Would you carry a 17500 size EDC?

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There are many interpretations on what's an EDC, and what's the perfect size.
I'v been thinking about this for a while,... why no 17500 EDCs on the market?

The new round of 18650 EDCs are getting alot of attention, how about a 17500 size.
The 17500 cell is only slightly longer than an AA, and as wide as a RCR123, with 1/3 longer runtime over the RCR.

Many people (like myself) use rechargeables, so it's no harder to buy a 17500 cell than a 18650 ect...

* Is there a perfect size EDC,
& if your favorite flashlight brand came out with a 17500 size EDC, would you carry it?

The Sandwich Shoppe's had a 1.5x123 Aleph power pack available for a while, and there've been a few comments about it's disappointing sales.

I've never found any use for the 17500 cells I bought a while back. The applications I envisioned using them in (mainly rechargeable options for 3x123 hosts) are too limited. 2x18500 and 2x18650 hosts are readily available to us, and 17500's have too big a disadvantage in capacity, IMO. If the 1.5cm length savings is ever important to me, I'd rather go with 18500's.

I guess the point being made here is that there are many already available AA/14500 lights that could be bored out to fit the 17500 without the light being wider than it already is. The WE Angel A is a prime example of this idea, the body is wide enough for the RCR123 and long enough for the 14500, why not bore it out to take the 17500.....If you go to the 18500 than you need a new line of wider lights and this might not be feasible.

Hmm, I guess I'm going to order one of those Aleph 17500 tubes to boost the sales. I would sometimes like to have a little more run time on my RCR123 lights like an L1 head or E2DL head that I run on an E1 body. I have a great 18650 body too, but it is too big for me to EDC. I will try an Aleph 1.5 and see how I like it. I already have, use, and like the CR123 Aleph body.

I have a Fivemega 18500 body on the way, but it is limited to the clicky it comes with. The Aleph can accept McE2S switches.

So to summarize, I voted yes expecting good things from my upcoming compact 17500 light.

P.S. I have an old L1 body bored & adapted to 17500 and it works well (it's direct drive) and retains the L1 two stages, but it is still too big for me to EDC. That is my only 17500 so far and the only reason I own a 17500.

gswitter said:

The Sandwich Shoppe's had a 1.5x123 Aleph power pack available for a while, and there've been a few comments about it's disappointing sales...

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mreh, I just EDC my 18650 light, I don't mind the size.. then again, I EDC items that are much larger than average (SOG Powerlock for example)

OK so I cheated, I carry a 18500 light as part of my EDC at work. It is a 18500 tube with built in McClicky that I put a KL4 head on (and I thought my L4 used to get warm )

It is my short range flood searching light and fits nicely in the big internal slot in my stab vest pocket.

I answered yes. It's closest. From a size perspective a lot of 123 based lights are too small to be an ideal form factor to me for my uses. A 17500 or 18500 is better size wise with longer runtime. 18650 is a getting a little bigger than ideal to me. That said I don't see myself buying any light that is Li-ion rechargeable only at this point.

Would I carry one, yes. Would I buy one at this point, if there were lot of options on the market, no.

orbital said:

I'v been thinking about this for a while,... why no 17500 EDCs on the market?

Click to expand...

There is, I have one:

Blindasabat said:

Hmm, I guess I'm going to order one of those Aleph 17500 tubes to boost the sales. I would sometimes like to have a little more run time on my RCR123 lights like an L1 head or E2DL head that I run on an E1 body. I have a great 18650 body too, but it is too big for me to EDC. I will try an Aleph 1.5 and see how I like it. I already have, use, and like the CR123 Aleph body.

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Will the Aleph 17500 tube accept a Surefire KX2 head and tailcap (threads compatible)?

A 17500 or 18500 sized light is, in my opinion, the perfect sized EDC. I've tried tiny single 123A lights, but they're too small for general use. I find myself fumbling with them trying to get a decent hand hold. I am also personally inclinded to loose small objects, and i've almost lost my Nitecore extreme numerous times in the short period I've owned it.

