RCR in Quark CR2

So I've got this little guy and love it: https://www.foursevens.com/products/MLR2-AE

Question though - is anyone using RCRs with this? I feel like there is a huge disadvantage on an EDC to not be able to use rechargeable batteries. Lets say I find myself in need of using it for ~20 minutes on high (or a few hours on low), etc. If I want to be fully prepared for the next time I need it, I have to either A) Replace the battery B) Keep a new battery with me C) Hope I don't ever need it longer for what is left (defeats the purpose of an EDC).

Thoughts?

3.7V cells will put it in overdrive and void the warranty. People have reported success and increased output, but I wouldn't recommend it.

You can try using 3.2V RCR2 LiFePO4, since its voltage will fall to 3V under load, ensuring full compatibility. The drawbacks are that they will have miniscule capacity, not to mention the fact that there is no protected LiFePO4 RCR2 available, meaning that you have the risk of damaging the cells since the Quark doesn't have low-voltage cut-off.

My recommendation? Get a larger light that makes use of more common battery types, and keep the Quark CR2 as backup.

I appreciate the input. Anything bigger and it is not useful as an edc keychain light though. Any other ideas

How about 10440-compatible 1xAAA lights? They are pretty small and fit the keychain duty pretty nicely.

I have a Lumapower LM21 dangling on my keychain as my tertiary/beater light, and it's fully compatible with 10440 cells, being able to preserve its lower output modes.

It'll be longer than your Quark CR2, but thinner. It's got a clicky, so you don't have to fumble with the head to turn it on.

Plus, AAA cells are much more ubiquitous than CR2 cells, and you can find them damned near everywhere when you need them in emergencies.

I find myself in the same situation; I love my Quark CR2 light but hate the thought of having to use non rechargeable batteries.

Like enomosiki pointed out, the options for rechargeable batteries in a 15270 format are pretty slim. And non existent in a protected rechargeable battery.

Doing some (very, very) quick internet shopping and math:

Capacity:
Typical lithium primary CR2 capacity is around 750mah
Lifepo4 CR2 is around 200mah
L-ion is around 600 to 800 mah (advertised capacity, that's probably optimistic but somewhere in the neighborhood anyway)
Cost:
Primary CR2s go for around $2/each.
Lifepo4 CR2s around $4/each
L-ion CR2s around $$2.50 each

Price wise, L-ion would clearly be the way to go. Even if you only got one charge out of the battery and ruined it, it would still only cost around the price of a primary disposable. You would have to factor in a prorated price on the charger of course but the price on those is pretty reasonable as well.

That being said though, because of the higher voltage, I don't know if you could use a l-ion in a quark or not. I have seen some lights that are OK with the higher voltage and some that are not. In my experiences with some of my lights, my ITP CR123 light worked fine with l-ions (the high setting was significantly brighter and isn't that what we all want anyway?) but my Fenix CR123 did not. A rule of thumb for me is that if the mid and high settings on a l-ion have the same brightness, the light could likely be damaged by the higher voltage.

Now, I don't suggest you try any type of rechargeable battery in your Quark and would not suggest that to anyone. Myself on the other hand; I have several l-ion 15270s coming to me in the mail and am going to see how they do.

My miniCR2 is by far my favourite light. I love it - goes everywhere with me. The thing is, CR2 batteries are cheap as chips and in the 12months I've used it I've replaced the batteries 3 times. I just bought 10 in bulk when I got the light and haven't look back.

Obviously my own opinion, but replacing the primary is faster than recharging a cell, the added capacity is a bonus, and the cost of the CR2s is cheap enough that the cost savings is negligible.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

With lithium batteries excellent shelf life, buying in bulk is definitely a good idea.

I mentioned price in my ramblings but for me the real draw for rechargeable batteries is knowing that I always have a battery at close to full capacity. Be interesting to see how the runtime on l-ion stacks up compared to the primary cells, if they will even work in the Quark that is.

The run time on primaries should be much greater. Also, remember the driver in the mini is linear, so while the battery may not be fully charged, the light won't just give out on you until the battery is totally burnt out. Its pretty easy to tell when its nearly dead as well - the difference in brightness between high and medium is almost non-existent.

