The There Are No Stupid Questions Thread

That’s good.

Total energy in a 14500 is pretty similar to an Eneloop NiMH, so I’d be surprised.

The advantage of the 14500 is the higher voltage and the higher brightness you can get as a result without incurring the inefficiency of an AA boost driver.

If you want maximum runtime at all costs from an AA light like that, your best option is probably to try putting a 1.5V Energizer lithium primary in it.

I’ve posted a couple of questions in this thread and received helpful answers, but I also like the lightheartedness of the thread - I think it makes it even less intimidating for novices to post their not-so-stupid questions.

In the flashlight world, is an electronic switch the same as a classic momentary switch? I am not talking about a flashlight forward-clicky momentary, but rather a non-engaging non-latching, non-clicky momentary. I am strictly asking about the mechanics, not about the differences in what they do on a flashlight. If they are basically the same, in a flashlight such as the Q8, are they normally open or normally closed?

You can still buy the Zebralight SC52, which takes all AA chemistries, as well as 14500 lithium-ion. Mode levels are exactly the same between AA and 14500, with the exception that 14500 allows for a brighter maximum mode (the other levels are the same brightness).

You get about 8 hours at 50 lumens from an Eneloop Pro. I suspect that might be at least 10 hours on an Energizer Lithium. You can also get higher capacity 14500’s now, which might give you 10 hours. There’s a 25 lumen mode, and you’ll get your 15 hours on that with an Eneloop Pro, probably with a good 14500 too.

If you don’t insist on a dual-chemistry light, the Zebralight SC53 and SC5 are a bit more efficient than the SC52, so will get slightly better run-times.

I don’t think you’re going to find a 1xAA or 1x14500 light that will give you 12 hours on a 50 lumen level. That’s asking too much, right now.

Mechanical they are the same, but a momentary tail klicky has to carry a lot more amps. So it should be bigger, with better switch contacts.
If you buy a switch you had to specify:
Ampere, Volts, AC or DC, how many cycles
They are normally open.

Which battery is the best?

Hmm. I’m not sure which of these two interpretations you meant:

What battery model is best? Depends on the kind and size of battery.

What kind and size of battery is best? Depends on the application. Button cell batteries are almost always bad though. :D ;)

The big ones, usually.

Those are the ones I like.

If I were to choose a failproof thrower flashlight into urban exploration of a miles long pitch black underground tunnel system, is the Thrunite Catapault v6 or the Manker U22 more reliable? Is my Sofirn SP31T as good as either, or is a Zebralight SC600 MKIV more failproof than all 3? Or is the Armytek Barracuda Pro the most failproof relatively compact thrower? Can I depend on my SP31T to be failproof or do I need to spend money to buy something else?

Its depend… i will say sony vtc5a… then samsung 30q, sanyo ncr18650ga.

I will say thrunite catapault v6 is more reliable…( still waiting for my v6). i have thrunite tn36ut, tn30, tc20, tn42, and tn40s. thrunite driver and spring are bulletproof… they never failed on me.

98% of time, flashlights need button top…

Re: failure-proof flashlights.

There’s no such thing. Always carry a backup.

You can certainly get extremely reliable flashlights, but nothing is ever perfect.

The best flashlight in the world won’t do you any good if you drop it and the cell fails. It happens; there have been a few “torture tests” where the light survived, but the cell didn’t. Always carry spare cells.

It is a very good idea to choose primary and backup lights that can use the same type of cell. That way, you won’t get into a situation where you have a dead light with charged cells, but you’ve used up the cells that fit the working light and you can’t swap them over.

Thanks so much.

These batteries are expensive, and flashlights that use them tend to be not much smaller than AAA lights, which offer much more brightness and runtime, IMHO. :)

We seem to be getting confused between “cell with button top” and “button cell”. They’re two different things.

“Cell with button top” on the right, “cell with flat top” on the left:

[Image courtesy of wheniwake on Planet of the Vapes ]

“Button cells”, also known as “coin cells”:

[Image courtesy of Wikipedia ]

I think you have that reversed. I have only one 18650/26650 light that requires button-tops (BLF Q8). All others either require flat tops (such as Zebralights), or work fine with flat tops (anything with springs or posts at the positive end).

Yes, I meant those coin cells. ;)

:smiley: