SureFire A2 Aviator - Working Rechargable Batteries

Definitive A2 Protected R123 Thread (no really, this time for real)

I have finally found a rechargeable solution (without modding) for my Surefire A2 Aviator.


I spent a few days reading every thread there is on rechargeables for the a2 and really didn't get much help. Willjitsu made a post a week ago that he and I used to find rechargeable batteries that would fit in the a2 with no modification required. The Definitive A2 Protected R123 Threadwas little to no help at all (this made me laugh) and I was surprised no one had made a thread like this before... so here it is:

if you want to make your SF A2 rechargeable, order this, pop them in, and go. it's really that simple.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/6rcr123a-combo.html
btw I have NO idea if these are overpowered, underpowered, or just right. But what I do know is they work. I'll post if something goes wrong, but so far they fit perfect and work great. I plan on testing run-time etc. I have 6 though (3 sets) so I should always have a set ready to go for zero downtime.

and here's what they look like in my a2:

You didn't happen to read the bottom of the linked page by any chance? :thinking:

Battery Junction said:

NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SUREFIRE FLASHLIGHT. DON'T USE THESE BATTERIES WITH ANY SURE FIRE FLASHLIGHTS.

Maximum discharging rate:< 550 mA

Click to expand...

Just to give you an idea how much capacity primary **123a cells have here's a chart Silver Fox put together




Now considering the A2's Xenon is rated for about 1 hours runtime on **123a primaries you'll be overdrawing those RCR123 cells almost three-fold :sick2:

Kross said:

Definitive A2 Protected R123 Thread (no really, this time for real)

I have finally found a rechargeable solution (without modding) for my Surefire A2 Aviator.


I spent a few days reading every thread there is on rechargeables for the a2 and really didn't get much help. Willjitsu made a post a week ago that he and I used to find rechargeable batteries that would fit in the a2 with no modification required. The Definitive A2 Protected R123 Threadwas little to no help at all (this made me laugh) and I was surprised no one had made a thread like this before... so here it is:

if you want to make your SF A2 rechargeable, order this, pop them in, and go. it's really that simple.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/6rcr123a-combo.html

- Combo Kit: 6 RCR123A 3.0V 750mAh LiFePO4 Rechargeable Batteries with a Smart Charger
​

btw I have NO idea if these are overpowered, underpowered, or just right. But what I do know is they work. I'll post if something goes wrong, but so far they fit perfect and work great. I plan on testing run-time etc. I have 6 though (3 sets) so I should always have a set ready to go for zero downtime.

Click to expand...

Not this again....

Do not follow this newbies advice regarding these batteries - they are not suitable for use with the A2 for various reasons + very poor runtimes out of these cells - even Battery Junction do not recommend them for Surefire lights - as per their sales page....

Your post made me laugh...

James....

The IMR16340's fit perfectly in the A2 body. I'm surprised you were not able to find any information on this on the forum, I thought it was well known. I have occassionally found protected RCR's that would fit, after going through about ten of them, but the ones that would fit were usually pretty tight. IMR16340's are the way to go. They are the same size as the CR123A's.

I agree with Ampdude. Although IMR16340s are 4.2V, they fit perfectly and work fine on the A2's buck circuit. (note: The 3 peripheral LEDs may be a bit brighter.)

I only run my A2 on IMR16340s. :twothumbs

I've put an A2 through a couple of charges of AW's LiFePO4 cells, which are apparently safe for high discharge rates. I haven't yet done a continuous run, so I can't say what effect the reduced capacity has on runtime. The batteries are a good fit though and I feel safer with their lower voltage.

maxspeeds said:

I agree with Ampdude. Although IMR16340s are 4.2V, they fit perfectly and work fine on the A2's buck circuit. (note: The 3 peripheral LEDs may be a bit brighter.)

I only run my A2 on IMR16340s. :twothumbs

Click to expand...

According to this post: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/201375 it says this info:

A2 Aviator
Battery Size: 2xCR123
Regulation Type: buck on incan, "resistored" direct drive on LEDs.
Recommended Input Voltage Range: 4.5-6V (estimated)
Recommended Rechargeable option: 2x 3.0V LiFeP04 RCR123. (may slightly overdrive LEDs but should work fine on the incan side, expect much reduced runtime compared to primaries.
Rechargeable alternatives: none worth mentioning.
*SF battery tubes have pretty tight tolerance, not all RCR123s will fit well. No guarantees

Click to expand...

So are you sure the 4.2V MR16340s would be ok with this flashlight? That seems to contradict with the posted info about using 3.0V LiFePO4 batteries.

ampdude said:

The IMR16340's fit perfectly in the A2 body. I'm surprised you were not able to find any information on this on the forum, I thought it was well known. I have occassionally found protected RCR's that would fit, after going through about ten of them, but the ones that would fit were usually pretty tight. IMR16340's are the way to go. They are the same size as the CR123A's.

Click to expand...

+1 this is probably one of the safest options for making your A2 rechargeable. The Vf for those LEDs may shift over time, but they are inexpensive and probably are worth upgrading anyways if you ever have any problems.

leukos said:

+1 this is probably one of the safest options for making your A2 rechargeable. The Vf for those LEDs may shift over time, but they are inexpensive and probably are worth upgrading anyways if you ever have any problems.

Click to expand...

Do you have a link to where these batteries can be purchased along with a charger suitable for charging them without damage?

