With the advent of quality LED lights I've noticed that I'm buying AAA batteries more than I used to. The same goes for AA. In the past, I would have a drawer full of D cells for flashlights and radios. Now I have a stock of AAA through D with a few 9 volts thrown in as well. If I ever get a Surefire or Inova I'll be looking at 123's too. Has anyone considered sticking to just one size of battery? If so, what size did you choose for your lights, radios, or other emergency/outdoor gadgets?

BTW: I hear that AAA Lithums will be available this year.

Chris

After posting long list of electronics that I use or can bring in survival situation I realized that I must carry (and I did) so many batteries that alone I could have solved blackout problem. So I started to work on standardization. My goal was and is to make everything if not universal at least 2 type of batteries max. So I started with phasing out AAA (but I’m still stuck with my Zipka Headlamp), than I worked on getting special containers that I can use in order to substitute weird lithium with AAs (example my Vertex UHF radio). Right now I’m down to Cr123s and AAs. CR123s are used for my Inova Lights only. Now if all my stuff that uses CR123s failed I can live on AAs because ARC LS with AA module and ARC AA would be my primary lights. Rest of the important stuff is AA only and that includes GPS, Radio, Flashlights (mentioned ARC stuff) and Light Sticks.

I treat things with weird batteries as disposables (photon). I mean I make sure stuff there is fresh and if it fails on the road I switch to backup. No stopping, no breaks. When in times of “peace” I will have time to go and replace the battery. When at “war” stuff gets tossed to the bottom of my pack and backup comes out.


Matt

I decided to go for two sizes. Those sizes are AA and C2032. The AA is used in my GPS, the lights for my bicycle, my flashlight and my Psion. The C2032 is used for the Photon lights and as a backup battery for the Psion. New items are required to comply with the standard.
As required items (e. g. the light for the bicycle) are only available with AA batteries the range for my choice was pretty narrow anyway.

I've run into the very same problem. I try to use AA's as much as possible and keep the AAA's & 9-V to a minimum.
The 123's for my surefire's were all bought at $1.00 to $1.25 each, I looked around and bought the least expensive ones I could find. Those get used very little, just shooting and real emergencies. I can justify paying for them with the low use and great results. Here in California we have Dollar Stores, where everything is $1.00,. I buy all the batteries I can there at $1.00 per 4 pack ( AA, AAA and D's) and 2 pack for 9-V. They do have name brand good quality batteries.
I also find that I'm useing less D cells with good AA flashlights and the Photon lights. I liked the first Surefire so much, I now have 3.

Which Surefires do you own (you mentioned you had 3) ?

I can't decide which Surefire I should buy first 6P or E2e....

I've standardized on AA's and AAA's. Arc AAA and maglites, small AAA radio, my digicam takes AA's. I've decided to not buy anything C or D or coin lithium. I'm going to try rechargebles again and a lot of chargers will work with AA and AAA. Picked up a NiCad/NiMH with 12v auto plug the other day.

Standard carry for me are AA's and CR123A's. I carry but do not rely on a Streamlight stylus which takes AAAA's and I carry a spare set of those also, but this is a daily convenience light not an emergency light for me. My daily carry lights are a SureFire E2 and Inova X5 both using 123A's. I carry the AA's for my Ham Radio pack.

In my replacable battery items I have standardized on AAA & AA. I keep a small tin (everest gum) which just holds 4 AA & 2 AAA batteries. Several tins contain rechargable NiMh, and one tin with disposables. The disposables have a shelf life of 7 years now, but I rotate them yearly. I keep the stack of tins with rechargables handy and grab them when going on extended outings where weight is not an issue.

I also have two small chargers will charge both. One 120vac and one 12vdc. These live in the truck and have proved quite useful. Someday I plan to make a small solar attachment for the DC charger. I have tried several solar chargers and they were poor performers (years ago...are they better now??)

The tin (lined with cardboard to prevent shorting) makes a nice carry. I am lucky to have a friend that likes the gum.

These power mini-mag light, Aurora head light, GPS, Ham Radio, Palm, Infinity led light and much more. Also keep several photon lights, but I do not plan on replacing the batteries in the field.

Been doing this for years and it seems to work for me. I know I could have smaller gear with other batteries, but, I can pick up more just about anywhere in the world that I have traveled. This is a major plus for me.

Nomad

I have it down to AA's.They are for red Infinity task light and white infinity Ultra.There is also the FRS Talkabouts and Remington razor.And for news and music my CD player and Grundig AM,FM,SW radio all take AA's.I dont think I need more than that.
BOATMAN

Have you had any trouble with the NiMH self discharge? I bought some a couple years ago and they would discharge themselves within a couple weeks so I was always having to remember to charge them. I was thinking of trying to NiCads. The ones in my cordless drill seem to do a lot better. Plus the chargers I have all can do either.