The L1 is the exception here, since it extends just past both ends of my fist while holding it. It is also large enough for me to lose it less, but it is still as small as I would like to go.

A 1*500 sized cell would be great not just for the form factor, but the added runtime and/or output you could get with a larger cell. Currently RCR123a's are a still a little too low on capacity for times when im heavily using my EDC.

I'd buy an 18500 sized EDC, but I might add it would be very nice to run on a primary with a spacer as well.

HKJ said:

There is, I have one:

Click to expand...

That was sort of the point of my initial response. Why run a 17500 if an 18500 will fit? An 18500 fits fine in my Dragonheart, anyway. The 18500 has significantly higher capacity relative to the small increase in diameter over the 17500.

And if you're designing a power pack, and you wanted to limit the length to ~5cm, why would you design it for 17500s and not 18500s? E-series compatibility maybe, but even then, 17mm isn't an absolute limit, and there are other workarounds.

rtt said:

Will the Aleph 17500 tube accept a Surefire KX2 head and tailcap (threads compatible)?

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The threads accept any E-series compatible head and tail.

gswitter said:

... Why run a 17500 if an 18500 will fit? An 18500 fits fine in my Dragonheart, anyway....

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Thought about that,
the reason I chose a 17500 is to try and keep the length & width in proportion.
Ultimately, being slightly narrower and easier to pocket.

gswitter said:

The threads accept any E-series compatible head and tail.

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gswitter, thank you for the information that I was wondering about. I am thinking about building a lego using the Aleph tube and a KX2 head and SF clicky tail. This would be the right length for me.

Well. I think 16340/CR123A size is beautiful.
And CR2 is even more beautiful.

it would depend more on the overall size, shape, design and features, than the type of cell it used.

however...

if you were to take two lights say A and B. They are identical in every way except overall size and cells used.

A=16340 cell
B=17500 cell

I'd rather EDC light A and extra 16340 cell in my belt pack.

however...
I could easily see EDC'ing a 17500 sized light instead of the 16340. The added run time would be a major bonus over 16340 reloads in many situations.

17500 -VS- AA though... no contest, I'd pick the 17500 provided it had a long running low-mode to match the lower output of the AA.

17500 -VS- 14500 though... tough call but I think I'd still take the 17500, provided it has a longer run-time.

orbital said:

The 17500 cell is only slightly longer than an AA, and as wide as a RCR123, with 1/3 longer runtime over the RCR.

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RCR123 = 16340; 16mm wide 34mm long. So 17500 is 1mm wider than RCR123 and as long as 14500 (AA).

I answer definite yes; but for me there are a lot more important considerations than battery type; namely flat regulation, burst mode (e.g. around 1A), and compactness. I don't mind mule / reflector providing it's not wider than the battery tube; I hate turbo head in my pocket :huh:

If those 3 are satisfied, I don't mind RCR123 / AA / 17500 / 18500; no smaller / larger tho. If anybody know such EDC please let me know

I am using an Ultrafire C3 Q5 head with a Civictor V1 body & 14500.
A tad skinnier than my L1T v2.0 and a good 1/4 inch shorter.

The main advantage with this is if an extended blackout prevented me from recharging my 14500, I can fall back on my stash of AAs.

The same 16mm spacer I use to charge my RCR123's in my W-139(?) charger should work to convert 17500 to run on CR123's if needed. I have many more (and more reliable) CR123's than AA's.

Don't forget that most 3AAA lights that use a battery carrier can fit and run off a 50mm Li-Ion. 17500-18500's usualy work without a sleeve. I have a Brinkmann 3AAA 1Watt that makes a decent loaner light (plastic), but when I want to use it myself, I drop in a guilt free 17500 (I JUST got my 18500's) for more lumens and no guilt. I have NiMh AAA's but they are far less reliable at any given moment (I know, I need Eneloop AAA; I have AA's and they are good). 3AAA conversions are usually bigger around, but are also usually cheaper lights (except some Coast/LED Lenser lights) for carefree EDC.

I checked yes, because the size is not an issue, but i'm only going to use 18650, cr123, aa and aaa. So really, no.