[kev]

This past weekend my kids and I made a trip to the camp to plant some fruit trees, plant some oak trees and work on another bar-b-que pit.

Saturday night we decided to take a walk around the property, so we started looking for flashlights. It was at this point that I realized that I had overlooked some good quality flashlights for the camp. I have a Surefire 6PX Tactical (200 lumens) mounted to the AR-15, but we needed a couple of lights just to see our way through the dark. We have a couple of hand crank lights, and a hand crank lantern, but we needed something with a little more "juice" then those hand crank lights.

I'am looking at buying 2, 3,,, maybe 4 lights to leave at the camp full time. The question is, what batteries will give the best amount of light, not cost a fortune, and ability of the batteries to store for a long periods of time.

123A batteries - are supposed to be storeable for up to 15 years. But a lot of the lights that use 123A batteries are on the tactical side and have a low life span. Unless we went with something like the Surefire G2X Pro that has a dual output I just do not see a lot of other options. I would like to see something like a 50 - 100 lumens light, 123A, and does not cost a fortune.

AA Lithium batteries - high capacity, but I'am not sure about the storage life. I need something that I can store for 1, 2, 3,,, maybe even 5 years and not have to worry about.

The thing about AA lithium, there are tons of lights ont he market, will all kinds of brightness levels. Its just a matter of liking the price range and brightness.

I just don't know how long lithium batteries store for?

 

[goose3]

One word: Eneloop. That's if you want rechargeables. They will hold their charge for a long time, and they're rechargeable up to 1000 times.

Otherwise, you can get something like energizer lithiums, which are advertized to have a 15-year shelf life (it says that on the packaging.) Those are AA.

I have some of both stored.

And FWIW, I got a flashlight at Menards (home depot type store) for $9 which is a 1-watt flashlight which will be in the lumen range you want.

The days of having to spend tons of money for an LED of high intensity are over.

 

[vicdotcom]

AA Lithium batteries store 10-15 years easy. Same as the 123a lithium. The problem is that some electronics designed for AA alkaline batteries do not do well with AA lithium. I had flashlights and one led-headlamp burn out because of the higher voltage that AA lithium put out over alkaline. So make sure with the light manufacturer to see if it is Lithium compatible. Some directions state to only use alkaline or ni-mh/ni-cad batteries.

 

[intervivos]

Here you go, they store 15 years:

http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/l91.pdf

I have about 5 maratac AA flashlights stashed all over, I love them all.

http://www.countycomm.com/AASTAINLESSWORLDSMALLEST.html

 

[Gunner65]

Kev, I have all SureFire lights, 27 in all plus a few Streamlight... All take the 123 batts. I have had some of these stored so far for 8 years and they are fine, run just as long as new packs...

All my batt's for these are the SureFire brand,(Duracell makes them for SureFire and puts the SureFire logo on them)

Right now I have 8 boxes of 72 batteries. I get a new box or two every year and use the oldest as needed. That way everything is fresh...
Hope it helps...:thumb:
Gunner

 

[kev]

Kev, I have all SureFire lights, 27 in all plus a few Streamlight...

Surefire makes some great lights, my daughter has a G2X Pro. We just forgot to bring our usual lights with us when we went to the camp. I usually bring a DD LED maglight, but forgot to put it in my pack on this trip

 

[John Rambo]

My post is more about lights than storing batteries. I'm almost sure you can get LED surefires now. This should save a lot of energy.

The last time I was in Iraq, I had a Coast Lensor LED that took 3 AAA batteries. With good batteries it was as bright as a surefire. But the body of the light will not fit in a 1" mount.

Used to, you could get a Brinkman Maxfire and 123 batteries at Wal-Mart for $20.00. It has a plastic 1" body. I mounted one to a NEF 20ga. for home protection. It's also as bright as a Surefire.

 

[Gunner65]

Surefire makes some great lights, my daughter has a G2X Pro. We just forgot to bring our usual lights with us when we went to the camp. I usually bring a DD LED maglight, but forgot to put it in my pack on this trip


YouTube - Survival gear - Surefire G2X Pro on a hunting trip and with coyote howls in the distance

Once you get to using them, you will get hooked. They are still a sponsor of mine more or less... they changed their full sponsorship program a little of a year ago... I have and will continue to trust my life with SureFire lights... In time you will also when you see just how tough they really are kev...

 

[MikeK]

I lean towards rechargeables for the long term. Keep them charged and they last a good long time. I have nicads from the 90s that are still working. The new Eneloops don't discharge nearly as fast. So if you don't cycle through them constantly, they should have a respectable lifespan. Cycles kills rechargeables more than time does.

I know the 123s are supposed to have a long life. But I sell gun accessories and a lot of them use those batteries. I've had the batteries lose power in 3 years or so. Granted, these aren't the name brand batteries and that's probably a big part of it.

 

[Grevlin]

Hey Kev,

Take a look at these:

http://www.opticsale.com/streamligh...trk=gdfV2656_a_7c772_a_7c3291_a_7c056_d_88850

I have them on long guns and use them in bags/places where I need serious light. They are wicked bright and simple click on/click off, or just press for momentary on.

I just got a Streamlight TLR-1 which uses cr123's also and its 130 lumens!

I stock cr123's and can get them for maybe $1 each.

Just remember:

NEVER mix brands in the same device
and
NEVER use cells that have different power levels

If you need two, just take two brand-new cells of the same brand and use them until they die. It will save you some smoke, fire, and melted devices.

