I did it, i stuffed a 14500 in mine tonight, never going over the 1 minute mark while using it, but so far, so good, light output nearly doubled. My uniquefire g10 single mode is brighter than an aurora ssc p7 flashlight i have which runs on an 18650, i havent done a current draw test with the 14500, because im afraid to, but my p7 doesnt draw much current tho, well under 1.5 amps more like 1.2 amps well under the 2 amps or more everyone claims. So it could be under driven, its the five mode version aurora ak p7. My g10 has a brighter more intense hotspot and the spill is about even. Cant believe what i was missing out on. G10 users who havent ran a 14500, man i feel sorry for you guys. Mine was a single mode, so be weary if its any other one i guess.
Respect
The BLF spirit in action! Hope it stays problem free for you. Meantime if I find the thread/posts I was thinking of I'll link them here. Seem to remember there was quite a bit of useful stuff about this light and 14500..
EDIT:
Here's a start: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/1231, from post #30
Had to do it after your post, i am glad i did, even if it does burn out… ill have 2 other xpg single cells coming in next week or so, can compare it to a trustfire a3 r5 and a klarus 1ap. Ill see what i can do with beam shots, and submitting a picture of the back of the driver, i have no internet other than my phone, and the pictures it takes, are not worthy of posting.
Anyone find an extension tube that fits the g10, would be nice to see it powered by 2 aa. My fenix ld20 tail cap fits and functions on it, but sadly the head of the g10 didnt fit the ld20 body.
Finally, nearly 40 days after ordering on 12 Dec from DX, my 6 mode FandyFire G10 has arrived: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/fandyfire-g10-cree-xpg-r5-6-mode-350lm-white-led-memory-flashlight-w-strap-1-x-14500-1-x-aa-91699
I was hoping the anti-roll might be a bit more effective, and as old says in his excellent review, AA output is more meh than wow! but it's still a super little torch. Minor gremlin with mine is that sometimes, after removing head or tail, I have to play loosen-tighten again a couple of times before it will come on or remain flicker-free. But that doesn't bother me too much.
No, the real problem lies in the fact that, due to the light's modest AA output, I'm dying to try a 14500 in it. No, I know I shouldn't. I was hoping that this Fandyfire version might just be different enough from the Uniquefire so as to be able to run on li-ions, but the driver is identical to the infamous one in post #18. Dare I risk it? 
If - or more likely when - it fries, I guess I could always claim from DX, but:
(1) It'd be a bit sneaky of me (2) I'd probably have to wait another 40 days for a replacement (3) I really like this torch, and it seems a shame to (probably) cripple it through lumen greed.
Has anyone heard if this frydriver problem was ever cured? Or has anyone successfully run a 6 mode G10 on 14500?
It could just be the reported dead ones are the rare and few, my cousin had the six mode one and after he seen it in mine, he asked me to let him try it in his light, his functioned just fine, might be fine if you only run it on high mode. It is a whole lot, id say double the brightness on 14500, i have other lights where you barely see a difference, but those are the older leds like the xre variety, xpg and xml are worlds apart in light when comparing aa alkaline and nimh vs liions. Definite wow factor
I assure you this driver will fry!! I have seen this same driver in a 5 mode version and the 6 mode and it has always fryed with Li-Ion!!
Please, post a pic of the driver which works with 14500.
Or a link, anyone? Although my modding 'skills' are as yet non-existent, it'd be useful to know.
I was thinking exactly like jaysay; maybe this one will be different, or perhaps they've solved the issue. BlueBeam, you've more or less convinced me, though.
Just that I have a strong feeling that it will never be my first 'reach for', simply because of the output. Lower output should = longer runtimes, so maybe this torch would be a better choice for the car or toolbox. Seems a pity to relegate it to that status, though.
Dang, I'm gad I found this thread. A month ago I was looking for an 18650 light on DX and the 6 mode, R5, G10 became an impulse buy. It arrived yesterday so I tried AA's and 14500's to see which one I liked more. The 14500 was much, much brighter and the AA's caused inductor whine so the choice was easy.
I've been playing with it all day using a 14500 charged to 3.9V. After seeing this thread, I swapped the cell for a fresh lithium primary to make sure the boost circuit still works and it does, thankfully. The driver has the red ring with the red trace, but is it possible that my light has an updated driver? Seeing as this thread is kind of old I thought it might be possible... or maybe I'm just fortunate and caught it before driver was destroyed.
It's a nice light, but I'm a little bummed about the cell choices. No dust on the reflector like some have experienced, but I might swap the LED for an R2 4500K XP-G. It looks like this supposed "R5" bin has an 8000K color temp.
I'm still watching this thread after all this time, just in case someone can convince me to try a 14500 battery in my 6 mode G10. I'm afraid I still haven't got up the nerve, as too many folk warned against it, but this light just runs so unexcitingly on AA alkies.. Glad yours survived the li-ion ordeal.
I was going to recommend the neutral white XP-G R5 from Shiningbeam but it seems he must be out of stock as it's not listed now. I just bought two about 2 months ago. Very nice. I have beamshots posted with it in my 3C Maglite mod.
-Garry
I received one today, I ordered ONE MODE version (because I tried the 6mode for a friend and I don't liked it, and ONE mode was cheaper xD). I decided to mod it with a 5x7135 (1750mA) driver with three modes (7%, 35%, 100%)... BUT! the original driver was smaller!! so I modded it a little piggy and had to modify the switch (I took off a copper part in front of the spring).
I like it very much, the driver swap works OK, but I done it really piggy (black tape in the pill, and a cable to link the pill with the GND on the driver), but once it is screwed it's impossible to know that.
I like that this flashlight has very nice throw for it's size, nice beam pattern (I saw bigger reflectors with horrible beam pattern, this one is very clean).
So... mine only works with lithium battery... it's my first AA size flashlight (but it doesn't work with NiMH).
My single mode G10 burnt out on a 14500. So where can I get a 15mm 1.2 amp driver? Preferably high, medium, low.
EDIT: Driver didn’t burn. Had broken solder joint at pill. Still looking for a driver though.
Welcome to the monkey house, dct73!
Thanks raccoon city. I’ve been hanging around for a while but just never joined until now.
I'm sure you'll like it here.
(I certainly do.)
If there is nothing in 15mm can anyone give a recommendation on a 17mm that can be sanded down to fit? Has anybody tried this one http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-133/3-dsh-Mode-Regulated-Circuit-Board/Detail?
Mine now has THIS with an extra AMC7135. It delivers 1.40Amps, only one mode, only accepts Lithium battery. For me it’s perfect, it can be up to one hour ON with constant current (1400mA) without ANY problems. Now it’s not piggy anymore with the 17mm driver I installed at first.
Thanks FX-32, but my skills don’t go along with mounting an extra AMC7135. The only electronics soldering I’ve done is replacing the driver in a TR-801. I’d also really like to have a low or medium mode also, but prefer no blinkies. DX sku 50527 looks ok even with one flasher if it will fit. Does anybody think it could be sanded down to fit?