What Is The Purpose Of A 12 AA Cell Large Flashlight ??

[billt460]

I recently purchased this flashlight from Harbor Freight. It is an excellent flashlight for the money. It has both a "HIGH" setting, as well as a "LOW" setting. And it also has a, "SOS Strobe" setting. It is extremely bright and well made.

The only "problem" is, it takes 12, AA batteries in a removable pack. It could have been easier, (and possibly cheaper), if it had been designed to take 3 or 4 "C Cell" batteries. Or even multiple, "D Cells".

Does anyone know what is the purpose is of having so many smaller AA Cells? I would think it would last longer with the larger cells. Or is it a voltage issue of some type? Thanks in advance.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

[CarpentryHero]

Usually it's a cheap way a manufacturer can get the voltage up, though some could be in series and some parallel in the same light.
The AA batteries would probably sag less the d cells especially if you have four doing the job of one

 

[alpg88]

voltage increase so they can install more powerful led, using common batteries widely available everywhere.

 

[snakebite]

Sell lots of aa cells.
Really its to get 12v for a quad die led without li-ion.
Time to order some ikealoops!

 

[KITROBASKIN]

More capacity (runtime) as well? Uses common batteries?

 

[alpg88]

This is not a bad set up in general. 12aa. i build a triple p7 maglite that runs on 12aa 13-14 years ago, take it camping all the time. i can use nimh AAs, It is also dual bored to accept 18650 side by side, i have a 6x18650 holder for it, it would give me much more runtime, but i almost never used it. I seldom use this light now, due to weight and size, but back when i build it, it was used a lot, it would light up entire campsite. there were very few lights that could match it back then. There was a member here years ago Der Witchel, he used to make and sell 3xp7, and later 3xml kits with drivers for maglites.

 

[Flashlightmaster2021]

I recently purchased this flashlight from Harbor Freight. It is an excellent flashlight for the money. It has both a "HIGH" setting, as well as a "LOW" setting. And it also has a, "SOS Strobe" setting. It is extremely bright and well made.

The only "problem" is, it takes 12, AA batteries in a removable pack. It could have been easier, (and possibly cheaper), if it had been designed to take 3 or 4 "C Cell" batteries. Or even multiple, "D Cells".

Does anyone know what is the purpose is of having so many smaller AA Cells? I would think it would last longer with the larger cells. Or is it a voltage issue of some type? Thanks in advance.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

to make you spend more money $$$$$??????

 

[billt460]

I have since purchased this flashlight as well. It has a 4 cell AA power pack. It offers 3 settings. "HIGH", "MEDIUM", and "LOW". And it is quite bright on it's highest setting. It's a nice flashlight for the money.

A bit off topic, but which Alkaline AA Batteries do you guys find to be the best as far as not leaking? I ask because last year I purchased a "72 Pack", of Ray-O-Vac AA's at Lowe's, and within 4 months over half of them started leaking right in the container they were packaged in. A white crumbly powder started emerging from the ends of the cells.

The other day I bought 2, "16 Packs" of Eveready AA's. They claim a 10 year shelf life. It seems ALL AA's purchased today seem more prone to leakage than the same batteries purchased 20 years ago.

Back then I left several Duracell AA's in a old Canon 35 MM power winder, for an older Canon A-1, 35 MM film camera. It thought for certain they would have leaked. But they didn't. They swelled up a bit, but all were easily removed, and nothing internally was damaged.

And they were in the power winder for almost 2 decades. Alkaline AA batteries today would have leaked everywhere in less than 3 years. It seems battery quality has gone to hell.

750 Lumen Waterproof Tactical LED Flashlight

Amazing deals on this 750 Lumen Waterproof Tactical Flashlight at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[HarryN]

It is very easy to purchase high quality Li primary cells in AA at any retail store, but nearly impossible to buy them in any other size.

Similarly, it is very easy to find high quality AA NiMH cells with a wide range of discharge vs capacity curves, but more challenging in other battery sizes.

As an example of what is possible in AA cells, look at AACycler.

AA Cycler

Most people own at least some devices at home that use AAs, so with some effort you can have most of the devices run one common battery size.

So in general, that what makes them interesting.

 

[HarryN]

I have since purchased this flashlight as well. It has a 4 cell AA power pack. It offers 3 settings. "HIGH", "MEDIUM", and "LOW". And it is quite bright on it's highest setting. It's a nice flashlight for the money.

A bit off topic, but which Alkaline AA Batteries do you guys find to be the best as far as not leaking? I ask because last year I purchased a "72 Pack", of Ray-O-Vac AA's at Lowe's, and within 4 months over half of them started leaking right in the container they were packaged in. A white crumbly powder started emerging from the ends of the cells.

The other day I bought 2, "16 Packs" of Eveready AA's. They claim a 10 year shelf life. It seems ALL AA's purchased today seem more prone to leakage than the same batteries purchased 20 years ago.

Back then I left several Duracell AA's in a old Canon 35 MM power winder, for an older Canon A-1, 35 MM film camera. It thought for certain they would have leaked. But they didn't. They swelled up a bit, but all were easily removed, and nothing internally was damaged.

And they were in the power winder for almost 2 decades. Alkaline AA batteries today would have leaked everywhere in less than 3 years. It seems battery quality has gone to hell.

750 Lumen Waterproof Tactical LED Flashlight

Amazing deals on this 750 Lumen Waterproof Tactical Flashlight at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

In general, don't buy alkaline cells. It seems like eventually they will all leak.

Switch to either Li primary cells or a Ni based rechargeable cell.