Testing an 18650 without an 18650 battery

[stv]

Hi guys, I've been a long time visitor to this forum but never felt worthy of posting as my flash light collection, up until today, has been mostly lacking/non-existent :D

I just recently received a new Jetbeam light that uses an 18650 battery and was wondering if there was a way to safely test it with more conventional batteries, such as AA & AAA, as I haven't yet received my 18650 battery and charger. Also cr123s are not an option as they're extremely hard to find where I live and are also very expensive.

P.S. Apologies if this is a stupid question, my knowledge on batteries is somewhat limited. I'm willing to learn though!

 

[Mr Happy]

Hi,

Three rechargeable batteries like eneloops placed in series will be roughly equivalent to one 18650 lithium ion, but of course the eneloops won't fit in the battery tube of the light. So you would have to rig up some complicated arrangement of wires, spacers and battery holders. It's probably easier just to wait for the proper battery to arrive.

 

[RBWNY]

CR123's are a very viable option if you get them online at about $1 per cell :).

 

[ExtremeX]

Order some CR123 batts online, buy a few... you can get good ones for around $1 each like RBWNY said. Battery Station brand for example, LightHound, GoingGear... Ive also used WF and TrustFire CR123s too on ebay and those can be had for under $1 each.

You should have some laying around anyways as backup cells for emergencies.

Short of that, wait for the correct cells.

If you are getting into the world of rechargeable lith batts, get yourself a volt meter if you don't already have one, and do a little reading on the pros/cons and safety best practices regarding using these wonderful cells.

 

[stv]

Thanks for the tips guys. I ended up jumping the gun and doing what Mr Happy said. Connected up two AA lithium batteries and held them against the torch. Alll seems to be working fine. Thanks, again!