Surefire 9N battery replacement

[PFR]

I'd like to make my own battery stick. I got a catalog from Jameco and they have a sub c 2900mah NiMH flat top high discharge battery listed. Will the 9N bulb handle this kind of current and will the 9N rapid smart charger work well with this high current battery.

 

[dano]

Bulb won't be an issue. The SF charger won't charge NiMH cells reliably, and may damage them. Surefire chargers already cook Nicd's, and will probably melt down a NiMH cell.

To avoid soldering cells, I buy R/C car battery packs (consisting of two 3-cell sub-C sticks) and cut the sticks out of the pack. The cells are already soldered together, so all I have to add is the rings and flat wire to connect the negative end and bring t around the positive end of the stick.

--dan

 

[Stingray]

[ QUOTE ]
dano said:
Surefire chargers already cook Nicd's, and will probably melt down a NiMH cell.


[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't know that...jeez..I have an 8X that I use a lot and I have about 6 B90's for it. One is always in the charger, and I try to keep the others charged and ready. Sometimes I need hours of bright light at night for various projects.

Othertimes, a B90 will sit in the charger for many many weeks if I'm not doing any projects. Am I cooking/ruining these batteries? What's the best way to store them, fully charged or not? Thanks for any info.

Steve

 

[dano]

Make sure they aren't hot to the touch. Warm is o.k. Hot is not o.k.

I have two SF rapid chargers, and when they peak, the sticks are too hot to touch. I theorized this was why SF had such a high failure rate with their Nicd sticks a few years back. I guess the problem was eventually rectified.

If the sticks you have are working fine, then you probably don't have a charger issue.

--dan

 

[Stingray]

Thanks Dano. I have the fast charger. It's from a few years ago, came with the 8X. Mine get warm at first, then cool off once the green light is on for a while, but they're never what I would call hot, so I guess i'm ok.

 

[PFR]

Okay new 3000mah Nimh pack fully charged on S.F. rapid charger no high heat melt down just luke warm. Good to have 9N up and running again.