Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

[Kestrel]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

The voltage range might be OK, but it may also depend on drop-in's regulation and 3 mode's spacing. If the lower end modes are not low enough, a near dead battery may not be have enough amperage to power the lowest mode. If the lowest mode is too low, then it may take a long long time, and/or not enough illumination, to kill the batt.

Agreed. Let's limit this thread to lights that have a demonstrated ability to operate on nearly-depleted cells. Thanks,

 

[nbp]

Can't believe Kestrel didn't mention that one. Slacker. :nana:

He must have been another subforum, fighting the 'good fight' and keeping the forums safe for all us innocent flashaholics.

Heark! It is DM reborn! :laughing:

You merged these threads. You had your chance. Just surrender.

 

[HighlanderNorth]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

Sometimes people will send you burned out lamp assemblies for free on the MP since they have no use for them. Anyways, it's a fun little project and it makes a great battery vampire that costs very little. Multimode seems useless when you are dealing with virtually dead batteries to begin with; the point is to squeeze just that last bit of juice out and get a small but usable amount of light from them. You can pick the 5mm of your choice and go to town. I liked mine. :shrug:

Actually what would be wrong with putting together a multi mode vampire light, which should cost about the exact same amount of money that a single mode light would cost, AND you'd be able to use the higher modes with newer batteries, so you wouldnt just be stuck with a 1 dimensional light?

Its like when I bought a profile sander back in 2003, and all its good for is sanding in corners and tight spaces, but then just about 2 years later, they introduced the new Fein Multimaster type multi-tools. If I couldve waited to buy that profile sander, I wouldve bought the Fein Multimaster instead, because it can sand in tight areas, and its a saw, and its useful for other purposes too.

 

[nbp]

Actually what would be wrong with putting together a multi mode vampire light, which should cost about the exact same amount of money that a single mode light would cost, AND you'd be able to use the higher modes with newer batteries, so you wouldnt just be stuck with a 1 dimensional light?

:thinking:


I have 25 of those already. They're called every other flashlight I own!!!!

The whole point of this thread is to have a one dimensional flashlight - it's sole purpose is to put out a little light for a long time to drain cells you have already "used up" in your other flashlights and *cannot* support high modes.

If I want high outputs and flashy modes and stuff I'll just use a different flashlight.

 

[PCC]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

The now discontinued Nite Ize 3-LED drop-in for the Mini-Mag in a cut-down MM makes a fantastic battery vampire. It's the light that I feed my spent AA cells to after the toroid Joule Thief has done it's part and won't light up anymore. Imagine this drop-in adapted to draining CR123a's?

 

[JohnnyLunar]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

The whole point of this thread is to have a one dimensional flashlight - it's sole purpose is to put out a little light for a long time to drain cells you have already "used up" in your other flashlights and *cannot* support high modes.

Well, the Thrunite XM-L drop-in I have been testing the last 2 days still lights up a 2.35-2.6V CR123 in a P60 body with a dummy cell. I don't have any CR123s with lower resting voltage than that, so I don't know how low it will go.

Although this drop-in has 3 modes, and is capable of almost 500 OTF lumens on high with a fresh 18650, it will take a major backseat to the Nailbender XM-L 90+CRI I just ordered. The Thrunite probably wouldn't get anymore use in my primary lights, so I think "vampire duty" will be it's fate, probably in a Solarforce L2M body.

 

[RCM]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

For me, I have a 1xAAA Rayovac penlight that will run with almost no lumen drop on a dead AAA runs down to around .35 .40mV. For AA C and D size, I have a really cheap 2xD cell lantern with a joule thief circuit in that also works with a single cell if I want it too. Runs down to about .20mV since my family doesn't seem to like rechargeable batteries, I get all the dead cells and use them in my lights as nightlights.

 

[eh4]

For me, I have a 1xAAA Rayovac penlight that will run with almost no lumen drop on a dead AAA runs down to around .35 .40mV. For AA C and D size, I have a really cheap 2xD cell lantern with a joule thief circuit in that also works with a single cell if I want it too. Runs down to about .20mV since my family doesn't seem to like rechargeable batteries, I get all the dead cells and use them in my lights as nightlights.

Wow.
I gotta try one of those AAA Rayovac pen lights, sounds neat... If it's that good I might chop it up and mod it to feed any size single alkaline batteries to, don't use many AAA around here.

 

[RCM]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

There is also a AA version, might have to pick one up to try...

