I’m about ready to jump from AA to 14500, but I’m wondering if any flashlights have protection built in so I can use cheap LiOn batteries without a chip.
Zebralight SC52, i know just because i’ve got one and sometimes use an efest flat top non protected, it cuts out at 2.8v and after a minutes rest is usually at 3v. I would say though buy the best lithiums you can get, cheap ones can be a lottery with safety.
Also recommend the SC52
The Nitecore SRT3. Protection & reverse polarity. Great light, although rather larger for 14500. Personally I use mine with a 16340 battery.
(Also own two SC52's and love them both... can't be beat for size, and by far the best AA light out there imho.)
What’s a dino?
SC52 does seem nice, but last light was $6 shipped sk68 clone, SC52 is $64 on Amazon.
OTOH SC52 looks like it runs fine on Eneloops, so I am thinking about it.
I just want to say that the nitecore 14500 is the best I have found and it has a protection, keeeppower 14500 is probably good too(I ordered for 4.5$ from cnqualitygoods but package got lost) but cheaper and has protection too.
So I guess the few dollars you could safe with a crap non protected cell isn’t worth it to exclude nice flashlights…
First recommendation from me is always buy some different sk68s and a nitecore 14500.
What AA light do you have?
Couple of companies have it for less, Illumination Supply I know off hand, and another one I can't remember. It does run great on AA's/Eneloops.
This is your Dino...
Are the Efest flat top cells your using IMR’s?
Cheers
Matt
Yes they are mate, i got 2 of them from “ledfiretorches” awhile back and forgot about them until i was mentioning what 14500 batteries were good to use in an SC52 in another thread.
EDC Ultrafire sk68 clone, pile of misc cheap, rest are 2x AA or 3x AAA, UltraOK B2 which is a 502 clone and nice and bright, but too big, MiniMag LED, some old NeXXtech 08A05 used to be tool bag lights, a dozen free HF lights scattered around corroding.
Years ago Circuit City clearanced the Nexxtech brand and I bought several items like the 3xAAA lights and a couple 1xAAA earclip lights.
Last but not least a Dealsextreme $6 headlamp 3xAAA, high, med, red which is real handy for not disturbing others.
I own 2 protected 14500 Ultrafires, never opened the package, never really set up my B6 hobby charger for functional use. I might do that today even, as I want to monitor the charging even though I have the temp sensor.
ZebraStripes discounts, Calif resident puts it back. I’ve never spent more than $20 on a LED flashlight, MiniMag and OLD Coast, so its a big jump for me that will take some time to think about.
Ultrafire batteries are often cheap junk…
The sk68 you have is capable of liion usage so I would order a battery for 8$ from fasttech and charge it with 300mA and your b6.
And you will probably think “WOW! that it is very bright” but there is still a lot of space above…
I wouldn’t think these Ultrafires are less than primo, was about $4 shipped for the pair, with I think a 1 year warranty. OTOH I haven’t tried them yet.
That’s good to know, thanks. I ordered mine there too.
I’ve just read one or 2 failures on the other forum while using IMR’s, so now everybody is saying dont use them in the sc52. I tried mine briefly and they worked though, and yours are obviously working ok too.
Cheers
Matt
I got the Xtar WK41 in the mail just half an hour ago. It runs great on a 14500 and the specs say it has automatic protection against over-discharge.
http://www.xtarlight.com/05-chanpin/p-001-1.asp?styleid=260&style=New%20Arrival
…hope this helps
I wouldn’t use any cheap batteries tbh. And the cheap 14500’s are total rubbish. 200mAh maybe or less. Runtime is dreadful on them and they simply can’t hack high loads.
Hey matt, could you pm me a link to that please. I’d like to have a read. I’ll bet they used the FL on the turbo with a newly charged batt though, imrs will give out tremendous ammounts of amps with the full 4.2v as they’re not regulated where as a protected cell will only give out a set ammount of volts and amps before it trips the pcb and shuts off, the FL doesn’t have that kind of pcb, just a voltage protection, so it will just burn itself out if abused on high with an imr. But i rarely use anything past H2 108lm anyway, there’s plenty of light with that.
I’ll try and find the thread and send you the link later.