If you want to go with LiFePO4, here's a good choice:http://www.lighthound.com/AW-LiFePO4-3-Volt-Lithium-Rechargeable-Battery_p_112.html

If you want to go with LiMN, here's a good choice: http://www.lighthound.com/AW-IMR163...LiMN-Rechargeable-Lithium-Battery_p_2626.html

leukos said:

If you want to go with LiFePO4, here's a good choice:http://www.lighthound.com/AW-LiFePO4-3-Volt-Lithium-Rechargeable-Battery_p_112.html

If you want to go with LiMN, here's a good choice: http://www.lighthound.com/AW-IMR163...LiMN-Rechargeable-Lithium-Battery_p_2626.html

Click to expand...

On that first link it says at the bottom:

DO NOT USE TWO OF THESE WITH INCANDESCENT LAMPS

Are you sure they're OK for the Surefire A2 Aviator since it has an incandescent bulb?

The IMR1634's look interesting. What would the runtime be with a stock MA02 and with a LF HO-A2?

WillJitsu said:

On that first link it says at the bottom:

DO NOT USE TWO OF THESE WITH INCANDESCENT LAMPS

Are you sure they're OK for the Surefire A2 Aviator since it has an incandescent bulb?

Click to expand...

That warning is intended for using two of these "3 volt batteries" with a 6 volt lamp, such as the P60. Folks have done this without realizing they are feeding 7.4 volts to that lamp initially and then realize it after the lamp flashes. The A2 is bucking that voltage down to around 4.5v, so there is no worry there.

WillJitsu said:

According to this post: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/201375 it says this info:

So are you sure the 4.2V MR16340s would be ok with this flashlight? That seems to contradict with the posted info about using 3.0V LiFePO4 batteries.

Click to expand...

I am completely sure. I've run my A2 through atleast 10 cycles with these 4.2V batteries. Nothing has happened to my LEDs or Incan lamp. You may want to also purchase the batteries direct from the manufacturer. AW has a posting in the marketplace:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=191277
(He's great to deal with. It will come direct from China, but he has very quick shipping)

WillJitsu said:

On that first link it says at the bottom:

DO NOT USE TWO OF THESE WITH INCANDESCENT LAMPS

Are you sure they're OK for the Surefire A2 Aviator since it has an incandescent bulb?

Click to expand...

Yes, because it's regulated. I've been using AW RCR123 Li-ion for years in my A2.

Yes, for those that don't realize, the A2 is one of the few regulated incan lights out there. It has a voltage reducing (buck) circuit that reduces the voltage of batteries down to about 4.5V to run the 4.5V incan lamp assembly. The normal batteries are the 3V lithium primaries, but the buck circuit in the A2 is capable of handling the extra voltage of the 4.2V lithium rechargeable batteries. The only difference you'll notice between primaries and IMR16340's is that the LED's will run a little brighter with the IMR's or other 4.2V lithium rechargeables.

The runtime with the red label IMR16340's will be better than with the black label RCR123A's (if you can find any that fit) because the current draw of the stock lamp is about 1.3A and the HO-A2 is around 1.5 or 1.6A (If I remember correctly).

ampdude said:

Yes, for those that don't realize, the A2 is one of the few regulated incan lights out there. It has a voltage reducing (buck) circuit that reduces the voltage of batteries down to about 4.5V to run the 4.5V incan lamp assembly. The normal batteries are the 3V lithium primaries, but the buck circuit in the A2 is capable of handling the extra voltage of the 4.2V lithium rechargeable batteries. The only difference you'll notice between primaries and IMR16340's is that the LED's will run a little brighter with the IMR's or other 4.2V lithium rechargeables.

The runtime with the red label IMR16340's will be better than with the black label RCR123A's (if you can find any that fit) because the current draw of the stock lamp is about 1.3A and the HO-A2 is around 1.5 or 1.6A (If I remember correctly).

Click to expand...

Are these values measured with RCR123's ?
I measure approx. 1.35-1.37A (with my el-cheapo Meter) on Primaries, which is roughly the same (considering the possible error of the amp Meter)

Have you measured the current to the leds, primary Vs. RCR?
- otherwise, I will see if I can find a 10 Ohm resistor and do it on Primaries.

Borrowed my Fluke177 from work...

1.35A / 20.50mA (10 Ohm resistor) on SF123A

EDIT : missed the 2 Ohm internal resistor in the Fluke, so actually 20 mA was with 12 Ohm in the tail.....

leukos said:

If you want to go with LiFePO4, here's a good choice:http://www.lighthound.com/AW-LiFePO4-3-Volt-Lithium-Rechargeable-Battery_p_112.html

If you want to go with LiMN, here's a good choice: http://www.lighthound.com/AW-IMR163...LiMN-Rechargeable-Lithium-Battery_p_2626.html

Click to expand...

I have gone with the LiFePO4 cells from AW in my A2. I am aware of several people claiming that the LiMN cells work well and they are having no issues, BUT: 2 x Li Primaries = 6V, 2 x LiFePO4 cells = 7.2V fresh off the charger, dropping to around 6.6V as a 'normal' voltage, 2 x LiMN = 8.4V fresh off the charger and holding above 8V for a while.

Since the incan is regulated it should be fine, but the LEDs are direct drive and I am not too sure that >8V is a good idea for LEDs designed to run from 6V. I feel safer with the LiFePO4 cells - they are a safe chemistry and can tolerate a high load. They don't give the same run time as primaries, but I have 2 sets and can always carry primaries as backup.

My A2 seems to be working pretty good on the LiFePO4 cells.

Outdoors Fanatic said:

Yes, because it's regulated. I've been using AW RCR123 Li-ion for years in my A2.

Click to expand...

+1


Same here.