 

[lampeDépêche]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

For me, I have a 1xAAA Rayovac penlight that will run with almost no lumen drop on a dead AAA runs down to around .35 .40mV

Thanks, RCM. Are you referring to the

"BRSLEDPEN-B Brilliant Solutions LED Pen Light"

that I find for sale on a certain on-line retailer? Ugly sucker, but if it's regulated that well then I might drop the $6.00 for one.

 

[davidwestonh]

Re: Battery Vampires

I use 2 "dead" AA's for my Smith & Wesson Galaxy (Red LEDS)
1 "dead" AA on my Gerber Recon
And 2 "dead" cr123's to run the 9 white LEDs on another S & W Galaxy (the 9 LED/xenon model)

I see the S&W Galaxy (red LEDS) is still available at the manufactures web site.
would you still consider a two AA a viable purchase at $14.95?

 

[PapaLumen]

Re: Battery Vampires

I use a thrunite ti for an AAA battery vampire, still going on sub 1v alkies.

Now looking for an AA vampire. I want simple, small. I was looking at the thrunite t10 and the updated t10, the saber1A. Does anyone have any experience using either of these as vampires? I think they are current regulated so maybe no good? Big pile of spent AA's here to use. Any other ideas? Thanks.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Battery Vampires

I use a thrunite ti for an AAA battery vampire, still going on sub 1v alkies.

Now looking for an AA vampire. I want simple, small. I was looking at the thrunite t10 and the updated t10, the saber1A. Does anyone have any experience using either of these as vampires? I think they are current regulated so maybe no good? Big pile of spent AA's here to use. Any other ideas? Thanks.

My idea is to not use a nice light to drain alkaline batteries dry as the risk of leaking and ruining it cancels out saving a few watt hours of light that in the end you could just put a rechargeable in it for two recharges and get most of the "saved" electricity back and then some costing you about a penny in electricity. I drain batteries in throwaway lights and have had to clean the contacts and tubes of them a bunch of times over the years.

 

[PapaLumen]

Yeah, I've been waiting for that to happen, it check quite often or sometimes remove between uses. These are quite cheap lights, ok they are not $2 but they are not $70 like some aa lights.

Still, I may just try an eBay cheapy now you've mentioned them lol. Cheers.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

Yeah, I've been waiting for that to happen, it check quite often or sometimes remove between uses. These are quite cheap lights, ok they are not $2 but they are not $70 like some aa lights.

Still, I may just try an eBay cheapy now you've mentioned them lol. Cheers.

If you use more than one cell you can use a boost circuit and drain batteries down to useless levels. the 1D energizer led lights can run off 2 cells if they are somewhat depleted they tend to hold up pretty well. Ive put 5 or 6 dead AAs in series and direct driven an LED with a variable resistor to drain batteries literally down to 0v and even reverse charged them they drained so low.

 

[Mr Floppy]

Re: Battery Vampires

My idea is to not use a nice light to drain alkaline batteries dry as the risk of leaking and ruining it cancels out saving a few watt hours of light

Wow, good thread necro. I agree with this statement. That's why I now use a Joule Thief to charge a NiMH from an alkaleak. Not the most efficient but easier to clean

 

[PCC]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

Recently I've decided to burn through the dozen or so used CR123a cells that I have. I've found that the Peak Logan works great as a battery vampire. My Logan has a brass insert replacing the QTC pill so it's a single mode light.

 

[wjv]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

At work we have a dead battery bin.

I often grab AA batteries from that bin and stick them in my Fenix LD10, where they work quite well for a long time.

 

[yoyoman]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

I'm looking for a single cell vampire for CR123A cells that I harvest from my Malkoff Hound Dog N. I've been using a McGizmo AA light engine and it is fine. I want to start using an Oveready Mini Turbohead Surefire M2/XM-L2/DD head on a small body. This is a single mode light and should be a good option. I can easily switch the head to the bored SF C2 body for full output. However, it seems silly using such fine and expensive lights to get the last 20 cents out of a $1 dollar cell. I see the post above about the Peak Logan and that is an option - but it still seems silly to use such a fine light as a vampire. I looked at page 1 of this thread and some of the options are out of date (i.e. no longer available). What other options are out there for CR123A cells?

 

[tonkem]

Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..

I use a Zebralight SC80 for my 123 cells. I know they are not available now, but they will soon be releasing the SC32, which is 123 cells only, whereas the SC80 is a 123/aa light. Patience will be required though, if waiting on a zebralight these days. Or try to find a used SC80 or SC31.