Spending your $$ - flashlights vs. batteries

... or Euro's, yens, whatever.

When you compare total / average spendings on flashlights and their batteries over time, (roughly) what % of your budget is eaten by each?

I'm not so much interested in total amounts (feel free though). But more in how spendings on flashlights themselves, compares to spending on the batteries you put in them. Bonus points if you can distinguish spendings on primaries vs. rechargeable batteries.

Of course there are related items like flashlight accessories or battery chargers. I think we can leave those out for now, as chargers generally last a long time and can also be used for charging other device's batteries. As for accessories... lump them in with flashlight purchases if you want. Replaceable flashlight parts, LED dropins etc should count as a flashlight purchase, I think. :thinking:

Is it roughly 50/50? You only buy expensive custom flashlights, and then run them on the cheapest rechargeables you can find? Only buy cheap junk lights, but exclusively with top brand primaries? Please discuss! And of course the "why" might be interesting too.

Roughly $2,000 on flashlights and up $800 on batteries and chargers. That's an estimate. You could add possibly 20% to either or both of those figures.

I purchase AW batteries. I haven't need to replace the AW 18650s that I purchased over 2 years ago.

I buy good lights, so I buy good batteries to run them.

When I got my L4 "Pila" we're the only choice, so I bought a 2 - one is still going.

Since then I have bought nothing but AW cells for my rechargeable needs.
when I order from lighthound I always throw in a few dozen decent 123 cells (streamlight, energizer or Duracell) so I hav spares.

Interesting question. I'm a rechargeable battery fan and very careful with them, so less than 5% of my budget so far must have been allocated to batteries VS flashlights including primaries, not counting those that are regularly eaten by my cheapo MP3 player. In general, I only use primaries when I run out of rechargeables, which allows me to be very patient and get them at super specials (usually 20 for 10$ or less for CR123's, AA's and AAA's).

I use rechargeable batteries almost exclusively. The exceptions are (1) in the car and (2) 1 light on the nightstand. I use primaries there for they will be ready in an emergency. Lots of $$$ spent on flashlights. I tend to use AW rechargeable batteries.... They are consistent in size and reliability. Worth the $$$.

I buy lights when i see something i like or want and i have plenty of batteries to suit various and i never count the cost of what i spent as i like to enjoy the use.

Well I got 50 cr123's for $42.50 from a guy on here but otherwise I like having the best so I have 3 3100mah and 3 3400mah AW 18650's and then 4 AW RCR123's 20 eneloops and a pilla and a powerex 9000 so how ever much those are, probably spend $1000 on lights

Flashlights and lanterns themselves, by miles. This year, I'm at around 4%, so far (I thought it would be higher!). Since I use rechargeables for everything that I use regularly, and typically get 3 or more years out of my cells (my first AWs, from late 2008, only this year got to having too low capacity to keep using), I would have to go well out of my way to spend much more on batteries. The only lights that keep primaries in them are those that get few hours, since they're backups, like the ones in my car, and in my tool bag. For the rest, primaries are backup power sources only.

Cataract said:

Interesting question. I'm a rechargeable battery fan and very careful with them, so less than 5% of my budget so far must have been allocated to batteries VS flashlights including primaries.

Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Big fan here too. Let me add that I've spent very little on batteries as I got my hands on several old laptop batteries a few years ago and those unprotected 18650 cells are still going strong.