Difficult to answer because there’s more variables than you mention here (spring bypasses?, length/thickness of led wires?, low or high drain batteries?, old produce XP-G2 or new produce XP-G2?)
Personally, for every build again I look at the led test data, the battery test data, and at the components that I will be using, and then I do the calculation.
To be “protected”, you need the board on one end, usually the negative, and the sense-strip running to the positive end. To secure that strip at the positive end, you need a cap on top of the nekkid positive terminal, and usually that’s with a button-top cap.
Most are double-wrapped, with the sense-strip running between the 2 wraps, others like the panny-B just have Kapton tape covering the strip, which is then visible.
Most probably figure that if you’re sticking a cap on it already, you might as well make it a button-top so it’ll look like conventional cells and fit in holders, etc., without the need for nipples, springs, etc.
18650 batteries are made as flat tops because they are almost exclusively used in battery packs so a tab must easily be welded onto it.
Protected 18650’s are for a niche market that the producer never intended, protection therefore is always added as an aftermarket process by a different manufacturer.
I think button tops are added then because they are more versatile, and there are not many devices that exclusively work on flat tops.
Tennergy made what could be considered protected flat tops ...
My guess on why 3.7 volts is because nimh and nicad etc are 1.2v and three cells combined equal 3,6v which if I remember correctly was a number more commonly used than 3.7v. I'm sure there is a better answer ..but hey "there are no stupid answers "
1 - Are there “ready to use” lighted forward clicky switches? If so, where can I find them?
2 - How good can a triple 14500 (XP-G2, 15mm or 17mm MTN DD driver) flashlight be? Is it too much for a 14500 cell, even with small “turbo boosts”? :question:
3 - Is there any slim flashlight head (ex: Thorfire TG06, or similar) that possibly fits the body of an Astrolux X5? If so, which one?
Thanks in advance for eventual answers to these questions
If you use a Efest 650mah purple It might do pretty good judging by djozz”s test. Top 14500 cell out at the moment.
I’ll take a guess, maybe 2100 lumen’s at start and falling fast.
Hum, nice to know that! I have 2 Efest IMR ready for it! Just need to find the “perfect” host to try it!
Those numbers are good, but of course will be quick fall, for sure! I will use it for small bursts probably!
They’re “Chinese volts”, kinda like “Chinese lumens”. You know, how a 3×AAA light with Latticebright XP-E lookalike chip can produce 2,0005,000 8,000 lumens.