Horses for courses though. Everyone uses their lights differently and for me the primaries are the better bet. My light gets used once or twice a night for maybe 30seconds each time at most (finding the damn lock on my front door haha).

If I used it for minutes on end all night, then a swap pack of 3 or 4 rechargeable batteries would be a no-brainer.

- Matt

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Mattaus said:

My miniCR2 is by far my favourite light. I love it - goes everywhere with me. The thing is, CR2 batteries are cheap as chips and in the 12months I've used it I've replaced the batteries 3 times. I just bought 10 in bulk when I got the light and haven't look back.

Obviously my own opinion, but replacing the primary is faster than recharging a cell, the added capacity is a bonus, and the cost of the CR2s is cheap enough that the cost savings is negligible.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Click to expand...

so what do you guys do if you use the light for 20 minutes on high? go back and change the battery, wasting the one you have? continue on knowing that you MAY run out when you need it?

7hns said:

so what do you guys do if you use the light for 20 minutes on high? go back and change the battery, wasting the one you have? continue on knowing that you MAY run out when you need it?

Click to expand...

I use a ZTS tester and make sure the battery in my MiNi has 60% or more capacity (sometimes I'm okay with 40%). I have another MiNi that I only use around the house, and that one eats up all the leftovers. The system works pretty well; I don't waste any juice.

Another thing you can do is carry a spare cell. You just need to find or invent a good way of carrying it that's not annoying.

7hns said:

so what do you guys do if you use the light for 20 minutes on high? go back and change the battery, wasting the one you have? continue on knowing that you MAY run out when you need it?

Click to expand...

I have run the Mini CR2 on 15270s, and it's pretty fun: the high is ridiculously high, because it runs direct.

But that also means:
1) You will never, ever get 20 minutes of high out of a 15270 battery. It would exhaust itself in about 7-10 minutes.
2) You will fry your emitter, and likely get a nasty burn on your hand, long before that. IT GETS HOT!!

David is really smart about tailoring his high-levels to the size of the flashlight and its heat-dissipation potential. If you run a primary, then you get a top mode of, what 150 or 180 lumens? And it can handle that without overheating.

But if you run a rechargeable, you'll be getting more like 250-300 lumens. Too much fun, and too much heat.

Short answer: if you want more than about THREE minutes of high, and you also want to avoid burning up your hand and your light, then you do not want to use rechargeables.

Also: 600 to 800 mah in the 15270? Ridiculous. You are lucky getting that out of a RCR 123 cell, and it has far more volume. My guess is that the realistic capacity is more like 300-400 mah, max.

You want primaries. If you told me you wanted to run your light 24 hours a day on low, then I'd advocate rechargeables. But if you want to run it on high, then you want primaries.

You can get Titanium Innovations CR2 from Battery Junction for about $1/cell. That is what I am currently using in my MLR2.

After carrying my Quark CR2 in my pocket for around a year now, I have to admit I am surprised at how long the primary CR2 cells hold up. Typically I run mine on low and sometimes mid but find that the high level is pretty much reserved for shock and awe that so much light can come from such a tiny package.

I did buy some rechargeable CR2s a while back but have only just started using them. They were marked as 3.7 volt lithium ions and 800mah. I knew the 800mah would be wishful thinking but was surprised to find out the lithium ions where actually Lifepo4s. I'm not sure how they will compare to the primary cells, I realize they will have much lower capacity but I have 4 of them and they seem to have an excellent shelf life.

A couple of observations so far; on low and mid levels the brightness is about the same as running a primary CR2 cell, while the highest setting is noticeably brighter, also the current draw on low and mid is around 40% lower using the lifepo4s. Not sure if that means the mini CR2 will accept a 3.7 volt cell without smoking the circuit or not but I plan on letting the extra voltage from a fresh charge taper off on the cells before I use them.

Hi guys! I've got preference for using rechargeable batteries and have been using 350mAh rated 15266s in my mini MLR2. I've been using it exclusively in Low-Medium only... Enough useable light and decent runtime for a small cell light.

I use my MBI lights and AtomVn for shock and awe duty.