Battery adaptors - where to get the good ones?

While the idea of using 3.6V Lithium D-cells in a Mag-lite sounds like fun, I have a real need to put Lithiums in a device that only has a single D-cell battery compartment.

On-line, I found Aventrade had a 4xAA to 1xD converter but, it seemed to get bad reviews from this thread. Chief_Wiggums thread about his converters looks more promising.

Where should I be looking for a good solution these days? Does someone make a "better" AA to D-cell converter? I'm thinking a 3xAA or 4xAA would work acceptably in my application (strobes and beacons). What I need is something that will survive high heat storage and work reliably. Heat has killed everything but my SureFire flashlights.

Has anyone tried a CR-123 to D-cell converter? Do they even exist? With the popularity of SureFire flashlights and increasing use in camera's, I'm thinking this battery may provide a good solution for my needs. When these batteries were ~$6 a piece, they would have been considered cost prohibitive but, now that are down around $1.25 a cell in groups of 6, they are cheaper then a single AAA or AA Lithium cell in most cases.

Regarding high heat, I'm talking mid-90's in the early morning and 110+ by mid-morning ambient. Now add the heat island effect in the asphalt jungle (parking lot actually) in a car trunk, and you have a better idea of the <font color="red">HEAT</font> problem I have.

TIA! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Well, modamag and fivemega both have various D to AA (or AA to D if you prefer) adapters for sale in the Group Buys and Passarounds forum. You may want to start there. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The Chief_Wiggum adapters are from a while back. AFIK there were no more runs made, but I believe he did the whole thing as an open project, meaning he'd provide the howto to anyone who wanted to do a run of them.

I'm acutally interested in some good adapters too, at least something based off the Chief's design. But the machining costs for the end parts alone means I can't host a run myself. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I've seen a (4)123->1 1/2D adapter... in an HID mag cutdown that is about 1/2 the length of a 2D mag if event that.. it was made by somebody on cpf but i don't know who.. output is a monster 30,000 lux!

in any event 123s fit side-by-side in a D size it wouldn't be too difficult to make an adapter.. you could make one yourself with some threaded rod, some perfboard and some screws or nuts, etc.

-awr