standardize on one battery type?

[paulr]

Do you make an effort to standardize all your portable gear on one battery type, like AA, AAA, CR123A, or whatever? "Effort" means you go out of your way to stick to your standard when buying gear. You'll make nontrivial sacrifices in price or features to get gear that uses your preferred battery type.

I have sort of a mixed AA/AAA system, I try to avoid 123's and especially try to avoid lithium ion rechargeables. I might consider a li ion device that uses commodity 18650's but I refuse to buy something like an iPod that uses a custom pack. I've been looking all over for a cellular phone that uses AA's or AAA's and may have finally found one :thumbsup:.

It occurs to me that if I had to choose just one form factor, AA sounds like a no brainer but it turns out AAA is sensible too. AAA NiMH cells have slightly lower energy density (measured by weight or volume) than AA's but not all THAT much lower, and AAA equipment tends to be smaller. A Fenix L0DCE with a spare cell has only slightly less total output (lumen-hours) than a L1D CE without a spare cell, but the L0DCE+spare cell weighs quite a bit less just because the flashlight itself is smaller and lighter. Plus, you can get sleeve adapters to run AA gear on AAA's, that are reasonably practical for lower powered devices. Finally, a mixed AA/AAA system is still not too bad because NiMH chargers usually handle both types of cells.

 

[VidPro]

hard for me to choose one.
i wish everything would run off of Li-ion, even if that means a 80 amp single li-ion. but because i cant practically expect that to occur , the AA idea is nice, many many things can and do run off it it.

propriatary li-ions are a pain VRSES something using the AA or what ya already got, but the advantages of the li-ion are so high, i dont mind if something comes with them. also i know how to safely change them out.

 

[cernobila]

I try and use only lights that use the 18500 and 18650 cells. One home charger, one car charger and a bunch of cells and you get a lot of choices in flashlights.....from a single 18650 cell light to 3x 18650 cell light and all manner of lights in between....works for me.

 

[TorchBoy]

If you're going to word it the way you have, why can't I choose two options?

 

[paulr]

Well I don't think I can change it now. But what two options would you choose? I kinda sorta tried to make them mutually exclusive.

 

[TorchBoy]

- I try to use AAs or AAAs in everything [preference to AA]
- [But] Custom lithium ions (like in ... most cell phones) don't bother me either

Why the "either"? That implies it was written to be chosen with another option.

 

[Hodsta]

- I try to use AAs or AAAs in everything [preference to AA]
- [But] Custom lithium ions (like in ... most cell phones) don't bother me either

Why the "either"? That implies it was written to be chosen with another option.

Yes - that kinda caught me out to. The Thread title is a question - Standardise on one battery type? The only voting option for non-standardisation is that last - :shrug: not really bothered option.


I mostly keep to 123s but see sense in having at least a couple of flashlights that will take AAs. Many people use 123s/AAs but also keep C flashlights as, in emergencies, they tend to hang around on the shelves longer than AAs or Ds.

 

[Eugene]

All my most important gear is AA based. I have a couple AAA and C or D size items left but those are working their way out. There are a couple things that you can't buy in decent sizes like cell phones and laptops so there I get stuck with Lithium Ion and just have to plan for replacement batteries every couple years.
I'm really starting to hate Lithium Ion, the one advantage of their better power to weight ratio is no where near balanced out by all their disadvantages such as poor lifetime (cycles), cost, more complex charging, greater chance of failure, etc.

 

[h2xblive]

I pretty much use AA and AAA cells these days.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

I pretty much use almost all battery types. I try to use either AA,AAA,or CR123 cells if I can. Since they are the most cost effective and offer the best size to capacity ratio.

 

[Phaserburn]

I use all different size, chemistries, rechargeables, primaries, etc. I like batteries.

:tinfoil:

 

[Sub_Umbra]

After a long, gallant fight I've pretty much given up on 'standardization', as I think you mean it. I still put a lot of thought into cell type and form factor when I buy lights and other devices but right now I seem to be using almost everything but LIon.

The vast majority of the cells I use are NiMH and NiCad. While limiting cell types has many advantages it's just not going to work for me over the long haul. For me it is a little too restrictive for everyday use and it also does not fit well with my current emergency preparations. I'm not knocking it (standardization) for everyday use or for emergency plans -- I've been on both sides of the issue.

 

[greenLED]

Not really... I have a bunch of stuff that uses AA, AAA, and 123's (mostly lights in this last category). I do have a couple of lights with different sized li-ions... so, no, no standarization or efforts to do so here.

 

[lctorana]

I use far more size "D" than anything else, and my #2 would be size "F".

But for my little, pocket torches, it's a mix of AA, Cr123A, 18650 and AAA.

It's horses for courses all the way.

 

[gunga]

I'm similar to GreenLED.

Trying to stay within 3 types: AA, AAA, and CR123.

(Not couting coin celled fauxtons). I try to always get lights that can use rechargables, much better having "free" lumens.

:devil:

 

[LuxLuthor]

I use all different size, chemistries, rechargeables, primaries, etc. I like batteries.

:tinfoil:

Ditto

 

[ViReN]

I love Rechargeable Batteries, CR123's, AA's and AAA's including some of Li-Ion's are my fav. but in case of Cell Phones I wish they had standard batteries.... wish Nokia come up with an AA or AAA based Cell Phone... is there any already?

I try to avoid using Primary cells, with exception of wall clocks and coin cell lights.

 

[KingGlamis]

I have lights that use many types of cells, like most of us, but my future buying will be to try to buy lights that use RCR123As, mainly because of their higher voltage output.

 

[thunderlight]

I selected the last entry. However, I do standardize to some degree, but not always in terms of battery size.

My personal EDC tends to be AAA, single AAA lights where I use AAA and 2 AAA SSD batteries in a UK 2AAA Eled, as well as 2016s for microlights. I don't EDC powerful lights.

In my car, I have standardized on single lithium battery flashlights. These may be AA or 123, NOT rechargeable.

At home I use AAA, AA, C, & D. I use rechargeables where possible. However, I have non-rechargeable alkalines in case of emergencies. I use AA and AAA SSD batteries for these 2 sizes for the most part.

I have several PaLights, however, I have abandoned these and I will discontinue their use as the 9volt batteries run out.

Aside from direct EDC, AAs would be my standard battery of choice for long term power outages ... Infinity Ultra, etc.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

...wish Nokia come up with an AA or AAA based Cell Phone... is there any already?...

Me too. I first heard of the concept of an AA cell phone....in a paulr post. It is a great idea... Sign me up...