Battery question in flashlight
August 8th, 2016
I’d like to use the flashlight for emergency situations only (from power outage to an 3 day walking dead scenario). My question is: What type of batteries are best to use?
I want the batteries to be fully charged even if I don’t use it for years (is that possible with these types of batteries?). They don’t have to be rechargeable. Also, does it need to be 2400 mah and 3,7 volt thingy? I know, tesla would be disappointed. Thanks for your time.
you can see here http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/non-rechargeable_FAQ.pdf that Lithium batteries stored at room temperature can be good after 10-15 years.. lithium batteries have the lowest leakage. and you would want the 3.7 volts per cell unless you don’t mind a candle light coming from your flashlight. as far as the ma. hrs go, the larger the better, it’s like using a bigger battery, but, make sure the battery will fit in the flashlight!!.. you want a total of 7.4 Volts.. so you get full brightness. those flashlights are commonly used by police, so make sure the one that lost it don’t see it on you..
Tnx for replying. Would it make a difference if its rechargeable or not? Because I don’t plan on using it that much. Do you suggest I take the 18650 batteries (3.7 volts) at 2400 mah? I have a charger for it. Will these be good after 10-15 years?
I tried charging them but one keeps blinking red to green (charging) and the other one keeps it on red (think it’s faulty). Think am going to buy a new set. It wasn’t from a cop, it was from a fire marshal :p He gets reimbursed anyway.
Tnx for replying. Would it make a difference if its rechargeable or not? Because I don't plan on using it that much. Do you suggest I take the 18650 batteries (3.7 volts) at 2400 mah? I have a charger for it. Will these be good after 10-15 years? Rechargeable batteries tend to have shorter lives in the long run. but are cheaper if used a lot. the link I gave references non rechargeable Lithium batteries to last 10-15 years in storage.. make sure the charger you have is designed for charging rechargeable Lithium batteries.. BTW, Using a charger not designed for Lithium rechargeable batteries can cause the batteries to go on FIRE… also, not all Lithium batteries are rechargeable..
I tried charging them but one keeps blinking red to green (charging) and the other one keeps it on red (think it's faulty). Think am going to buy a new set. It wasn't from a cop, it was from a fire marshal :p He gets reimbursed anyway.
The 18650 3.7 2400 mAh batteries you refer to would be rechargeable Li-ion batteries as used also in phones, laptops, cameras etc.
They do have a good slow self discharge rate, however their overall shelf life is only around 2-3 years.
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/lithium-ion-battery.htm
Be aware that the Chinese ones sold cheaply on eBay are way overrated!
A 3000mAh one is more likely to be 300mAh and will give about 10 mins use in a high power torch.
If you need true ratings, then go for brands such as Panasonic, Sanyo, Sony or Samsung although they cost about 10 times as much..
Now if you want the non rechargeable long shelf life, low self discharge lithium batteries, then you can use the CR123A.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/titanium-cr123a-triple.html
That’s what I presumed about cr123a. I think I am going for non rechargeable batteries. The link you provided (batteryjunction) ships to my country for 15$. I think I will look for them here in the Netherlands.
One final thing. These cr123a are 3 volt each and only 1400 mah. Will it triple in output? Can the flashlight handle 9 volt and 4.200 mah? I’m a noob at this things.
[edit]
I googled, there is space for 4 cr123a batteries when extender is used.