U2 battery question...rechargeables? Please help!

chetwynd said:

Hi,

As you can see by my earlier postings, I'm a total newbie and don't have any flashlights yet. I suppose looking back now, when I was about 16 (13 years ago), I LOVED my big maglite...had a little piece of 3/4" PVC taped onto the side with matches, etc in it...so I guess you could say I was showing signs of being into flashlights a long time ago.

ANYWAY, after doing a lot of researching on here, it looks like I'm going to go for the U2. The only other light that interests me is those HDS lights which I think are cool too.

So, one of the the many subjects that I thoroughly confused about is the batteries. What kind does the U2 take, and what kind of rechargeable options do I have? Pila? I guess I'm just overall confused :huh2: about batteries and rechargeable options and am hoping someone can post some links for me to the rechargeable options that are available. I'd probably buy a box of regular batteries for when I want maximum brightness and longevity (like, camping), but for everyday use I would probably stick with rechargeables.

Thanks in advance for the help. :rock:

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chetwynd said:

Ok, so the U2 takes two CR123s. Is the rechargeable equivalent of two CR123s one single 18650?

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chetwynd said:

I don't want any kind of setup that I have to worry about safety with.

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cave dave said:

Any problem with the length of the 18650 in the U2?

Also the ones I see for sale don't have a button top, is that a problem?

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greenLED said:

Before I answer your questions about the U2, allow me to ask you something: what do you want to use this new light for? Depending on your answer, the U2 may or may not be what you're looking for. It's a great "gadget" buy, but there are other options out there that may serve your purposes equally well for a fraction of the cost. I'm not trying to discourage you from a U2, but I wouldn't want you to jump on the bandwagon just for the "cool" factor and be disappointed later on. I've be glad to discuss other possibilities with you.

Back to the U2:

Rechargeable options are readily available. If you get your hands on an old-style U2, you can slip Pila 600a's rechargeable li-ions (formerly called 168A) in there (from the head) and use those without a problem. Pila 600a's are equivalent to no-name 18650 li-ions. If your U2 comes with the plastic insert inside the body, you can still use Pila 600a's (aka 17670 li-ion size, or the old Pila 168s) but you'll need to remove the insert first. Otherwise, you can just leave the plastic insert in and use Pila 600s (slightly thinner). Do not use 2xR123's; two of those in series can add up to 7.2 - 8.4V and will smoke your light. The use of li-ions is not covered by SF warranty, BTW.

Although you can use no-name li-ions, I recommend you use Pila batts for a couple of reasons:

• they are protected against over- and underdischarge, as well as overcurrent and shorts
• they are better made than any other li-ions out there
• they have liability insurance if something were to go wrong

Yes, they are more expensive, but you get what you pay for. In addition, depending on where you get no-name brand li-ions, you might have to tweak your light a little to make things work. Usually, the (+) nipple on those cheap batteries is not raised enough so the spring on the U2's head doesn't make proper contact. What you can do, is to stretch the head's spring a *tiny* bit. Don't over-do it or you'll compress the battery and that may damage it.

Regardless of what people say, *do not* use a magnet to make up for the space. The magnet can shift under shock and you may have a dangerous situation

in your hands. This is especially true if you used unprotected cells (which, given your current situation, I'd *strongly discourage* you from using). Unprotected li-ions can (and will) vent explosively if are handled improperly.

Now, onto other issues:

You've probably heard about all the "issues" with the U2. I believe most of the kinks with the tailcap have been solved out of the factory (unless you buy older stock). If the tailcap fails, it's fairly easy for you to fix things yourself or call SF and they'll send you a new one in a couple of weeks.

The "donut hole" (dark circle in the middle of the beam) is a property of a LuxV focused for maximum throw. It's one of those things that bugs people, but it's something you have to live with when using a LuxV. The degree to which the donut hole is apparent seems to vary among lights. I don't know if this is a function of how the reflectors are tweaked, individual LuxV variations in die height, or individual perceptions of the users. I've had 3 U2's pass through my hands, and the donut hole has always been there; on "real world" conditions (as my primary bike light) the hole is nowhere to be seen.

People complain about tint... well, it's all personal preference. I dislike the X1 bin, and some people rave about it. You can always return the light to SF, but then you may get a worse tint or more prononunced donut hole.

One more thought: SF customer service is really great - send them whatever and they'll fix or replace it for you... it may take a long time, though, and that's a major source of complaints and frustration. I've come to peace with that fact.

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greenLED said:

...it sounds like you are looking for one of those do-it-all utility lights. The U2, even with all its quirks (which, admitedly, some we have to live with, others SF is fixing/fixed), fits the bill; it was designed as a utility light. I bought my U2 because of some of the same reasons you point out.

I also like bright lights, but I also appreciate the option of having lower output once in a while - whether it is for conserving battery power or because you just want to look for something in your pack at night. The U2 is on the verge of what I call a "small" light, but I can still carry it clipped inside a pocket and don't notice it.

The only other tactical clicky-type light with multiple stages that comes to mind is the Gladius. It has multiple "modes", and you can set different levels and preferences. I liked the interface and quality very much - simple and intuitive. For "utility" purposes, though... not so sure. First of all it was designed primarily for use with a gun, so you can't really carry it comfortably, you are stuck with the "strobe", and you can't really use rechargeables.

A couple of other options: L4 with a McGizmo 2-stage switch, or an A2 (I just bought one). Both have twisty-type switches, which I'm not so hot about, but it's the simplest way of getting 2 levels.

The advantage of the L4 over the U2 is it's size, but you lose all the multiple level options (you get 2 with the 2-stage switch). The A2 is unique because of the LED/incandescent combination; I find that very convenient as a surrogate for low/high and the incan beam is *bright*. The disadvantage is that rechargeable options are limited.

Speaking of rechargeables, unless you are a hard-core hot-wire or modder-type of dude, I'd recommend sticking to protected li-ion rechargeables. (I probably mentioned this before.)

OpticsHQ has the best prices on SF products and accessories right now. Go to the Dealer's section on CPF and check out my CPF Specials thread, there's a link there to OpticsHQ. Tell Mike I sent you, just for kicks. jsburlys is my recommendation for Pila batts - can't find lower prices and Jon is a great person to deal with.

Ha! I knew I was forgetting something: HDS...

I've used their lights briefly and was impressed at their brightness and options, etc. Every time I see one, I want to buy it, but I walk away and I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I think it's because I don't see the HDS as filling a niche in my pile of lights. If I had to say anything negative about them... I dislike their design lines

and I think they're a tad too small for comfortable use (and I am not a *huge* guy by any means). Other than that, they're really sweet lights: you can use rechargeables, construction, design, and tech. support are all good, etc. It'd be a nice complement to a U2 if you want to have all the multi-level features and rechargeability in a smaller package (although the "features" remind me more of whay you find in the Gladius).

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