thermal guy
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I would not presume to debate logic with you my friend 😁
I would not presume to debate logic with you my friend 😁
Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
- Thread starter Crenshaw
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archimedes
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
Ha !
I do think the chance of a problem is probably pretty small, but not zero. The issue is, however, if things go badly ... results may be catastrophic.
There are threads here on CPF discussing this exact situation, including some rather negative outcomes.
Ha !
I do think the chance of a problem is probably pretty small, but not zero. The issue is, however, if things go badly ... results may be catastrophic.
There are threads here on CPF discussing this exact situation, including some rather negative outcomes.
Kestrel
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
Hmm, I tried to parse that crazy sentence by TG above; I thought I knew what he was saying until ~2/3 through, then started thinking the opposite & gave up in confusion. So if Arch could figure it out, he's one up on me as well ...
thermal guy
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
You made me google parse! 😂😂😂
You made me google parse! 😂😂😂
thermal guy
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
And what you call crazy I call normal. I think 🤔. 😁
And what you call crazy I call normal. I think 🤔. 😁
CREEXHP70LED
Enlightened
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2016
- Messages
- 552
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
Hello guys, I don't have time right now to read this entire thread right now (blame hurricane Dorian) but I am looking for a single 123A cell light to vampire my 123A cells. (Actually, I use single 123A lights to find out which one of the two or three cells in my P3X, P2X, or Charlie dropped voltage so much that my light went dim on me.)
Does the Malkoff MDC HA 1CR123 Neutral flashlight work okay for this or the Malkoff MDC HA SHO?
I am tired of my Surefires always dropping a cell and going much dimmer quite often. In fact it just did it again today, and I do not want to throw out 2 decent cells.
I used to use a Olight Baton for this reason but I sold it a couple months ago. Looking to upgrade to a nicer light. If the Malkoffs are decent and will drain a cell to a reasonable amount I will go that route.
Hello guys, I don't have time right now to read this entire thread right now (blame hurricane Dorian) but I am looking for a single 123A cell light to vampire my 123A cells. (Actually, I use single 123A lights to find out which one of the two or three cells in my P3X, P2X, or Charlie dropped voltage so much that my light went dim on me.)
Does the Malkoff MDC HA 1CR123 Neutral flashlight work okay for this or the Malkoff MDC HA SHO?
I am tired of my Surefires always dropping a cell and going much dimmer quite often. In fact it just did it again today, and I do not want to throw out 2 decent cells.
I used to use a Olight Baton for this reason but I sold it a couple months ago. Looking to upgrade to a nicer light. If the Malkoffs are decent and will drain a cell to a reasonable amount I will go that route.
archimedes
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
Peak is my answer for that. Output will eventually drop like a rock, but it will run just shy of forever.
Peak is my answer for that. Output will eventually drop like a rock, but it will run just shy of forever.
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CREEXHP70LED
Enlightened
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2016
- Messages
- 552
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I looked, but can you recommend a specific model? Thank you sir!
I looked, but can you recommend a specific model? Thank you sir!
archimedes
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I use the Logan 17500 (with a spacer)
scout24
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
Is there a certain level of output you're looking for initially?
Is there a certain level of output you're looking for initially?
PCC
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
Some time ago I bought an early Fenix E10 head from a member here that I machined a body for. It runs only one mode (presumably in the head loose condition on a regular E10. That light will produce light on batteries that the Nite Ize three LED Mini-Maglite upgrade won't light up with. That Nite Ize upgrade was my go-to battery vampire until I found this one.
Some time ago I bought an early Fenix E10 head from a member here that I machined a body for. It runs only one mode (presumably in the head loose condition on a regular E10. That light will produce light on batteries that the Nite Ize three LED Mini-Maglite upgrade won't light up with. That Nite Ize upgrade was my go-to battery vampire until I found this one.
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I've recently discovered that CR123 cells that won't light my other lights will still get long run times with my Malkoff M31LL. Don't know why it didn't occur to me to try it sooner.
I've recently discovered that CR123 cells that won't light my other lights will still get long run times with my Malkoff M31LL. Don't know why it didn't occur to me to try it sooner.
doctordun
Enlightened
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I came across this thread and it's interesting reading.
