Nuwai Q3 with RCR123 + Nano Charger

As most CPF members know the Nuwai Q3 is a lot of bang for the buck in terms of brightness - using a 3watt Luxeon.

However the Nuwai Q3 is also known to be pretty power hungry.

Although it would be great to have it modified to be more efficient and basically "better" - it costs quite a lot to do it - and for my usage I could not really recover the cost in any battery savings.

So I decided to try the Rechargeable RCR123 for low cost power -
and being the cheap sort - I simply went to the 750mAh rated Unbranded and UNprotected RCR123 that one gets with the neat little Nano Charger from CPF member Emilion - at a total cost of $8.50 including shipping.



I am guessing that as long as I am careful not to deep discharge the RCR123 battery - it should last a few hundred charge/discharge cycles and therefore pretty easily save over the battery cost using the regular non-rechargeable CR123, even if they can be found at the bargain price of $1 each.

Another advantage I read about was that these RCR123 batteries when freshly charged get up to 4.2V and lights like the Nuwai Q3 can be noticably brighter.

I used my favorite (low priced) 1watt Luxeon S1801 from GoldenGadgets.com with a fresh Panasonic CR123 battery as a control/comparison -
Q3 on RCR123 - S1801 (1watt) on regular CR123 -


Both Q3 and S1801 (1watt) on regular CR123 -


As one can see the Q3 with RCR123 was just noticably brighter than using a regular CR123 cell.

But the surprised - or even "hoped for" result was the S1801 usng the RCR123 - was substantially brighter than on a fresh regular CR123 - to the point where I would hazard to say it was in the similar ballpark brightness as the Q3 on a regular CR123......

S1801 (1watt) on RCR123 compared to Q3 on regular CR123 -


Some measurements
RCR123 (750mAh)
initial voltage = 4.07V
end of test = 3.97V

Panasonic CR123 (non-rechargeable Li) = 2.97V

Current draw -
Q3 on RCR = 740mA
Q3 on CR = 720mA

S1801 on RCR = 740mA
S1801 on CR = 470mA

Comments - possible Caution - the 1watt S1801 got pretty warm using the rechargeable RCR123 drawing 740mA - which is the same as the measurement for the 3watt Q3.

I am not sure if 740mA is a safe current to drive a 1watt Luxeon -
perhaps some of the more experience Luxeon users can please advise?

4 volts x .74 amps = 3 watts into a 1 watt S1801= it burns out in a few hours (Not 100,000). Simple math. If it looks to good to be true, It probably is. On the other hand, the QIII is OK.

[ QUOTE ]
UnknownVT said: So I decided to try the Rechargeable RCR123 for low cost power

[/ QUOTE ]
Just a word of (slight) caution.

While at the LightHound.com site I looked at their very informative and helpful page on Rechargeable Lithium batteries (RCR123)

http://www.lighthound.com/info/rechargeable_lithium_battery_info.php

it showed the TM-303X (Nuwai Q3) in the list of LED Lights / Heads NOT compatible with 3.6 volt rechargeable batteries.

But since I have read of many people on CPF who seem to be using rechargeable Lithium RCR123 in their Nuwai Q3's, I wrote e-mail to LightHound to ask about this.

I got a very helpful reply from John at LightHound.

Nuwai has stated that the flashlights that they make are NOT compatible with rechargeable batteries -
and being a Nuwai dealer he has to publish that because of warranty issues.

However from the evidence I have seen so far of the use of RCR123 in the Nuwai Q3 - this seems to be OK in practice.

But beware that the use of RCR123 is not officially recommended by Nuwai, and may have warranty issues.

Yeah, like anyone would warranty return their Nuwai Q3. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif The geeks on this forum would just pop in another emitter and be done with it.

Mine has been working like a charm for over 4 months now.. on RCR123's // Shan 650's .. TWOJ

What kind of run times are you guys seeing with a RCR123A in a Q3? I'm getting my 750 maH RCR123A set from Emilion next week.

around 30-60mins

nemul wrote: "around 30-60mins"

Probably closer to the low end.

Just some anecdotal input - my rechargeable Li-Ion RCR123 (rated 3.7V, 750mAh) was put in my older circuit Q3 on Aug/16 - when I first got the Nano charger with the rechargeable battery.

It's had typical intermittent "flashaholic" usage - probably "more" because I knew it was almost "free" power -
I watched it drop in brightness on Monday 10/03/2005 - and immediately switched the Q3 off to ensure the UNprotected RCR123 was not over discharged.

So that's about 1 1/2 months' of intermittent "flashaholic" usage -
compare this to over 10 months' of probably similar (perhaps less) usage of my S1801 1w Luxeon 1xCR123 on its first/supplied off-brand (non-rechargeable) Colston CR123A regular lithium (see direct link to Post #34).

Just how bright is a Nuwai Q3 using a 3.6V rechargeable Li-Ion RCR123?

Compared to a Streamlight Scorpion xenon with a new bulb and new CR123A batteries -

Scorpion Xenon (new bulb + new CR123A's) vs. Nuwai Q3 with 3.6V RCR123


Some stairs "Practical" Beamshots

Scorpion.......................................... ................Nuwai Q3 with 3.6V RCR123