 

[ClassicalTactical]

If I needed to buy any more 123a flashlights, I would get a couple of Surefire G2s that come with 8 Surefire batteries (and LApolicegear is running a store wide 15% off sale now).

As far as AA's goes, I bought a couple of the new LED minimaglites last Christmas and some batteries. I ran a test of both Energizer lithium and coppertop AA's in 2 new minimaglites. The Energizer light went out after 3 days straight, the coppertops lasted a week and a day...................

With the price of batteries about to go crazy(not that they arn't expensive now) I looked into long term storage both both AA and 123a's. I found that the Pelican cases 1010 and 1050 fit the 123a's and AA's respectively for good secure storage, and were on sale online at wallyworld. Found some good prices at batteryjunction and filled a few cases up, put them away, and was able to cross another line off of the list of lists....

Hope it might help,

CT

 

[z96Cobra]

I've been using 123As from www.batteryjunction.com for years now. They have their house brand "Titanium Innovations" for less than $1 per battery if you buy in bulk. They've been great in my SureFire U2 and L4. They last just as long, and sometimes longer, than the name brand batteries. Some guys at www.candlepowerforums.com did some testing on a ton of different brands if you care to check it out.

 

[Jeffrey]

I'm replacing all our AA and AAA batteries with rechargable ones when they get replaced. Still researching on a reliable, compact, and rugged 12volt solar charging system though.

What I want is a 12 volt solar charging station to fit in a medium pelican box that could recharge the plethora of electronics around here. Ipod, Streamlights, laptops, cell phones, AA and AAA bats, etc. Basically anything that has a car charger cable. A solar car battery charger hooked into a car battery should work, but that ain't portable.

 

[AKpredator]

123A batteries - are supposed to be storeable for up to 15 years. But a lot of the lights that use 123A batteries are on the tactical side and have a low life span. Unless we went with something like the Surefire G2X Pro that has a dual output I just do not see a lot of other options. I would like to see something like a 50 - 100 lumens light, 123A, and does not cost a fortune.

AA Lithium batteries - high capacity, but I'am not sure about the storage life. I need something that I can store for 1, 2, 3,,, maybe even 5 years and not have to worry about.

The thing about AA lithium, there are tons of lights ont he market, will all kinds of brightness levels. Its just a matter of liking the price range and brightness.

I just don't know how long lithium batteries store for?

Kev,

I personally like CR 123 batts for lights except my little Key-Mate and Nano lights. Quality products this outfit carries, as they specialize in handheld flashlights. Two pages of lights that use 123 batts.

http://www.lighthound.com/CR-123A-Flashlights_c_26.html

Another full that use AA's.

http://www.lighthound.com/AA-Flashlights_c_23.html

 

[Jash]

Check out the offerings from Malkoff. If you think Surefire is good, you will think Malkoff is better. I've got an MD2 with high/low ring and it's my favourite light out of the 30+ flashlights I own, and some of them a serious lights. It's also bomb proof like no other. Gene makes some seriously good gear, and he backs up his product with his life.

If you're after some good budget lights, 4Sevens Quark series are pretty hard to beat and you can get some really nice lights for either CR123 or AA. All Quarks are regulated to give you maximum battery life. I've got the 123 Tactical on my keys and it's still on the same CR123 battery it came with, and that was over a year ago, and I use it regularly.

 

[John Rambo]

I've used rechargeable AA and AAA batteries. Big waste of money I thought. Maybe the technology is better now than it was.

 

[ToeCutter]

One word: Eneloop. That's if you want rechargeables. They will hold their charge for a long time, and they're rechargeable up to 1000 times.

Otherwise, you can get something like energizer lithiums, which are advertized to have a 15-year shelf life (it says that on the packaging.) Those are AA.

Goose nailed it in the first response. A combo of Sanyo Eneloops and Energizer Ultimate Lithium cover all your bases. Nothing else is worth considering, IMO.

Oh... there is a newer line of Eneloops (eneloop plus?) with an even longer service life. I believe you need an Eneloop specific charger, but it is worth it.

 

[SNAKEBITE]

I've had the batteries lose power in 3 years or so. Granted, these aren't the name brand batteries and that's probably a big part of it.

I tend to use cheap batteries in the kids toys.
I can get 8 or 12 for £1 from "poundland" (A discount store where everything is £1, clue is in the name!) where as a premium brand is around £4 for 4off.

I was very impressed with the lifespan of these batteries, they were not much different from the premium brands.

Lifespan in storage? Can't comment.

 

[sachson]

LED tac lights are great- especially if AA batteries. Rechargable batteries. Solar charger. Yukon NVG scopes run on AA. Walkie talkies run on AA. Great LED lights run on AA. Solar charger and everything else AA is a good setup, sustainable. Good to hear the rechargable AA's last 15 years!

 

[gallon]

One word: Eneloop. That's if you want rechargeables. They will hold their charge for a long time, and they're rechargeable up to 1000 times.

Otherwise, you can get something like energizer lithiums, which are advertized to have a 15-year shelf life (it says that on the packaging.) Those are AA.

I have some of both stored.

And FWIW, I got a flashlight at Menards (home depot type store) for $9 which is a 1-watt flashlight which will be in the lumen range you want.

The days of having to spend tons of money for an LED of high intensity are over.

Yep. Eneloops and chargers are the last word on the subject. If one were concerned, one could also stash a few of the lithiums until your eneloops were topped off.