My question is, why do I want to drain my 123 batteries to total depletion, other than to say I did and feel good about using it up?
When the battery no longer powers my carry light, I no longer need it.
If I place it in one of my other lights, that will burn low enough to deplete the battery to the end, I would never use that light, knowing the battery will fail at any time.
Nor do I use a light that I can't use to it's fullest, from low to high.
The battery might as well go in the trash. It's not like I have lights burning all around my home.
I came across this thread and it's interesting reading.
My question is, why do I want to drain my 123 batteries to total depletion, other than to say I did and feel good about using it up?
When the battery no longer powers my carry light, I no longer need it.
If I place it in one of my other lights, that will burn low enough to deplete the battery to the end, I would never use that light, knowing the battery will fail at any time.
Nor do I use a light that I can't use to it's fullest, from low to high.
The battery might as well go in the trash. It's not like I have lights burning all around my home.
thermal guy
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
That's a fair question. I guess it's for worse case scenarios. You know you have used up your 300 plus batteries and all you have is partially full batteries to use. You will still have a light on hand that can run off them.I do this with a battery vampire unit I got on here. Just a led a simple board two magnets and a piece of wire. Works great but only with batteries under 3 volts. But if I'm honest in all reality I will never need this but it's nice to have.
That's a fair question. I guess it's for worse case scenarios. You know you have used up your 300 plus batteries and all you have is partially full batteries to use. You will still have a light on hand that can run off them.I do this with a battery vampire unit I got on here. Just a led a simple board two magnets and a piece of wire. Works great but only with batteries under 3 volts. But if I'm honest in all reality I will never need this but it's nice to have.
bigburly912
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I have a battery vampire similar to the one described above mounted to the side of my fridge. (Mine is basically a slightly lower powered fenix e01 per the maker) I use every batter that my children use up in their toys in the said vampire to light up my stove and cabinets at night so that I don't wake up the children/wife/ whoever passed out in the living room. It's excellent for this and it will run batteries for hours that no other device will run. Served me well joe for many months and would work great in an emergency situation on the batteries that have been used up by my other light sources.
I have a battery vampire similar to the one described above mounted to the side of my fridge. (Mine is basically a slightly lower powered fenix e01 per the maker) I use every batter that my children use up in their toys in the said vampire to light up my stove and cabinets at night so that I don't wake up the children/wife/ whoever passed out in the living room. It's excellent for this and it will run batteries for hours that no other device will run. Served me well joe for many months and would work great in an emergency situation on the batteries that have been used up by my other light sources.
Kestrel
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
With this thread being started in 2008, what's noteworthy is that CR123's had far more 'market share' compared to the viable alternatives that have become popular since then: decent outputs from 2xAA NiMH LSD's, and spectacular outputs from LiIon rechargeables.
A good 'battery vampire' has a long period of dim & declining output - with termination only defined by the light output being too low to be usable.
It shouldn't go out without providing ample warning first, and may in some practical sense not actually 'go out' - i.e. there being little point to continue tying up a good flashlight with a primary cell of near-zero remaining capacity.
I still run through a few CR123's from time to time so maintain some personal interest in this topic; although now having a number of quality LiIons, I can simply use low modes for similar result but with less hassle. :shrug:
Edit: Having a few lights that are candidates for this application, would still IMO be a good idea for a 'long emergency' after the LiIons become run down.
Dozens of hours of low light from a near-depleted CR123 could suffice for quite a while, leaving the higher-output 'barn burners' available for the more immediate emergencies.
With this thread being started in 2008, what's noteworthy is that CR123's had far more 'market share' compared to the viable alternatives that have become popular since then: decent outputs from 2xAA NiMH LSD's, and spectacular outputs from LiIon rechargeables.
A good 'battery vampire' has a long period of dim & declining output - with termination only defined by the light output being too low to be usable.
It shouldn't go out without providing ample warning first, and may in some practical sense not actually 'go out' - i.e. there being little point to continue tying up a good flashlight with a primary cell of near-zero remaining capacity.
I still run through a few CR123's from time to time so maintain some personal interest in this topic; although now having a number of quality LiIons, I can simply use low modes for similar result but with less hassle. :shrug:
Edit: Having a few lights that are candidates for this application, would still IMO be a good idea for a 'long emergency' after the LiIons become run down.
