Lithium D-Cells and Carley Lamps

How well do they work together? Just thinking the maglite in the truck doesn't get used much but it is important that it does when needed. If I put Lithium batteries in it while it still has the Carley lamp, will it work ok?

Thanks, guys,

Clay

------------------
Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847
 
W

Walt Welch

Joined
Oct 7, 1998
Messages
1,838
As long as you match the cells so that they are the correct voltage, I wouldn't think that there would be any difference from alkaline cells.

I presume that Li cells lose voltage in a linear fashion as alkalines do (although I don't know this for sure). If not, and they tend to keep a relatively constant voltage until nearly discharged, like NiCd or NiMH cells do, then there is a problem. These cells will keep a lamp at a higher average voltage, despite starting out at a lower voltage (1.2V NiCd vs. 1.5V alkaline). This results in a decreased lamp burn time, roughly going from 40 hours to 25 hours.

Hope this helps. Walt
 
Lihium cells do hold voltage at relatively constant level. They also start out at 1.6v per cell and spend most of their life under load about 1.35v, where alakline under the same load will be around 1.15 volts per cell. So this would probably tend to burn out lamps much faster.

Brock
 
Thanks, gentlemen, for all the great info.

Walt, per your other post on this forum re: 5 year shelf life of alkalines, perhaps Li isn't what I want. I would love to reduce the risk of corrosion in the light. Would this make it worth going with Lithium batts?



------------------
Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847
 
Short answer: I don't know.

Long answer: I don't consider it an onerous task to pull the batteries out of a flashlight every year or so to check them. Leaving any battery in a flashlight for 10 years is just plain lazy and stupid in my book. Walt
 
What I do is when my D cell flashlight I use regularly runs dead, I put the new batteries in the back up light in the car and put the older, but not used ones in my working light. This also gets me to make sure the backup light is where it is suppose to be and make sure it is in good working condition. I actually switch from my car to my wifes car every other time.

Brock
 
Thanks for the info, Walt. I agree on checking at least once a year, but I once had one corrode between the week I packed the light to take on a trip and wen I got there...I don't believe they were name brand batts though.

Brock, great idea. I should do that. Though I don't use my D lights near as much as my AA lights.

------------------
Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847
 
Clay,

Have you found lithium D Cells in the 1.5v range? The only ones I can find are in the 3v range and very spendy.

------------------
"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"
-Nordic proverb

[This message has been edited by David Williams (edited 07-11-2000).]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top