Which batteries to buy question...18650, RCR123, 14500...

[guiri]

Alright guys, I have more and bigger lights and I need to buy more batteries but not sure which ones to buy. Ie, which brand, type, etc.

All I know is that I need the 18650 size, 14500 and RCR123.

I have lights that take the three different kinds but want to make sure I get the best/max battery power I can get.

I've got plenty of eneloops so I don't need anything there but my D10 and Quark AA definitely ran much better on 14500's

I also have a Zebralight SC30 which runs great on RCR123's so should I get some of those or these? http://bugoutgearusa.com/awlifepo4.html

This is all for FLASHLIGHT use so no other products need to be considered.

Linky to the batteries and prices if you don't mind and YES, I would like to support our dealers here with my purchases.

Thankyall and by the way, if there are OTHER batteries that will fit where these fit but that work better for some reason, feel free to point it out.

I'm also getting some of those ACCU brand LSD C size batteries for one of my lights (from Batteryjunction/great price).

One more thing, am I getting protected, unprotected, etc and will I lose a lot of power in protected batteries? YES, I tend to let stuff sit and drain completely as I don't have the discipline to charge stuff regularly and yes, I will have at least one or two lights in the car all the time, including the stinkin' hot NC summer (GAWD is it bad this year)

George

 

[TooManyGizmos]

~

Half the replies you get will say to buy AW's .

There are battery comparison threads you could study .

What cells have you been using since Feb. 2007 when you joined us ?

No 18650's , RCR's or 14500's in your past ?

~

 

[mdocod]

AW brand is the standard recomendation. Pretty good track record, respectable capacity and reliability overall.

Best to stick with protected lithium cobalt cells for most applications (that would be AWs black label protected cells).

Wolf-Eyes, Pila, and EagleTac also carry some/all of these cell sizes. They should all be of reasonable quality and reliability.

Just as important as picking decent cells, is picking a decent charger, or, if you are using one with flaws, to know the flaws so that you can intervene to correct for them as often as possible... You might have a glance at this thread.

I like the Pila IBC the best for charging cell sizes from RCR123 up to 18650s. I'll be testing the new Xtar 6 bay charger as soon as it arrives, (ordered it almost a week ago and haven't seen it or received any shipping confirmation so I'm not sure what's going on there).

Try to make a habit of topping them off more often than not. With some lights, you will have little to no warning before the protection trips and you are in the dark.

Eric

 

[guiri]

Alright, let's see if I can answer all questions in here.

First, I have a couple of Ultrafire 18650's which I bought when I got some DX lights. So far, I'm happy with them.

Got some cheapo rechargeable 123's and not sure what the deal is but I'm not very impressed with them and I think the reason I got rid of my EX10 and stuck with my D10 that I run on eneloops.

Just FYI, I want to avoid primaries like the plague. I HATE the throwing away of regular batteries and in my opinion, they should be outlawed for the amount of waste they create but that's another story.

I bought a Quark Ti AA here and on deciding whether to get that one or an RA I think it was, I went with the Quark when I found out how many lumens it would give me with a 14500 which the seller provide (Ultrafire I think). Love the output with the 14500 so I want more of those for my D10 and the Quark.

I have several lights that take 18650s including a DX light I like a lot, the G5 I just got and other stuff I'll be getting, I'm sure.

As for reading comparisons, my brain shuts down after the first 15 seconds or so of reading so that's completely pointless. It's kinda like people giving me driving directions. Nope, there's a reason I got a GPS. I can get lost in buildings and if anyone has read my posts, you'll know that the first thing I say is keep it simple. I simply can't handle written instructions any longer

I think all that sex I had when I was a young'un somehow messed up my brain...

Yeah, I figured AW's would get the nod as that's all I read here so I expected that but then there are different AW options such as protected, more or less capacity, flat tops, LiFePO4 and all that.

Also, I have the LaCrosse 900 or 909 charger or something (http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/900/index.php looks like this but not sure where it's at right now) and was going to get the Powerex MH-C808M for the bigger batteries and when I want to charge more than one at a time and the Xtar charger seems intriguing too.

From what I understand, that should cover most of my needs for chargers.

I do plan on one day getting better charging discipline but my problem now is that my house a mess and need to get myself organized and put up some kind of charging station/shelf to keep all of this in ONE place and to remind myself to do it rather than having all my stuff in a drawer that I don't see.

