Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone with a bit more experience can help me out choosing 3x18650 batteries from FastTech for my TrustFire TR-1200 Cree Q5 WC 5-Mode 1200-Lumen White 5-LED Flashlight SKU: 57380 from DX. I have a NiteCore Intellicharger i4 v2 which I will be using to charge these batteries and I think I would prefer the protected type of battery since I’m a bit of a noob with 18650’s. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
StringBean29
G’day mate,
You can’t go too wrong with Panasonic 18650’s, the NCR A’s are 3100 mAh and the newest NCR B’s are 3400mAh (bit more run time)
Sanyo also make excellent 18650’s too apparantly.
Note: Panasonic protected 18650’s are normally 69mm in length (+/- 0.5mm) so make sure your torch can handle the longer batteries.
Are we talking about these: https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001980/1141104-panasonic-ncr18650b-protected-rechargeable
Or these: https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001980/1141100-panasonic-ncr18650b-rechargeable-3400mah-3-7v
Im not sure if you light can use 3 of the longest cells.
I remember my TR-3T6 did not like the longest Panasonics. But all my other lights can use them.. This is my default cell for most lights..
http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001980/1341105-panasonic-ncr18650b-18650-3-7v-3400mah-protected
Another cheaper option, but these are very long batteries too.
These are a good option since they are shorter than the typical Panasonic or Sanyo cells , but still are protected and have good capacity. Probably the safest choice for that light. But maybe someone can confirm that the longer cells fit nicely in your light...
Yeah I am not really sure if it will take the longer cells either.
My TR 3T6 accepted 3 protected Panasonics but there are so many 3T6 clones it's dangerous to make blanket statements.
So what should I buy?
http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001901/1143802-sanyo-ur18650f-18650-2600mah-protected-rechargeabl
Get these to be on the safe side.
Or
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1420/10001980/1141104
Get these if you like to live dangerously(dangerously, in the sense that they may not fit; however, if you have other 18650 flashlights they are rather amazing when they do fit).
Uhhhh? Your “safer” option is longer!
Sanyo = 69.8mm
Panny = 69.3mm
The Sanyo is much longer and almost as wide, and the Panasonic is 4.35v
Your link is to UN-protected 3400s isn’t it?
It was… Fixed. 
Now I’m worried that the protected 3400s won’t fit in my PD35, how much difference is there between the FT Panasonic 3400 protected and their protected Sanyo 2600s that are so popular?
The Sanyo already feels snug and I don’t want to crush springs, (or whatever happens to the springs).
The difference between mine was about the thickness of 5 sheets of printer paper. That’s not to say that yours maybe different, but that’s what mine measures. I did notice that HKJ’s review also listed them bigger than what mine measures. They may have figured out at some point, how to make the pcb assembly slightly smaller. :~
Mine (3400s protected) will arrive Tuesday from Fasttech, I will have something to report then.
I am going to try the Panasonic NCR18650B. At this point I will just order the two batteries and if they fit I should be fine with three I think.
What is the difference between these two?
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1420/10001980/1141104
http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001980/1341105-panasonic-ncr18650b-18650-3-7v-3400mah-protected
and which ones should I be ordering?
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1420/10001980/1141104
This is what I ordered when I bought mine (77 cents cheaper at the time); pretty sure the other listing didn’t exist when I made the purchase.
No idea what the difference is, other than the picture showing 4.35 on whatever meter thing it’s hooked to, but discussions still saying the specs should read 4.25 instead of 4.35.
Edit: Just read through the discussions again, it says the protection circuit is applied by different manufacturers. So there’s probably a small difference in overall length. Both are 4.25v (according to reviews, discussions, etc).
So both are protected I would assume?