Hi,
I have just bought Xtar WK20 flashlight a few days ago. It is CR123A 3v battery, but I have tried to use RCR123A 3.7v instead. I know it is overdriven out of the original spec.
When I first tried with the original CR123A battery, it was very bright probably around 200 lumens at High, and around 50 lumens at Low.
Then I tried RCR123 3.7v, and it was even brighter possibly around 280 lms. I tested this for around 40 secs before it became very warm, so I turned it off. I tried this 4 or 5 times.
Yesterday I retested with the original CR123 3v, and it suddenly becomes very dimmed. I tried a new CR123 battery, and it is still very dimmed. At high, it is probably only around 20 lumens. At low, it is almost usable around 2-5 lumens perhaps. This is with a new battery. When I retested with RCR123 3.7v, it is still very bright. I’m not exactly sure if it is actually less brighter when I first tried it. At least, i is still very bright possibly 200 lumens or so. The only difference I noticed, it takes longer to become warm with 3.7v battery. Before , it takes around 40 secs, and now it takes around 80-90 secs.
Why suddenly it becomes so dimmed with CR123 ???
Does the led/driver fry , so it produces less lumens ?
The biggest reduction in brightness is with CR123 3v (shocking really). With RCR 3.7v, I actually do not see major difference (if any really).
The beam is still very white. No blue cast, which I heard as a common symthom of burnt-out led.
Can anyone advise ? THanks.