Heard good things about the Pila but then, I had the Lacrosse already.

Also, I'm too damn stupid to do fancy stuff with the charger so I would just cram batteries in it, plug it in and that's it.

So, no problems just topping batteries off? I mean, no memory problem or anything as long as they are Ni-Mh's and Li-ion's, right?

Will the powerex charge my eneloops.

Will anything BUT the Xtar (of the three) charge my Li-ion's? I have SINGLE li ion chargers but that's a bit of a pain at times.

Oh, and I might sell around 100 eneloops or more in AA and possibly AAA size (most of them used ONCE) if anyone's interested.

Thanks

George

 

[Monocrom]

Yup . . . AW, Pila, Wolf-Eyes.

As far as Ultrafire goes, you got lucky with the ones you bought. The only consistent thing with Ultrafire cells is their horrible inconsistency. Some work fine, some won't charge at all, some lose their charge almost instantly, some will only charge once . . . If someone told me a white mouse jumped out of their Ultrafire cell, and started tap dancing while whistling Dixie; I'd believe them. That's how inconsistent and unpredictable Ultrafire cells are.

 

[guiri]

Damn! I'd love to see that video

Well, kinda the reason I asked. I figured if they sell on all the china sites, maybe I should consider something else. Again, not to knock'em but I had to look around before I spent my dads hard earned money.

 

[mdocod]

Hi George,

NIMH/NICD chargers do not charge li-ion cells.

You want AW protected black label lithium-ion (lithium cobalt) cells. Not LiFePO4 or LiMn (IMR) or anything else.

You'll find that while RCR123 and 14500 cells are both rated 750mAH, the RCR123s are actually closer to 550mAH, while the 14500 lives up the label claim much better. For small li-ion powered lights, 14500>RCR123.

The Xtar may very well be the best charger for you, the 6 bay capacity will probably suit your needs quite well. Sounds like you will be developing quite a collection in time anyways. You'll need some 15mm and 30mm dummy spacers to charge shorter cells.

Eric

 

[guiri]

Yeah, shame about the capacity of the RCR's but hell, if I have to give that up in order NOT to have to throw stuff away, so be it.

Too bad they can't figure out how to make one of those chargers with the sliding holders that doesn't break. I really like that solution.

That's quite a lot of spacers to buy if I want to use everything at one time...hmm. I may have to stick to my single cell chargers after all (sliding thingie)

Yes, the collection is turning coming along nicely although I have several lights I'll be selling off, including a couple I can't find but I'm set to inventory and pack up everything in the house so unless someone swiped them, they should be here somewhere.

Hell, I have a nitecore extreme that I have a buyer for but I can't find it

 

[guiri]

So, this is what I want then?

- Protected 18650 ( 2200mAH ) ---- $12.00 each

- Protected 14500 ( 750 mAH ) ----- $ 9.00 each

- Protected R123A ( 750 mAH ) ----- $ 6.00 each


So, what's the deal with the other sizes? Where do they go?

- Protected 18500 ( 1500mAH ) ---- $10.00 each
- Protected 17670 ( 1600mAH ) ---- $10.00 each
- Protected 17500 ( 1100mAH ) ---- $10.00 each
- Protected 14670 ( 1100mAH ) ---- $10.00 each

 

[KiwiMark]

So, this is what I want then?

- Protected 18650 ( 2200mAH ) ---- $12.00 each

- Protected 14500 ( 750 mAH ) ----- $ 9.00 each

- Protected R123A ( 750 mAH ) ----- $ 6.00 each

I have several of each of them - they are good reliable cells, they'll work great for the lights that fit them.

So, what's the deal with the other sizes? Where do they go?

- Protected 18500 ( 1500mAH ) ---- $10.00 each
- Protected 17670 ( 1600mAH ) ---- $10.00 each
- Protected 17500 ( 1100mAH ) ---- $10.00 each
- Protected 14670 ( 1100mAH ) ---- $10.00 each

Yeah, those ones are much less common.
18650 are 18mm dia, 65mm long, cylindrical cells.
18500 are 18mm dia, 50mm long, cylindrical cells. A shorter cell for lights that can't fit the longer ones.
17500 are 17mm dia, 50mm long, cylindrical cells. A skinnier version of the above cell.

