I’m interested in getting a few new flashlights. I have a Nebo Redline which I really like, but it seems the battery life is not that good. Therefore, I am interested to learn more about the pros and cons of 18650 and CR123A battery flashlights. For example, do the 18650 batteries leak power if they are left sitting for a month or two? Do the CR123A flashlights last longer than a 3-AAA flashlight?
I am happy with the 200-300 lumen range smaller flightlights, but I’m not opposed for more lumens if the price is right.
18650’s loose slightly more power than alkalines if they’re sitting on a shelf. However, 18650’s and CR123’s will have about twice as much power and runtime compared to alkalines so they’re great for high current applications such as flashlights, so yes, they will last longer than 3xAAA battery configurations.
Check out this thread for more info about li-ions:
You do need to be careful about rechargeable li-ions because they can get very angry if not handled properly.