Which Flashlights have been Tested with LiFePO4 Cells?

[recDNA]

I hope this thread will attract as many folks as possible who have tried the safer LiFePO batteries in their flashlights.

If you have would you please list which batteries you've tried and how each model flashlight has behaved on these cells.

This could be a great resource if enough CPF members share their experience in the same thread.

Thanks!

 

[bigbear]

Nitecore EZ123 - yes
Tank007 M10 - yes

Trustfire TR-801 (single-mode) - no

 

[recDNA]

Nitecore EZ123 - yes
Tank007 M10 - yes

Trustfire TR-801 (single-mode) - no

Thanks! Any discernable difference in high setting output in the two that worked? All modes functional?

 

[T0RN4D0]

Some basic thoughts, if the cells fit the flashlight physically;

-all that work on multiple lithiums, especially primary cr123s (single emitter ones to be safe)
-single cell ones that are NOT direct driven and work with primaries


Well basicly anything that uses a too high or a too low voltage from cells to drive a LED, therefore using a buck or boost converter to adjust the voltage. Beware that li-ions (18650 and alike) basically have perfect voltage for running LEDs, so alot of manufacturers just put a small resistor and run the light with no driver (or limit the current with a buck driver). A single LiFePO won't give out enough voltage for that kind of use.

 

[recDNA]

Thanks for your input but I think a list of flashlights that CPFers have actually tried is the best and most dependable reference.

I hope members will continue to post the lights they've tried and the results.

 

[Niconical]

Surefire E1B: Low slightly higher until some power drained from cell, other than that same as primaries.
Surefire E2DL: Can't remember but as far as I recall the 2 modes were the same.
Surefire 6PL/G2L: Same as primaries.
Fenix TK10: Same as primaries as far as I remember.
Fenix P1D Q5: Low not so low until some power drained from cell but other than that same as primaries.
Streamlight Polytac: Same as primaries.
Romisen RC-F4 from Shiningbeam: Same as primaries.
Romisen RC-N3 from Shiningbeam (in CR123A config): Same as primaries.
iTP C9 and C10: Same as primaries, although maybe the lowest setting might have been a little higher, not sure.

6P with P60 incan lamp: Bad idea, learned that the hard way.
9P with P90 incan lamp: Also a bad idea, and you'd really think I'd have learned from the 6P incident, but I had to try.

Probably more but not sure right now.

NOTE: "Same as primaries" refers to output, not runtime of course.

 

[recDNA]

Surefire E1B: Low slightly higher until some power drained from cell, other than that same as primaries.
Surefire E2DL: Can't remember but as far as I recall the 2 modes were the same.
Surefire 6PL/G2L: Same as primaries.
Fenix TK10: Same as primaries as far as I remember.
Fenix P1D Q5: Low not so low until some power drained from cell but other than that same as primaries.
Streamlight Polytac: Same as primaries.
Romisen RC-F4 from Shiningbeam: Same as primaries.
Romisen RC-N3 from Shiningbeam (in CR123A config): Same as primaries.
iTP C9 and C10: Same as primaries, although maybe the lowest setting might have been a little higher, not sure.

6P with P60 incan lamp: Bad idea, learned that the hard way.
9P with P90 incan lamp: Also a bad idea, and you'd really think I'd have learned from the 6P incident, but I had to try.

Probably more but not sure right now.

NOTE: "Same as primaries" refers to output, not runtime of course.

Thanks for the extensive list. No 18650's right?

 

[Niconical]

No, all of the above refers to LiFePO4 CR123A.

I don't use them any more though, all primaries now.

 

[recDNA]

No, all of the above refers to LiFePO4 CR123A.

I don't use them any more though, all primaries now.

Why did you give up on the safer cells? How do you know when to re-charge when you did use them?

 

[Niconical]

Why did you give up on the safer cells? How do you know when to re-charge when you did use them?

It wasn't that I gave up on the LiFePO4 in favor of RCR123A, I stopped using rechargeables altogether. As for when to charge, quite simple really, if the light goes dim, recharge. Even with a light with a high drain that goes dim quite suddenly, by the time I got the cell out and tested the voltage it had bounced back to more 2v. Of course, under load when it went dim it would have dropped down well below that, but as you can see here, some hard use doesn't bother a LiFePO4 CR123A too much.

Ideally though just recharge when you get a chance and the light will never need to go dim, keep 'em topped off.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

I've used my Novatac 120P on a lifepo4, and for some reason, it does not like to run in the highest brightness, quickly droppnig down to second-highest. I've tried battery-restting the lifepo4, and also running it as a primary. Next I'll try running it as an RCR123A and see if that makes a difference. By "running it as an X", what I mean is doing a battery reset using that kind of battery, then substituting in the lifepo4.

 

[madmook]

Using AW LiFePO4, the blue 500mah one...

iTP A1 works fine, all modes. ~0.5hr runtime on high before noticeable dimming begins.

Quark MiNi 123 works fine in all modes too. ~0.5hr runtime on high before noticeable dimming begins.

Fenix PD10 Ti loses low mode; sequence becomes Med-Med-High. ~1.5hr runtime on medium before noticeable dimming begins.

Romisen RC-C6 works fine too.

I settled on using LiFePO4 batteries when I decided to jump into CR123A lights, so I do not have any li-ion 3.7v RCR123A's.

 

[lightforce2]

My Dereelight DBS has the Javelin pill installed which is regulated from about 1.8v - 4.2v. It runs of an 18650 LiFeP04 or 18650 li-ion or 2xAA

I haven't done a runtime test on the LiFeP04 yet but it will be less than the li-ion

cheers