I'm not actually sure what these other sizes fits, but if you had something that needed that size cell then I'm sure you would know it.

 

[mdocod]

I'd be tempted to see if the lights you are using will work with the new 2600mAH cell. The 2200mAH cells are closer to 2AH in most tests, while the 2600mAH cell has tested pretty close to label ratings.

If your flashlights might not work with the flat top design of the 2600 cell, then check out the eagletac 2400mAH 18650s.

----

Assuming that the drive voltages are appropriate here are some common applications for these other cells...

18500s are commonly used in 2x18500 hosts, which are convenient for folks who want backwards compatibility with dropping in 3xCR123s and having similar operating voltage.

17500s are the same length as the 18500, but smaller diameter, will fit in most surefire bodies. For use in many 3xCR123 lights that won't fit the larger diameter 18500 cell. There are many custom configurations out there that use these in 3-abreast stacks for modded flashlights.

The 17670 is for lights that are the length of 2xCR123/1x18650 but aren't bored to fit the 18mm diameter cell. 2x17670 fits in a 4xCR123 body like the SureFire M4. Also used in 3 abreast stacks for various modified flashlights.

14670, often used 3 abreast in modded mags and such where no boring is desired. Also, some E series surefire bodies are too tight to fit even the 17670, so folks will sometimes step down to the 14670 to get a rechargeable solution.

Truth is, that's probably just the tip of the iceburg. In fact, most of these cell sizes (with the exception of the RCR123) actually originated in other products. Like camcorders, point and shoot cameras, laptops, and other consumer electronics.

Eric

 

[guiri]

Thanks, so are the eagletacs protected and which choice is better, the 2200 or 2400?

 

[vudoo]

My advice is to save and get the best stuff e.g. AW cells and a Pila battery charger.

I started getting some of the cheaper stuff but the cells failed, charger needing monitoring to see it didn't charge above 4.15 volts etc...it was better off getting quality gear from the start.

 

[guiri]

Good advice but I know I won't be monitoring anything. I'll forget or I won't be able to figure out how to do it, etc, etc. Best batteries, yes, not sure about the Pila though. I'd have to get rid of the lacrosse then

 

[mdocod]

If you know you won't be monitoring the charge, then you would be best served in the long run by a charger that properly charges and properly terminates the charge. I've only tested one charger to date (there may be others out there) that does this properly, and that is the Pila IBC. If the Xtar does this, then that may prove to be the more appropriate direction to go.

If I had to choose between an AW 2200mAH 18650 and an EagleTac 2400mAH cell, I'd go for the EagleTac. More true tested capacity, reputable company, and a lower price.

Eric

 

[ti-force]

If you know you won't be monitoring the charge, then you would be best served in the long run by a charger that properly charges and properly terminates the charge. I've only tested one charger to date (there may be others out there) that does this properly, and that is the Pila IBC. If the Xtar does this, then that may prove to be the more appropriate direction to go.

If I had to choose between an AW 2200mAH 18650 and an EagleTac 2400mAH cell, I'd go for the EagleTac. More true tested capacity, reputable company, and a lower price.

Eric

Eric,

You really know your stuff :candle: . Hey, didn't I read in another thread that you're testing the Xtar charger? If so, how is looking?

Casey

 

[mdocod]

Eric,

You really know your stuff :candle: . Hey, didn't I read in another thread that you're testing the Xtar charger? If so, how is looking?

Casey

Hi Casey,

Thank You!

I ordered the Xtar about a week ago, hasn't shown up yet

-Eric

 

[ti-force]

LOL..... I know how that goes. I'll keep an eye on your thread:thumbsup:. BTW, thanks for taking the time, and sharing your knowledge on these things.

 

[Monocrom]

If I had to choose between an AW 2200mAH 18650 and an EagleTac 2400mAH cell, I'd go for the EagleTac. More true tested capacity, reputable company, and a lower price.

Eric

Reputable??

Sorry Eric, but I still remember the less than reputable way Eagletac came on the scene. And the less than reputable way they continued afterwards. Not trying to hijack the thread, so I won't go into details. But I'd rather go with AW over Eagletac any day of the week.

 

[guiri]

Well, I am interested in their reputation and I DID start the thread so hijack away

So, Eric, buy more chargers then? Damn! I was hoping to avoid it. Not just for the money but I have the house full of stuff...

Thanks