What unprotected 123 cells are good for?

[Mike75]

Hi!
I'd like to know what are the flashlights that provide some protection for 123 rechargeables? I've got a charger and 4 unprotected cells lately, but I'm not sure how to use them right - not to destroy them after first use...
Somebody can help me with that?
Thanks!
Michael

 

[cy]

Bare cell are generally good for single cell aplications. provided higher voltage is tolarated.

need to take extra care cell will not ground out. Firefly metal circlip will short out the larger positive post of a R123.

R123 cells can deliver 14+ amps in a dead short condition.

Take extra using bare li-ion cells. If your charger uses a wall wart, it probably pretty safe. If not check out a thread labeled ZZZZZ about a li-ion charger blowing up.

also there have been reports of cell phones blowing up. None of the articles I've read has been verified caused by li-ion cells blowing up. they lump fires in with exlosions, making it very dificult to tell what actually happened.

 

[vcal]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike75 said:
Hi!
I'd like to know what are the flashlights that provide some protection for 123 rechargeables?

[/ QUOTE ]
My gen 4 KL1 (operating on one cell) will strobe when the unprotected R123 cell gets down below 2.75 Volts.

 

[oldtimer]

cy: What do you mean by a Firefly metal circlip? I thought the guy that was in the ZZZZZ thread had a wall wart also? Thanks.

 

[Mike75]

Any other lights that protect the 123 Rechargeables from overdischarge?
What is the safe voltage for those? The one I shouldn't go below, I mean...
Thanks!

 

[cy]

[ QUOTE ]
b2p said:
cy: What do you mean by a Firefly metal circlip? I thought the guy that was in the ZZZZZ thread had a wall wart also? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

nope the charger blowing up had a split board, with primary on one side. low voltage on the other.

wall warts li-ion chargers typically send 300-600 milliamps forward to the charging cradle. much safer setup.

the metal circlip mentioned for firefly holds in the sammie. replace with a O-ring to hold in sammie.

 

[gregw]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike75 said:
Any other lights that protect the 123 Rechargeables from overdischarge?
What is the safe voltage for those? The one I shouldn't go below, I mean...
Thanks!

[/ QUOTE ]

Arc4+ has a low voltage protection for unprotected R123 cells. However, you MUST load the cell into the Arc4+ when it is fully charged and DO NOT insert it when it has a lower voltage since the only way the Arc4+ knows that it is a Li-ion cell is from the higher voltage.

Safe voltage is 3v conservatively. However, my personal experience is that anything above 2.75v is alright.

 

[Mike75]

Thanks, folks, if you have any other updates - I'll be glad to get them.
Michael.