Heads up from New Member on Batteries for BLF GT 70.2

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
1

Hello Light People,

This may be old news to some, but if it saves anyone trauma, I just thought I’d post it. Just got a Monster Giggler in the mail (used Banggood, as I am in NYC and they are local.) Am very pleased with the build
quality so far.

Problem: Upon reading the manual, prior to loading the beast, it gave a very stern recommendation that only protected button top cells from reputable manufacturers “such as Samsung, Sanyo, Sony, Panasonic, LG, ”
be used. So I ordered 8 18650B Panasonic NCRs, and upon attempting to load them, discovered that they were
about 3 or 4 millimeters too long to fit in the cradles. (Actually, the protected NCRs run about 69.8mm, (I think they were rewrapped for the circuit protection) and I estimated 65 mm would be about right.

I had to look at it for awhile, and actually think, and use reasoning, which I hate, and I’m glad I didn’t cut the springs off, or attempt any other such stupidity, and I sent an email to Lumintop, with pictures, too many words,
and all kinds of friendly nonsense, and another real short one a few days later when I hadn’t heard from them,
and that time I got a response, (from Leo) which was; yeah, they had made a mistake in their manual, and when I asked what they recommended, said Samsung 30Q, so I just ordered a bunch of those, they spec out at 65mm.

It looks to me, upon examining the cradle, that some protective circuitry may have been added to the inside of the cradle, both top and bottom, which would mean that only ‘unprotected’ cells are likely to fit anymore, but
this information is not yet in their manual. Anyway, I wouldn’t want to go over 65 or maybe 66 mm with it,
and as for chemistry, I have no idea, but the Samsungs they recommend are INR. I saw somewhere else on this site where someone had posted that they ordered a GT that had come with a Samsung 35E installed, I assume from the amperages that that is probably for the 35 Hi rather than the 70.2 emitter.

Anyway, I will be getting the Samsung 30Qs in a few days, and will repost to this thread, suffice it to say that
the last few days have caused me to learn more about 18650s than I was ever intended to know, else the Deity
would likely have created me with built in headlights.

Best,

Zhou Lin

2

Sorry to hear that. Of all batteries available you chose the longest.

https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Common18650Summary%20UK.html

But you are pretty safe when you are careful with inserting the batteries in the carrier(s) the right way,

and only using them in this light (aka balancing, same brand/type, same age, same history, same use).

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Zhou Lin, please post your follow up to the use of the new batteries. I bought the Lumintop BLF GT and bought the (almost) exact batteries recommended by Lumintop.
"Battery: Four or eight button-top 18650 cells (4S1P or 4S2P). Protected cells are recommended"
Because it they were specifically listed in the "manual?" (a 1/4 sheet of paper with a minimal amount of information on it) I bought Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh Protected Button Top batteries. I even doubled checked with Lumintop before buying, and asked specifically protected, or unprotected? I did this because I found conflicting comments while browsing around. Their answer...
"protected or unprotected is available, but quality MUST be good since flashlight has battery voltage testing funtion."
I choose protected because there were so many warnings throughout the web about using the unprotected. Mainly over draining and killing the batteries, or software damage to the light, and over charging and exploding.
Well, like you - my batteries do not fit. Until I know what will work, without damaging the light, or the batteries, I really have nothing more than an oversized paperweight.
I know little about flashlights, but I know any manufacturer that produces them, should be able to definitely say what will work in them. I don't mean make suggestions, but simply tell the consumer exactly what to buy.
Anyway, if you purchased batteries that are working well for you, please let me what they are.
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MJLiptak, Zhou Lin said in the OP that he was using Samsung 30Q cells, with button top.

Here is a trusty source in the USA, with a good price on those cells:

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Battery designs really are all over the place. Some have built in micro USB ports on top that really add length.

Samsung 30Q from Illumn or Liion will be perfect in nearly every case.

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Excellent information. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

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Glad to help - we’ve all learned from our own mistakes on this stuff.

The one other thing to note, understand if you need a high drain or high discharge battery. This is where the 30q is so great because it’s compatible with everything.

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How is Banggood “local” to NYC?

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Well, they do have a USA warehouse. Maybe it’s in NYC?

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Yeah, 30Qs are my usual go-to cell. Can’t go wrong with ’em.

About the only exception are the VTC-5s or –5As that are in my MT-09R.

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All the stuff I have gotten from USA warehouse has come from California.
I would love to see a store in NYC.

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Naw, ya wouldn’t. Then you’d be getting taxed by BG just like AX.

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Don’t worry they will get around to it.
There is actually an address listed for them on Park Ave.
Not sure if there is actually anything there. Could be an admin office. Or a mail drop.