A few months ago I purchased a few of these Needless to say I was blown away at the great value they represented. A bit of searching on the net and I discovered this marvelous forum which lead me to this thread. one thing led to another and yesterday the mail man delivered a Convoy C8 XML2 U2-1A 7135*8. Wow! this thing is seems very well built for the price! Now, I can’t wait to actually be able to turn it on… lol!
I’ve been doing some research for a set of excellent batteries and good charger. Safety, ease of use and performance are my main concerns.
It seems like the Nitecore I2 and a set of protected Panasonic are crowd favorites around here and would most probably fit the bill nicely.
Can anyone suggest which batteries I need specifically? Are button top required ? Recommended mAh for max light output and discharge rate. Is there a better choice for a charger (remember safety and value is key here) that you would recommend to an inexperienced fellow such as myself?
Also, If anyone know where I can order both items in the next few days with relativity fast shipping please let me know.
I like the sanyo ur18650fm, less capacity but the light stays at full brightness longer and drops less in brightness till the batteries die, but you won’t go wrong either way
I don’t know of any better choice of charger unless you are willing to get a hobby charger……which is absolutely not necessary for a beginner.
The best place to get batteries (and everything else you can), at least in the US or nearby, is mtnelectronics.com. Fast shipping and great prices.
I would recommend either of these two batteries: http://www.mtnelectronics.com/opencart/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=55 http://www.mtnelectronics.com/opencart/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=50
The first one has slightly higher capacity, the second one will perform better in high drain flashlights. Both are great choices.
With regard to button top batteries, you should only use protected batteries until you are very comfortable with li-ion batteries (they can be dangerous!) and protected cells are always button top, so no difficulty there.
Hope that helps, just my two cents.
Those Sanyo UR18650FM are great, Panasonic NCR18650B are great as well. For Optimal safety a protected cell would be best. You can use just about any 18650 cell in a Convoy C8 (no cell size limitations that I’m aware of).
The i2 is a greater charger, though I would recommend an i4 if you plan on getting more batteries and more flashlights.
If you’re on the budget keep your eyes on 5400mAh laptop battery sale on ebay, especially if it says “there 8 Samsung batteries inside ”
Even the one that says 4400mAh for $10 is not bad either, as usually they have LG batteries in them
I prefer the i2 charger, as the charge rate isn't user selectable on the i4. I would try to buy one with the 12V cable included if not too much more. (~$4-5 separately)
Button tops aren't required for the Convoy C8 but there's no downside to getting button top and a number of lights require them. Protected vs. unprotected is a different matter. There are a lot of poorly designed lights that won't accept the longer and slightly wider protected cells. C8's are usually not a problem, though.
To run an XM-L2 longer, consider a cell that can be charged to a higher voltage, 4.3 or 4.35V, but you'd need a different charger. And learn a bit more about using unprotected cells first, too.
I’m seeking a battery that can offer high output (turbo mode) for the majority of the time I use my flashlight, and long run time the few times I’ll need long run time (on a lower setting).
I’m seeking performance… wow factor! This is going to be my thrower afterall. I’m already thinking about getting a decent headlight for camping/hunting, something with more flood.
Which of these two batteries will grant me the performance I’m looking for?
How many cycles could I get out of these batteries (mostly curious, as I’m not overly concerned with the lifespan of the battery).
Maybe I should order one of each and get the best of both worlds? I simply want the most horsepower out of my particular flashlight.
Thanks for all the help guys and Thanks for the welcome!
And to all you lurkers out there, join the fun & get onboard!
Both batteries will give you the same “wow” factor in this light, the only advantage to the lower capacity 2900mAh ncr18650pf is that it can deliver higher current (4 amps+), but for your 8*7135 Convoy c8, I think this one is the best choice: http://www.mtnelectronics.com/opencart/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=55
As for cycles, the quoted average is 500, but if you consistently recharge them before they’re fully dead, they will live longer.
