18650 batteries are made as flat tops because they are almost exclusively used in battery packs so a tab must easily be welded onto it.
Protected 18650’s are for a niche market that the producer never intended, protection therefore is always added as an aftermarket process by a different manufacturer.
I think button tops are added then because they are more versatile, and there are not many devices that exclusively work on flat tops.
Tennergy made what could be considered protected flat tops ...
My guess on why 3.7 volts is because nimh and nicad etc are 1.2v and three cells combined equal 3,6v which if I remember correctly was a number more commonly used than 3.7v. I'm sure there is a better answer ..but hey "there are no stupid answers "
1 - Are there “ready to use” lighted forward clicky switches? If so, where can I find them?
2 - How good can a triple 14500 (XP-G2, 15mm or 17mm MTN DD driver) flashlight be? Is it too much for a 14500 cell, even with small “turbo boosts”? :question:
3 - Is there any slim flashlight head (ex: Thorfire TG06, or similar) that possibly fits the body of an Astrolux X5? If so, which one?
Thanks in advance for eventual answers to these questions
If you use a Efest 650mah purple It might do pretty good judging by djozz”s test. Top 14500 cell out at the moment.
I’ll take a guess, maybe 2100 lumen’s at start and falling fast.
Hum, nice to know that! I have 2 Efest IMR ready for it! Just need to find the “perfect” host to try it!
Those numbers are good, but of course will be quick fall, for sure! I will use it for small bursts probably!
They’re “Chinese volts”, kinda like “Chinese lumens”. You know, how a 3×AAA light with Latticebright XP-E lookalike chip can produce 2,0005,000 8,000 lumens.
And the really bad thing, is there are uninformed people that fall for it. :person_facepalming:
And they think its the greatest thing ever since a 2D mag is what there use to until I pull out my D4.
Yes and no.
Sure most of those ratings are exaggerated. But producing a high voltage from just a single battery is no rocket science. The problem is when you want some power. Meaning, increasing the amps. Those devices might have a huge voltage but there current is very low. Dont forget that just 20mA (out of my head, exact figure can be slightly different) trough your heart could kill you.
You might ask now, but why is a hot rod flashlight that is pushing 10 or more amps to the emitter not dangerous?
That’s because the voltage is too low. Our skin has a very high resistance and thus a low voltage wont hurt us. That’s also why many (‘insulating’) materials that are being used in or around electrical equipment are rated to a certain voltage. Above that there is a possibility that the electricity can go trough it.
I went to my father last weekend and he was proud for his new “very bright light, as bright as the one you gave me a few years ago”, which he purchased locally online for 10-15 euros.
The one he referred to was this: http://www.dx.com/p/aurora-ak-p7-5-ha-iii-ssc-p7-c-2-mode-900-lumen-led-flashlight-with-assault-crown-1-18650-15739 and no, his new light isn’t that bright. It has a generic XP-E sized led pushing 100-150 “throwy” lumens, due to the tiny emitter. I was carrying an S41 Nichia at the time with a fresh Q30 which I shined to the ceiling saying something like “that’s not bright, this is bright”. My brother nearly choked laughing.
Yeah, I’ve gotten that. “Lookit my bright new light!!” Love when I get the follow-up “It’s probably even brighter’n yours!”, referring to my little 1-mode ~500lm ’502.
Then we turn off the lights and do a ceiling-bounce test. Yeah, their “bright” lights are probably 100lm-150lm.
My favorite was a LB-fueled C8 wannabe. Sure, nice tight hotspot, quite bright, but 100lm concentrated into a small disc. Just for s&g, I trot out my C8A. The C8-wannabe illuminates the room, kinda, sorta. My C8A lights up the room as if someone flicked on the room-lights. :smiling_imp: