Gun Light, CR123 or CR2, Need LiFePO4 EXACTLY 3.25 V - 3.30 V

Batteries and Chargers Rechargeable Batteries
21

Here’s the interesting thing though: has anyone ever tested and tore down these Streamlight lights to see what makes them tick?

I have to wonder what these lights use so we can easily see if their marketing is BS or not, because it seems to be.

Nobody getting 90 minutes of runtime from a single 3V CR123A, especially at the rated 500 lumens of this light.

In fact, depending on the driver, I wouldn’t be surprised if you get more usable light runtime from an LiFePO4 cell over a CR123A.

Looks like I was right after all:
RUN TIME: 1.5 continuous hours to the 10% output level.

22

After reading BlueSwordM’s post, I looked at the spec sheet for the TLR-8A. That product has the 500 lumen light and a laser. The TLR-7A has the light only. The claimed runtime for the light is 1.5 hours. The claimed runtime for the laser is 60 hours. I terminated my laser test since I’m not willing to wait that long to test it. Here are the results I got from my LiFePO4 rechargeable’s.

TLR-8A light only, SureFire RCR123 LiFePO4 450 mAH rating, runtime = 17 minutes
Light started flickering at the end.

If a non rechargeable CR123A really has 1400 mAH, then I would guess it should run at least an hour but I haven’t tested that.

The 17 minutes was a disappointment. I may have to do any gun light training with a non rechargeable CR123A although I doubt I’ll be doing a whole lot of it.

My lasers like rechargeable’s much better.

Green bore sight laser, Soshine RCR2 300 mAH rating, runtime = 01:03:00 or 63 minutes

I’m happy with that. That would give me plenty of time to calibrate the target laser on the TLR-8A.

TLR-8A laser only, different SureFire RCR123 LiFePO4 450 mAH rating, runtime = 04:00:00+ or 240 minutes+
Terminated test because I was tired of waiting.

I’m very happy with that. That’s plenty of time to do more target practice than I can afford.

Ron

23

I have a TLR-8A and use a normal 16340 in it, an Orbtronic protected cell, though. It seems to work fine even charged up to 4.2v. I don’t think the drivers in these lights are so sensitive to self destruct when using anything other than what the lawyers from the light manufacturer say to use.

24

The higher the load the less the capacity. Mostly wasted as the battery heats up.
Keeppwer 16340 https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Keeppower%2016340%20700mAh%20(Black)%202015%20UK.html
Soshine RCR123 3.0V https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Soshine%20RCR123%203.0V%20650mAh%20(Black)%20UK.html
Panasonic CR123a Test of Panasonic Lithium Power CR123
As you see in the charts once load exceeds the sweet spot capacity plummets. Past the sweet spot is excess heat exceeding what the battery design for. The capacities I quoted were what I got given the load the lights required. Someone help please my first two links are too long and this exceeds my skill level to fix.

With the lasers drawing so little current you’ll probably see runtime in days not hours.

25

That IS interesting. Streamlight tech support absolutely refused to endorse or condone using anything but primaries in there. What kind of run time do you get with light plus laser?

Is there a way to put a “like” or “thumbs up” on posts here in case you don’t need a full reply?

Ron

26

I tried using 16340 in my TRL-8AG… output was a tad higher but it got hot much much quicker.

Didn’t want risk burning the tiny driver board so I stuck with primaries. For the amount that I use it for it’s cheaper to go thru CR123 than investing in several rechargeables.

27

It probably got hotter quicker because it was actually regulating the power somewhat, not just going down as time went on.

That or you were on the edge of stability.

28

On one of my Streamlight flashlights this is on the package

For 4x 123s vs 2x 18650. but they don’t list the capicity of their 18650s.
I got 1:22 on high with 2x Sammy 30Qs before dropping off the regulated output.
They list 2:30 at 1000L on 123s vs 3h on 18650s
All the Best,
Jeff

Did a review here

29

I haven’t done much real testing for run time so I can’t say. I also don’t use the light for very long amounts of time except for the laser which I sometimes keep on for a while to play with when shooting. I didn’t notice anything strange while doing that. See the other comment someone else posted about the light getting hot, I think these lights have the typical drivers which burn off excess voltage as heat. It’s a weapon light though, you shouldn’t be leaving it on for more than a few seconds at a time so the heat problem shouldn’t really be an issue.

30

Their cells are 2600mah.