Which battery is better

[MattSPL]

What would be the best/safest option for a 2x cr123 light.

2x LifeP04's or 1x 17670 protected?

I've done a lot of reading on here about different cell types, and the dangers of running 2 cells in one light, but are the LifeP04's still a safer chemistry?

Cheers
Matt

 

[Labrador72]

It might help if you say which flashlight you are planning to use the batteries with: a given flashlight might work better with one specific type of batteries. :)
I only started using these type of batteries recently and there are plenty of people here who understand batteries so I wouldn't take my answer as definitive, far from it.
LifePO4 seem to be the safest 16340 batteries available provided you have the right charger designed for these batteries. Their capacity is supposed to be low though. Also keep in mind that when using two batteries, if only one is defective you end up having a problem.

Protected 17670 should be pretty safe too, offer better runtimes, and can be charged by most Li-ion charger.

 

[MattSPL]

The light will is a surefire C2L, but i will be putting a Malkoff or other drop in into it, but maybe not right away.

I have LifeP04's in the post for a single cell M31, so wondered should i just stick with the cr123 LifeP04's for both lights, or get a couple of AW 17670 protected cells for the C2?

Cheers
Matt

 

[tandem]

If you are really keen on long runtimes, you might want to consider sending your C2 out to get bored to 18mm. Then you can use 18650 cells with capacities from 2600 - 3100 being most common. I wouldn't do this for the benefit of the M31 as it can't use a 3.7 (4.2Max) V li-ion cell anyway, but for other Malkoffs (I have five myself) like the M61 series variants, an 18650 cell is a really useful size.

Or you could always consider a Malkoff host which is 18mm cell ready.

 

[MattSPL]

If you are really keen on long runtimes, you might want to consider sending your C2 out to get bored to 18mm. Then you can use 18650 cells with capacities from 2600 - 3100 being most common. I wouldn't do this for the benefit of the M31 as it can't use a 3.7 (4.2Max) V li-ion cell anyway, but for other Malkoffs (I have five myself) like the M61 series variants, an 18650 cell is a really useful size.

Or you could always consider a Malkoff host which is 18mm cell ready.

Thanks for the reply.

I was reading about boring out the C2. Does it loose any strength? I'd be interested in doing that so i could run something powerful and still get decent run times.

Cheers
Matt

 

[tandem]

If there are problems with strength after boring SureFire C and P series lights, they are few and far between. Thousands of such lights have been bored (just guessing at numbers based on activity on the forums over the past few years). If it is done well, it should remain plenty strong.

Two of mine were bought bored, done by Overready; another was custom coated and bored but I forget who did the work. There is a boring service advertised either in CPF classifieds or over on CPF Marketplace. Or there is the Malkoff body to consider; the MD2 with the hi-lo switch is really useful.

With the Malkoff 6 series lights I usually use a 1x18650 for long runtimes; they gain a marginal amount of brightness when run on 2xli-ion and I have a few short cells that allow me to do that. What I like about the M61s is how flexible they are with voltage. If I want really long runtimes I can run 2x18650 with an 18650 extender on the C2 or 6P. Or add an A19 extender and make it a C3 or 9P and run 3 CR123A, or 2 AA, or 2 18500 cells.

I have a M61LLL which even runs decently well with 2xAA in a pinch so while the M31 has tempted me, I think I'll stick with the li-ion friendly modules from Gene.

By the way the C2 is one of my favorite lights for construction and outdoor use. Easy to hold on to, even with gloved hands. There's one on my tool belt with a Malkoff M61NLL right now. It takes a ton of incidental use before I need to recharge the darn thing, whether I feed it two 18350 IMR cells or one 18650 2900 or 3100 :D

 

[MattSPL]

Thanks for the info.

I really like the C2, so I might keep this one as is, then get a bored one too.
It certainly gives you plenty of options on what cells to use.

Cheers
Matt

 

[qwertyydude]

I always found it funny with the Surefires. Hey don't like it? You can bore the body, replace the head, replace the tail, put in a different switch, change to a high power aftermarket module, get coated glass lens. About the only thing left that's Surefire is the Surefire engraving. I kinda figure if you're going to be doing that much customizing you might as well have just bought a Solarforce, modding those you're not ruining a very nice and formerly warranted for life light. Doing that to a Surefire is kind like putting ricer body kits and metalflake paint and big fart cans on a Ferrari.

 

[tandem]

Doing that to a Surefire is kind like putting ricer body kits and metalflake paint and big fart cans on a Ferrari.

LOL that made me laugh.

But I do look at modding a SureFire in an entirely different way... the damn bodies in my opinion should be bored by the maker for 18mm cells! :D That said I do have a McClicky switch on all of mine too. And no stock LED emitters either.;)

Replacing the stock P60 with a nice third party module and boring the body for 18mm cells is simply making a great light... better. I don't really need the warranty to be honest. If anything is going to fail it is the module or the switch and I'm sure happy to be backed by Malkoff's great customer in the case of the former and switches - never had one fail on me - are cheap to replace. I'd rather have longer runtimes and a LED module of my choice in the light than the warranty.

 

[MattSPL]

I just like the idea of being able to mix surefire parts to make the light a bit different, then in the case of the C2 where it simple to change the drop in :)