any use 18650 batteries?

B

bobbar

Joined
Sep 29, 2010
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38
So i just ordered a fenix tk35. It uses 4 cr123s or 2 of the 18650. I have no experience with them or there charging systems.

I have some cr123s but i need 4 to run the light. It will get pricey. I work graveyard and i need/want a good light. Im using a flashlight for bout 2-3hrs on and off a night. At 5 shifts a week is alot of cr123.
Just looking for some recommedations/experience. Also i have read there are alot of knockoffs. Whats the difference in mah i see some as low as 2200 to 3100.
Thx!
 
For a working light the rechargeales (18650) are fine. Even though rechargeables have gotten better and more reliable over the years I wouldn't use them in a tactical light, either weapon mounted or hand held.

Not sure if that's a consideration for you.
 
I use the AW cells in my PD31 and high draw lasers. I charge them about one a month if I can remember to. Never had my light die at an inopportune time.
 
AW cells work just fine. I can't speak for a specific charger, but any site that sells AW cells will sell (say that 5 times fast) a charger that's fine too.

If you allow me to wax philosophical for a moment, I find rechargeable batteries in a flashlight to be very "freeing". It costs nothing to recharge them, and you can top them off whenever you want. This means you're free to use the flashlight whenever you want, as brightly as you want, without fear of running the battery down, without the unease of not knowing how much juice you really have left, and without watching your wallet dwindle away into the dark.

Of course, it's always good to have fresh primary (non-rechargeable) batteries on hand as a back-up.
 
Planterz said:
If you allow me to wax philosophical for a moment, I find rechargeable batteries in a flashlight to be very "freeing". It costs nothing to recharge them, and you can top them off whenever you want. This means you're free to use the flashlight whenever you want, as brightly as you want, without fear of running the battery down, without the unease of not knowing how much juice you really have left, and without watching your wallet dwindle away into the dark.
Click to expand...

+100. I let my daughter use my light all the time. Why? Because I'm not spending $2-$5 in batteries every she forgets to turn it off. I run a little higher output setting instead of making do with a lower output to save batteries/$$$.

I use my flashlight (Fenix PD32) for work (paramedic on 24 hr shifts) and it has never let me down. I have two batteries, A and B. First week A is primary in the light and B is in my pack as a backup. The next week B is primary and A gets recharged and put in the pack for backup. I like rotating the batteries and I always have a spare because it doesn't take long to recharge the battery I just took out.
 
I have two Fenix lights that I use protected 18650's on. One being aTK35 also. The key is use a volt meter to know when to recharge and to double check the max charge. AW's are good but you should double check them with the voltmeter. Even protected 18650's can turn into small bombs if abused and the protection fails.Learn about them.
Best..
 
The thing about Li Ion rechargeables is that they do require some special handling -- simple, but special. And it's important to get a good brand. This is not the no-brainer battery technology like alkaline or even NiMH, where, if you do something wrong, at worst you just hurt battery life or something. Too much of a mistake with Li Ion can be a burn-your-house-down affair. Many people who haven't educated themselves on the tech are just getting lucky -- and there are lots of documented cases of what happens when one is unlucky. And using to li ion rechargeables in series is more risky than using just one. I use Li Ion extensively and wouldn't have it in my house if I didn't feel it was safe (with proper equipment choice, and proper handling!), but I'm trying to get you concerned enough to at least learn how to handle these properly...

I wrote a beginner primer here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...t-critique-welcome)?highlight=beginner+primer
 
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medicevans said:
+100. I let my daughter use my light all the time. Why? Because I'm not spending $2-$5 in batteries every she forgets to turn it off.
Click to expand...

I agree for sure that rechageables give a kind of feeling of freedom, and in addition, I like it that I can always recharge and go out knowing they're freshly topped off. evans, the quote above does make me a bit nervous though -- and the "forgets to turn it off" quote is exactly why I still don't let my kids use my lights with Li Ions in them. Li Ions hate being run all the way down -- it will shorten your battery life. And if for some reason the cutoff circuit on a protected battery (I figure that thing costs all of a few cents) doesn't kick in, and your Li Ion's voltage drops too low and stays there too long, copper shunts can form inside the battery and form internal shorts. These shorts often don't present immediately; that is, you can recharge the battery and it seems to work fine, but a bump or something else and the battery shorts and an unpleasant event occurs. You might know all this and be comfortable with it, which is fine, but I pretty much try not to give the light to anyone who might run it down until the protection circuit trips. If you check each battery with a meter before charging, it the voltage reads 0, that means the protection circuit tripped; but if it reads 1.5 (say), dispose of it quickly and safely.
 
Thanks for all the head. Im looking at getting the i4 intellcharge v2 beacuase i have alot of eneloop batteries for cameras so i can use just 1 charger. Im trying to find a good source for protected 18650s.
 
bobbar said:
So i just ordered a fenix tk35. It uses 4 cr123s or 2 of the 18650. I have no experience with them or there charging systems.

I have some cr123s but i need 4 to run the light. It will get pricey. I work graveyard and i need/want a good light. Im using a flashlight for bout 2-3hrs on and off a night. At 5 shifts a week is alot of cr123.
Just looking for some recommedations/experience. Also i have read there are alot of knockoffs. Whats the difference in mah i see some as low as 2200 to 3100.
Thx!
Click to expand...
The blue colored 18650 cells are generic and very dangerous as they have no protection circuits, you should avoid those at all costs. The black AW brand is well trusted and used by the flashlight community. The mAh is the capacity or how long the light runs. Over time, the cells are improved upon and higher capacity cells are released. Highest thus far should be 3100 mAh.

I would also recommend a Malkoff MD2 Flashlight in addition to the Malkoff M61W drop-in to go with it. That setup will give you 200 OTF lumens with a warm tint beam for color rendition(I find the cool tint makes it hard to make out any particular object), and upwards of 4 hours of runtime with a single 3100mAh 18650 cell. Cost is about $110-ish, not including the battery, charger, and shipping.

Regarding Lithium-Cobalt(Li-Ion) cells, I haven't had much issues regarding safety with those during my 5 years of use with them. Most general battery safety applies(watch the positive and negative ends and don't mix them up when putting it in your flashlight or charger, keep away from fire, do not short circuit them). As far as any special care goes, avoid charging them when you're away from home or sleeping, remove them from the charger as soon as they're fully charged, and try to keep it full at all times rather than letting it run dry(opposite of Nickel-Hydride AA rechargeables, it's better to keep Li-Ion cells at a full charge).
 
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