M3T and rechargables

I'm about to buy a Surefire M3T but want to know what rechargables will fit in it.

I will be ordering AW's rechargables.

Thanks.

Two protected 17500's take the place of 3x CR123a.

Cool thanks leukos.

Is the output the same? What about the runtime?

If I had a rechargeable solution for the M3T/M3, it would see a ton more use!

-Goatee

Upon futher research I found a post with runtimes on the AW cells.

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=126125&highlight=m3t+17500

Well I've just ordered it.

Is it good or bad that I feel kinda sick? :lolsign: :nana:

Including charger and batteries it cost £202 or $372

Hi Mad1 -
That was an evaluation of the MN16 on AW17500's. It provides a fairly flat discharge out to 20 min providing 200 lumens or better (compared to the P91). I didn't do it at the time, but the MN15 should provide substantially longer run times and will also light up with a single click - cold.

As stated in the referenced post... add an a19 with 17670's and you can run the MN16 out to 40 minutes. I have found that 2 Pila 600S cells can light an MN11 with a single click and I would expect the run time to be similar at 40 minutes (however, I have not confirmed). Even though this setup requires a cell extender, I was surprised as to how comfortable it is with the M3 bezel and twistie. It is smaller than the M4.

If I understand right the body needs to be bored out for 17500s and does not need to be for 17670s?

BigBaller said:

If I understand right the body needs to be bored out for 17500s and does not need to be for 17670s?

Click to expand...

Can anyone confirm that? I would really like to know so I could change my order before it's shipped.

I wouldnt like to have to bore the light out.

Negative - Both 17500 and 17670 batteries fit in the factory machined tube (diameter wise). The 18 mm batteries are another matter however.

Mad1 - You are good to go with 17500's to be used in factory form. The 17670's will require a single A19.

Mad1 said:

Well I've just ordered it.

Is it good or bad that I feel kinda sick? :lolsign: :nana:

Including charger and batteries it cost £202 or $372

Click to expand...

Mad1,

You really need to understand that you are a flashaholic and that really does mean that you ARE sick. Now, your thoughts and your feelings are beginning to mirror one another and that means that you are becoming an integrated flashaholic. Pretty soon, the sick feeling will feel normal and the transition will be complete.

SunStar,

Thank you for the heads up on the 17670's. I have had the extender from Lighthound forever and I have never used it until tonight. I'm gonna walk the dog baby!

-Goatee

Thanks SunStar and Goatee for putting my mind at ease. :laughing:

Great news! I tried the 2 x 17670 w/the extender and it works great with the LOLA in the M3T and the w/the regular M3 set up. Now I have to buy more 17670's.

No boring necessary for the 17670's.

Things are getting better all the time!

The output was a little less than with the 3 x CR123 but it was still very good.

Great recommendations, thanks!

-Goatee

Glad to help guys:rock:

If time permits, I will try to do a run time analysis of the M3T / MN15 / (2) 17500's and M3 / MN11 / (2) 17670's and post results.

SHINE ON - SS

SunStar said:

Glad to help guys:rock:

If time permits, I will try to do a run time analysis of the M3T / MN15 / (2) 17500's and M3 / MN11 / (2) 17670's and post results.

SHINE ON - SS

Click to expand...

Cool. I wont be using the MN16 due to it only having a 20min runtime.

So it would be nice to have a rough idea of the runtime on the MN15

I await your thread.

OK Mad1, here ya go...

Run time for M3T / MN15 / (2) AW 17500 cells fresh off the charger

Output can be summed up in one word - FLAT; or maybe two - EXTREMELY FLAT.
-t=30 min: A very slight diminished output was noticed, however output still exceeded that of an M3 / MN10.
-t=55 min: Slight dimming noticed, however output still equivalent to M3 / MN10.
-t=57 min: Further dimming noticed. Output less than M3 / MN10 but greater than P90.
-t=61 min: P90 brighter than M3T / MN15.
-t=62 min; Lamp shut down occurred.

After an hour of continued use, the TH was lukewarm at best - I wouldn't even consider it warm. The batteries felt the same. Test was run at 78F room temperature with ceiling fan on.

For further interest....

Runtime for M3 / MN11 / A19 / (2) PILA 600S Cells freshly charged

Output was rather constant out to 43 minutes at which point the beam was roughly similar to the P91 with a brighter hot spot.
t=47 min: Output similar to DRB-9HP.
t=48 min/20 sec: Shutdown occurred.

At shutdown, bezel was very warm but not hot enough to burn. M3 body was warm as were the batteries (similar temp to that of the M3 tube).

For further interest....

Runtime for M3 / MN11 / A19 / (2) PILA 600S Cells freshly charged

Output was rather constant out to 43 minutes at which point the beam was roughly similar to the P91 with a brighter hot spot.
t=47 min: Output similar to DRB-9HP.
t=48 min/20 sec: Shutdown occurred.

At shutdown, bezel was very warm but not hot enough to burn. M3 body was warm as were the batteries (similar temp to that of the M3 tube).

Excellent work. Thanks SunStar.

Those times seem acceptable in my eyes for rechargables.

:goodjob:

:goodjob: