Noobie mistake? Did I buy the wrong battery?

Hey everyone!

I brought a Duracell ultra battery the other day for my (don't laugh) Aurora 1.5W LED torch.

I haven't been able to afford a battery in a while (about $10 each=uk) so when I went to buy it, I had the choice between the 'silver' Duracell battery (embarrassing myself now) and the slightly more expensive Duracell ultra.

The thing is, I remember my torch being brighter...did I buy the wrong battery?

Thanks!

Steve24 said:

Hey everyone!

I brought a Duracell ultra battery the other day for my (don't laugh) Aurora 1.5W LED torch.

I haven't been able to afford a battery in a while (about $10 each=uk) so when I went to buy it, I had the choice between the 'silver' Duracell battery (embarrassing myself now) and the slightly more expensive Duracell ultra.

The thing is, I remember my torch being brighter...did I buy the wrong battery?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Alkaline batteries are not suitable for high-current applications. If you don't use your torch much then try energizer lithium AA batteries from ebay or online dealers (4sevens has a 4-pack Energizer e2 lithium AA for US$13 shipped).
If you plan to use your AA torch often or/& have other electronic equipments running on AA, I'd suggest a NiMH charger to use with Low self-discharge NiMH batteries like Eneloop, they give much better value in the long run.

BTW, :welcome:

+1 for Eneloops and a charger, it's a tall initial investment, but all your battery use will be free from then on.

dudu48 and StarHalo: the aurora 1.5 watt is a CR123 torch, not a AA torch. AA cells don't cost $10 a piece, not even in the UK.

Steve24: you probably bought the right battery. Check if it is CR123 and 3 volts, if it is, it's the right cell. The light is just not a very good light. You probably liked it a lot the first time you clicked it on because it's a lot brighter than those cheap incandescent torches. It still is, but there are much better options out there running on a single AA cell. Look at Fenix, Quark and Nitecore and get a single AA light from them and a pack of eneloops (duracell whitetops) and a decent charger (for a good charger: get one with delta V detection, usually mentioned somewhere on the packaging). After 10 battery charges you'll come out ahead from buying CR123's for your aurora torch.

you will get a cr123 battery at Lidl stores for £1.99 if money for batteries is tight or get rechargeables

+1 on getting rechargeables. You can get two rechargeable 123cells and a charger online for less than a single cell in Boots or WH Smiths.
Failing that, buy normal batteries online and they are a whole bunch cheaper. Check out e'bay, amazon or 7dayshop to give you an idea.

JBorneu said:

dudu48 and StarHalo: the aurora 1.5 watt is a CR123 torch, not a AA torch. AA cells don't cost $10 a piece, not even in the UK.

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My bad, I somehow mistook it as akoray (I thought he meant alkaline as the light appears dimmer than it was).

4sevens CR123A batteries seem pretty good and only US$19 for a pack of 10, though Li-on should be the best option for guilt-free lumens

It's much cheaper to buy CR123 online. You probably have the right battery though. Get rechargeable if you can, and also buy lights online (and maybe overseas). From what I hear it's cheaper that way.

:welcome:

Steve24 said:

I haven't been able to afford a battery in a while

Click to expand...

That's a good reason to buy a couple of rechargeables and a charger. Then you can use your light whenever you like.

If you can spare some money at the moment you could buy a good torch from here - they are good to deal with and ship worldwide for no extra charge. Special only till tomorrow (I think).