Surefire B90 rechargable?

[DaFABRICATA]

Does anyone know the voltage and capacity of the B90?

Is there anything I can use in place of it?

Thanks for ANY help.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello DaFABRICATA,

You may find this thread informative...

Tom

 

[DaFABRICATA]

Thanks Tom!!!

I'll start reading!

You can close this since the link is posted.:wave:

 

[SilverFox]

Hello DaFABRICATA,

I will leave it open. You may have some additional questions.

I am still looking for some good cells to make some more replacement packs, but it is proving very difficult to find cells that perform as well as the GP cells did.

Tom

 

[PCC]

I have about 16 matched Sanyo 2400 cells downstairs that I was going to use for an electric RC monster truck that never happened. Would these cells be sufficient to replace the GP cells? I was going to solder some together but haven't gotten around to doing it.

One of the cells in my B90 is dumping after about 10 minutes of runtime then the remaining two have enough to maintain a usable, albeit dimmer, beam for about 40 more minutes. I want to try running the cells down until they do not have enough in them to light up either lamp in my 9N then try the dead short trick to see if this revives the one cell. I might try it tomorrow.

 

[yellow]

build Your own sticks!

Ni-Mh up to 4000 mAh capacity

get 7.2 V 6-cell (3 each in a row) packs,
if lucky ones where these sticks are already made fixed, else glue the individual cells together.
Check if You can see the connection "plates" between the cells, then they can move and have to be glued together but better take other pack.
wrap in shrink tube

something like this pack here:

when cutting Your own "negative"connector and putting it into, under the shrink wrap, it works in 8X also ...

 

[Justin Case]

I measured 4.2V for a fully charged B90.

 

[DaFABRICATA]

I measured 4.2V for a fully charged B90.

I wonder if an 18650 would work it i make the ground connection along with a spacer.
maybe an IMR18650?:shrug:

 

[Justin Case]

Unfortunately, I own only an 8NX so it is difficult to make any tailcap current draw measurements. I searched around CPF and found one claim that the 8NX lamp (the X80) draws 1.7A and the B90 sags down to 3.7V under load.

I have some 17670 cells which should be up to the task and it seems like it should even work, but I'm reluctant to risk vaporizing my X80 lamp.

 

[cnjl3]

I made my own B90 sticks with NIMH cells eons ago and then I bought one from Silverfox's last run and it is still working great but I would like to avoid the constant maintenance involved with NIMH cells. I previously asked Silverfox if I could put two protected AW 18650's one on top of the other and wire them in parallel and he told me that not only would it work but that it would yield a higher MAH than either NICAD or NIMH cells. But unfortunately I could never solve the top portion and still have it wired in parallel and still fit in my 8AX. I think that if I had a spot welder it would be easier to build. So, your idea with a spacer will work but it seems like a lot of wasted space.

I wonder if an 18650 would work it i make the ground connection along with a spacer.
maybe an IMR18650?:shrug:

 

[DaFABRICATA]

I made my own B90 sticks with NIMH cells eons ago and then I bought one from Silverfox's last run and it is still working great but I would like to avoid the constant maintenance involved with NIMH cells. I previously asked Silverfox if I could put two protected AW 18650's one on top of the other and wire them in parallel and he told me that not only would it work but that it would yield a higher MAH than either NICAD or NIMH cells. But unfortunately I could never solve the top portion and still have it wired in parallel and still fit in my 8AX. I think that if I had a spot welder it would be easier to build. So, your idea with a spacer will work but it seems like a lot of wasted space.

When I get more motivation, I will try to wire 2 X 18650's in parallel and see what happens. I have an 8X that I just got and have a Turbohead on the way for a 9AN that has never had a head. I still need a 9AN tailcap though. Id like to use these lights but really have heard nothing but bad things about the B90. If I get it done, I'll share my results.

Thanks again to all the great members for your help!

 

[PCC]

Fortunately, I have a 9N so the tail cap is actually part of the circuit, instead of running off the top of the battery.

I'm really considering making a tube to hold a single protected 18650 in the 9N body.

 

[yellow]

dont get me wrong, any projects can give some benefits,
I have long thought about that and skipped it, for me it makes no sense.

The housing of 8X,9N are built for the three-sub c-stick.
Whatever number of 18650 put into, it wastes space
(wastes space for a degree that makes the difference between an easy and an impossible to pocket light)
also the cell(s) will need an additional liner, that wont fight a rapple too much and adds another part that can be lost when changing the battery.

to put it simply: use c-cells, or get a light built for 18650(s). Maybe there will be Sub-c Li-Ions somewhen?

