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#253355 - 11/14/12 04:41 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: JPickett]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078

Quote:
Yikes! Would you guys please stick to English? I'm reminded of trying to follow a heated discussion in a language I don't understand!


Its all explained here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargeable_battery

The Table of rechargeable battery types shows all the different Battery chemistries with their pros and cons.

I still even have a C-cell Maglite with a high efficiency 3W Cree LED using Everyready 1600 mAhr NiCd's which are about 15 years old, which must have spent the last 10-12 years sitting in the back of a cupboard drawer. They just needed to be recharged. Something I suspect might be a little tricky to do with all these lightweight high technology Lithium ion technology batteries. whistle

Even NiCds have their place even for spacecraft and satellite power requirements.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RazakSAT

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#253361 - 11/14/12 05:42 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: ireckon]
JohnN Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 10/10/01
Posts: 966
Loc: Seattle, WA
My preference these days is to have a light that can either use 2x123A or 1x18650 (protected).

-john

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#253375 - 11/14/12 10:10 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: JohnN]
picard120 Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 07/10/05
Posts: 763
Originally Posted By: JohnN
My preference these days is to have a light that can either use 2x123A or 1x18650 (protected).

-john


I concur with you. I use the same type of battery too.

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#253379 - 11/14/12 11:41 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: ireckon]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
I know some of the JETBeam lights can operate on most available batteries.
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#253382 - 11/15/12 05:21 AM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: JohnN]
haertig Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/13/05
Posts: 2322
Loc: Colorado
Originally Posted By: JohnN
My preference these days is to have a light that can either use 2x123A or 1x18650 (protected).

I have chosen the 1xAA sized lights as my standard. If you buy the right lights, you can use Alkaline primaries, rechargeable NiMH's, Lithium primaries, and rechargeable Li-Ion's in them. Lots of options there. If you're in a pinch you can run to the grocery store and buy some alkalines cheaply. While many grocery stores also have CR123's these days, you will pay through the nose buying them there. Plus, you can go to Costco and buy one of their mega-packs of AA Alkalines for real cheap and have a lot of backup batteries on hand.

I have a couple of 1xAA lights (4Sevens, Olight) that are every bit as bright, if not brighter, then my 2xCR123A light (Chinese light from Deal Extreme - model WF502B). This is with two primary CR123A cells in the WF502B and a Li-Ion cell in either the 4Sevens or the Olight. And the WF502B is huge compared to the other two lights.

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#253384 - 11/15/12 07:52 AM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: ireckon]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
I agree that AA is a pretty decent cell to go with. Even though I'm partial to the CR123A I see that the Army is going to AA's for their scopes & optics for that same reason, universal availability.
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#253397 - 11/15/12 05:55 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: Phaedrus]
ireckon Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/01/10
Posts: 1629
Loc: Northern California
Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
I agree that AA is a pretty decent cell to go with. Even though I'm partial to the CR123A I see that the Army is going to AA's for their scopes & optics for that same reason, universal availability.


That just adds further to the vicious cycle. CR123A is technically superior, but many people must use CR123A in order for it to become ubiquitous. Meanwhile, people don't use it because it's not ubiquitous. As the Army moves to AA, the vicious cycle gains momentum.
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#253400 - 11/15/12 07:38 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: ireckon]
Arney Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 09/15/05
Posts: 2485
Loc: California
Originally Posted By: ireckon
That just adds further to the vicious cycle.

I'm not sure I follow your argument. And this "vicious cycle" leads to...?

CR123 may be technically superior but it is more expensive and overkill for many applications, so I see little economic argument for it becoming even more ubiquitous than it already is.

Arguably, the relatively recent boom in high powered LED flashlights has expanded the number of people using CR123-powered flashlights because alkaline cells just don't cut it for high drain use. Ten years ago, very few people had CR123 flashlights. At that point, Surefire was still basically "it" in that niche. Now there are a gazillion different CR123-powered models out there and those lights need batteries.

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#253402 - 11/15/12 08:30 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: Arney]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
In standardizing on a battery type, you should consider more than just flashlights. It is helpful if batteries can be swapped among your headlamp, flashlight, GPS, camera and or water purifier, etc. When out hiking or biking, I typically have a GPS, a headlamp, and EDC flashlight, all of which can accept lithium, rechargeable, or alkaline AAAs. Depending upon the need, I have lots of backup batts....


Edited by hikermor (11/15/12 08:42 PM)
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#253411 - 11/15/12 09:19 PM Re: Flashlightaholics: Anybody use 16340 batteries? [Re: ireckon]
ireckon Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/01/10
Posts: 1629
Loc: Northern California
Price is not the main reason many people don't buy CR123A for their flashlights. The market will buy a superior product if the price/performance ratio is lower. The main reason CR123A is unpopular is that CR123A is not ubiquitous in other electronic equipment and not in stores. Thus, people don't buy. Thus, electronics makers design around other batteries. Thus, it's not ubiquitous. Thus, people don't buy. Thus, electronics makers design around other batteries. Thus, it's not ubiquitous.... Thus, we have the vicious cycle.

Some may say CR123A is not ubiquitous because it's more expensive, but actually it's the other way around also. CR123A is more expensive partly because it's not ubiquitous. As an analogy, if I made a battery that was 20 times better than CR123A, I'd have to charge $1,000 per battery until it could be produced on a scale so massive that it was a standard. People likely wouldn't show up in masses to help me improve my scale. So, the price would have to stay at $1,000 per battery in order for me to recoup research and development expenses. In contrast, if people bought more of my battery or if I had patient venture capital funding, I'd be able to charge less, and I'd have to charge less because I'd have competition (e.g., from Chinese manufacturers). CR123A is on the cusp of seriously rivaling AA (e.g., the price/performance ratio is almost lower than AA), but when large organizations like the ARMY move to AA, it's a setback.
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