Flashlights that take more than 1 battery type

aginthelaw

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I was perusing my collection and am giddy that my sd4a can take a d-cell, 11,000mah, nimh battery, as well as AA's in the supplied battery carrier. i know my rechargeable maglites can ditch the battery pack for c-cell or d-cell alkalines in a pinch, but are there other lights out there that are as flexible?
 

Modernflame

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With the right spacers and/or dummy cells, much can be done with a Malkoff MD3. This is not an exhaustive list, but off the top of my head:

3xCR123
2xCR123
1xCR123
2x18500
2xAA
2xAAA


This platform also allows for the use of different light engines, depending on the input voltage.
 

novice

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The Fenix CL20 lantern, now, apparently, discontinued, will take either 2xAA, or 1xCR123a. Glad I got one.
 

Timothybil

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There are a lot of lights that are designed for AA/14500 or AAA/10440. like the Nitecore EA11. Of course, for almost any AA or AAA light you will find some users that will swear that a 14500/10440 cell will work 'just fine'.
 

Sos24

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The Streamlight PROTAC[emoji768] 1L-1AA can use AA or CR123.
The Nitecore SRT3 use CR123 batteries and comes with an extender to be able to use AA batteries.
 

jabe1

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Peak Logan with the 18500 battery tube will run on any thing you can get to fit. A little aluminum foil and some paper for shielding and you're all set.
 

xxo

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I like multi fuel lights. Just about any D cell device can be fed with AA's with an adapter, C cells only require a simple spacer tube to run AA's because AA's are about the same length as C cells. There are also 4D to 6 Volt adapters for 6V lanterns.

Streamlight's 1L-1AA and Compact II are designed to run on AA's or CR123's and AAA's will work as well.

The most versatile lights with regards to batteries that I have are an old 2D Mag and a 2D Fulton moonbeam with Nite Ize 74 and 55 lumen LED drop ins which will accommodate 2 to 9 Volts and with some adapters that I 3D printed I can use:

2 D cells

2 C cells (in 2D to 2C adapter)

1 18650 (in 2C to 18650 adapter with the 2D to 2C adapter)

2 CR123's or 2 16340's (using the above adapters)

2 AA's or 2 14500's (in 2 C to 2 AA adapter).

2 AAA's or 2 10440's (in above adapters with a 2 AA to 2 AAA adapter sleeve)

- that's 9 different battery types, not counting similar variations such as 16 or 17650s or a few odd battery sizes which I have not tried, but would likely work, such as 3 N batteries in place of 2 AA's or 3 CR2's in place of the 18650.

cO9yzel.jpg


Again, this is made possible by the Nite Ize drop-ins which will handle the Voltage range of these battery combinations.

WHTPj6R.jpg




Charles Artificer on youtube took all of this to the next level with adapters he made out of lathe turned PVC:




…. and with a 1-9 Volt LED drop-in and an improved set of adapters he made can even run on single 1.5 Volt cells and 9 Volt batteries!

 

moshow9

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Zebralight SC80, though discontinued. I wish I had picked one up when they were out.
 

ZMZ67

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Nice set-up xxo,I like the printed adapters! Illustrates the versatility of conventional D cell lights and LED drop-ins very well. 3AA to D adapters are available in either parallel or series and work nicely as well. Another plus using LED drop-ins is that you can often carry a spare drop-in in the light in the rare event of a failure or if you want a different type of output available that another drop-in may offer.
 

xxo

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Nice set-up xxo,I like the printed adapters! Illustrates the versatility of conventional D cell lights and LED drop-ins very well. 3AA to D adapters are available in either parallel or series and work nicely as well. Another plus using LED drop-ins is that you can often carry a spare drop-in in the light in the rare event of a failure or if you want a different type of output available that another drop-in may offer.

Thanks.

It is amazing that these drop ins work on such a wide range of Voltages!

I normally use the 3AA to D adapters in D cell lights, but I originally printed the 18650 and 2 AA adapters for 2C lights and I printed the 2C to 2D adapter so that I could use them in 2D lights like the moonbeam and incan Mag.

The incan bulbs still have their uses - I run 6 cell Mag xenon bulbs in the moonbeam and 2D Mag with either 2 3AA to D series adapters (9 Volts) or with the 2 14500's in the above adapters - this is nice and bright and works great with IR filters for night vision devices or with blue lenses for blood tracking. LEDs won't work with IR lenses or blue lenses for tracking, incans are needed for this!
 

ZMZ67

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Thanks.

It is amazing that these drop ins work on such a wide range of Voltages!

I normally use the 3AA to D adapters in D cell lights, but I originally printed the 18650 and 2 AA adapters for 2C lights and I printed the 2C to 2D adapter so that I could use them in 2D lights like the moonbeam and incan Mag.

The incan bulbs still have their uses - I run 6 cell Mag xenon bulbs in the moonbeam and 2D Mag with either 2 3AA to D series adapters (9 Volts) or with the 2 14500's in the above adapters - this is nice and bright and works great with IR filters for night vision devices or with blue lenses for blood tracking. LEDs won't work with IR lenses or blue lenses for tracking, incans are needed for this!

