Surefire L1 and batteries

[Federal LG]

Hi there!

I have just two questions:

1 - Can I let my Surefire L1 Cree with the battery inside ? How much time without use ? Does it have the risk of discharge the battery along the time ? (Remember that it came with the battery already inside). I think kind of boring always have to remove the battery CR123...

2 - In general, batteries loose power if kept inside the lights ? Or it depends of the type of battery ? What happens with rechargeable AA ?

Thanks in advance!

Greetings from Brasil!

 

[greenLED]

1 - Can I let my Surefire L1 Cree with the battery inside ? How much time without use ? Does it have the risk of discharge the battery along the time ?

2 - In general, batteries loose power if kept inside the lights ? Or it depends of the type of battery ? What happens with rechargeable AA ?

1. Sure, no problem with self-discharge if you leave the battery in there. Just make sure the tailcap is locked out (unscrewed almost all the way out) to prevent accidental activation during storage.

2. Only if the circuit needs a small amount of current for whatever reason. The Gladius is one light that will drain batteries even when off.

Common rechargeable batteries do experience "self-discharge" with time. If left unattended for some time (inside or outside a light), they will lose charge. The exception are the new generation of rechargeables, such as the "eneloops" - those keep their charge intact a whole lot longer.

 

[Federal LG]

Thanks a lot GreenLED... That means If my SF L1 don´t activate acidentally during storage, it will never discharge the CR123 inside ? I mean, so can I keep it inside my drawer with the battery inside... ?

 

[WildChild]

Thanks a lot GreenLED... That means If my SF L1 don´t activate acidentally during storage, it will never discharge the CR123 inside ? I mean, so can I keep it inside my drawer with the battery inside... ?

Yes you can! When the light is switched off, there is no electrical path between the positive and the negative poles of the battery. Better, when you put the light in lock-out mode, there is no risk of accidentally activating the light even if you push on the switch (unscrew the tailcap approximately 1 1/2 turn from the momentary on position).

 

[Size15's]

Just so we clarify:
LockOut is achieved when the TailCap is rotated past the point beyond which the light does not activate regardless of how hard you press the push button pressure switch.

The SF123A battery has a nominal shelf life of 10 years.
However, you should check the flashlight every year or so to ensure it functions and replace the battery every three-five years, or after each use if it is going back into storage / not used very often. Examples being flashlights in emergency kits, first aid kits, vehicle glove boxes etc that may not be used for over a year or longer at a time.

The replaced batteries can be used up in a single-battery flashlight that you use more often.

 

[greenLED]

Yup, what they all said. :wave:

 

[Spence]

Size 15's-
Been dying to ask you this for some time. Is that a Photo Shop color illusion or is your A2 really purple?
Spence

:thumbsup:

 

[Gimpy00Wang]

Spence,

It's really purple. There are 8-10 uber-special purple A2's by PK.

- Chris

 

[Size15's]

Yep that A2 is really purple! A quick search should bring up some threads on it...
I also have a black A2 as well as a normal HA A2 as well.

 

[WadeF]

While we're on the topic of L1 and batteries, how many people have been running R123 3.7v's without issue?

 

[Federal LG]

Just so we clarify:
LockOut is achieved when the TailCap is rotated past the point beyond which the light does not activate regardless of how hard you press the push button pressure switch.

The SF123A battery has a nominal shelf life of 10 years.
However, you should check the flashlight every year or so to ensure it functions and replace the battery every three-five years, or after each use if it is going back into storage / not used very often. Examples being flashlights in emergency kits, first aid kits, vehicle glove boxes etc that may not be used for over a year or longer at a time.

The replaced batteries can be used up in a single-battery flashlight that you use more often.

Cool! Now I know!

15´s, WildChild, GreenLED, thank you very much!

Greetings from Brasil :thumbsup:

 

[Federal LG]

While we're on the topic of L1 and batteries, how many people have been running R123 3.7v's without issue?

Sorry Wade... didn´t understand. What is this "without issue" ?

 

[jumpstat]

Sorry Wade... didn´t understand. What is this "without issue" ?

Wade was asking in general have anyone used rechargeables batteries in their L1 and does it work normally.

 

[jumpstat]

Got my L1 recently. I only have AW's R123a 750mA (the black ones) and it won't fit in the barrel at all. Using primaries so far...

 

[WadeF]

Sorry Wade... didn´t understand. What is this "without issue" ?

"without issue" means, without a problem, without the light exploding and killing someone, etc.

 

[Federal LG]

Now I understood... hehe.

English is not my mother language, sorry...

I am using only primaries CR123. Nothing to worry about!

Best regards...

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Hi there!

I have just two questions:

1 - Can I let my Surefire L1 Cree with the battery inside ? How much time without use ? Does it have the risk of discharge the battery along the time ? (Remember that it came with the battery already inside). I think kind of boring always have to remove the battery CR123...

2 - In general, batteries loose power if kept inside the lights ? Or it depends of the type of battery ? What happens with rechargeable AA ?

Thanks in advance!

Greetings from Brasil!

Lithium batteries have a 10-year shelf life and won't leak like alkalines, nor shelf-discharge like NiHM. You do not have to remove the battery from your L1 at all. Remove it only when it's dead. LOL That's what I have been doing since my first CR123 flashlight...

 

[Flying Turtle]

And, if you are especially cheap like me, the L1 is quite good at running those batteries down to almost nothing.

Geoff

 

[Federal LG]

Thank you all!

Yes Flying Turtle... I am just like you!

 

[BigD64]

Just one cauthion on storing your light with 123's. I have seen lights with cheap 123's where there was some kind of toner like residue inside. If you store it for a long time I suggest using a quality 123 and not a cheapo.