New Convoy C8 – Clearly better

10x would have to be stacked chips and a DIY job. Although honestly at that point you would be better off getting a host and swapping the driver for something more advanced.

Lol, I’m sure I still have lights here with 20-32 7135 chips on the Qlite….

First post…I’m wondering if anyone knows for sure if the KeepPower 3500 cells will fit this flashlight. I have read a few conflicting posts - either a tight fit or not fitting. This light is on the way and I’m wondering if this battery will work or if I should order a different battery (suggestions?). Thanks in advance.

If the advertised measurements of that battery, 68.90mm (L) x 18.60 mm (D) are correct; they should fit just fine.

Welcome to BLF……… :+1:

:slight_smile:

Welcome to BLF.

The Sanyo NCR18650GA http://www.illumn.com/batteries-chargers-and-powerpax-carriers/18650-sanyo-ncr18650ga-3500mah-high-discharge-flat-top.html, is the same battery that’s inside the Keeppower in you link, It’s not protected like the Keeppower, but the flashlight have build in protection.
I don’t know about you knowledge with Lithium-ion battery safety but here is a great tread to get some info Lithium-ion battery safety 101

I am using the NCR18650GA is basically everything but my show lights now days. Great battery for general purpose use.

I agree that the NCR18650GA is a great general purpose cell if you don’t need crazy high drain. Just keep in mind if you’re buying the protected version of that cell it may be too tight a fit. I have the EVVA protected version and it’s too fat for many of my Convoy lights. The unprotected version should fit fine though. KeepPower is slimmer than EVVA sometimes on the same base cell so they may be fine too. EVVA protected cells are sometimes double wrapped where KP are not.

With any modern driver that has LVP there is really no need to use protected batteries anymore. I have actually never owned or used a protected battery, but then i might be a tad more capable of knowing how to use them then some people.

If the clear C8 is bored the same as a regular C8, the battery should fit even if it is an over-wrapped protected. That is what I checked the C8 with, and while it is a snug fit…. it does fit. The EVVA protected fit also, snugly.

Like J-Dub74 said, there are several Convoy lights the over-wrapped cells will not fit because of the “fatter” diameter.

Hope this helps. :slight_smile:

Mmm idk if I’d go that far.

I always recommend protected cells to a person who has never used lithium’s before. Not because of what happens in a light, but what happens outside of the light. People are conditioned to Alkalines and stable rechargeable chemistries that you can just toss in a bin altogether and they won’t vent because of a “little short”. Also Many people will buy good batteries then put them in the terrible charger that came with their cheap light and just leave it plugged in all night while the charge never terminates. That kind of stuff. A name brand cell also gives them something to google if they decide to buy extras without asking me. That way they have a better chance of getting good batteries instead of just googling “18650”.

I also keep a few protected cells for myself . When I build a light the first time I power it on I use protected in case I have a short somewhere I didn’t realize, from tightening down the reflector or something. It saves me melted springs and burned traces. I also have a 4.35v protected cell I use to test chargers, like ones built into a light.

They have their purposes.

I also use protected cells in some of my flashlights, the lights I have with two or more batteries in series gets protected batteries.

<—- don’t use protected cells.
<—- have melted down some springs in my time.
<—- :blush:

Some great ideas on how/when/why/where to use the protected cells. Several years ago, when I got my Solarforce S2200 MT-G2 flashlight, I bought protected AW’s for it. And those are pretty much the only ones I have. I got the first one of these lights shipped, and it came on the day my wife went into the hospital for surgery. (was I sitting in the hospital room with her, playing with my new light? You bet your a I was! :stuck_out_tongue: )

I actually agree with much of both quotes here. Personally I don’t use protected cells for my own lights very often. I do get people into this hobby though and I always give them a bunch of info and set them up with one of the cheaper Xtar chargers and good protected cells in their “starter package”. They’re just much safer for the uninitiated. I also use them in the lights I give to my kids and even my wife.

Most all of my many 18650 batteries (except 2 ) are protected, probably because I got into 18650 lights first and thought that was the thing to do. Then after a while, enter the 26650 lights……… all of my 26650 cells (except 2) are not protected.
Go figure………. :wink:

But, like several have said above; when I give a light and charger to the uninformed…… I give them the important info about Li Ion cell along with a protected battery………. :+1:

Mak 88, I forgot to tell you this. The dimensions of the largest 18650 battery I tested in the C8 was 70mm x 19mm. It was a button top.
So the one you referenced should be just fine.

(The absolute largest cell my particular C8 would take would be about 19.1mm x 71mm )

YMMV, but most likely not by much. :wink:

Definitely. Especially outside the flashlight community, I’ve often found people really have no clue at all about batteries. A protected cell might not stop the abuse these cells are often subjected to, but they do at least prevent errors bad enough to hurt someone.

It’s still depressingly common to see people over-charging cells constantly, always leaving them in a charger which doesn’t actually terminate, so that it keeps going until the protection circuit kicks in at ~4.35V. I’ve even seen companies recommend this type of behavior with their products. Or charging a 3.4Ah cell at 3A, with the cell insulated inside a product with no way to shed heat.

In a flashlight I use unprotected cells but in my headlamp I always use protected ones. Something about strapping that much unprotected energy on my forehead…

You afraid of an accidental Lobotomy?? :slight_smile:

Well shock therapy I might be able to handle but lobotomy while driving my bike could be dangerous for pedestrians…. :stuck_out_tongue:

Maybe I missed it but does anyone know if this new driver/firmware still retain the Low voltage protection function and Battery reverse protection function?