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Any chance for an 18500 or 18650 tube?

TRDmatrix

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Sep 5, 2009
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I love my Sundrop xru but I don't use it much because of the short runtime with primary cr123s. I would love to see something like the 2x cr123 tube with shallower grooves for 18500 or 18650 batteries.
 

greatscoot

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I love my Sundrop xru but I don't use it much because of the short runtime with primary cr123s. I would love to see something like the 2x cr123 tube with shallower grooves for 18500 or 18650 batteries.

I run 16650's in my 2x123 with an XRU head. Battery life is pretty decent.
 

archimedes

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There have been compatible aftermarket "split-body" tubes, at times, including those by Tranquillity_Base and Moddoo
 

McGizmo

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I love my Sundrop xru but I don't use it much because of the short runtime with primary cr123s. I would love to see something like the 2x cr123 tube with shallower grooves for 18500 or 18650 batteries.

The E-series thread geometry and O-ring groove in particular preclude a bore large enough in diameter for the 18 mm batteries and apparently a good number of the 17 mm batteries as well. That is to say I won't be party to such a thin wall section at the groove dictated by these batteries.

But with the advent of all these custom vapor devices a number of Li-tion protected batteries are now available in other sizes that can provide for more capacity. I personally use a 14500 in a 1xAA pak and recently purchased some 16650 protected LI-Ion which easily fit in the 2x123 McClickie pak. Don't know if that helps or not.
 

easilyled

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The E-series thread geometry and O-ring groove in particular preclude a bore large enough in diameter for the 18 mm batteries and apparently a good number of the 17 mm batteries as well. That is to say I won't be party to such a thin wall section at the groove dictated by these batteries.

Have you ever considered making non E-series lights for the twofold advantage of being able to house 18mm batteries as well as larger light engines with consequently superior heat-sinking?

The Aqua/Terra-Ram series as an evolution of the 27LT is obviously one such example where you have done so, but it might also have been nice to have had an equivalent of the Aleph-Series, such as the "Beta-Series", with wider intercompatible parts and light-engines that could have been based on the C-series sized bores, for example.
 
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McGizmo

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easilyled,
I have considered a number of ideas over the years but I am only one person and committing to being able to ship any request within 24 hours typically means I have a significant investment in inventory; most of which takes a while to turn over. By a strong margin, the Haiku 1x123 is the most popular light of my offering and the 2x123 and Aqua/Terra offerings have been much less in request. Realistically, there is a whole lot on offer these days in terms of lights and I make that statement without looking into the forum beyond McGizmo but just considering what I am exposed to in ads and spam as well as social media. Heck it seems there is a good number active in the little niche I moved into those many years ago! If I perceive a gap that I think I could fill effectively I would consider it but I need to take care these days. I still believe in what I offer and I will continue in offering as long as there is interest.
 

easilyled

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easilyled,
I have considered a number of ideas over the years but I am only one person and committing to being able to ship any request within 24 hours typically means I have a significant investment in inventory; most of which takes a while to turn over. By a strong margin, the Haiku 1x123 is the most popular light of my offering and the 2x123 and Aqua/Terra offerings have been much less in request. Realistically, there is a whole lot on offer these days in terms of lights and I make that statement without looking into the forum beyond McGizmo but just considering what I am exposed to in ads and spam as well as social media. Heck it seems there is a good number active in the little niche I moved into those many years ago! If I perceive a gap that I think I could fill effectively I would consider it but I need to take care these days. I still believe in what I offer and I will continue in offering as long as there is interest.

What you offer is excellent and I have bought and still possess many of your lights, as you may possibly recall amongst your many other very impressed customers.

Indeed you are a victim of your own excellence because I/we know that whatever new flashlight niche you were to explore, you would excel in above and beyond almost anyone else!

That's the only reason I asked. :)

EDIT: Having said that, one of the reasons that your Haiku is the most popular light in your arsenal may be that its pocketable being a 1 X 123 sized light. That was no doubt what you were alluding to. Maybe if you offered a 1 X 18350 sized tube for the Aqua/Terra-Ram series, this would be very well received on a similar basis? I possess 2 AquaRams (1 with XM-L2 and 1 with XP-G2) and I find them to be of superb quality and design.
 
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borealis

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The E-series thread geometry and O-ring groove in particular preclude a bore large enough in diameter for the 18 mm batteries and apparently a good number of the 17 mm batteries as well. That is to say I won't be party to such a thin wall section at the groove dictated by these batteries...

Not to beat a dead horse, but... the "MDC 18650 to E-Series Body" ($95 for aluminum) comes with a little converter/extender -- E-series thread for the head, slightly bigger thread on the other side for an 18650 body.
 

McGizmo

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Not to beat a dead horse, but... the "MDC 18650 to E-Series Body" ($95 for aluminum) comes with a little converter/extender -- E-series thread for the head, slightly bigger thread on the other side for an 18650 body.

And that is what would be required.
 
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