I have been a huge fan of LED drop-ins for a long time now,that voltage range is great providing a lot options. Honestly I get just as excited about lights like your Fulton with an LED drop-in as I do new cutting edge lights.One of my favorites,the old Dorcy Lux I drop-ins will run on a single AAA and up to 8V IIRC. Old tech but it has a great voltage range and really got me hooked on LED drop-ins.
 

xxo

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I have been a huge fan of LED drop-ins for a long time now,that voltage range is great providing a lot options. Honestly I get just as excited about lights like your Fulton with an LED drop-in as I do new cutting edge lights.One of my favorites,the old Dorcy Lux I drop-ins will run on a single AAA and up to 8V IIRC. Old tech but it has a great voltage range and really got me hooked on LED drop-ins.

These old Fulton lights are a lot of fun and with a LED drop in still very practical. Charles Artificer's series of youtube vids have a lot of good info on these. I find that the Nite Ize 55 lumen drop in is a good fit with the old moonbeam, bright enough for most uses with this light, which is not much of a thrower. I find the 74 lumen version not to be much brighter to my eye than the 55 lumen version in this light, though it does do better in the more tightly focusable 2D Mag. I tried a current Dorcy 2 cell/3V 30 lumen drop-in and it was not all that bright especially on NiMH's with slightly lower than 3 Volts and REALLY bright on a 18650 which seems to me is likely direct drive and is under driven with less than 3V and over driven with anything more. The Nite Ize drop-ins seem to be about the same brightness from 2 to 9 Volts, indicating good regulation.
 
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ZMZ67

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These old Fulton lights are a lot of fun and with a LED drop in still very practical. Charles Artificer's series of youtube vids have a lot of good info on these. I find that the Nite Ize 55 lumen drop in is a good fit with the old moonbeam, bright enough for most uses with this light, which is not much of a thrower. I find the 74 lumen version not to be much brighter to my eye than the 55 lumen version in this light, though it does do better in the more tightly focusable 2D Mag. I tried a current Dorcy 2 cell/3V 30 lumen drop-in and it was not all that bright especially on NiMH's with slightly lower than 3 Volts and REALLY bright on a 18650 which seems to me is likely direct drive and is under driven with less than 3V and over driven with anything more. The Nite Ize drop-ins seem to be about the same brightness from 2 to 9 Volts, indicating good regulation.

Maybe I'll play around with a Fulton this weekend. I have always liked the light but the switches didn't hold up very well when I used them years ago in the army so I haven't messed with them too much.The Nite-Ize seem to be a really good value overall and can be conveniently found at places like Home Depot. I already have a small stock on hand figuring they may eventually abandon or change the drop-ins in the future like Dorcy did. Unfortunately improvements are not guaranteed when companies update lights/products. Your results with the Dorcy drop-in are a good illustration. The original Dorcy drop-ins that I referenced had wide voltage range using what was a current power LED for that time in the LUX I.They still hold up pretty well today even if they can't match up to CREE drop-ins available now. The models Dorcy sells now are simple 10MM LEDs with a narrow operating voltage and worse tint than even the old LUX I.They are fine for what they are and I still use them but they don't measure up the Nite-Ize models or even the original Dorcy LUX I. I really wish they offered drop-ins in neutral/warm but it doesn't seem likely any company will invest in such a product since LED lights have pretty much taken over the market now. I have a few warm low output drop-ins with E10 screw bases but none with a PR base.
 
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ZMZ67

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The Streamlight PROTAC[emoji768] 1L-1AA can use AA or CR123.
The Nitecore SRT3 use CR123 batteries and comes with an extender to be able to use AA batteries.

While I have been on a tangent of sorts posting about drop-ins the Protac 1L-1AA is a pretty good light for someone looking for battery flexibility and deserves a second. Around $40 it isn't too expensive and offers a programmable UI to suit a variety users. It can use lithium and alkaline primary AAs,NiMH rechargeables and CR123 primaries. CR123s give it higher performance and no special adapter or battery tube is necessary.

Another dual battery light from Streamlight that is a favorite of mine is the Sidewinder Compact II. It has the same advantage of using either AA or CR123 without the need for a separate adapter. The Sidewinder is more expensive and has limited output but it incorporates 3 5MM LEDs in addition to the main LED. The selector ring and switch offer one of the better multi-mode UIs I have encountered. Certainly I would have several lights if I were a soldier these days but the Sidewinder modified with a filter is probably the one I would have attached to my LBE.
 

Crazyeddiethefirst

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Don't forget the Sunwayman V11r, 16340 & 14500. I have the Zebralight SC80 aa well. I also have a Brass UBH II(Universal Battery Holder), it is Surefire E series compatible and depending on the led or incandescent you use it can run off 1 or 2 CR123, 16340's or 1 or 1 AA,AAA, 14500 or 10440 cells using the included spacers. I also have the SRT mentioned above(I am big on multi power options). I also have an assortment of chargers that can be powered by AAA, AA, 18650 or 2 16340's that can charge using USB or magnetic connect cables...
 

Boris74

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The Streamlight PROTAC[emoji768] 1L-1AA can use AA or CR123.
The Nitecore SRT3 use CR123 batteries and comes with an extender to be able to use AA batteries.

The 1L1AA will work with aaa too. I use an Olight rcr123 in mine. Low is 150 and high is still 350 is the only difference.
 

dealgrabber2002

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Lumintop SD10. Takes 1D, 3AA, 1,2 or 3AA (1.5v) with A-D adapter, 18650, 26650, 32650, CR123 with magnets and some wrapper (or adapter if there is one out there).

Edit: also AAA if you have AAA->AA adapter-> D adapter.
 
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Woods Walker

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I did a video on this. As for lights setup for this the CL20 Fenix lantern will take 2XAA or 1XCR123. The Fenix HL50 headlamp will take 1XAA or 1XCR123.

 
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