not to take a many used bulb & apply fresh alkalines, tho.

I'll certainly be running that 1274 to start with in my 6C in the original configuration. Since I already have the 6C, which replaced my 5D, I thought of it first for an 1185 application. It appeals as a fun stealth application (Your mag is so dim! There must be something wrong with it.....). I'm eventially going to go with the 8x4/5C & 1185 bulb per your recommendation. I'll always be able to revert to 6C & 1274 if necessary.

I like your ThinMan MagC, I'll definitely have to do one of those. I may be getting some 4C mags for luxeon mods anyway, since I want to do some regulated Lux3s with the lower Vf's like J now available. And they keep having 3D mags on sale which also make a good 4C host. I'll have a few 3C bodies also so your tiny mag 11 may get a try - another way I could use a 1274 as well.

I was wondering about the 3/5Cs. I think I may have seen them in drill paks (they were shorter than subCs, which I have used before) but I was wondering about their availability. I gave up on repairing drill paks since a new drill is usually cheaper than the batteries. But I have soldered or resoldered dozens of C nicads sucessfully for drills or razors, etc. I do hate to throw away a usuable drill, so my current approach is to replace the battery (anything from 7.2 -14.4v so far) with a 12v gelcel - usually just a cigarete lighter plug (15amps) and a portable 12v batterypak with the cigarette socket.

I'm thinking about how to use the leftover MC switch parts from the MagBP85 conversion. My Rv uses these little 10w or 20w halogen bulbs (also available in 5w) which seem close to the mag pin spacing. They fit the Carley 912 adapter, are 1000 hr. life & fairly white, just not so good in regard to artifacts. At the very least, they may serve to "repair" a sawed off mag D switch - not that I would. I'd better quit before I get as long winded as Udaman.... So many mods....so little time....

 

[Ginseng]

mrsinbad,
I've used the GP3300 reds and greens sub-C cells and they have performed very, very well. They will not fit in a two-stack in a Mag D tube.

Russh,
Nice to meet a hot wire from way back. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif It never occurred to me to break apart drill packs. I just don't have any spares lying around. Let me know how your MC switch residue projects turn out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Wilkey