Upgrade for Streamlight Battery Stick?

[Windex]

I have a Streamlight DS LED C4 that I love......

I have a couple battery packs for it, so that I can keep going a day (errr.... night) in the field without problems.

I would love to get better batteries for this light, Nicads seem severly outdated technology...... I figured someone on this forum has probably done an upgrade before..... rechargeable lion batteries would be great - if it can be done easily/without blowing off my left hand.


:duh2:

 

[h2xblive]

I'd like to know too.

I've been thinking about getting a Stinger rechargeable, and wondered about the possibility of using 3300, 4500, etc. NiMH SC cells that R/C car drivers often use. Should easily give over 2.5 hours of runtime fresh off the charger. I can't imagine the runtimes with LEDs.

 

[dano]

I've been making higher cap Stinger sticks for several years, before CPF was even thought of, starting with 2200SC-E Sanyos upto the current 4200MAH cells (haven't tried any of the 4700MAH cells that are out).

The toughest issue with making them is finding the collar/flat to attach the negative terminal to the positive end of the stick.

Remember, though, that Streamlight's fast charger won't charge the higher cap cells, and it takes a long time to trickle charge a 3000MAH+ stick.

I'd suggest staying with the NICd stick: they're robust, proven and are designed for the light, and not outdated in any way.

Another option would be to purchase a Streamlight stick for the 20X/LED (uses a 2400MAH NiCd cell) and chop two of the cells and re-solder the strip (that connects the negative to the positive end.

-dan

 

[rmteo]

Here is a ready made solution:
http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1974

 

[Windex]

I've been making higher cap Stinger sticks for several years, before CPF was even thought of, starting with 2200SC-E Sanyos upto the current 4200MAH cells (haven't tried any of the 4700MAH cells that are out).

The toughest issue with making them is finding the collar/flat to attach the negative terminal to the positive end of the stick.

Remember, though, that Streamlight's fast charger won't charge the higher cap cells, and it takes a long time to trickle charge a 3000MAH+ stick.

I'd suggest staying with the NICd stick: they're robust, proven and are designed for the light, and not outdated in any way.

Another option would be to purchase a Streamlight stick for the 20X/LED (uses a 2400MAH NiCd cell) and chop two of the cells and re-solder the strip (that connects the negative to the positive end.

-dan

Part of the reason I want something different is battery memory.

Ebay lists 3000mah sticks for a pretty decent price..... NiMH. Will those charge in the "slow" charger that my streamlight has? How long is "a long time"?


Thanks



Edit to add:

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-6V-CHARGER-fo...25352616QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0

Seems like that would help in charging the after-market sticks.

 

[sadtimes]

Ive been a LEO for 5 years now. I picked up a polystinger with the piggyback fast charger 3 years ago off of ebay for a killer deal of 55.00 bucks.. lol wish i could get more at that price...

I mounted the charger in the trunk and always keep the light on my belt, after all that is the purpose of a piggy back charger right?

I used to work 2 weeks of day shift and 2 weeks of night shift, and of course they are 12 hr shifts so we work 14 days a month...

here is my point, lol, I am still using one of the original batteries, and i just very recently, like end of 2008, replaced the other original battery. I always left a battery on the charger, and it was wired hot all the time, not to the igniton ( which is very stupid and burns me up to find cars with all the electronics wired to the ignition... arrrggghhhhhhh)

you really cant go wrong with the originals especially if you have the piggy back charger as you will never had a dead light at work... and if the batteries need replacing every 3 years, im good with that...

 

[dano]

Part of the reason I want something different is battery memory.

Ebay lists 3000mah sticks for a pretty decent price..... NiMH. Will those charge in the "slow" charger that my streamlight has? How long is "a long time"?


Thanks



Edit to add:

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-6V-CHARGER-fo...25352616QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0

Seems like that would help in charging the after-market sticks.

The "memory Effect" is a huge MYTH and not something to worry about or avoid a product because of it.

I've never seen a Nicad have a "memory." I have seen damaged cells that exhibit similar effects, however it takes a lot of abuse to get a Nicad cell to vent. Flashlight usage is not going to cause a Nicad to vent.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

dano, will the fast charger charge a NiCd 2400mAh stick? Also, why won't it charge the higher cap, 3000mAh+ sticks? Thanks,

Bill

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I have answered my question. The Streamlight Stinger fast charger has a built in timer backup. If more than 2 1/2 hours (more like 3 hours) elapses and the maintenance charge has not started the timer will cut off full charge rate. So, it obviously takes longer than 2 1/2 hours to charge a more or less depleated 2400mAh and the timer will cut off full charging leaving the battery undercharged. Think I will send my fast charger to one of our EE's and have the timer deactivated. I monitor my chargers anyway so no way it would overcharge.

Bill

 

[keith p]

Think I will send my fast charger to one of our EE's and have the timer deactivated. I monitor my chargers anyway so no way it would overcharge.

Bill

Hi Bill,

Any chance your EE's figured out how to deactivate the timer? If not, I may give it a look.

 

[fivemega]

Think I will send my fast charger to one of our EE's and have the timer deactivated. I monitor my chargers anyway so no way it would overcharge.

Bill

Why not unplg it after 3 hours then plug it back for top off?

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Why not unplg it after 3 hours then plug it back for top off?

Hi keith p and fivemega. After my post, I did not send my fast charger to one of our (CPF) EE's and instead did what fivemega suggested today, unplug it and plug it back in. Probably not a good idea to defeat a safety measure anyway.

Bill

 

[HarryN]

I have a Triton II which more or less has a similar limit - 10,000 mah max. I don't hit that very often, but the easy way is to just reset it part way through the charge.