... again, pls, that is just how I see it and am awaiting Your builds and findings with the Li-Ions


PS: with the sticks like posted above, I get about 1.5 hrs for the main beam of the 9N

 

[PCC]

The 9N was given to me. I have no intention of selling it. That leaves me with the dilemma of what to do with it. Since I'm not as much of an outdoorsman as I was before I was married this 9N is essentially an indoor light. While having a proper B90 or built one using NiMH sub-C cells would be easier to deal with the reality is that, for my purposes, it's not essential. It doesn't help that I have the original C300 charger which I would be scared to try charging NiMH cells with so I'm either going to go with NiCad or Li-Ion for this light. No, I'm not about to try charging a Li-Ion cell in that C300!

 

[Justin Case]

Ok, I drove my X80 lamp from an 8NX with a single AW17670 cell (4.10V resting voltage) and the lamp lit up, though clearly not at full brightness. Next, I tried an unprotected Sony 18650 cell (4.09V resting voltage). Exactly the same results. Not sure if the very skinny hookup wires I used had any effect.

This is still far from a useful battery configuration. Even if you wire two 18650 cells in parallel, the top terminal issue for the 8AX/8NX remains. For the 9N, however, I guess that you don't need that weird top terminal of the B90, so battery stick construction could be simpler. However, how are you going to charge this multi-cell Li-ion stick?

A lesser issue is having to adjust for the different battery stick diameter. AW's protected 18650 cells are about 18.4mm diameter, while a B90 is about 23mm.

 

[cnjl3]

On top you can see a pair of AW 18650's
Below the AW cells is a SureFire stock B90
Below that is a B90-SFS (SilverFoxSpecial!)
Below that is a B92 for comparison.

BTW the B90-SFS came with a white shrinkwrap and I just put another black shrinkwrap on top of the white and didnt have any trouble sliding the battery pack into my ancient SureFire 8x.

With a pcb board between the AW 18650's and soldering KIU orange wires the battery pack length was just too damn long

Hopefully later on when I have more time I want to try this link http://www.ledhacks.com/power/battery_tab_welder.htm for an affordable capactive discharge welder. I am hopfull that with 'thin' strips instead of thick KIU wires I can shrink the length of the pack. Using AW protected 2200mah 18650s would yield a B90 4400mah li-ion solution. Yeah, I know that there are some single 18650 LED lights but I really like the beam of my 8X and I still use it so I wouldnt mind this 'upgrade.'

 

[yellow]

as a "sleeve" is a must, this one could be made from metal to fight the "top terminal issue",
wondering that this does not come to mind at the beginning


another try to explain my thinking of the 2 18650 instead of a homemade battery stick:
what is the gain?
- with 2 18650s and at that current draw, the two Li-Ions will (probably) live as long as a 4000 mAh stick,
- the original LA cant be run with 2 18650s
- the original charging devices cant handle them
(while Ni-Mh and Ni-Cd end voltages are soo much the same, that one can use either with original equipment)

so, the gain is to be able to use one's 18650s and chargers, but has to mod the 8X ...
... to led? to another bulb? with PCB? :thinking:
all very difficult mods (because of that little space there), while a Ni-Hm 4500 mAh stick is a breeze to build

PS, just to show, what I type about: my "MC-E in 8X" already lighted up yesterday, just have to rethink a 2 output setup

 

[Justin Case]

I tried two AW17670 protected cells (both measured 4.08V resting) in parallel to power the X80 lamp from my 8NX. The output was no better than when I tried just one AW17670 cell -- still not very bright. Thus, it doesn't appear worth the effort to build a replacement B90 battery stick using two 18650 cells in parallel.

 

[cnjl3]

Consider yourself lucky that you have an 8X. I remember when Silverfox and company were in the development stages of their B90 pack...most high capacity Sub C cells would not fit other 8_ _ type lights. Just wanted to post that I have a working Version1 prototype B90 Li-ion 4400mah battery pack loaded with two AW 18650's wired in parallel. I can tell you that brightness wise it falls in between the stock Surefire B90 and SilverFox's B90. The brightest pack is SilverFox's B90, then the Li-ion B90 and Surefire's B90 comes in last. The only problem with my B90 Li-ion pack is that it is too damn long. Today I placed an order for some of AW's IMR18650's and I am optimistic that my next Version2 pack should solve the 'length' issue and be as bright or brighter than my SilverFox B90 pack. Oh... I forgot to mention that I also have a Turbo head for my 8X but I need to order a couple of replacement bulbs for it. Geez, Seems like there is always another item or two to buy with this flashlight hobby.
:devil:

When I get more motivation, I will try to wire 2 X 18650's in parallel and see what happens. I have an 8X that I just got and have a Turbohead on the way for a 9AN that has never had a head. I still need a 9AN tailcap though. Id like to use these lights but really have heard nothing but bad things about the B90. If I get it done, I'll share my results.

Thanks again to all the great member for your help!

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Carlos,

It is good to know that the GP sub C cells are still holding their own.

Tom