Dozens of hours of low light from a near-depleted CR123 could suffice for quite a while, leaving the higher-output 'barn burners' available for the more immediate emergencies.
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Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I can see the appeal for vampires for extended power outages or just to get as much use out of primary batteries in non-critical use around the house.
The Streamlight compact II should make for a good CR123 vampire, since it also runs on AA's, it should take the Voltage down very low and it has low modes that consume very little power. I also found that the 2C Mag ML50 runs pretty well on a near depleted CR123 in an adapter, particularly in eco mode.
I can see the appeal for vampires for extended power outages or just to get as much use out of primary batteries in non-critical use around the house.
The Streamlight compact II should make for a good CR123 vampire, since it also runs on AA's, it should take the Voltage down very low and it has low modes that consume very little power. I also found that the 2C Mag ML50 runs pretty well on a near depleted CR123 in an adapter, particularly in eco mode.
this_is_nascar
Flashaholic
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I've always looked at a light like this as if it was the only one on my person and I was stuck in an emergency or survival situation. A light that I'd trust with my life. In my 20+ years of being a flashlight enthusiast, only two lights have ever been in that class for me.
Arc AAA
Fenix E01
They would fire from a cell and provide useable light from a cell with less than a half-volt of power.
I'm hoping the Sofirn C01 will be the next light added to this list. It's too new, to me, to tell as of right now.
Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk
I've always looked at a light like this as if it was the only one on my person and I was stuck in an emergency or survival situation. A light that I'd trust with my life. In my 20+ years of being a flashlight enthusiast, only two lights have ever been in that class for me.
Arc AAA
Fenix E01
They would fire from a cell and provide useable light from a cell with less than a half-volt of power.
I'm hoping the Sofirn C01 will be the next light added to this list. It's too new, to me, to tell as of right now.
Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listi
I tried batteries that would not light my Maglite XL100 and 2 out of 3 lit the Sophia C01. The 3rd would not light an E01 either. I did not check the power remaining in any of them.
I tried batteries that would not light my Maglite XL100 and 2 out of 3 lit the Sophia C01. The 3rd would not light an E01 either. I did not check the power remaining in any of them.
Re: Battery Vampires - Lights that you can feed your "dead" cells to, listing..
I agree with others here in that the usefulness of battery vampires has waned. The amount of power saved from a pile depleted primaries can be dwarfed by the power in but maybe 1 or 2 lithium ion batteries that are charged up and the cost required to recharge batteries is a fraction of a cent perhaps thus making the savings of the effort of the battery vampire... next to nothing and essentially unable to pay for the light/device used to do so one may be better suited to toss the depleted cells and invest in another 18350 or 18650 battery and/or light.
With tool batteries now lithium ion based and all over the place a lot of us have these batteries lying around most of them fully charged there is a tremendous amount of power in them sitting there that can be harnessed along with 18650 based power banks to charge smart devices plus some bluetooth speakers and flashlights with power bank features and even the flashlight app on smart phones depending on depleted primaries and battery vampires is.... not needed at all we just need to prepare to use these other options like buying USB lighting solutions and LED lights for tool battery sets even USB adapters for them.
I agree with others here in that the usefulness of battery vampires has waned. The amount of power saved from a pile depleted primaries can be dwarfed by the power in but maybe 1 or 2 lithium ion batteries that are charged up and the cost required to recharge batteries is a fraction of a cent perhaps thus making the savings of the effort of the battery vampire... next to nothing and essentially unable to pay for the light/device used to do so one may be better suited to toss the depleted cells and invest in another 18350 or 18650 battery and/or light.
With tool batteries now lithium ion based and all over the place a lot of us have these batteries lying around most of them fully charged there is a tremendous amount of power in them sitting there that can be harnessed along with 18650 based power banks to charge smart devices plus some bluetooth speakers and flashlights with power bank features and even the flashlight app on smart phones depending on depleted primaries and battery vampires is.... not needed at all we just need to prepare to use these other options like buying USB lighting solutions and LED lights for tool battery sets even USB adapters for them.
