batteries or Flashlight?

So I'm an idiot, but I'm not sure how, yet.

Had one of those cheapo Cree 300lm minis long ago. Didn't work with regular Alkaline or nickel cadmium, seller recommended using 14500. I kept it around just incase I happened upon some in my weekly shopping and remembered, but never did. Recently found it when cleaning, decided to order some of these 14500 on Amazon, sure fire I think, blue. I charged them, placed in light and it started smoking. I tossed the light, assuming it was simply bad from the jump. Hindsight, maybe I should've tossed the batteries too.

Few days ago got a NiteCore SENS AA2. Tonight finally got around to testing. Can ya guess the outcome yet? Yup, same batteries, same result. This time I threw it all away.

So was it the batteries? Maybe it was the first light being bad and harming the battery while in it, then, affecting the new light because of?

Surefire doesn't make 14500 batteries. That Nitecore can't use 14500 batteries either.

The cell voltage was too high in both examples. They were designed to work with about 1/3 the voltage you fed them. The cells were likely fine.

Lol that figures. Now if only their website gave that info. The instruction manual looked like alien symbols. Lol

Oh well, cheap lesson learned. Thanks for info.

Patriot said:

The cell voltage was too high in both examples. They were designed to work with about 1/3 the voltage you fed them. The cells were likely fine.

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Yup, sounds about right and just like me, bringing a gun to a pencil fight. Thanks again.

beyondthebox said:

Yup, sounds about right and just like me, bringing a gun to a pencil fight. Thanks again.

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Sure man!

So in the future, just look to see if the light you have supports 14500's because there's a whole bunch that do NOT. There's also loads of good information about li-ion battery safety over in the batteries & electronics portion of the forum, the quick version being one of the forum stickies. It's easy to make a noobie mistake and I'd have been in the same boat if it wasn't for CPFers.

Cheers.

What kind of charger did you use?

blackFFM said:

What kind of charger did you use?

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The one that came with the batteries.

YOu should not jump into li ion battery technology (which is what 14500 is) without a primer on their safe use and care, read a little bit about them in the Battery & Electronics forum first

Joe Talmadge said:

YOu should not jump into li ion battery technology (which is what 14500 is) without a primer on their safe use and care, read a little bit about them in the Battery & Electronics forum first

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I think I'll just, instead, stick with the generic Alkaline from now on. Lol

but thanks to all of you for the help and info.

beyondthebox said:

I think I'll just, instead, stick with the generic Alkaline from now on. Lol

but thanks to all of you for the help and info.

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Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

Er, I mean, sure, stick with alkalines for now. You'll be back. They all come back

You mismatched really everything here


* when thinking of "14500", You mistook them as replacement for the similar sized AA cells
* "14500 and/or AA" in a small flashlight is ALWAYS SINGLE cell
* with using the 14500 in a 2*AA light You fed it with too much voltage (MUST be under 3 V, was ~8 V at beginning) but this has already been mentionned

Li-ion is great, packs more power into similar sized cell, but there are minimum basics to be observed.
1 * 14500 is a great ECD size
1 * 18650 is the best "overall" size
"protected" cells should offer safety enough

yellow said:

You mismatched really everything here


* when thinking of "14500", You mistook them as replacement for the similar sized AA cells
* "14500 and/or AA" in a small flashlight is ALWAYS SINGLE cell
* with using the 14500 in a 2*AA light You fed it with too much voltage (MUST be under 3 V, was ~8 V at beginning) but this has already been mentionned

Li-ion is great, packs more power into similar sized cell, but there are minimum basics to be observed.
1 * 14500 is a great ECD size
1 * 18650 is the best "overall" size
"protected" cells should offer safety enough

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That's very good info.

ps, my ex girlfriend's nickname was mellow yellow, called her yellow for short. (Roll eyes)

I've never been okay with the use of eye rolling when it comes to adults, nor should any adult, especially a self respecting Male.

beyondthebox said:

I think I'll just, instead, stick with the generic Alkaline from now on. Lol

but thanks to all of you for the help and info.

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No need for that. Go with Sanyo AA Eneloop's

Safe to use in ALL AA flashlight, but a lot longer run time than most all disposable Alkalines.

wjv said:

No need for that. Go with Sanyo AA Eneloop's

Safe to use in ALL AA flashlight, but a lot longer run time than most all disposable Alkalines.

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On the higher lumen modes.... Alks are actually the runtime champs on the lower/lowest modes. Course still may not be worth risking a leak.

I agree also ... alkalines are not worth the leaks. If you're not going to go to Li Ions -- and they are absolutely not for everyone, despite my joke above -- then it does make sense to consider switching over completely to Eneloops, they are the best way to go for most people IMO.

i have had my light from DX for over a year now, its super bright with my trustfire 14500, I just ripped appart my old battery from my 18v makita set, now i have a 10 18650's. I put them in my charger and have half of them charged. I just purchased some cheap intro cree 18650's lights. Im hoping they are better with the new cells, total newb to the lith-ion cell game. I have 3 more 3amp packs ready to open up and 2 1.5 amp. Looking for some other cool things to use them with. great site!

New to lithium ion and running unprotected cells? You are brave!