Pretty sure most are waiting to see just how popular the 21700 will become, same as we the buyers are doing at this point.
You can rest assured that there will be lights released before long to support this size, the first ones to do so will sell quite a few if they are quality as well.
At this point I would not expect much more then the selection you get of 26650 lights.
That said if the 21700 does what I think it will and becomes the new standard I am 100% in favor of it. I think it will be far better for all but the subcompact lights, which can always use a 18350 or 18650.
For one thing it will give a more balanced look to lights like the C8 and the grip size will feel nicer in the hand. Not to mention the extra power.
If it does become the new standard, it would be nice if the size was actually standardized itself also. With strict range of minimum & maximum measurements governing it.
I know that is a pipe dream, because manufacture compliance would be optional…. but might as well dream.
I went with 26650 formats on a few lights. I wanted single cell lights with a bit more than the 18650 could do. 20700/21700 will replace it nicely. I’ll get output and duration far better than 18650. The Panasonic-Sanyo NCR20700A 3100 mah, 30amp perfect for turbo nuke modes. NCR20700B 4250 mah, 15amp for the rest of us.
That’s what makes this case interesting. The automotive industry supply chain is FIRMLY rooted in standardization… EVERYTHING either has a standard or has standards being developed / refined. There are standards for standards even, which sounds crazy but that’s what it is. If your part does not meet spec its scrap and can not ship. So I would be surprised if the 20700 cell length specs were as lose as 18650 and 26650. Especially with Tesla so deeply rooted in 20700 development. We will see though.
Very good points ‘kramer5150’, I had not even thought of that.
And your exactly right, every certifying agency right down to the ASTM will have standards for a ‘21700’ to adhere to in order to be classified a ‘21700’.
It probably will get interesting as we see how it impacts our chose addiction… err, hobby.
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Edit to fix typo…. 20700 changed to 21700
Another nice thing about the automotive world driving these cells is that they have needs very similar to ours, the need for both high drain AND high capacity batteries and/or with a good balance of both. Thus it should press forward the higher drain version of cells.
I don’t see the 21700 replacing smaller cells, but if it’s performance comes close to or exceeds the 26650, then that may signal the closing of that chapter in LiIon cells. Bigger is only useful if it’s also better
What I’m most curious about is whether the first crop of 21700 lights will be expanded body 18650’s, shrunken body 26650’s, or an entirely new size of light with a balanced design to match. Interesting times are ahead however it happens :sunglasses:
Why would you need a new charger?, as long as it fits, if the voltage is supported by the charger, and the needed charging algorithm is not too different, it should work.
Yep, all lithium 3.7V cells use the same 4.2V charge cutout and that is all that matters for charging (well and they you don’t try to charge too quick but few chargers could do that anyways).
That’s like saying since the opus chargers 18650 it can’t charge 14500 or 26650. All current 4.2 chargers will charge them if they fit which they should in most chargers. Especially the outer slots of every 4 bay charger. This cell wasn’t out when opus printed their owners manual but it will charge them no problem just like xstar, liito Kala, nitecore, efest and any charger that can slide to 70mm and charger a 26650 will take them
I’ve already mentioned the NCR20700B from Sanyo is fitting all my recent charges OPUS 3100, XTAR VP2, SV2, and the Lii 500. They can also fit in a few of my 26650 lights so one can do some basic playing with these until we get a light made for them. I didn’t check them all, but I don’t see any issue, they also fit some of the recent XTAR single slot chargers. A couple old ones they won’t fit in, but those have issues with long protected 18650 cells and that is why they have been retired.
10$ for a 20700 …well…some time will pass till those became popular i guess
The ball is in the Samsung /LG field now i presume, lets see if they`ll follow or continue developing 18650
Oveready is specialised in SF modifications.
Speaking from experience: I bought a 6PD in a clearance and bored the tube out with an adjustable hand-reamer.
Oveready says to aim at a diameter of 18.65mm. I had to bore my light out to 18.70mm ultimately.
At that size a protected 3400 mAh Keeppower slides in and out (it does not fall in because of escaping air).
The narrowest place on the tube is a groove for a second O-ring, next to the thread for the tailcap.
The diameter there is a mere 19.50mm. And that’s the end of the line. No 20700 or 21-70 in this light.
Do remember that the 6P was to be used at 6V, produced bij 2 * CR123A primary cell’s (size equals 16340).
At least one is in the works. Design is staying close, many parts still universal. Head, bezel, lens, boot, dropins and switches. Not universal; host, tail cap.
Well………I don’t see the big hype in this cell format.
Plenty of high cap high drain 18650 that do the job nicely. If I need duration I use good 26650 cells.
Or a light with multiple cells.
The big advantage I see in this is that the new cell format will be driven to the highest level of development because in will be the new automotive standard.
18650 seems to be at or near te end of its possibilities and the development of 26650 is lacking progress, to put it politely.
I can only hope that this will not cause the production of 18650 to bleed dry: I still have a ot of lights that can only use this format cells.
Would be nice though to have the batt tube of my catapult V2 being drilled out to accept these new cells, as I plan to use it with an LD1 at 6A on once cell.
That light has enough tube thickness to do just that.
This development could also be the end of any further 26650 development.
Not to speak of 32650.
You should do it. Catapult is a very over built light. NCR20700B is about 20% more capacity than the best 18650. Easy practical conversion as 18650’s would still fit.
