finally a 123 light, not aa

ok, i'm finally thinking about a small light other than the 2aa or single aa.
i may try the p3d fenix rebel 100.
can i use rechargeables in this light?
how much would two plus a charger cost, maybe from dx?
anything i should know about using these batteries vs. aa's

this new fenix 100 p3d is rated 200 lumens right
should i just stick to my 2aa and upgrade to a fenix rebel100 with 170 lumens?
i already have a l2d(2aa) cree fenix now at 130 lumens and love it.

what is the new beam on one of these rebel 100s going to look like compared to my current cree fenix.
it has a nice hotspot good for walking and illuminating my driveway 400 feet distance in very dark woods.
i'm not sure i want a floodier light but i am all about max lumens.
someone direct me, on the new rebel, AND on these batteries which i've never used.

Fenix-store.com will do a Cree Q5 bin upgrade on your L2D. There's a thread somewhere in the Dealers Corner.

I ordered a L2D Rebel 100 with the orange-peel reflector and I love it. I have a P3D Cree but two of them didn't work so I got the P2D Cree and now the Rebel is residing on the P2D which is amazing! Beam has a better throw and the hot spot is larger as well. I wold recommend a P2D Rebel 100 and just switch them out as needed.

Also, a Cree Q5 bin would be your best best... but I don't know how much it costs.

Rechargeables are a lot of fun and very practical. As you may know CPFers refer to them as providing "free lumens." Obviously there is a cost up front but you may even use and enjoy your flashlight more after getting some rechargeables. I hardly use anything else anymore

Some people go with the standard voltage 3.0v li-ions. This happens to be a nice all in one package.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/rc390reliba.html

Most people purchasing li-ion go with 3.6v batteries. (3.6v - 4.2v in reality) Although these will not work in flashlights only designed for 3.0v for single cell, or 6.0v for two cell lights, ect, they work very well on many of today's high output LEDs and incan bulbs designed for higher voltages. If you are interested in the PD3 Rebel, the links below will work for that very well. Note: When you order, you'll need to ask to get spacer magnets so that the short RCR123 batteries fit in the charger.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/uf16340.html
http://www.batteryjunction.com/wf-139-.html

Another recommendation that I'll make is to only purchase (protected) li-ions like the ones in the link. There is a lot more to learn about when operating non-protected batteries. Since you're new at the recharge thing, protected batteries will be the best option. It's only a small price difference but could save you an unpleasant experience or worse. You might perform a search for li-ion batteries and read up about them too. I know there is a link for li-ion safety but I can't remember where it is. Someone else will know.

If you go rechargable don't mess around with cheap cells. Running two cells can be risky, so you want to be careful. I'd go with AW's Protected RCR123's, that's what I use in my P3D's. You can order them right from AW in his for sale topic here http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=166496, or from http://www.fenix-store.com. Then you can get the Nano charger, or the Ultrafire 139 dual rapid charger w/ spacers.

Be sure to read up on the proper care of li-ion batteries, there's a link in AW's topic about this.

if i got the new 2aa fenix rebel 100, would the head actually fit on my current 2aa cree.

which would be brighter and whiter, a q5 upgrade or the new rebel 100?
what bin does mine have now?

First off, I have a question about the rechargeable lithiums. What works in the P3D, does it work also in the P2D as well? And if possible, what are the highest capacity, protected, rechargeable CR123-type battery out there that allows you to use all of the modes? Does this exist?

Secondly Jason,

If you have a L2D Cree, then a P2D Rebel 100 will work exactly like your Cree head, no problem. All three models (L2D, L1D, and P2D) will work with each other. It's the P3D that's not interchangeable.

Also, the Q5 bin is the best of all LEDs out right now. Lumen-wise...

q5.
maybe i should just buy a new fenix with the q5

FliGuyRyan said:

What works in the P3D, does it work also in the P2D as well? And if possible, what are the highest capacity, protected, rechargeable CR123-type battery out there that allows you to use all of the modes? Does this exist?

Click to expand...

I've got a P3D I'm running off of rechargeable 123 cells.

I tried rechargeables in the P2D, and for the most part it doesn't work. The P2D is only rated to run 3.0volts max. It will safely run well above that, but it will run direct-drive at turbo and you lose the lower levels. This was on rechargeable 123 cells stated to be 3.0 volt cells.

The fact is that rechargeables come off the charger well above the stated voltage. Since 3.7 cells come off at around 4.2, it's reasonable to infer that the 3.0 cells come of at around 3.5 (I don't have a way to measure). When I pop the 3.0 cells fresh in to the P2D, it's direct drive for about 20 minutes. Then, the cell has drained into "spec" and the lower levels work... but there's only about 10 minutes runtime left.

If you wanna run rechargeable 123 cells, you either have to sacrifice lower levels or get a P3D at this point.