Was just wondering: why aren’t the “1 x AAA Flashlights” and “Multiple AAA Flashlights” categories not called AAA / 10440 ?
Not all AAA lights can use 10440 and more people recognize the letter format name. Plus to use 10440 in place of multiple primary cells would require a spacer cell to keep all the magic smoke inside the flashlight from leaking out from massive over-voltage :zipper_mouth_face: 
Phil
And by using the AAA identifier to specify size, if you see 10440 in the specs then you know it will do both.
Same goes for the AA categories, yet they are named AA / 14500
Hence my question.
Again, going by the +usual +conventions, if you see 14500, then the light should be able to use a 14500 cell. Me, being conservative, will look for confirmation from forum users, on-line reviews from our gurus, manufacturer’s literature, or direct contact with the manufacturer/supplier.
I’m not sure you understand what I mean.
I’m talking about the names given to the categories here on the forums. Not which flashlight can use which type of battery.
My guess is that it has historical reasons.
10440/10450 usually refers to Li-Ion cells, AAA usually means cells in the 1.2-1.5V range. Opposed to 14500, 10440 flashlights are rare and good 10440 cells even rarer. When the Forum for AAA was created there might have been next to nil of these lights and cells, hence the name was only AAA.
Admittedly I got you wrong, too. BLF has a forum called
” BudgetLightForum.com Site-related Issues and Comments
How are we doing? Please post here your comments and questions about the site. ”
and posting there instead might have made clear your question is site related and not related to the technical aspect of AAA flashlights.
Ah, totally right.
Reading my first post again I find it not clear that I’m talking about the forum category names 
np
and welcome to BLF, by the way
Actually, if you want to talk about correct names, what is commonly called an AAA cell is an LR3 or U16, and an AA cell is an LR6 or U12. But the only place one usually sees those names is in small print on the side of the cell and on the package they are purchased in. The terms AA/AAA and 10440/14500 comply with neither the IEC nor the ANSI naming standards for cells, but are common usage names that are what most people recognize. Since I have gotten involved in the flashlight world, I use the common convention of AA/AAA referring to alkaline, lithium or NiMH cells at 1.5v, and 10440/14500 as referring to the same sizes in Li-Ion chemistries. I think most of us continue to use those names for the sake of the newcomers to our world so that they don’t become totally lost as soon as we start talking about which cells for what, etc.
PS: Please don’t think that I am climbing on, I’m just indulging my pedantic streak so it doesn’t die a lonely death from lack of use . :student: